When Moss gets Muddy...

What am I doing? Mudfoot wondered as he walked out of camp and into the dense ShadowClan territory. The tom was growing up fast and time was flying by. He needed a mate before age caught up to him, but who would be the right one? All of ShadowClan's she cats were beautiful and wonderful but one stood out in particular, Mosspaw. Yes, she was an apprentice, but love overcomes all. Ever since she was given her apprentice name, the charming tom couldn't stop thinking about her. He couldn't put a paw on it, but he knew she was the one, and he needed to confess his feelings.

Mosspaw was gathering moss for the warriors, as per her apprentice duties. The she-cat was a hardworker, trying her best to keep on top of things so that their were no major issues regarding beds for everyone. It was a little thing she could do to make everyone's lives a little more pleasant and their nights a little warmer. The ginger she-cat noticed at the last minute the shuffling of a cat nearby. Twisted her head to face him, she meowed in a friendly manner to the tom. "Hello Mudfoot! What are you doing out here?"

Mudfoot trotted up next to the apprentice with a smile though his fur shook with nervousness. "Just enjoying the day." He meowed softly, flicking his tail. "Collecting moss? Always a hard worker." he complimented the she cat. "Mind if I help you?" Mudfoot was never the best at finding the best fresh moss for bedding, but maybe the apprentice could teach him a thing or two.

"Thanks." The she-cat swiped her tail around herself self-consciously, surprised by the tom's praise, she hadn't thought anyone had noticed her. "I'd love your help, Mudfoot. If it's not too much trouble." She purred, scooting over to make room for the tom before going about her work. She was bunching up moss into a ball and squeezing at it hard till it felt dry to the touch, the queens who spent days at a time on their nests were at risk of getting sores from wet bedding. It was essential they were dry. So engrossed in her work, she didn't speak for a bit, only to realised that might be a teensy bit rude. "How've you been Mudfoot?"

"Nothing's to much trouble for your lovable muddybuddy." The tom said with a light chuckle, sitting down next to Mosspaw. For a few moments he watched how she dried the moss and assumed the reason for doing so. He was lost in thought when he heard her voice. "Oh me? Good I guess, not much had been going on lately except training my apprentice." He replied hoping it didn't seem as though he was a boring cat. "How about you? How's training been going?" He grabbed a clump of moss and awkwardly began trying to do what she did.

"I haven't trained much with my mentor, Rainfire's been busy lately." She said, a little glumly. She'd been looking forward to training with the tom, but he seemed too busy for her, or maybe she wasn't that good of an apprentice. "But I'm learning heaps from Thrushstar and Magpiewing. Have you trained a lot of apprentices, Mudfoot?"

Mudfoot suddenly felt bad for the apprentice. It was always a bummer when your mentor didn't train with you, he knew from personal experience. But he was glad to hear she was having help from their leader and his father, a well known cat. "Not that many. Only Barkpaw and Patchpaw." He looked up with a smile then back to his moss ball. "How's this?" Mudfoot asked knowing it wasn't nearly as good as Mosspaw's.

"They must be lucky to have such a kind mentor like you." She hadn't spoken to the tom often, but seeing how he offered her help, a little ol' apprentice minding her own business, Mosspaw couldn't help but think he was sweet. Whoever Mudfoot took as a mate would be lucky. "It's perfect, well for a first timer at least." She tacked on a little joke, adding it to the pile without fiddling with it at all. He'd been thorough enough to even pass her own rigorous inspections. "Two more and I think we're done."

"Thanks!" He said with a grin. Atleast he was able to please her with his moss collecting skills. The tom grabbed some more moss and started the same process over again. Once he was done with one, he grabbed some more and did the same. "There! We got through that pretty fast." Mudfoot said placing the moss with the others. "Now, mind if I show you something?" He stood up and gave a his hind legs a stretch.

Mosspaw couldn't help be impressed by how quickly he got everything done, if anything, she felt a little guilty for not helping more, it was her task originally after all. "You got through that pretty fast. I don't think I deserve much credit." She joked while double checking it was enough. A gentle prod here and there was all she needed, it was done. "Of course." Mosspaw readily accepted his offer, curious as to what he was going to show her.

