You've Got A Little Mud On You [[Closed]]

Littlebrook lay lounging in a quiet spot near a corner of camp when a flash of russet fur caught her attention. Mudfoot The tom who had become her best friend. She found herself thinking of him on patrols, during the training of apprentices, and in moments like these where all of her warrior duties for the night had been finished and she could relax. At first, she had been reluctant to admit what that meant because of Lightningstrike. He was her first love and she thought of him all the time. Everytime she looked at Silentstorm that was all she saw. She had felt guilty and ashamed to have even feel the way she did around Mudfoot. It had confused the old she-cat greatly and she had no idea what to make of it. Could she really have two loves in her life? She hadn't thought it. Would have never dreamed it, but it happened, nonetheless.

She did love him. She was sure of it now, and she wasn't ashamed or guilty anymore. Lightningstrike would've want her to be happy. Whatever that entailed, and Mudfoot made her happy. Just the thought was like a weight lifted off her shoulders.

She was almost positive he felt the same, and she was itching to talk to him about it. She wasn't sure what she was going to say. She wasn't even sure she could get herself to go through with it, so she forced herself to her paws, arching her back in a long stretch, before making her way towards the handsome tom. "Hey Mudfoot." She meowed when she reached him, a slight smile on her maw. "Do you wanna go on a walk with me?" She asked hopefully, deep blue gaze shining.

Laying down near the fresh-kill pile, Mudfoot let out a yawn, his fluffy, russet colored tail slowly swishing side to side. Clan life had been oddly peaceful lately, considering all that had happened in the past few moons. The tom had just eaten a leisurely evening snack and while laying around in somewhat chilly night was relaxing, he knew he needed to go hunting sometime.

Just barely opening his eyes enough to be able to look around, the warrior gazed around camp and he found himself staring at Littlebrook. Snapping his head so that he was looking at the ground, Mudfoot found himself growing hot under his fur. It'd been quite a while since Mossheart and Ferretshine had passed onto the next life and even though Wolffang had been gone from the clan for some good time, her death was pretty recent which still tugged at his heart. While he tried not to show it, he hated thinking about his previous mates, much less moving on from them, but even so, something deep down inside him told him to do what would make him happy, and the thing that made the older tom truly happy just so happened to be Littlebrook.

The two of them had been spending decent amounts of time together recently, which he enjoyed quite a lot. With both cats having lost their past lovers, it seemed as if they were able to grow closer with their likeness and the warrior couldn’t help but notice that the two of them had been spending more and more time by each other’s sides with each passing day. Of course this wasn’t a bad thing, seeing that he cherished his time with his clanmate, and laying by himself, he realized that he hadn’t confronted his true about the she-cat. Well, there actually wasn’t much to really think about. He liked Littlebrook and that’s all there was too it, but the thing he couldn’t get past was the feeling that he was abandoning his previous mates.

'Come on, they're not even here anymore. They've moved on and so should you,' the warrior thought to himself, becoming somewhat angry at his conflicting thoughts. Whether he wanted to try and accept it or not, he knew that there was nothing he could do about his dead mates. If they truly loved him, dead or not, they would accept his choice to find happiness again. Besides, he couldn’t waste his life away sitting around mourning for them and instead needed to move on, right?

Lost in thought, Mudfoot jumped when Littlebrook’s voice broke into his overwhelming daydream. "Oh, hello Littlebrook," he purred with a smile, happy that she’d arrived when she did. "Yes, I’d like that very much," the warrior added, pushing away his thoughts. Standing up, he gave his hind legs a stretch. The russet colored cat turned to Littlebrook with a soft smile on his face and his pelt shimmering in the slowly dimming sunlight. "Ready to go?" he asked, eager to get out of camp and spend time with the she-cat. Tonight, he’d tell her his true feelings for her with no guilt in tow.

Littlebrook returned his smile with a warm one of her own as she nodded to him, "Yeah, let's go." She purred softly as they began to head out into the familiar marsh. As they made their way through the territory filled with comforting scents, she glanced at him from time to time, thinking of just how she was going to bring up the topic she needed to talk about. Their pelts brushed and it sent a shiver of pleasure through her. Finally, she got the nerve to speak up. "I enjoy these walks." She meowed quietly, glancing at him, as padded leisurely through the marsh, and swiftly over logs and ditches. "I think they're the only things that keep me sane." She laughed quietly, wondering if he felt the same. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she couldn't make the words come out of her mouth. It was like her mouth wouldn't listen to her brain. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but they just wouldn't come out. Why is this so hard? Just tell him how you feel, Littlebrook. It's just a few words the you're done. She told herself silently, exasperated with herself. While she worked up the nerve to tell him, they just continued their walk in a silence that she wished she would just break.

