Why Am I Doing This? [closed]

Swanpaw waited not far from the WindClan border, feeling both excited and nervous. She was going against everything she had been taught, all in the name of this one cat. All in the name of... A friend, she supposed. That was the only way to put it that made sense to her. Cloverpaw was her friend, and that was why she was waiting for him here. To teach him how to swim. ...Oh, StarClan, what had she gotten herself into? It was too late to back out now, though...

Cloverpaw raced/ bounced to their meeting place a bright smile on his face. He couldn't wait to learn how to swim! He has been waiting for this time to him what felt like ages! It nearly killed him inside though to try and not tell anybody about Swanpaw, it almost broke out a few times but he always managed to catch himself in time. He didn't fully understand what they were doing was against the warrior code, he did know if he told anybody they both would get in trouble sure. But he didn't understand yet why they would. He just wanted a friend that's all! Who cares if their from another clan, a cat is a cat right? Or at least that's what he thought as he poked through the bushes his eyes scanning the place for the familiar she. "Swan?..pst..Swan?" He called out as low as he could trying to not alert anybody around.

"I'm here, Cloverpaw," she called out quietly. "Ready?" she asked, trying to keep her nervousness out of her voice. She couldn't look weak! She was supposed to teach, not cower in fear. Her blue eyes sparkled in the starlight, and she waited for the WindClan apprentice to make his way closer. She sat in front of a small stream - shallow enough that drowning wasn't possible, but deep enough to swim. However, she did somewhat doubt whether Cloverpaw would get any further than setting a single paw in the water.

His breath quickened as he heard Swanpaw's voice. This is actually happening! He nodded his head quickly, "Yes!" He said a bit to loudly then lowered his head in embarrassment a small smile on his lips. He heard Swanpaw's fear in her voice. Why was she scared? He frowned as he looked to her then to the river. "What's wrong?" He asked his head titling he padded to the small stream looking out across it. He would be swimming along that soon! Then he looked back to Swanpaw with concern in his eyes. "I'm the one that should be scared not you." He chuckled a bit.

"I'm not scared," she snapped slightly, then suddenly realized what she'd said and how she'd said it. "Just... Nervous. Anyway... Follow after me. Slowly." She reached a paw into the stream, purring happily at the feeling of the water. She debated giving a 'water is wet' warning, but her goal wasn't to seem condescending - she was pretty sure all cats knew water was wet.

Cloverpaw took a step back as she snapped at him, frowning and his ears going back slightly. They perked back up though as he followed her, obviously she didn't want to teach him. Gulping he kept silent as he watched her put a paw in the stream purring. That made him smile a bit but then he glanced to the water also putting a hesitant paw in. At first he drew back letting out a quick yelp, he wasn't expecting it to be so cold! But then he put his paw in again glancing at Swanpaw for what to do next.

She laughed, though it wasn't cruel. Just amusement at the startled drawing back of his paw. "Congratulations, you got one in. Try the other paw," she ordered, demonstrating by stepping in further. Both of her paws were now in the admittedly cold water, and she walked further out to turn and face Cloverpaw. The water was up to her chest, though she wasn't sure they'd get that far in just one night. "...Sorry for snapping at you," she added, quietly. She liked Cloverpaw, and if she scared him... Well, she'd feel as heartless as the cat who had injured him when they first met.

Cloverpaw blushed in embarrassment as she laughed smiling a small smile and his head down. She's..kinda cute when she laughs. His eyes blinked as she walked in further, she looked like her home was the water like a fish but more beautiful. He felt heat rise to his face and shook his head a bit. At her words he smiled, "Its okay..Its my fault.." He didn't really know why he said that but he stepped more into the water as soon as he said that. Letting out a gasp as the cold water licked at his pelt, "Its freezing!!" He gasped shaking from the cold while forcing himself to stay in his teeth chattering.

"It's not so bad," Swanpaw scoffed. "...Is it?" After all, she'd never taught another cat - especially a cat from another Clan entirely - to swim. "It feels fine to me, but..." Should she be honest? ...Yes. Yes she should. "Well... You've impressed me anyway. I kind out thought you'd refuse to keep going the minute you put one paw in," she mumbled.

Cloverpaw stared at Swanpaw as she spoke trying to keep from running out of the water. He nodded though at her question. "Yes...it..is..bad." He managed to say through clenched and chattering teeth. He puffed up his chest a bit at her last words, "Ha!..see..I...can..be..impressive.. Can..I..go..now..?" He didn't even wait for Swanpaws answer before he bolted out of the water shivering as he hit dry land.

Swanpaw laughed as her friend darted out of the water. "Well, you did pretty well in that case," she informed him, gracefully exiting the water herself and shaking off the remnants of it. "...Are you alright?" she added, concern lacing her voice.

Cloverpaw stepped away from her as she shook off her pelt glancing to her with amazement, how this cat wasn't fazed by the freezing water he will never know. But he had a smirk on him as he stepped closer to her and shook his pelt his entire body shaking and managing to shake most of the water on his pelt to her. He burst up laughing then glanced to her again shaking his head, "I'm fine!..Just...that was cold!" He giggled uncontrollably again tears coming to his eyes. Somebody...was concern for him..other then his siblings or his adopted father...Nobody really cared about him before. He slowly stopped laughing his eyes growing a bit dark as he looked away from her tears still in his eyes.

"That's good. ...You might need to run around for a while to dry off, though. We don't want anyone getting suspicious, right?" Swanpaw pointed out. "Though... If you still want to learn... We should probably figure out when we're going to meet here again."

Cloverpaw lifted his head a bit at her words nodded, he suppose he should do that. He nodded slowly, she was right walking into camp like this will certainly cause suspicion. But he stayed quiet he didn't want to leave her so soon. He shuffled his paws a bit awkward and not sure what to say. He really didn't want to go back yet, but maybe she wanted him gone? He kept his head down not saying a word.

Suddenly realizing that her words may have come out harsher than intended, Swanpaw frowned. "Y-you don't have to leave right away! I was just thinking, we should probably plan this out in advance so that we can avoid suspicion." She was still trying to understand how exactly to interact with Cloverpaw - he wasn't exactly weak, but she couldn't be as harsh on him as she was to others, and she was trying to find the balance between not being harsh and not treating him like a helpless kit.