The Snow Falls On The Lake {Closed}

Lakepaw made his way out of camp by himself, a thoughtful expression on his face. He knew it was almost time for his warrior ceremony, and he honestly couldn't have been more proud of himself. Despite his mother's death and his absent father, he was becoming a warrior. Him. Who would have thought? He used to daydream about what his father looked like, what he was doing, or if he ever thought about him, but now, he decided it was time to move on from his childish dreams. His father was never going to show up and be there for him. That's just how it was, and he had to get over it. His mother wasn't coming back either, which hurt, but he had Splashwillow. She was a great foster mom, and he loved her as much as he imagined he'd loved his real mother. No matter how hard he tried to get past it though, he just couldn't. He wished he knew her. He wished he at least could remember her face or her voice or her comforting licks.

Sighing tiredly, he sat down by the ever present river, listening to it's quiet gurgles and splashes as fish made their ways through the waters. Tears shone in his eyes as his mind wandered through all the possibilities that could be if Willowpetal was still alive. If she had raised him. Pawing the ground, he looked up to the orange and pink sky of dusk. "Are you proud of me, Mom? Are you watching over me like everyone says you are?" He whispered quietly up to the sky, knowing she couldn't really hear him. His ears pricked at the sudden sound of approaching pawsteps. Mouse-dung! If I get caught out here without a warrior.. His thought was cut short as a cat emerged from behind the reeds, and he held his breath as he waited to see who it was.

The territory was beautiful, as always. The grass beneath her paws glittered with frost, crunching beneath her pawsteps. The skeletal, leafless trees arched above into the cold blue sky, with fluffy clouds that looked like the puffs of breath that came out of her mouth as she walked. Her thick white fur kept out the brisk chill, and the temperature was pleasant. However, as she walked, Snowpaw's green eyes were thoughtful and distant. She was thinking of the stories Shellwater had told her, stories about her grandfather and her mother and her aunt, for whom she was named. It was hard to think of Otterleap ever being wrong, and he had always come across her as wise- but then, how could he have shattered so thoroughly the calico in the elder's den? Wondering as she wandered across RiverClan territory, she pushed through the reeds to the river, hoping to find some peace and quiet on the bank where she usually sat. But she wasn't alone. Lakepaw whipped around, looking startled, surprised as she was to see someone else there. Her face felt uncomfortably hot as she realized that his eyes were glittering with tears. She just had to barge in on him, didn't she? "Oh... I'm sorry, Lakepaw, I don't mean to intrude. I can just go, if you want-"

Lakepaw's looked away quickly as soon as he caught sight of the snowy white fur of Snowpaw. Of course it had to be her.. Out of all the cats in the clan, it had to be the prettiest one. He thought, groaning internally. Now she would think he was a mouse-brain for crying. "Oh! Um, hey Snowpaw." He coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. As soon as she started talking, he turned to her, his shining eyes now wide. "Oh, no, Snowpaw, it's okay. Uh, you don't have to go.. Well, I mean unless you want too of course." He meowed, stammering awkwardly. Wow Lakepaw. Smooth. She'll definitely like you now! He told himself sarcastically before pushing away the voice in annoyance. Why did he always get so tongue-tied around her? Sure, she was beautiful, but he was just fine around everybody else. Why couldn't he be the smooth, charming tom that he was around her? There was no answer to his endless array of questions, so he focused his piercing amber gaze onto Snowpaws vivid green one.

The temperature seemed to steadily increase as the tom's gaze burned into Snowpaw's. Um... Oh, StarClan, what do I do now?! I'm not good around cute toms! She swallowed before speaking. "No, that's okay... I was just coming over to, uh, think. What- what were you doing here?" The second it was out of her mouth, she regretted asking the question. She was the one who had walked in on Lakepaw, and he was obviously upset about something. She would just make it worse. "Um, I mean," she added hastily, "you don't have to answer that if you don't want to! It's not my business." The RiverClan apprentice's fluffy white tail wrapped around her paws as she sat there, waiting awkwardly. Leaving now would be worse than staying...

Laughing embarrassingly, he pushed his tears back. "Oh, I was just think about.. things." He meowed, eyeing her carefully. Had she seen his watery eyes? Would she laugh at him? He was almost a warrior and here he was crying about a mother he never even knew. Then he smiled when she seemed to get flustered. If she had seen his tears, she didn't say anything, and that meant a lot to him. Maybe he'd tell her what was on his mind. "I-It's okay Snowpaw.. I was just thinking about my.. my parents." Taking a deep breath and swallowing nervously, he glanced up at the white-furred apprentice. "It's nothing," He continued, "I just.. Nevermind. Are you alright, though? You said you were coming her to think as well?" He asked with concern in his soft amber eyes. "Y-You don't have to explain.. I-I just.. Well.. I hate it when you're unhappy.." He admitted quietly, giving his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. It hurt him to think that she was hurting, maybe even like he was, and he hoped that she'd let him be there for her. Despite what he told himself, he did care for her and he wanted her to be happy.

