Breezy Wandering [closed]

To say that Morningpaw was having second thoughts would be incorrect; no, the apprentice was having fifth, sixth, seventh thoughts, mostly along the same lines- Go back to WindClan, they said, They need you. She wasn't sure why her mind was so insistent on thinking that- after all, she was just one apprentice of almost a dozen, and when she'd left everything had been more than fine. Most likely it was just her brain trying to protect her from the inevitable consequences of making a fool of herself in front of Summer again - which meant that her thoughts could safely be discarded, because making a fool of herself in front of Summer was precisely what she intended to do (though admittedly with a little more grace than previously). Morningpaw would not be dissuaded from her little escapade, and with that resolution in mind, she purred softly, "I will," (Always, the apprentice thought,) and began to lead the way, keeping her tail pressed to Summer's slender flank.

Ordinarily, it would have taken her barely a minute to reach her objective- but that was for a lightning-fast WindClan cat at full sprint. With her determination to lead the (effectively blinded) Summer there herself, though, Morningpaw had no choice but to take her time. Admittedly, perhaps that was for the best; every moment was like another bite of the rabbit (heavenly, nourishing, and absolutely worth savoring), and the more moments, the better. Even insisting on Summer not looking had its benefits- as beautiful as those sky-blue eyes were, Morningpaw knew she'd never get anything done if she looked into them too much. (Plus, more chances to appreciate the colors of her companion's gorgeous pelt without feeling awkward about staring-- okay, no, she still felt awkward, but marginally less so.) After a few minutes of travelling, the grey tabby broke the silence; "We're about halfway there- you're going to love it. Most incredible thing I've ever seen by far," she mewed with a gentle, melodic laugh. This was going to be either terribly brilliant, or brilliantly terrible. "Also- you mentioned Mareen and Bailey; what were they like? Were they drifters too?"

Summer wasn't certain what to expect from this blind adventure that Morningpaw was taking her on. The WindClan cat certainly would know the territory she was born and raised in well enough to guide her without putting the loner in harm's way, but that required Summer to trust that Morningpaw really was as skilled and knowledgeable as she seemed and claimed. There was an earnesty in the she-cat's pretty green eyes, though - something that was inherently trustworthy. So she moved carefully alongside Morningpaw as her new friend guided her to whatever beauty awaited, eyes still tightly shut. The light, airy scent of wheat and heather that wafted from the pelt of the kindly she-cat beside her was delightful and delicate and comforting. Summer wished she could see what Morningpaw was thinking as she lead the unsuspecting loner along. After some time, the young guide took a breath, and Summer's ears flicked to hear her speak.

She was surprised to hear Morningpaw ask about Mareen and Bailey, and she chirped lightly in acknowledgement of the question. Eyes still closed, pelt still brushing Morningpaw's tail for guidance, Summer answered with a short laugh, "Oh, no, they weren't drifters themselves, darling, more like, ah, mothers of drifters. And lovers of them, too." Her whiskers twitch, and her eyes might've flashed at the double meaning had they been open. I think I might be the only drifter who didn't leave them with kits to bear, Summer thought. "They had lived at the stone pool as long as they could remember; their mother gave birth to them there, and when she passed while they were young it became theirs alone. Their father was a drifter who came and went and defend them whenever he came around, so they learned young how useful it could be to offer shelter to drifters in their territory in exchange for a little help here and there. Why, when I stumbled upon them they had ten kits between them; I swear they thought I fell from the stars just to help them out.

"I may not have fallen from the stars for them, but I was happy to help for a little easy shelter," Summer continued, "and I'm glad I did, too. They were a riot, the two of them. Mareen was bigger than her sister - built like a badger, I always said - and could be as prickly as one, too. If ever a drifter overstayed their welcome or tried to step on her toes she'd have them scrambling for mercy and backpedaling like their lives depended on it. She was really something. Her sister, Bailey, was much gentler. More of the motherly type. Her face was split into two colors - one side was pure white, like a half-moon. It was stunning to see, darling." Summer felt her paw graze a rock and stumbled ever so slightly but recovered immediately, feeling unbothered by the slight trip. She went on, "Now she was more of a badger charmer, herself. It was hard to say no to Bailey when she was just so accomodating." She chuckled slightly.

