sweet hurricane [solo]

Things were better than they had been before. At least, in Newtpaw's mind. Camp annoyed him to no end. Gatherings had become squawking competitions instead of a chance to hear a good story from the leaders. Instead it was just his leader playing the victim to get her way rather than stating any point with strength behind it. With a grunt, the tom stood from the nest he often was teased about making. It had winter blooms woven into it as well as other odd things he found. He sleepily got out the apprentice den, tripping over an apprentice's tail. The snow covered everything, it was a sleepy morning and the sky was just beginning to lighten up into a deep blueish purple. He liked getting up at this time; he could sneak past the guards while they slowly dozed off every so often. If he bushed his fur up enough and didn't speak he was a warrior to them. He shook his fur out and began to do just that when a flash of russet fur lashed his side. He snapped his gaze around and then saw the ear-tips of a very familiar cat. Looking down, he saw Wildpaw's scowl. Mousedung.

"Something wrong? It's a little early for this, yeah?"

The smaller cat glared at him. He'd pretty much landed on her and squashed her! "Ah, shut it. You woke me up. Why are you even up right now?! It's so early!" She said with a quizzical look, tilting her head with narrowed eyes

The tom rolled his eyes, rocking back and forth idly. "Oh! It's a secret. A good one. A shame I can't tell you." he meowed. smirking as he trotted to the exit without another word. He heard squawking and little paws in the snow as he picked up the pace, running into the forest. He stopped once he reached the Sandy Hollow, huffing heavily from the sprint. Looking behind him, he saw a ginger tail tip and held in a laugh. He'd keep this up all day! He carried on his routine, humming slightly as he scuffed snow around roots in search of particularly bright lichens. He found a few peonies and firmly sealed them under a rock. Then, he saw an old bird's nest in a tree's branches. Maybe something interesting could be in it? He'd have to put his practice to work now if he wanted to find out. He took a running start and ran up the thicker part of the trunk until he reached a few hunks of hanging bark. Using it for leverage, he hoisted himself to the branches where the nest lay. Huh, blue jay feathers. Blue was rare to come by out here. He'd definitely be taking those home. Something else was there, aside from flecks of eggshell and grasses. Some twoleg item? It was hard and cold, like a golden web. It was a little smaller than a kittypet collar so he had no idea what it could have been. He began nudging nesting material around with a paw.

Wildpaw was growing increasingly angry with every moment. What was he doing? Gawking at nature like this! They could be hunting or fighting or taking back Sunningrocks or... or.. Something! When she saw him fiddling with flowers, she rolled her eyes but, seeing him climbing trees like a SkyClan cat was the last straw. Why was he so ready for that?! "What in StarClan's name are you doing!?" Uncertainly, she copied him. She struggled to hold herself up, scratching the trunk with her back legs desperately. Oh, this was bad. She nested her hind leg on a chunk of bark without testing it first and it gave way as soon as she tried to push up. The small cat shrieked as she knocked into branches and plummeted into the snow with a thud.

Newtpaw lifted his head from the nest, jaws full of little treasures. He gasped as she began climbing. Well then, someone wanted to try it after all. He relaxed stance shattered as she fell and he ran down the trunk to her. "Wildpaw! Are you okay?
Wildpaw?" he saw flecks of blood in the snow and grabbed her scruff to pull her out. He could see the red fur darkening a bit on the top of her head and when she turned to give him a weak glare, she had lashes on her muzzle. Small ones, but still. Open wounds nonetheless.

"Sh-shut up! I'm fine. I just fell. Ugh, what was the point of any of this anyway?"
She pulled away from him and groomed the twigs out of her pelt and stood on shaky paws. It had been scary but she wasn't letting this idiot see that. She shook her fur out again and glared at her paws.

"I do this all the time. I can't sneak out to explore without a cheeky warrior doting over the fact I like flowers on patrols." he mewed while looking at the pile of items from the nest.

Neither of them wanted to look at each other.

"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Fine, I guess. My face kinda hurts."

They didn't speak for a moment but eventually they started laughing. What a mess.

"We should get you to the medicine cat, Honeyspark would want to look at that cut on your head.''

The tom meowed, watching the fur darken. He didn't mind messing with her but, he still didn't want her getting hurt! He started gathering his things, there was a particular hollow he hid them in. When he could sneak off like today, he'd go and look through them all, finding uses for them. He used to catch bright beetles when they were still around. Some soggy leaves as well. He had higher standards now.

Wildpaw sighed and groomed herself again, "No way! I'm fine. I'm not staying in that sticky den of her's. Anyway..." She felt her annoyance ebbing away and giving way to curiosity. "What's all that stuff for?" She gave the items a dismissive sniff. Or- Tried to. One of the feathers tickled her nose as sent her into a short sneezing fit. She could hear Newtpaw muffling a chuckle with his paw and gave him a weak glare. It was pretty funny.

"I just like collecting! I have a big collection now, you want to see?" The tom seemed far more excited than his usual laid back, nearly smug indifferent mood.

"That seems-" Wildpaw wanted to say pointless but, she truly did want to see it. "Fun, let's get moving before I freeze out here!" The she-cat gave him a shove, scooping up the feathers and a mouthful of snow and leading the way.

Newtpaw groomed a paw and watched her leave. "Wrong way." He picked up the gold loop and went in the opposite direction, hearing her trudging back to him. He lead on, a cocky trot carrying him across the snow. When they came upon a tree, two foxlengths up, he saw the hollow. It looked like badgers had been eating the inside of the tree. "Climb where I do this time." He mewed past the twoleg thing. He then began to climb. When he reached the hollow, he pulled himself inside and laid the gold band down near the back before peering out at Wildpaw.

The she-cat wiggled her flanks before leaping at the tree, clawing at the same marks he had, she made it this time. Dropping the now soggy feathers she looked around at the items. Dried berries of various shades, long dead flowers hung out of cracks in the walls. It was mostly smoothed from wind and chunks moss hung in the darker parts. "You've made yourself comfortable in here,
haven't you?" She eyed the mouse bones that had been carefully set to the side. "No wonder you're as big as a RiverClan cat."

"Hey! That's just fur!"

"Your face looks like a monster's paw."

Newtpaw wasn't sure how to retort. Wildpaw didn't have any physical flaws. She looked the part for her name, straight out of LeopardClan itself. Meanwhile, he had a round face and jowls that made it seem like there wasn't room left in his face for them. He simply shrugged. Got it.

"Why're you looking at my face so much?"

Wildpaw glared at him and cleared her throat. "What're these?"

Oh? Newtpaw was surprised. Why didn't she deny that? He took a little too long to respond. "Salmon scales. That's at least the fish I think it is."

"Did you eat a fish?!" she meowed, stepping away from the small pile of scales. They were interesting to look at but, gross. Who'd eat such a fowl smelling thing?

"Not yet, I plan on it once we take Sunningrocks. I found a fish that must have froze after washing up."