Can't step in the same marsh twice [Closed]

Violetshine's awful bout of cough from the cold had left her weak and gasping for so many moons. By the time that Nettlesting had cleared her for duty, she was bursting at the seams from den fever. So many moons trapped in the den with nothing but the new scents of prey to alleviate her wanderlust had driven her half mad. And seeing Firestone, whom she'd bailed on mid-hunt due to her cough, only intensified her frustration with her petite frame. She wanted to be racing through the night, with only the stars and Firestone for company. But now, she could.

Warily, she stepped onto the snow, ready for an attack of coughing to take her but it didn't. The crisp air was refreshing and she found comfort in the knowledge she was really well. Mismatched eyes gleamed with unusual joy as she bounced and leapt in the snow, relishing in the wetness between her toe beans.

When she spotted the familiar red pelt, she meowed uncharacteristically loudly. "Firestone! Firestone! Look! I'm not coughing!"

The orange dappled tom hadn't been in his best mood during the last days. His mind kept wandering around his parents, Specklefang's sorrow and Buttercup's mysterious past and death. He wanted to ask her if everything that Heatherpetal's told him is true but... he wouldn't even be able to meet her in Starclan. She was gone... forever. Why everyone he loved left him or betrayed him? Should he believe the words of the cat who murdered his friend? He didn't want to. The experienced warrior didn't want to feel betrayed again...

And suddenly, that dark cloud that was lurking in his head disappeared when he heard the voice of his dearest friend in all Shadowclan. He turned his head and a natural smile of happiness showed up on his muzzle as he stood up. He couldn't be happier for Violetshine. She was so sick and finally she was able to leave the den. He couldn't visit her since Nettlesting didn't want to spread the disease but now she was fine! "Violetshine! I'm so happy to see that you're finally okay! How do you feel?"

For a second, she seriously frowned in reflection of her state at Firestone's question. She'd moved her body more strenuously than she had previously in the past few moons. There was nothing though, not even the faintest of itches or tingling in her throat that signalled an attack to come. She really was fine, and finally she could take him up on his hunting trip offer.

Quickly her expression morphed back into one of delight at her circumstances. "I feel well, Firestone. No, not just well, I feel great!"

Her tail swished high with happiness as she trilled in a display of joy, though it was short lived as she noticed that another clanmate was looking at her. In embarrassment, she quickly lowered her tail and flushed as she focused on Firestone. "What of your circumstances though? Are you well too, Firestone? I've been isolated from all for so long, I fear I don't know how you've been."

The tom noted that she was checking if everything was okay and he was glad to see that she was fine. A little weakened by all the time she spent in the medicine cat den but good enough to return to her warrior duties. "You truly look great!" He complimented, giving her a charming smile. He wasn't only referring to her health situation. Since they were apprentices, he always thought that Violetshine was one of most beautiful she-cats in all the clans, if not the most beautiful.

A barely noticeable glimpse of sadness ran through his eyes but the warrior hid it quickly. He was used to pretending that everything was okay. He didn't want to worry his brother anymore or any of his friends. "Me? Well, I'm noisy as ever. My first apprentice is now a warrior and Magpiestar trusted me Foxpaw. She's such an obedient apprentice! Hopefully, she's going to be a warrior soon. About my situation with my biological family... it's still hard to deal with the fact of my parents lying to me my whole life but at least I got the chance to speak with Gingerstripe. We're better now and we will be better." He purred with a nostalgic voice as he glanced at the warrior den where the orange warrior was resting, He had good memories of the night he and his brother shared their thoughts about their situation. The only good memories of the day of the betrayal... Even if he wanted to tell her everything about Buttercup and Specklefang, he knew it wouldn't be the best thing to do.

His green eyes once again fixed on Violetshine's and, like before, Firestone felt more relaxed and in peace. At least she was alive. She was there with him. "I truly missed you, Violetshine." He purred.

"T-thanks." She mumbled at his compliment, head half-ducked in further embarrassment, but her mismatched eyes still remained on him. A mild improvement. She was somewhat used to his flattery now, though she still felt undeserving of it. Firestone was easily the most handsome warrior in the clan, the naked stares of admiration directed at him from she-cats in the clan was undeniable. He was probably just being nice to her.

But she liked that about him, he was always kind and patient when others would rush her. And when she stood next to him, she felt less invisible in the clan, like she had a place to belong. He was a rock amidst a swelling river, and she felt her anxieties about being gone in isolation fade.  

However today, she noticed a little chip in her rock.