Padding out of the camp with Littlebrook at his side, Mudfoot couldn't have been more content. His favorite she-cat next to him and only the dimly lit, silent open territory ahead of them. Tonight couldn't have been better.

Turning his head to look at her when she spoke, the warrior let out an amused purr. "My thoughts exactly," he replied with a chuckle. After that, the two of them continued to walk nowhere in particular and after what felt like forever of silence between them, Mudfoot decided to speak up. "But they wouldn't be as great without you," the russet colored tom mewed with a smile, their pelts brushing against each other as they continued to walk at a leisurely pace. Overthinking the entire situation, he'd spent the silence between them devising a way to tell her his true feelings, and now he just needed to wait for the right time. Why in StarClan's name was this so difficult? He'd told his true feelings to several other she-cats before Littlebrook and figuring out why this was so hard to process was becoming a real chore for the tom.

Littlebrook purred happily as he agreed, "Oh, stop." She laughed, lightly bumping into his shoulder. "You know.. You make me feel young again." She smiled, her eyes playful, but also genuine. She had no clue where she would be or what she'd be doing if the two of them hadn't gotten to know each other as well as they had, and she probably wouldn't be as happy as she was in that moment. She let the comfortable silence lengthen between them before looking at him and stopping in her tracks. After waiting for the tom to realize she had stopped, she looked at him with a semi-serious, semi-warm look. She was going to do it now. It's now or never, Littlebrook. C'mon you can do it. She silently told herself. "There's something I need to tell you." She meowed calmly, though on the inside she was all nerves. She had no clue how the russet pelted tom would react, or what he would say, but there was no going back now. She had to do this now.

OOC: ak, sorry for the late reply ;;

IC: Chuckling at the she-cat's reply, the two cats walked side by side, their pelts brushing every now and then. Just being next to Littlebrook brought the tom a sense of joy. 'You know what needs to be said,' he reminded himself, staying silent. He knew that he needed to tell her before it was too late, and while he was nervous to do so, his pelt itched with excitement. 'It's now or never.'

Taking a deep breath, Mudfoot readied himself. "There's so-" before he was able to say anything else, Littlebrook started to speak and he quickly shut him jaw. Perking his ears, he couldn't believe that they'd been thinking the same thing at the same time, but then fear set in. What if she wanted to tell him something else? Something that he didn't want to hear?

Trying to shake away the nerve wracking thoughts, Mudfoot didn't notice that Littlebrook had stopped and came to a halt a cat-length or so away from her. Turning back to look at his clan-mate, the warm look in her eyes gave him all the reassurance he needed.

"Same here," the russet colored tom mewed softly and took a few steps towards the she-cat. "Littlebrook... I..." he began, though his words were beginning to get caught in his throat as he met her eyes, emotion filling his gaze. This was his chance to finally move on from his past, he had to seize it.

Littlebrook gave a nervous smile before continuing quickly before she could chicken out. “Mudfoot.. I.. I’ve had feelings for you as more than just a.. a clanmate or.. a friend.” She meowed, her blue gaze vulnerable yet serious. She hoped he felt the same way and she had a pretty good feeling that he did, but she couldn’t get the thought out of her head that maybe she was being mouse brained. Though it scared her, this had to be done. Even if he didn’t feel the same way, she needed to know he truth and get her feelings out into the open. There was another thing she has to confess too, but she told herself not unless he reciprocated her feelings. He would need to know about Firestone and Gingerstripe, but she wouldn’t tell him about Honeydrop. That part wasn’t her secret to share, so he would have to be okay with the information that she could give him.

Letting out a slight laugh, she gave her chest fur a few embarrassed licks as she waited for a response from the russet pelted tom.

Heart racing and the tip of his tail ever so slightly twitching back and forth, Mudfoot listened to Littlebrook and as if he'd been hit by a monster, the sense of relief that fell over him was so strong that it practically socked him in the gut. She felt the same way towards him as he did to her? So he'd been worried for nothing!

Wanting to yowl with joy like an excited kit, Mudfoot instead let out a low purr from deep in his throat. Taking a step towards the she-cat, he closed his eyes and nuzzled her cheek with his muzzle, breathing in her warm and gentle scent, never wanting this moment to end.

"You don't know how happy I am that you said that," the warrior started, his eyes beginning to become filled with tears. "I've been such a mousebrain not to say anything to you earlier, but I'm not going to let fear control me anymore," he added. Lifting his muzzle from the side of her head smaller head, the russet colored tom met her gaze with nothing but affection and love in his eyes. This was it, he couldn't possibly wait any longer.