Morningpaw didn't have to hide her awed, inspired smile as she listened to her companion's tale; she let the words flow through her like the wind itself, imagining the assortment of kits and cats gathering around the mysterious stone pool, living such chaotic lives even in such a tranquil home. And perhaps StarClan hadn't sent Summer down from above, but from how the drifter explained things, Morningpaw was sure her new friend was a gift from the stars nonetheless- who else could be selfless enough to put her adventure on hold to help out ten kits and two mothers? Who else could share the most interesting stories ever told with Morningpaw and ask for so little in return? Summer was not just a mere she-cat, but a walking saint, a paragon of virtue- and the apprentice was blessed with her presence, that much she was sure of. As the drifter stumbled slightly, Morningpaw glanced behind her, instinctively brushing her tail across her new friend's back in concern. (Oh, she was very glad Summer couldn't see how flustered she was.) "A badger charmer, huh?", she replied, giving a quiet laugh. "Well, that explains where you learned it from. Or- she learned it from you, maybe. Or... anyway, we're almost here."

And so they were; Morningpaw had been here only once, but it was still one of her favorite spots in the forest. In a clearing where the grass had parted, a slight dip in the moors had formed a natural pond of sorts; she, too, closed her eyes, taking in the croaking of a frog not too far off, the sounds of birds chirping in the willow tree by the water (she resisted the impulse to try and leap after them), the soft smell of newleaf flowers, just beginning to bloom. The water may have been still instead of bubbling, and the pool may have been bordered with natural grassy dirt instead of carved Twoleg stone, but it was still beautiful-- but this wasn't what Morningpaw had in mind just yet. "Just down here," she murmured, guiding her companion down to the poolside and gently angling Summer's head to face the still, calm water-- so that if she were to look now, Summer would simply see her own reflection in the tranquil pond.

And then, taking a half-step away to watch the she-cat's reaction (and take a much-needed moment to focus), Morningpaw laid down by the pond, resting her paws and sweeping her tail across the grass behind her- and after a few moments, she purred, "Okay- if you want to see the most gorgeous sight in the whole forest... then open your eyes."

Summer chirped acknowledgement when Morningpaw mentioned badger-charmer Bailey, and then she laughed melodically at the Clan cat's attempt at flattery again. Still unbothered by Morningpaw's stammering, and happy to spend the short duration of the blind journey laughing, Summer stated, "Oh, darling, we were wonderful and terrible together. I thought Mareen would tear her fur out sometimes trying to maintain some peace. Bailey might've always meant well, but I had a bit of a troublemaking streak. I can't imagine what we would've gotten up to if not for her kits keeping her near the nest." Her white whiskers twitched with mischief. "The worst we did was drop a nest of eggs on Mareen and scared the pelt off her. It was entirely accidental." Her tone didn't necessarily support that.

The loner could feel the earth sloping slightly and leaned comfortably into Morningpaw's guidance. She felt the breeze grow a little more muted as if they'd gone into a slight dip, and she could hear the faint rustling of leaves looming over her head as well as the brief croak of a frog. Does she have a pretty pool to share, too? Summer wondered with a warm feeling of pleasure and amusement. She scented the air and felt the familiar tang of pooled water roll over her tongue, and she was certain that was what Morningpaw had found for her. She was surprised to feel her companion guiding her face in a certain direction, but with a pleasant chuckle she let herself be directed into position. She heard Morningpaw then shuffle a short distance away before instructing Summer to open her eyes to see "the most gorgeous sight in the whole forest".

It was bright when Summer's eyelids flickered open after the moor-crossing journey, and she blinked a few times before her eyes adjusted. Her own blue eyes and slender ginger-pointed face gazed back at her from a still, cool pool shaded by the tall, wispy branches of a blossoming willow tree. Summer stared at herself for two heartbeats before she burst into laughter, her plume of a tail sweeping high over her back in glee. "Oh, Morningpaw, you clever little tiger!" she mrrowed, and the loner turned towards the Clan cat and simultaneously bunched her muscles up, springing at Morningpaw where she now lay beside the pool. Summer pounced on Morningpaw and harmlessly "pinned" the lean gray tabby beneath her, giving her neck a playful bite. She sat and up purred, "You're a delight, darling. I hope the cats you live with appreciate your wit."

Well, that went better than expected, thought Morningpaw, her light-grey face practically lighting up at Summer's reaction. She had expected an unamused glare, perhaps, or a disinterested eye-roll; she received a beautiful laugh and the sight of her companion turning to her, preparing to-- much like a sparrow's egg tumbling from a tree, Morningpaw's thoughts were fragile and easily scrambled, and entirely out of her element. She was familiar with evasive maneuvers, but to be pounced on and bitten like prey by Summer of all cats- well, it was hardly very warriorlike, but truthfully, Morningpaw couldn't quite say she minded one bit. She gave a delighted laugh and bumped her nose to Summer's in an entirely ineffective attempt to disentangle herself from the she-cat's grasp, achieving absolutely nothing other than to make the apprentice even more amused. "No fair, you cheated," she mrrowed after her assailant sat up, the apprentice stifling a snort- oh, this was absurd, but she loved it nonetheless.