Despite the thick awkwardness in the air, Snowpaw's heart fluttered a little in her chest when Lakepaw smiled at her. The tom had no right to make her feel that way- he was way out of her league, if she was being realistic, but he was so kind to her all the time. At the mention of his parents, she nodded empathetically, understanding what he meant. Willowpetal had died giving birth to him and his siblings, she knew, and her own mother Splashwillow had been caring for them just as she cared for her own kits. But despite having a family to adopt you, it must be hard not ever knowing your own parents... she couldn't imagine what her life would be like without Splashwillow there to support her, and just the knowledge that Rainstorm was there, even though he wasn't there for her much. However, she only had a few moments to continue that train of thought before he spoke again, turning the conversation to her. Oh. Oh, dear. The snowy-furred apprentice had to rack her brains for a few seconds to recall her lost train of thought. Seeing Lakepaw had kind of thrown all the other thoughts out of her head. But as his words, she remembered- Shellwater and Otterleap. The stories the elder had told her. It was hard to concentrate on anything with those amazing eyes staring into hers, and the other thing he said. "I hate it when you're unhappy." Oh StarClan. Snowpaw swallowed and tried to speak. "I'm... uh...." Shaking her head, she tried again, blushing furiously. "I w-wasn't thinking about anything as- important as you were. Just some things Shellwater told me. You've seen her, right? Well, I mean, of course you have- she's the only elder. What I mean is..." Why on earth was she sounding so mouse-brained? Usually she could speak like a normal cat and actually have a conversation! The RiverClan apprentice looked down at her paws, face hot and uncomfortable. "Oh, this is pointless," she whispered to herself, eyes shut tightly. "What's wrong with me today?"

Lakepaw watched her with concerned eyes as the stumbled through an explanation. Why did she write off her problems as less important? "Snowpaw.. I-" He paused as a thought entered his head. He should go to her and comfort her, but.. but how? What if he made it worse? What if- Before he could even finish the thought, he was making his way towards the she-cat. "Snowpaw.. Your pr-problems aren't any less important, okay?" He assured her quietly, his heart beating faster as he pressed himself up against her, desperately hoping he was doing the right thing. He was sure she could hear his heart racing wildly. It was all he could hear. He had made it to her as soon as those heart-wrenching, awful words left her mouth.

"What's wrong with me today?"

Swallowing nervously, he prepared to tell her something he might regret. "Snowpaw, th-there's nothing w-wrong with you.. Y-you're b-basically, u-um, w-well, p-perfect. I-I don't know how you do i-it." He meowed, laughing nervously while taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. "J-Just o-open your e-eyes and ta-take deep b-breaths. It's o-okay. I'm here for you, always, Snowpaw." He meowed genuinely, his troubled, but sincere, gaze on her face willing her to open her emerald eyes.

Snowpaw wasn't aware of anything else around her, only her awkwardness, until Lakepaw was suddenly pressed up against her. Her eyes flew open wide in shock, and her heartbeat was suddenly deafening. A thousand butterflies were suddenly alive in her stomach, producing the odd feeling that she'd had ever since she saw the tom sitting down- but now it was multiplied. Part of her wanted to run away, embarrassed beyond belief that he felt like he had to comfort her, but his pelt was so soft and he was so warm... It was probably a mouse-brained thing to do, but she felt herself leaning deeper into his long tabby pelt, her fur brushing against his. His voice sounded so good that she could hardly focus on the words he was saying, but what she could make out was astonishing. Her, perfect? When had the meaning of the word changed? It took all her willpower, however, to speak out and end the comfortable, warm silence. "I... are you sure? D-do you really mean that?" Her luminous, glowing green eyes stared into his kind, open amber ones, and she hoped to StarClan that her face didn't look as red as it felt. "I mean... you're the n-nicest tom I know... but- you d-don't have to waste your time with me, if you don't w-want to." She'd probably ruined her only chance at getting together with such an amazing cat, but she had to be honest- she probably wasn't his type. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable. She should step back, give him space... but she didn't want to move, either. Oh StarClan, how did you talk to toms?

Lakepaw smiled tentatively as Snowpaw opened her eyes and she leaned deeper into him. A shiver went down his spine, and it wasn't from the cold. Oh how perfect this moment was, even if tinged with awkwardness. Here they were, huddling against eachother and spilling awkward words. How had they even gotten here? How had he gotten the courage to approach her has he had. Suddenly, her next words brought him out of his thoughts. Did he really mean what he had said? "O-of course.. I wouldn't h-have s-said it i-if I didn't mean i-it, Snowpaw.." He admitted softly, glancing away shyly, though his gaze was quickly brought back to hers as she continued. "What?" He was taken aback by her statement. "Waste my time?" He echoed softly. "Snowpaw, why would you think that? Y-your like m-my best f-friend.." He told her, suddenly breathless at the realization. She was his best friend, and she thought she was a waste of time? "Spending time w-with you i-is not a-a waste of time. I-I-I.. I love spending t-time with y-you. Y-you're funny a-and smart and k-kind.." He told her sincerely, looking off into the distance as he got lost in thought once more before something hit him. "D-did someone tell you that you were a waste of time? Who told you that?" He meowed, his voice suddenly hard and angry. How could somecat tell her that? How could they think it? It baffled him, but he waited for her response.