Cloverpaw and Sunpaw (open kind of)

When the two ThunderClan apprentices reached the healthy part of the territory, Sunpaw paused in a mossy clearing. He sat down, and licked his paw, drawing it over his ears. When Cloverpaw had settled down beside him, he lay down, and started licking her flank affectionately, looking into her amber eyes. "I love you, Cloverpaw," he murmured. He sighed. It was time to tell her. "Cloverpaw, at Sunningrocks at the day of the fire, I fell asleep with you next to me, remember? I dreamed I was in StarClan. Shinepaw and Goldenpaw were there. We had a long conversation, and then I asked them if it would work out between you and I. Shinepaw answered. She said it would," he finished, purring. He was excited to see Cloverpaw's reaction to this great news.

Cloverpaw's screeching woke Sunpaw up. Startled, Sunpaw mewed, "What's wrong, Cloverpaw?!?!" He shifted over so that he was pressing his body against Cloverpaw's shivering flank. He covered her ears with licks, waiting to hear what had scared her. He wanted to protect her.

Sunpaw stopped licking Cloverpaw and stared into the distance, remembering his siblings. Two had died. What would he do if he lost the others? He was glad Cloverpaw's dream was not true. But it was, wasn't it? A dark though entered his mind. What if her dream had been a sign from StarClan? What if those kits that had been in Cloverpaw's dream had been his and her kits? What if that came true?

Sunpaw shook his head to clear it. Cloverpaw's dream was just a dream. He concentrated on helping Cloverpaw recover from her scare. Suddenly, he thought of Nightcloud and her apprentice, Coalpaw. He remembered how they had given out herbs after the fire, some of them to help calm the cats and take the shock away. That was what Cloverpaw needed now. He strained his memory to think of what the herb was called. He was sure it began with a T. T...T...thyme! That was it! Thyme! Cloverpaw needed thyme to calm her down and make her feel better. And maybe poppy seeds, too. But maybe Cloverpaw would refuse.

"Cloverpaw, would you like some herbs?" he asked the speckled she-cat. "I remember the herbs' names, and what they look like. I remember going out with Coalpaw to accompany her on an herb-gathering expedition, and I know where poppy seeds and thyme grow. Do you want some?"

Sunpaw gently nudged her flank with his muzzle, encouraging her to stand up. Laying his tail across her shoulders, he led her in the direction of Sunningrocks. He opened his mouth and was immediately met by the musty scent of thyme. He led Cloverpaw over to the smell, and saw the small, dusky green leaves. They were sitting on their brittle stems. Sunpaw used his teeth to pluck the thyme's stems, and gathered three stalks. He stripped the leaves from the delicate stems, and set them down in front of Cloverpaw. Then he buried the stems underneath the hard soil, ignoring the bitter taste that seeped into his mouth.

"That's thyme, Cloverpaw," he mewed gently. "Let's go get some poppy seeds. There's a poppy flower not far from here."  He waited for Cloverpaw to finish eating her thyme.

Sunpaw hoped he was doing the right thing. What if Cloverpaw didn't appreciate him trying to protect her? What if she thought he underestimated her, and thought she couldn't recover on her own? Sunpaw winced at that thought. He didn't want Cloverpaw to think of him that way, and he hoped she didn't. But if she showed that she was annoyed by him, he would never forgive himself, even if Cloverpaw did.

Sunpaw licked Cloverpaw on the cheek and mewed, "You'd better go to the apprentices' den and rest. I'll bring you some prey. What would you like?" Peering into the fresh kill pile, he listed, "There's mice, squirrels, thrushes, and a vole." He looked back at Cloverpaw, waiting for her decision.