"Littlebrook, ever since we've met, I've seen how you've grown to become a valiant warrior and now our deputy. You're all any tom could ask for, and while it may seem selfish for me to say this... will you be mine?" he asked and finally relaxed his once tense body as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. After what seemed like moons of being afraid to face his feelings and having the fear of losing another mate holding him down, the warrior finally felt free, and this feeling was amazing.

"I... I may not be perfect, but when I look at you, I know that I've at least got something perfect in my life. I was afraid to fall in love again... to risk loosing another loved one... to be left behind again, but as I look into your eyes, I can easily see myself reflected back. That doesn't mean much to some cats, but to me it's everything. It means I see myself in you; a part of you that I don't ever want to let go of. In the past, I've had my doubts about destiny and even StarClan once, but I've grown to believe that every pair of star-crossed lovers will always find their destined partner in time. Always. For us, this is our time," he spoke, the words ebbing out of him as if they'd been desperate to be released.

"Littlebrook, will you be my mate?" Mudfoot asked softly, not letting his gaze wander from hers.

Littlebrook was taken aback at the russet tom's response. He.. He wanted her too? The thought was overwhelming and she was stunned into silence for several heartbeats. "You.. You do? Really?" She meowed, blue gaze warm and alight with happiness. "Oh Mudfoot.. You better me as a warrior and.. and you brought me out of this.. this depression that I was trapped in after Lightningstrike. You taught me that I could.. well.. love again. And I do Mudfoot.. I really believe I do love you. You've made me so happy in these last few moons and there's no other tom in ShadowClan that I'd rather be my mate." She purred affectionately, touching her nose to his. She felt like she was in a dream and that any moment she would wake up, but with every stretching minute.. She realized that this was real. This was really happening, and she had found someone to love her and cherish her. What more could she ask for? "Mudfoot.. Of course, I'd love to be your mate." She finally said in answer to his question. Her and Mudfoot.. Who woulda thought?

Leaning forward, Mudfoot continued to purr and nuzzled his new mate on the cheek. Listening to her speak, all he wanted to do was engulf her in his tender and loving care. In that moment, he promised himself that no matter what hardships the two of them endured together or alone, he would always stick by her side, to love and nourish her however he might be able to.

A chilly breeze blew by the two of them as she finished and her answer made his heart skip a beat. "I love you so much Littlebrook," the russet pelted tom whispered softly, not moving a muscle and never wanting this moment to end. The warmth that wafted off her smaller body, her sweet scent that tunneled through his head, he wished that he could just stand her by her side for the rest of their lives.

Littlebrook purred affectionately, soaking in the love and warmth of the tom she had fallen in love with. She let his scent wrap her up in warmth and happiness as they sat and talked, revealing their feelings for eachother. She had never thought she would have this again. Never in a million moons, but she's got it. "Oh, Mudfoot.." She purred at his next declaration. "I love you too.." As she reciprocated his love proclamation a thought struck her. She had to tell him about Gingerstripe and Firestone. She didn't want any secrets to taint their relationship. She had to start this off right, but one thing she knew she couldn't tell was who their real mother was. That wasn't her secret to tell and it most definitely wasn't her place to tell it. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to explain.

"Mudfoot.. There's something else I need to tell you. It's about Gingerstripe and Firestone. They're my adopted kits. They aren't mine by blood, and me and Flamestrike were never mates. He's like a brother to me and.. he was in trouble, so I offered to help. And that entailed helping to raise his kits as our own. They don't know, and they can't know. At least they can't be told by us.
We need to leave that up to Flamestrike and.. and his mate. I.. I understand if you're upset, but I don't want to start us off with any lies or anything. I want this to work. I wanna be happy with you." She finished, her worry and love clouded blue gaze searching his for a reaction.

IC: ak, so sorry for the wait ;;

IC: Purring and continuing to rub his cheek against Littlebrook's, Mudfoot perked his ears when his new mate began to speak once more, but this time with worry in her tone. Gingerstripe and Firestone weren't her kits and Flamestrike was never mates with her? While most cats would've been shocked at the news, the warrior found himself relieved. Ever since Flamestrike had killed Wolffang, he'd made himself an enemy of Mudfoot's, so hearing that Littlebrook hadn't had the cruel tom's kits was news to his ears.

Taking a step back so that he could meet her gaze, a warm smile grew on his muzzle. "I'm not mad, Littlebrook. I understand why you did such a thing, even if it was a hard burden to carry. Thank you for telling me," he mewed simply and leaned back in towards her to lovingly nudge her neck with his muzzle. Adopted kits or not, he honestly didn't care as long as they never hurt Littlebrook. "I want to be happy with you too," he added softly, continuing to purr.