Storm and Brook Sitting In a Tree [c]

Stormdance

Stormdance, Brookstone, and Rowanpaw were out for a hunting patrol, heading down towards the river. While the trio had been out together once or twice before this, this time was a bit unique as Brookstone and Stormdance had originally been heading out for just the two of them when Rowanpaw caught them as they left and asked to come along.

Not that Stormdance minded too much. Anytime spent with Brookstone was a treat, and it was rare to see Rowanpaw enthusiastic about going hunting, so he certainly wasn’t going to turn his apprentice away. Still, he didn’t like the look in Rowanpaw’s eyes. He’d started to get a sense for when his mischievous charge was up to something or another. Rowanpaw could never quite keep the foxes grin from his lips.

Still, Stormdance was content to ignore it until he actually did something. He looked up, enjoying the leaves of the nearby trees turning gold, red, and orange. It was more prominent across the border with the Thunderclan and Skyclan trees, but there were a few trees in the Riverclan territory displaying the gorgeous change. Stormdance smiled to himself. “I’ve never seen the leaves like this,” He commented to his companions.

“I mean, I knew it happened, but it’s different seeing it in action. It’s nice.” He purred, nudging his shoulder against Brookstone’s and giving her a warm smile. “It’s a good day to go out, I think.” He was, as he always was in Brookstone’s presence, feeling light and warm inside.

Rowanpaw

When Rowanpaw saw Brookstone and Stormdance together near camp's exit, his eyes had narrowed immediately. Now where exactly were they going off to? He'd watched from a moment before the shaded spot he'd curled up in, curious, before they looked about ready to leave. He almost returned to his nap, ready to let them go about their little patrol, when a devious thought flickered to mind. He'd see the pair act especially close, though he thought little of it; this would be the perfect chance to find out how true that was, and give them a terrible time for it if so. So, he'd bolted right up to them, inserting himself between them and asking in as innocent a tone as he could manage to come along. Despite his wry grin and wheedling tone, they'd relented, and he bounced after them happily.

Once they were out into the territory, his mission plans were almost entirely abandoned. He paid the warrior's little mind, hopping merrily behind them as they trekked out. He'd been in the territory a few times now, since the seasons had started to change, but he still hadn't quite gotten over the way the world looked under leaf-fall's hold. When he caught sight of ThunderClan or SkyClan's territory across the way, he couldn't help but feel a little envious that RiverClan didn't have such dense woods marking their territory. But even with the few trees RiverClan held, there was plenty of popping colors from them, and Rowanpaw couldn't keep himself from throwing himself into the piles, just as he'd done on every patrol since the leaves had started to... well, fall. He'd popped out with a collection of brittle leaves clinging to-- and blending with --his pelt, and he was about to trot over to his companions to demand they marvel at how similar their colors were when his attention rested fully on them again. They sight of them immediately made his ears lower; muttering to each other, knocking into each other, smiling softly... it was disgusting.

Shaking out his precious leaves, Rowanpaw stopped in his tracks. He watched as the pair continued marching along, and as they went, he lowered himself down into an awkward hunter's crouch. With intently focused eyes and a brief waggle of his haunches, he shot off, barreling between them to force them apart and skidding to a halt a few fox-lengths ahead of them. He almost slipped across the earth and went sprawling, but he recovered his balance (not without a notable stumble), and once he had, he turned to face them with a sneer. [color=darkorchid]"I thought we were going hunting!" He proclaimed, voice loud and high-pitched. Despite his upset tone, his green eyes shone with clear amusement and mischief, and his characteristic grin returned with force. "I am so young, and so unlearned, and you would both waste our precious, precious time together to canoodle? I am appalled!" He gasped, huffed, and stamped his forepaws against the earth in rhythm. Bouncing back closer, he wedged himself between them once more, pointedly, and looked between Stormdance and Brookstone in turn.

Stormdance

Stormdance's eyes grew warm at the content and happy look on Brookstone's face, and he returned her smile with a happy one of his own. He loved seeing Brookstone happy. He held Brookstone's gaze for a few extra seconds than was strictly necessary, caught in the blue of her eyes, before he looked away with his fur growing hot. He's not sure what caused the moment, and it leaves his heart fluttering. Uncertain how to handle such feelings, he searched for a distraction. 

He glanced back over his shoulder, watching Rowanpaw dance and play in the fallen leaves like a kit, and he chuckled softly to himself, It was easy to forget how young the apprentice was sometimes, but it was nice seeing him get so excited over little things like this. 

Just as Stormdance was focusing forward again, trying to remind himself that they were there to go hunting and not for Stormdance to be a sap, a mischievous bundle of orange fur separated him and Brookdance. Stormdance blinked, giving his apprentice an unimpressed, stern gaze. He was once again struck by how much Rowanpaw looked like a fox with that stupid grin of his. Perhaps a morbid thought, given the direct trouble he and Rowanpaw had experienced with foxes, but it was too applicable a comparison not to make. He opens his mouth to respond to Rowanpaw's quite vocal complaints, when Rowanpaw added the last bit about canoodling .

"Wha- we aren't- Rowanpaw!" Stormdance squeaked, feeling hot. Shaking his head to try and force himself to recover his dignity, Stormdance reached over and planted a paw on Rowanpaw's head. He ruffled Rowanpaw's oh-so-precious well groomed fur. Not that it was all that well groomed anymore, given all his playing in the leaves. "Young and unlearned, huh?" He said, voice dry as rocks. "What happened to being the best apprentice to ever exist, ready to become a warrior yesterday? Are you finally ready to admit that you need some guidance from your mentor? I'd be happy to provide that." He lifted his paw off of Rowanpaw's head and arched his eyebrow pointedly.