Standing in the corner of your heart

Vixenpaw huffed, slightly annoyed. She had been practicing her leaping around camp and she had been leaping over everything; bushes, tree stumps, rocks and even a very confused Darkpaw; but she still hadn't improved one bit, and her legs were aching and tired. She flopped down on the ground, exhausted. It wasn't the length or height of her leaps, it was the accuracy. In fact, in a battle against herself she would be more afraid of a leaping attack if she were standing behind herself. She wished somebody could show her how to leap properly, what with Jaystream busier and busier with his deputy duties. Also, it was getting kind of lonely. Sure, she had Darkpaw, who was an amazing friend, but that was it. Other she-cats her age were becoming more and more obsessed with toms, and she had to say she was jealous. It seemed nice to have somebody to rely on, always by your side.

A young gray tom quietly padded out from the back of the cozy apprentices' den, kept relatively warm even in leaf-bare by the mossy floor and tightly woven reed walls. The sun was just beginning to climb down from its peak for the day and warmed Stonepaw's limbs and back as he stretched after having taken a short cat nap. He had woken up in time to see his denmate, Vixenpaw, leaping around camp with what seemed to him great focus and determination. Stonepaw shyly approached the golden-brown she-cat who had plopped to the floor, "You seem troubled, Vixenpaw. Err...what's on your mind?" Stonepaw added with concern in his pale yellow eyes, "You didn't hurt yourself with all of that jumping, did you?"

OOC: Sorry for the lateness!!

Vixenpaw froze and slowly turned towards Stonepaw. She went red, or as red as cats go anyway, and dropped her green gaze to her forepaws. "Oh, uh... H-hey Stonepaw... I was just,
y-you know... Leaping, practicing..." she turned away to hide her furiously blushing face. "I'm... I'm fine. No worries." she smiled weakly at Stonepaw, secretly hoping he would stay.

Stonepaw's whiskers twitched in perplexed embarrassment. He hadn't meant to upset her. Should he not have said anything about the leaping? Was he not supposed to have seen? Then why would she pick such a public place to practice if she felt self-conscious about it? Stonepaw gave his head a quick shake to clear the confused cobwebs. She-cats, he would never fully understand. He let out a little sigh of relief when Vixenpaw insisted that she was not physically injured. "Well, umm, do you mind if I join you in the sun?" The gray tom shuffled his feet anxiously as he stood near her, waiting for a reply. He hoped she would tolerate his company. Stonepaw had noticed the she-cat's usual kind-hearted demeanor and admired her for it, though she always seemed to make him more nervous and liable to saying the wrong thing than the other cats their age.

If there was anything that could make Vixenpaw go any redder, this was it. Stonepaw, asking to lay in the sun with her? It was more than she could handle. Her nervousness showed in her voice. "Um, y-yeah... Su-sure you can! I-I co-could use s-someone t-to talk to." she stuttered, burning with nerves and a new feeling, an unfamiliar one. She moved over and made room for Stonepaw.

The grey-colored apprentice dipped his head in thanks, surprising himself a little at just how happy he was that Vixenpaw seemed to want to spend time with him. He laid out next to her, appreciating the sun's warmth that continued to radiate down into his pelt. It felt good to his leaf-bare-chilled bones. He was just close enough to feel his denmate's body heat too. "So..." Stonepaw began awkwardly, mindful of the she-cat's own nervousness, "how's training going?" Vixenpaw had been an apprentice for awhile longer than him, Stonepaw having only recently gone through his ceremony. Yet, he didn't feel intimidated by speaking with the slightly more experienced apprentice. He sure felt nervous, but it was her cute shyness and serious nature with which he found a kindred spirit and her golden-brown fur that shone in the sun, those sweet blue-green eyes...In truth, Stonepaw was quite fond of Vixenpaw, wanting her to think well of him and hoping he might have the privilege of considering her a close friend...and some day...something more.

Vixenpaw almost laughed at this question. It was the go-to thing to say to an apprentice when you don't know what to start a conversation with. She couldn't remember any interaction with another cat that didn't start with this question. Forgetting all nervousness, she grinned playfully and turned to Stonepaw. "Say, am I that hard to talk to?" she said in mock outrage, then laughed. "My training's going great. I have a hunch I'll become a warrior real soon, cause Jaystream's running out of things to teach me and I've been to the Moonstone. How's your training? Who's your mentor?"

It was more than just the sun's rays that warmed Stonepaw's ears. He flicked them with embarrassment at being called out on his own awkwardness. At Vixenpaw's change in demeanor, however, the young tom instantly brightened. He answered, "Sootwhisper is my mentor. I'm glad to hear you are pleased with your training. There is still much I have to learn from Sootwhisper, but I'm confident he'll teach me well. You'll make an excellent warrior. You must be excited about your upcoming ceremony." The thought of her no longer sharing the apprentice's den saddened Stonepaw, but he chased the thought away, focused instead on being happy for her accomplishments.

Vixenpaw smiled sweetly at Stonepaw, admiring his soft grey fur and shining yellow eyes. "Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. Though all of my friends are still apprentices, so they'll be in a different den. I'll miss them, but they'll become warriors too, right? I mean, it's not like I'm moving to another Clan, just another den..." She trailed off, thinking about being in a new den without all her friends, siblings... and Stonepaw. Stonepaw is just a friend, she told herself, though her heart disagreed. She wanted it to be something more... but she'd have to wait for now. After all, they were still both apprentices. "How good of a swimmer are you?" Vixenpaw asked, an idea for a game popping into her mind.

Stonepaw gave his lovely friend a quizzical look, "How's my swimming? Fine, I suppose. Why...?" Leaf-bare was not the ideal season for swimming in the river that acted as a protective barrier around their camp, but if it meant spending more time with Vixenpaw, Stonepaw would probably agree to just about any idea, no matter how zany.

OOC: Short & late.