i want to know what love is [p]

[Aroogi]

Tuftedtusk
He/Him / Enforcer / 28M / ShC

---

Tuftedtusk was in the clearing, drawing his tongue over his pelt slowly. He had been thinking lately.. about Owlthroat. He was handsome, driven and he just enjoyed his company. He knew why he felt like he was more than a friend.. he loved owl. Like a mate would. He wanted to be with the tom. To protect him. Love him. Have owl be
his and only his.

Noticing his gaze wandering the clearing trying to spot the tom he loved, he would swallow nervously. He hoped Owl even felt the same. If he didn't, Tufted would simply act okay even if deep down he wasnt. If he did share these feelings... tufted would never let the tom go.

[ @Daragca ; EEEEEEE ]

[Daragca]

Owlthroat
he/him | Shadowclan Warrior | 39 moons
Beefed Up T1 - Just A Scratch - Silver Tongue
The Dancing Bird

Owlthroat found himself wandering from the warriors den, not entirely sure why until his gaze rested on Tuftedtusk. What a pleasant surprise, he’d found himself growing fonder of the tom. From snickering together about Riverclan’s defeat, to patrolling. His company was just pleasant, it seemed soothing, an unfamiliar feeling.

Most cats rubbed him the wrong way, as he did them. Likemindedness was something rare, something to be cherished. ”Tuft, how are you friend?” It wasn’t long before he closed the distance between the two, lowering his haunches and curling his thick tail around his blackened paws. The air felt thick with magnetism, why did he come out here on a whim.

Perhaps Starclan was pulling some strings.

[​​ @Aroogi ]

[Aroogi]

Tuftedtusk
He/Him / Enforcer / 28M / ShC

---

The tom looked up to see Owlthroat approaching him and when the tom sat, a rumbling purr rose in his chest. "I'm well.. but I have been thinking about something. I was wondering if I could speak to you about it?"

He decided he would act as if he was in love with a random tom to gauge Owlthroat's reaction and then tell him it was him in the end. Maybe that would help him see how the tom felt about him.

[ @Daragca ]

[Daragca]

Owlthroat
he/him | Shadowclan Warrior | 39 moons
Beefed Up T1 - Just A Scratch - Silver Tongue
The Dancing Bird

Shuffling his feet the tom awkwardly repositioned, he hoped this wasn’t an ask for advice. He might stumble out with the wrong thing, put his paws in his mouth. But ego triumphed once more, of course he’d help, he was the greatest.

”Of course”, Owlthroat chuckled. ”I’m surprised you’d ask me, I'll tell you rip em to shreds if they’ve done you wrong.” At this point he’d rip someone to shreds himself for Tuftedtusk, there was loyalty there. A sense of responsibility to protect those that stayed close by.

It was nice to let a softer side show through, typically only reserved for perhaps his brother and former apprentice. But it twinged at him that it felt different to that. Uncomfortably so, eating away at him, refusal to admit. To give in.

[​​ @Aroogi ]

[Aroogi]

Tuftedtusk
He/Him / Enforcer / 28M / ShC

---

Whew. Okay. Here it goes. Tuftedtusk tapped his paw nervously on the ground in front of him, still laying on his side. "Well.. there is this tom I like. More than a friend. I see him quite often and we are very good friends.. but I'm not sure if he likes me the same way." He gazed at Owl. He was a smart tom. Maybe he could see where this was going?

"What should I do? Should I tell him?" Now, he would wait for his response, leaning forward slightly.

[ @Daragca ]

[Daragca]

Owlthroat
he/him | Shadowclan Warrior | 39 moons
Beefed Up T2 - Just A Scratch - Silver Tongue
The Dancing Bird

Owlthroat watched Tuftedtusk’s paw tap nervously before he spoke. This was bad, it didn’t take Owlthroat long to click on to what he was implying. He couldn’t admit this, couldn’t admit weakness or give into some silly adoration he’d developed. The ground needed to open up and swallow him whole. It was a raging internal battle.

