Under the stars.

Nightcloud was silent as she sat in a clearing, not far from the camp. Her gaze was fixed on the large dark blue sky that loomed over her and at the stars and moon that hung so carefully. The night had always taken her breath away, amazed at the glory that it carried every night as the cats of ShadowClan walked under it. The spirits of StarClan dancing above her as they celebrated the coming of new life...It was just amazing. Firefiles danced around her as she smiled softly to herself, but she couldn't help but feel a bit lonely. Part of her wished that Eaglepaw or Shadeclaw were with her...but mostly the latter. The crush she had felt with him since they were apprentices hadn't gone away, and she was still afraid to tell him that due to the fact that she had no idea if he liked her. She blushed as she thought about the tom, laying her head on her paws as she sighed. Of course, Shadeclaw had to be awake now...Perhaps he would come sit with her if he stumbled across her?

It just so happened the tom was doing a little bit of hunting at the time. The bushes rattled nearby as Shadeclaw stumbled out into the clearing, carrying a plump frog. He shook his head, a little dizzy. Should've watched where I was going, he thought, looking around to see where he was. As soon as he spotted Nightcloud, he leaped back in surprise, falling back in the bush. Oh great. He probably made himself look stupid in front of her. He silently hoped she hadn't noticed him yet, though due to all the noise he was making, he doubted it.

Shadeclaw padded back out, looking over at the she-cat with his ice-blue eyes. He dropped the frog so he could speak. "What're you doing out here by yourself?" He called over curiously, tipping his head to the side. She seemed...Distant. As if his fellow denmate was lost in thought. Picking up the frog, he began to pad over, wondering if she wanted some company, though mostly in the back of his head he was hoping simply to sit by her alone, under the stars.

Nightcloud had indeed noticed Shadeclaw when he first appeared, and had beena bit surpirse when she saw him quickly hide into the bushes. After waiting a few moments, only to see the tom trying to redo his entrance, she smiled softly at him as she watched the tom make his way over to her. "I was watching the stars. I've always found them so lovely to watch during the night. Also with Eaglepaw almost done with his training, I don't have much else to do." After a few moments, she flickered her tail at a spot next to her, a soft purr rising in her throat. "Do you wish to join me? Of course, if you aren't to busy hunting or anything."

Shadeclaw was trying very hard not to turn red from embarrassment. Padding over, he nervously sat down next to her, bringing the frog with him. He put it in front of them, not wanting to talk over a frog in his mouth the entire time. "Yeah, I haven't had too much to do either. Aside from regular clan duties, anyways." He replied, voice quieter than before. It had been a while since he last got to have a moment like this with Nightcloud. He hadn't gotten over her; he couldn't. He sighed, glancing over at her.
"Hey Nightcloud, can I ask you something?" He asked, eyes betraying his rising feeling of embarrassment.

"O-of course, Shadeclaw," Nightcloud said quickly, her heart starting to beat faster as she attempted to figure out what her Clanmate would want to tell her. Oh, she hoped it was the three words she had been hoping to hear for moons, but the fact that it could be anything made her a bit worried. However, watching the fireflies dance around them for a few moments caused her to smile softly. Whatever Shadeclaw told her would have to be good news if he felt that saying in on such a beautiful night was the perfect time...Right?

"Um...There's a certain she-cat I've really liked for a long time. B-but I don't know how to tell her. I'm worried I'll mess up; I tend to do that a lot, you know?" He laughed quietly a little at that last part, though he was not looking at his paws, which shuffled at the ground slightly. How was he going to do this? He suddenly hoped she didn't think he was talking about some one else. He really did like Nightcloud, much more than a friend. What better time was there to tell her?

A soft frown appeared on Nightcloud's face as she listened, clearing her throat. Oh please, StarClan, let him be talking about me... "Perhaps just coming out and telling that she-cat that you like her would be a good idea. The longer you wait, the more likely they are going to move on if they also like you." It felt a bit odd, telling Shadeclaw this, but if he was talking about a different she-cat, than she didn't want the other she-cat to feel the same fear she had felt, not knowing if he shared her feelings, but by StarClan she really hoped he was talking about her. It would be heart-breaking to see him going for a different she-cat after she had had a crush on him for countless moons.

Shadeclaw shut his eyes a moment, then looked at her. "Then...Is that how I should tell you?" He mewed, even quieter than before, but still audible. If cats could blush, his face would be on fire. He dearly hoped he hadn't said the wrong thing. Perhaps she really did think he was talking about someone else...Hopefully he could clear it up.

Silence came from Nightcloud, a look of totally surprise flooded onto her face, but it was quickly replaced by a huge grin as she quickly nodded. "That is what I always waited for, Shadeclaw," she whispered softly as she gently nuzzled his cheek. She purred as she gently leaned on him, watching the fireflies flutter around them under the glow of the moon. "And I love you back," she said in a hushed tone, smiling as she said it. She had always been waiting to say those words, and now she finally did; and it felt wonderful.

Shadeclaw couldn't stop himself from purring as she said that, giving her a soft lick on the cheek in return. It felt too good to be true, as if he was dreaming. Dear Starclan if it was a dream, he didn't want to wake up. She loved him, the same way he loved her.
He smiled as he watched the fireflies light up the air around them. One landed on his nose. He blinked, staring at it before it flew off, back into the breeze of lightning bugs. Perhaps this made them mates now, right? Shadeclaw hoped so. He didn't speak, just enjoyed the moment, not knowing what to say anymore.

Feeling the warmth of Shadeclaw next to her felt like StarClan to Nightcloud, and she couldn't ask for anything more. She let out a small purr as she felt Shadeclaw lick her cheek, causing her to scoot closer to him. Finally, they were together. She had spent moons for this moment to happen, and she wasn't disappointed in any way. To know that her crush finally loved her after wondering since she was just a new apprentice warmed her heart like nothing before, and with the moon hanging above them as fireflies danced around them, she didn't want to move from this spot.

Of course, another question started to rise in her chest. What now? They were together...but what would they do next? She wasn't ready for kits, oh StarClan no, not yet! She already felt like am adopted mother to Eaglepaw and he was a pawful! Just even thinking about the subject of kits made her uneasy, so she pushed that thought away. She started to wonder if she should say something, but she had a feeling that either words would ruin the mood or she would just be unable to say what she felt. So she remained quite as she watched the sky, wondering if anything else could make this moment even better than it already was.

Shadeclaw was enjoying the moment, but he wondered if he should speak up soon. Unfortunately they couldn't sit there forever. He glanced at the frog he had caught and nudged it over to her gently. "You hungry? We could share." He offered, having already hunted earlier.

He too wondered what would happen next. They had only just gotten together, so Shadeclaw decided not to think too much about a future just yet. For now, the tom wanted the moment to last as long as possible.