Late Night Banter {CLOSED}

It wasn't long after Flintfang had been made a warrior that he began to notice some new attention. It wasn't the unwanted, disapproving stares that the tom usually received, but rather subtle, flirtatious glances from the wandering eye. Flintfang denied them at first, but looking at himself now, it made the tom wonder. Was he desirable? Flintfang stood in the corner of camp, under an oak tree. Before him rippled a puddle of melted snow, and there he saw his reflection. Two, green eyes and a rounded gray tabby face. He blinked at himself and thought about the things he couldn't see. The scars etched across his back, muscular shoulders with chunks of fur missing. Was that handsome? He cocked his head and wondered what to do with himself if it was. Supposedly the logical thing would be to find a mate, now that she-cats were taking interest in him. But Flintfang ever wasn't one for close friends. Aside from Burntpaw... He shook the thought away, and flicked a paw into the puddle, watching as his reflection rippled with the impact. It was fascinating... Seeing his watery features ebb and flow rhythmically. This was real. Flintfang was here, living. He was more than just a reflection in a puddle. The tom cocked his head as the water became still again. This was his life and he'd try and do what he wanted with it. With a grin, the tom decided having a mate couldn't be all that bad. But there was no hurry. All of the patrols had come back from hunting. The sun fell below the trees, casting their shadows across camp as wide, black stripes. The warrior's eyes closed slowly and he began to doze, the puddle before him still.

It was night when Flintfang awoke, everyone else had went to their dens for sleep, leaving the warrior alone in the clearing. I should go back to my nest... Flintfang thought, standing up to stretch. He gazed in the puddle once more and was surprised to see a brown and white face reflected there as well.
"Falconpaw!" The young warrior hissed with surprise, looking up to see the apprentice watching him. The she-cat was not much younger than himself, and had given him quite the scare. Flintfang took a moment to compose himself, and meant her yellow eyes looking rattled. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Hm?" Falconpaw's ears pricked with surprise, she hadn't noticed the grey tom there as she was walking up. Then again, she didn't notice a lot these days. Beepaw wasn't in StarClan. She would never see him again. Was he a bad cat? What had he done to deserve anything but the starry fields? Her brain flicked back to the present, after a short, awkward silence. "Just.. Can't sleep. Came here to clear my head." Then again, she never could sleep much these days, torn by a new wave of grief. "What are you doing up so late, might I ask?"

Flintfang narrowed his eyes as Falconpaw returned his question. Was that sarcasm in her voice? Or sadness? Come to think of it, the brown tabby apprentice did look somewhat crestfallen.
"You okay?" The tom asked, ignoring Falconpaw's question after noting her somber manner. Flintfang knew what it was to be sad, he had spent most of his apprenticehood that way, mourning over his late sister Chervilpaw. But Flintfang was also never one to be empathetic. Usually the tom was too wrapped up in his own business to notice others' emotions. That, and they didn't ever seem to take time to notice his. The warrior blinked at himself when the words left his mouth. You okay? Shocked at the pity he managed to muster. Maybe it was a maturity thing. Learning to be aware of others around you. Flintfang didn't know how to feel about it.

Before Falconpaw had a chance to answer, Flintfang stepped over his puddle and flicked her shoulder lightly with his tail. "Let's go hunting." He breathed, walking past her, not looking back to check if she was following. He didn't want to give Falconpaw time to dwell on his sudden display of empathy. A hunt will be good for both of us... Flintfang told himself, finding his way out of the camp entrance, gesturing for Falconpaw to follow. A chance to clear my head... It was a strange thing. Every sunrise that passed seemed to instill more understanding into Flintfang's mind. He didn't want to get too close to anyone, that, he believed, only led to heartbreak. But the sudden empathy the tom began to feel was a shock, even for him. It wasn't welcome, and led him to do crazy things like take an apprentice hunting because he felt bad for her... Flintfang was beginning to think he needed his hunt more than Falconpaw did. Great Starclan what's wrong with me...