The thought of her Clanmates seeing this side of her was similarly outrageous- she had a reputation to uphold, after all, and it wouldn't do to have them see her awkwardness and her pitiful attempts at being charming and treat her like an apprentice as a result. (Even if she was one.) But with Summer, who seemingly already saw her as an equal, an independent agent- well, there was no expectation of deference there, and she somehow seemed to enjoy Morningpaw's shenanigans. Perfect. "Oh, around them I'm a model warrior," she replied, and then paused for a moment, recalling her many, many experiences with doing things she perhaps shouldn't have. "... okay, that's not true, I have never once followed a rule and I do not intend to start now, but even so. You," Morningpaw purred quietly, leaning up just a little, her green eyes sparkling with what might be called a cunning plan, "get special treatment." A quiet pause for a few seconds, only broken by the scattered birdsong, and then- she hooked a paw around Summer's leg, pulled, and turned, using the distraction to bring her own strength to bear- just enough to pull Summer beneath her and tap a gentle paw to her friend's head. A devious ruse, orchestrated to perfection (at least, Morningpaw thought); she couldn't help but grin as she replied, "Now we're even."

Summer felt a burst of warm electricity travel through her nose and down her neck as Morningpaw pressed her nose to hers in a feeble and playful attempt to escape. The WindClan cat claimed that Summer cheated, and she simply answered, "No, I won." Her whiskers twitched with delight and amusement. She perched quite contentedly on top of the slightly smaller gray she-cat, looking down at her with an expression of delight. Morningpaw answered her compliment with what seemed to be a pretty blatant misrepresentation of herself, and Summer raised a brow skeptically for just a moment before her friend confessed to lying. Summer mrrowed and chuckled, a warm rumble vibrating in her chest as she purred, "That sounds accurate." "But even so," Morningpaw stated, and Summer's ears perked attentively with a soft chirp, "You get special treatment."

Enticed, enchanted, enthralled, Summer leaned in so her nose was nearly touching Morningpaw's, gazing into the pretty gray she-cat's glimmering eyes that sparked with mischief. Before she realized what Morningpaw had done, there was a pressure on Summer's slender foreleg, and the world was suddenly flipping over, and Summer's weight was lifted off her paws as she was rolled effortlessly and skillfully to her side by the Clan cat. The flame-point she-cat let out a yowl of shock and delight as she realized Morningpaw had turned the tables and reversed their roles, the WindClan she-cat perching triumphantly atop the cream-furred loner. Summer laughed and shook her head, lazily batting away Morningpaw's playful bat. "You hunt, you charm, you fight," Summer purred, looking the she-cat over admiringly, "is there anything you can't do, darling?"

A part of her hadn't expected that to work at all- trying that on a heavier opponent would have only resulted in embarrassment- but for a slender-bodied beauty like Summer, it was a flawless plan, executed to perfection, timed perfectly to take advantage of her friend's momentary lack of focus. Morningpaw almost regretted breaking the atmosphere with her little stunt- almost. She could've stayed like that forever, without food or water or air, just frozen in time- but the way Summer reacted, though? Oh, made it all worth it; that inviting smile, that tempting purr, that surprised yowl as Morningpaw pinned the drifter beneath her- it was, without a doubt, a memory she would cherish forever. (Honestly, the same could be said of every moment she'd shared with Summer so far, but even so.) And to her companion's question, sweet as Newleaf cherries and just as enjoyable, she answered, "Well, I can't swim! And I can't fly, and I can't keep my mouth shut to save my life- you've probably noticed that part already-" --and then, Morningpaw paused, her fur bristling as a chill overcame her. She released Summer in an instant, taking a step away as her eyes darted around for a few moments- but there was nothing. The apprentice could've sworn someone was watching her just then-- but no, it must've just been the wind.

Relaxing, Morningpaw mentally replayed the last minute or so, trying to clear her mind of the sudden concern. Summer had launched a devious and brilliant sneak attack, which she had fallen prey to and then expertly countered, the two of them had done a little back-and-forth, their playful banter joyous and free, and Summer had said she could charm- wait, what was that last one? "I- wh- hold on a minute," she purred, her tone at first confused, but soon taking on a distinct teasing lilt, "I charm?" For too long in this encounter had the apprentice suffered with tripping over her own words and accidentally saying things she absolutely meant to think, but really didn't mean to say; and it was time, Morningpaw thought, for Summer to be on the back paw for once. With that, she moved back to face the cream she-cat before her, her wide eyes blinking slowly as she put on her best charm-face-- which, though clearly intended to be suave, looked far more like she had eaten an entire lemon; entirely undignified, and really quite amusing to see up close. "Do you think I'm charming, Summer? Go on, admit it. You think I'm charming."

