I'm Right Here, I Still Love You [closed for Ice]

Goatpaw had heard of Smokepelt's recent demotion, but that didn't impede her love for him. She knew, despite Ashstar's words at the time of the ceremony, that Smokepelt wasn't respected anymore. But, with all of her heart, she couldn't, she wouldn't stop loving him. Hazefur had become less active with Smokepelt since Brindlewhisker became deputy. Why? Did Hazefur love him for his position? As Goatpaw sat alone in silent contemplation, she only hoped for him to confide in her... because she was too shy to come to him.

The clouds marauded the sky to pilfer the sun's light. Goatpaw felt like yowling for him, because she could save him from how he was feeling. She was sure of it. She was his apprentice, she was his friend, even though they were secretly something more in a not-so-secret way. She mumbled under her breath, and watched a rabbit skitter into its hole, too swift for even the most adroit of paws. She weakly batted at it. Goatpaw stood up, preparing to head back to camp, before she saw a shape crop up in the horizon. She felt a thrill of fear. Who was it? The chance was so very unlikely that it was Smokepelt, and it was probably another cat who would wonder what she was doing lingering on the outskirts of camp. She froze.

OOC: apologies for not posting sooner.
No need to reply to this OOC btw. Will delete later.

IC: Padding through the territory with his head hung low and tail brushing against the ground, Smokepelt gritted his teeth, a scowl on his face. Ever since he'd been demoted, nothing was the same. No one except some of his family and his newer kits really looked up to him any more, and camp life had become a drag. There was no more organizing patrols, no instructing new warriors on how to mentor their apprentices, he was just a normal, ordinary clan member now, and he hated it. He hated being humiliated, treated like a nobody, and simply put, all of it.

Even with Cedarfur's attempt to speak to his mother, she'd shut the elder down far too quickly, and it saddened his heart to see his mother's personality change so much. She wasn't the sweet, kind, grey furred leader than he'd known long ago, and now, he didn't know what to think. Should he continue to act cold and stubborn towards her, or try to make amends (no matter how small), and hope that she acts the same way in return? But what if all of his efforts failed and she just continued to ignore his presence? Then he'd be seen as a fool for ever trying to regain her acceptance and trust, so maybe being kind towards her just wasn't worth it.

Well, no matter what he did, there would always be a tear in his heart that wasn't going to ever heal, no matter how hard he tried to love her as the mother he once knew. While he'd always miss on of his favorite kits, of course he understood why she'd exiled Kindleblaze, but her demoting him... it was just so out of the blue, and he'd never get over it.

Mumbling under his breath and becoming worked up over the matter again, his mind fell on Hazefur, Goatpaw, and Willowhisker, all she-cats whom he constantly doted over when not thinking about everything else going on in life. Hazefur, although his current mate and love of his life had seemed distant lately, and although she'd just bared him another couple litters, he was confused as to what was going on with her. Had she seem him and Willowwhisker together? Or maybe him and Goatpaw being so close now that she'd returned was difficult to watch? Who knew.

'Please give me strength,' the grey and white tom prayed quietly and let out a sigh and he gave his pelt a shake and continued to trek across the silent territory. She-cats. They were all just too confusing. Their emotions always seemed to be heightened, and they got jealous at the smallest of ordeals if it meant that he needed to speak with or go on a patrol with another she-cat. Why couldn't they just all get along?

Angry, confused, and not really knowing how to deal with anything that had been going on lately, Smokepelt walked up a small, short grass filled hill so that he stood on a higher part of the moor that instead of dipping down, continued on for a while. Looking around and turning on the direction of the Thunderpath border, he came to a halt when the sight of a patch of rustling grass not too far from him caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Opening his slightly crooked jaw, the warrior scented the air. It was definitely a WindClan cat, and their was only one cat whom he wanted to see appear from the patch of tall grass and brush.

While he probably should've just left them alone, in case they were in the middle of hunting, his curiosity took over and he started towards the clump of brush, his tail lifted ever so slightly. Soon enough, the shape of the light colored form was visible and Smokepelt's heart skipped a beat. "Goatpaw?" the tom asked, tilting his head to the side, although the white she-cat's folded ears made it obvious that it was in fact her who was standing a foxlength or two in front of him.