For someone so cruel, so driven, admitting a silly weakness like love was pathetic. But he still desperately wanted it. The walls he’d spent moons building served a purpose, protection. Owlthroat was softer than he would like to admit on the inside, but he’d spent so long with a twisted mind it consumed who he truly was. He wasn’t kind, he wasn’t a friend to others. The cats that surrounded him served for nothing more than to be conquered.

”You should tell him”, a gruff mumble slipped out. His mind was a mess, why had he let that slip without thinking. Blurted out like a tiny mewling kit, embarrassing, with lack of self restraint. He needed to carve open some nasty non-Shadowclan warriors. Focus on what the tom did best, not a blubbering attempt at a sickening love story.

It was hard not to let the conflict shine within his deep yellow eyes.

[​​ @Aroogi ]

[Aroogi]

Tuftedtusk
He/Him / Enforcer / 29M / ShC

---

Immediately, Tufted noticed Owl's internal struggle. It shone all to brightly in his eyes. Ohh.. Owl did like him. He just.. didn't want to admit that he did.

With a deep breath, he gazed at Owl with a nervous smile. "Okay.. here goes... I like you Owlthroat. I like like you."

He hoped the tom wouldnt outright reject him. But he wouldn't let that stop him. Owl was going to be his. He could already tell he had the toms heart and now Tuft was offering his to him.

[ @Daragca ]

[Daragca]

Owlthroat
he/him | Shadowclan Warrior | 39 moons
Beefed Up T2 - Just A Scratch - Silver Tongue
The Dancing Bird

He said it.

The words Owlthroat just didn’t want to hear, but yearned for desperately.

For a moment he was struck in complete silence, he had known this was coming but the words slipping so directly out of Tuftedtusk’s mouth sent him staggering. Owlthroat took a step back looking desperately for a way to escape this, the internal conflict was eating him alive. Clawing at the very essence of the walls he had built around himself. Because the feelings were very much real, he adored Tuftedtusk. But what did that make him, love had always made him weak. He’d learnt his lesson time and time again watching his family be destroyed.

Now confronted with it so head on, it was a struggle. But he knew he wouldn’t let go, let some other inferior cat swoop into his place and claim Tuftedtusk as his own. As convoluted as his head had been moments early, ice cold clarity hit and the path was laid out in his mind.

He had to own this situation, Tuftedtusk would be his. Owlthroat wouldn’t let him go, wouldn’t let him get hurt. Then it wouldn’t be a weakness, it couldn’t possibly be. Writhing with ways to justify it to make the barricaded mind happy.

”Tuft, be mine and I’ll be yours.” Something swelled up in his eyes as he coughed out his words. Maybe a glint of happiness, something shy. Struggling to not let his whole world collapse around him.

[​​ @Aroogi ]

[Aroogi]

Tuftedtusk
He/Him / Enforcer / 29M / ShC

---

The tom watched Owlthroat. He could tell how conflicted the tom was. He didn't know much of the white and black toms past.. but he just seemed startled. Tuftedtusk watched this internal struggle for a while and when Owlthroat finally spoke, his eyes began to water with happy tears.

"Tuft, be mine and I'll be yours."

The tom stood, walking over to Owl and rubbing his head on his head. "I'm yours." His voice hitched and a loud, rumbling purr filled the toms chest.

[ @Daragca ]

[Daragca]

Owlthroat
he/him | Shadowclan Warrior | 39 moons
Beefed Up T2 - Just A Scratch - Silver Tongue
The Dancing Bird

Owlthroat let a low rumbling purr escape his lips at Tuftedtusk’s touch and acceptance. Swearing to himself then and there that he would care for him. Praying desperately to Starclan that he wouldn’t screw this up, ever.

Feeling emboldened he leant his nose down to touch it to Tuftedtusk’s own. For the other cats in camp he already had his plans, pretending this was always a thing. This wasn’t new of course, he wouldn’t stand for teasing and jeering. They’d always been together hadn’t they?

The silent warrior simply enjoyed the moment, basked in it all. Feeling the soft warmth, something so unfamiliar yet so comforting.

Such a vulnerable feeling, the unmasking of the beast.

[​​ @Aroogi ]