When he spoke, her focus was always unshakeably on him, so she was quick to notice the brief flick of wrong in him. It jarred against his casual tone. She was glad that he'd found happiness in training an apprentice (something she certainly didn't get with Scorchfang), and that he had come to terms with his complicated relationship with his family, but something wasn't right. But as quick as the sadness came, it was replaced with his natural warm personality, and she felt amiss bring it back up now.

She'd ask him about it later, that she was certain of. But for now, she pressed up against him to reassure him of their friendship and to chase away whatever darkness that lingered as she meowed warmly. "I'm glad things have been better for you, Firestone. These moons haven't been kind to many... Though I could not be there for you before, I am here now. Hopefully for the better... I've missed you too, Firestone. But now, nothing can keep us apart."

Feeling a tad vulnerable from her touchy-feely words, she tacked on playfully whilst looking up at him. "Not even Nettlesting and his wicked herbs."

Her nose twitched in remembrance of the foul bitter leaves Nettlesting surrounded her with.

Firestone looked at Violetshine surprised when she approached him and pressed her fur against his. She wasn't the cat who always showed this kind of open affection but the warm warrior actually liked this side of her. He nudged her, lovingly, his heart melting by feeling her right next to him. Her friendship... was what he needed most in this moment. In all this tornado of mixed feelings, one thing was sure... the experienced warrior liked Violetshine.

As she started talking, the tom smiled silently. She was truly a wonderful she-cat and his heart raced when she said that nothing was going to separate them. He was already preparing a flirty answer when the other warrior joked about Nettlesting's herbs. Firestone laughed and nudged her playfully with one big paw. "Not even Nettlesting and his wicked herbs!" He repeated between his laughter. When was the time he was so happy like now? No worries, no problems. Just laughing and enjoying the life with the cats he loved. "I'm sure he's truly fearsome with those nasty herbs, right? "I'm Nettlesting. Fear me and my herb powers!" He mewed imitating the voice of the Shadowclan medicine cat but with no bad intentions. He only wanted to have fun.

He stopped laughing after a few seconds and he jumped back, shaking the snow off his paws as he looked at the black and white she-cat playfully. The flame-furred tom felt like an apprentice again when she was with him. "So, what do you want to do to celebrate your first-day out? I'll do whatever you say, my darling." He purred flirtily, lowering his head in respect just like other cats used to do when they talked to their leader.

What started out as a little chuckling turned out into an all out body-shake as Firestone did a rather accurate rendition of Nettlesting, she would know, she'd spent the last few moons trapped with him. She'd truly missed this, how easily he made her laugh, and whatever she offered, he gave back to her threefold. A natural push and pull of their conversations.

What would she do without him?

She didn't want to think of it, it was both a frightening and hostile thought. Instead, she allowed herself to be carried away in the moment, unintentionally leaning against Firestone enough that when he jumped back, she faltered for a split second which she expertly hid as a deliberate feint to stand up. Or she hoped so at least. Violetshine was rather happy at herself for her smooth skills, until Firestone had to ruin it all with two little words.

'My darling.'

She was definitely reading too much into this. Or was she? She was. She definitely was, but pathetically she couldn't help a tiny, hidden, lost part of her flutter against her ribcage at his flirtatious tone. Embarrassing. Striving to make this not an uncomfortable thing where she read too much into it and made him feel weird, she when toe to toe with him. "I would like to hunt with you... Handsome."

OOC: My bad. I thought I posted here. Sorry for the delay.

IC: He could feel his heart trying to get out of his chest with a strong "bump" when the white and black she-cat called him "handsome." He blushed slightly but kept his flirty smile. Bowing down his head obediently, the tom chuckled light-heartedly before answering."Then hunting will be. You lead the way, darling." He purred before making his way to the exit of the camp, ready to go with Violetshine for a little stroll.

It had been moons since they last spent time together, just the two of them, and he didn't want to miss this chance to be with her. Even if he wasn't the best at hunting thanks to his big and noisy paws, the experienced Shadowclan warrior didn't complain about her decision. The tom knew that everything would be fun as long as he stayed with Violetshine.

ooc: nurries bruh, i took so long that we dropped the topic twice XD

Though she's just heard him said it before, his endearment make her heart flutter in a funny way that left her feeling breathless. She masked it as simply tiredness from being out of commission for too long, trotting over to where he was waiting by the entrance of the camp. Violetshine inhaled the cold air of the camp one last time, knowing that she was finally leaving it behind for the first time in moons.