Fancy him randomly running into her like this, seeing that she was the only cat whom he desperately wished to spend time with right about now. She would understand what he was going through, she would know what to say, he was sure of it. Every time he thought of the slightly younger she-cat, his heart raced and his head pounded from the overwhelming sense of happiness, and no matter how Hazefur or anyone else felt about him and Goatpaw, he would always love the white she-cat with all of his heart, and nothing in the entire universe could ever change the feelings he had towards her.

Goatpaw turned around, starry-eyed.

There he was... the one cat she hoped to see. She started a walking gait towards him, then slowly picked up, until she sprinted to him. She stared into his amber eyes with her own, deep rubicund orbs, and blinked. "Smokepelt!" she yelped with joy. Even if he had been demoted, she still felt love. Stronger than ever. While all of the other blethering felines were plugging about his demotion, she, she still adored him.

No coldness would beguile her; she knew Smokepelt still loved her, didn't he? She let out a sweet purr. It faltered when she noticed his previous expression—the phantom of a frown. It had been swiftly replaced with a grin, however, which replenished her purr. "I'm, uh, becoming a warrior soon," said Goatpaw, in her usual small voice.

Then she did something she'd never done before... she stood up straight. "Smokepelt," she meowed sternly, as if she were going to lecture him, "I..." she stopped in suspense. "I love you." Goatpaw pressed her face into his fur. She began to choir a song, but it was hazy to hear. It sounded ariose. It sounded... nice, and sincere, as well. She entwined her tail with his.

She felt like she could stay there forever, but she pulled away in fear that this might discomfort Smokepelt. "Oh... I'm sorry," she apologized hastily. "It's just that... I wanted to see you just now and... oh..." Goatpaw warbled guiltily, blushing as she gazed up at Smokepelt. Maybe the grey-and-white warrior could see the slight, charmed twitch of her whiskers, mingled with traces and undertones of love.

She held wisdom beyond her years, but she couldn't show it. She was too shy. Only to him, and him alone, did Goatpaw feel she could really show her true colours. She didn't flinch. She stayed with him, like she inwardly vowed to do. Those were some of the most words she'd ever spoken. She sighed wistfully, remembering. And remembering.

She looked just about ready to bombard him with questions, but they just stayed in heartening silence. Goatpaw could only hope that he would return her gesture. She breathed softly and cyclically, though there was a hint of worry that he would be standoffish towards her, too. She shook the thought from her mind. No. He loves me, right? There was a flaky tenor to her reflections.

OOC: aaahhh, sorry for the wait ;A;
and lol I guess we will do the love confessions here then <3 fine by me :D//hype

IC: Somewhat surprised by sudden dash towards him, Smokepelt took a step back so that he sat on his rump and looked down to Goatpaw. They smaller white she-cat's eyes shown with excitement, and it took him a second to process what was going on. She was here with him, alone on the moor, and life couldn't have been better, but what really caught him off guard was what she said next.

In all the time that he'd spent with the quiet she-cat, he'd never heard her say so much in one sitting, but he couldn't have been more proud.

Standing back up, Smokepelt took a step forward and rested his muzzle on her forehead to give her a gentle lick. Embracing her calming scent and listening to the steady beat of her breath, a wave of calm washed over the warrior as the two stood together. "You'll be a great warrior," he mewed softly and took a step back so that he could meet her eyes.

She... she actually loved him Although he already assumed that their feelings towards each other were the same, he was revealed to hear those words spoken into the air and could finally relax. "I love you too Goatpaw," Smokepelt purred with a soft smile upon his once confused face. "Goatpaw... when you receive your warrior name, will you be my mate?" the tom blurted out. Well, might as well get it out there before something happened, right?

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, through thick and thin," he added, hoping she understood what he meant. With all that had been going on within the clan and even with some of the other clans, he couldn't imagine a day not spent with Goatpaw and wanted her to be his for the rest of their days as warriors of WindClan.