Mudfoot tilted his head toward the direction they would be walking and started off. After a few moments of awkward silence, the tom couldn't help but break the quiet. "I think you'll like this place." If the rats don't catch us. The pair finally reached the Carrion Place and Mudfoot held his tail out for her to stop. "Stay here, I'll be right back." He meowed softly and ran through a whole in the fence. he decided it would be faster and safer for only him to go in and grab a quick something instead of her following him. The tom's nose was filled with smells that reeked but mixed with wonderful smells at the same time. He picked out his favorite twoleg snack and headed back to Mosspaw.

On his way out, Mudfoot heard a rat scurry through the shadows and a sudden flashback from when he found Russetkit filled his mind. With a smile on his muzzle, the fluffy cat picked up the pace finally reaching the fence. "Come on." He mumbled and trotted towards the forest, wanting to get away from that weird place. He stopped when they reached a comfy patch of thin moss and set the food down. "I think it's called a ham...something. I heard some elders talking about it, they are really good." He gave a hopeful smile towards Mosspaw, hoping she would except the thing he brought.

//Lady and the Tramp music

Mosspaw had followed without a thought in the world, but of all places she expected to be brought, this wasn't it. At first, she was a little spooked. The shiny stones logs and crinkly shiny leafs of twoleg crowfood were too foreign to her. Also, she'd heard from her mother, Fennelcloud how her sister, Sandfire and Lionpaw had been attacked here long ago by a Badger. Lionpaw had lost her life, bleeding out from the mauling, while Sandfire barely escaped with her life. And Mudfoot leaving her here certainly didn't help, but she had faith he wouldn't have brought her here for no reason. So she took in a deep breath, and waited for his return.

And as expected, he did. Not alone either. He brought over a twoleg snack and they were off, back to the forest. When Mudfoot finally settled on a nice patch of moss, she inspected the gift curiously. "Oh?" Mosspaw approached the pink meat, it smelt like the most succulent of frogs and mice. The twoleg part was a little off-putting but Mudfoot had brought her this, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. Bending down she took a dainty bite from it. It was just like the smell, delicious. "Its.. Its really good. Thank you."

"Your welcome. I've never really gotten to share it with anyone." He said with a warm smile. "Usually I come here after I've hunted. And this certain twoleg food is really good, I've been torn on whether or not I should bring it to the clan." But they'd probably flip out. He gave a happy sigh and laid down onto his side, motioning with his fluffy tail for Mosspaw to lay with him. "You know, I've always liked the way moss feels. How warm and cozy it is when laying in a nest, in the dead of winter, when nothing else but bedding and sleeping bodies keeps us warm."

Listening to his tale, she couldn't help feel a little sad by the arbitrary restrictions the clan imposed at times, but she understood why Thrushstar had chosen this path. She could hardly complain, what if the food was poisoned. But it tasted nice, and sharing it with a handsome tom like Mudfoot was always a perk.

When he offered, she laid next to him, sharing the space by pressing her fluffy ginger pelt against his. His words were romantic in their own way, and she had to admit that she was weak for a tom who spoke so eloquently. "Mm. The only thing that could make it better is sharing a nest with someone you care for." She said, looking up meaningfully at the tom.

Mudfoot looked down at the apprentice and into her eyes. He knew what she meant but when he started to speak, only a small wheeze came out. "Mosspaw..." He started but chocked on air again. Suddenly nervous that he might say something to rash, the handsome tom felt extremely awkward. No. Don't be awkward. She's a nice cat, she'll understand. Won't she? He took a breath. "Mosspaw, I need you in my life. Not just as a friend or clan mate, but more than that." You're doing great. He tried to support himself. "You are kindhearted, funny, sweet, and beautiful. Mosspaw, will you be my mate?" He finally blurted out and gave a soft smile yet nervous smile, praying to StarClan she would accept his question.