And it was just as magically as she expected.

The marshy plains of ShadowClan stretched out as far as her eye could see, and it was beautiful. The snow lightly coated the dead tree branches and almost made them seem like they had leaves. And the sky, oh the sky, it was darker and so full of stars. If Firestone's words made her breathless, this was like a punch in the gut.

Without thinking, she leant into him again to right herself as she took in the wonder of their lands. "I have missed this... I wish I could spend eternity in these lands with you..."

Firestone followed Violetshine closely, noticing how amazed she was looking at the Shadowclan territories that she hadn't visited from a long time ago. Even though he loved the marshes, the starry sky and the snow covering everything, his green couldn't be distracted from the she-cat by his side. Seeing her so happy... with her odd eyes focused on their home... made him feel a warmth inside his chest once again.

His tail flicked nervously when the black and white she-cat suddenly leaned into him. His heart started to beat faster and louder and the large tom prayed that she wouldn't listen to it. However, his nervous thoughts disappeared in the moment she talked again. Firestone softened his expression and he nuzzled her back, a soft purr escaping from his throat. "I missed you too... But from now on, we can stay together forever. We don't have to be apart anymore." He smiled kindly as he closed his eyes, enjoying the Violetshine's presence. His words were honest. The experienced warrior wanted to spend his whole life by her side, making her happy. But... would she like him the way he did? That was his biggest concern.

"Do you really mean that? You will be with me forever?" It felt so sudden, but in many ways, it wasn't. If he was going to leave her, she wanted it to be sooner than later. She didn't know how she'd cope after getting her hopes up too high. Though they'd originally come out for a hunt, she couldn't help but ask him these introspective words. But a part of her that was afraid to let the question linger for too long, cut through it all.

"That is asking too much of you, let us hunt." Violetshine roughly meowed, shaking her head as she darted off in a jerky manner. She'd let herself get carried away in the moment, and the hot sting of shame clung to her pelt, her whiskers drooping with embarrassment. For a cat that many viewed as stoic, she was stupidly romantic at times.

Firestone opened his green eyes and looked at her with determination. "I'll be with you even after death, Violetshine." He purred charmingly but the she-cat soon turned her face away from him. The tom blinked confused and he lowered his tufted ears slightly, not understanding why she suddenly was so cold with him. Was something he did wrong? Maybe he was being too pushy... but he couldn't avoid being like that when she was around.

He sighed and looked at her with puppy eyes. "I really mean it, Violetshine. You're the only cat I can completely trust.
I love being with you, you know?" He said with a low voice before turning to his body to start hunting. He decided that for now, maybe it was better to cool down the things a bit before returning to their conversation.

The large tom walked away, tracking the scent of a mouse. When he saw it, he tried to be as quiet as his large paws allowed him and he hid his ginger fur in the snow. Thanks to the soft snow, the tom managed to approach the animal without being detected and he leapt for it. For a second the small animal seemed to escape from his claws but his jaws were quicker and he bit the mouse's scruff, killing it swiftly.

But a purple dot caught his attention. The warrior buried his prey and approached the place, curious about that colourful thing in the middle of this white sea. Firestone smiled brightly when he noticed that it was violets. Jumping excitedly, he picked two of them and rushed to Violetshine. He appeared from her back with the flowers in his mouth and a charming smile on his muzzle. "Look what I found." He purred.

'I love being with you,' it was different to loving her, she told herself venomously. He loved her company, but what about her? As she chased after a bird that she'd scared away by pursuing too quickly, she found herself trapped in a web of her own creation. She felt like that bird she'd once seen fluttering it's wings pointlessly when it was stuck in the bog, it fought against it's fate though it was pointless. She was the bird, and her love for Firestone was the bog. Slowly, she was sinking, despite her desperate attempts to remember how love had ended for her father. Firestorm made her feel so happy, so wanted, that she was too quick to fall and ignore everything.

'Focus, Violet.' She tried to tell herself, though she knew these words wouldn't sink into her heart. She tried to focus on the twitching whiskers of the shrew by the log, but then he came back. Firestone came bounding towards her, his larger frame sending little shockwaves that chased off her prey. But she couldn't even be mad. Even when he was messing up her hunt, he was charming as he appeared behind her holding... Violets...

"How! How am I meant to not love you with all my heart and want you to be mine only when you behave like this?!" Violetshine shouted, her throat ached from speaking so loudly, not used to speaking beyond a soft barely audible meow. But she was angry, not really at him, but herself for wanting too much.