Summer purred with laughter the moment Morningpaw began to answer her rhetorical question seriously. She didn't bother to try to dislodge the she-cat from her perch, merely gazing up at her with blue eyes glittering amusement to listen to the things she supposedly wasn't good at. "No cat can fly!" she tried to interject, but then she couldn't do anything but laugh at the statement that Morningpaw couldn't keep her mouth shut to save her life. "Oh, you stop it!" she laughed. The mood shifted slightly when she saw Morningpaw's brilliant green eyes dart away as her body stiffened, and an instant later the WindClan cat's weight had lifted off of her and stood off to the side as if she were a sneaking kit caught red-pawed. Summer's face furrowed as she rolled to her side, swiftly glancing from Morningpaw's face to the place where she had looked. There was nothing; swaying grasses as far as she could see.

The drifter turned her face back to Morningpaw's with an expression of mild confusion and concern and asked, "What is it, darling?" The gray tabby seemed to relax slightly, her face thoughtful, when suddenly her tone began to shift. Summer blinked and raised a brow questioningly. "I charm?" Morningpaw asked. Summer mrrowed with laughter and watched the Clan cat move towards her again. The she-cat certainly tried, at least. Morningpaw tried to goat a compliment out of Summer, and the drifter rolled fully to her paws, standing and sweeping her bushy tail playfully over the earth. "You're the most charming cat I've met since I got here," Summer answered truthfully, laughing and knowing that Morningpaw would think it was a very flat compliment considering she'd just arrived. Her eyes shone, and she replied more genuinely, "I think you're very charming, darling. I wouldn't share prey with any cat."

In hindsight, the WindClan apprentice really should've expected that. This wasn't some kit she was dealing with here, after all; it was Summer, unflappable and far, far better at this whole-- she hesitated to think of it as flirting, because that would mean Summer was flirting with her, and that thought alone would be enough to cause her brain to overheat and self-destruct. It was more like playful sweetness, which- really wasn't any different, now she thought about it-- but at any rate, Summer was far better at this than Morningpaw was, and she really should've seen this one coming. Trying to fluster the unflusterable was like trying to jump high enough to catch an eagle- highly amusing, but altogether a terrible idea. The most she could manage for a good few seconds was a barely-intelligible "I, uh- w-well- I- thank you!" and a thankful smile. Morningpaw was clearly just being messed with, she thought, but she appreciated it nonetheless.

After a few moments, she followed up with a more composed "But I'm really not all that special. If you want to meet someone really nice...", then paused, thinking. The last time she'd tried to turn the tables on Summer, things had backfired spectacularly- but the time before that, it'd actually worked... hm. More evidence would be needed to establish a conclusive pattern, she thought. "There's a cat not far from here who's kind, sweet, funny, very pretty, excellent company. Definitely charming, and worth sharing prey with," she mewed, a gleam of amusement in her green gaze. Was that too obvious?, she wondered, before purring softly, barely audible above the gentle breeze, "I think you'd like her, actually. She's called-- Summer." And then Morningpaw blinked, and ruined her charm entirely by clarifying, "That's, uh, I'm talking about you, I mean. There's- there isn't another Summer in the forest. I think. There might be, I don't know everyone's names, but- not that I know of, anyway- I meant you. Wow, can- can I try that again but less awkwardly next time?"

Summer's truthful but playful compliments had the exactly intended result that reduced Morningpaw to a blushing, beaming, stammering mess, and the drifter grinned impishly and purred, "Any time, darling." Morningpaw attempted to collect herself, and it worked quite well. Summer's whiskers twitched with amusement, she she raised a brow skeptically as her WindClan friend tried to insist that she wasn't so special. The drifter leaned in intently, eyes glimmering, as Morningpaw began to describe another cat that she might like to meet. Summer was fairly certain that she knew right away who Morningpaw was going to talk about, and she chuckled lightly at the flurry of compliments returned. "Oh?" Summer prompted, and then she laughed and rolled her blue eyes when her friend confirmed her suspicion: she was the kind, sweet, funny charming cat that Morningpaw thought Summer would like.

And then Morningpaw began to stumble over herself again and backtrack, and Summer laughed a little harder, sweeping her tail up to cover her mouth to try to be polite. She shook her head with amusement and purred, "Darling, you can try anything as awkwardly or as charmingly as you'd like. I think you're a hoot." The drifter rolled to a crouch, looking contentedly down at the pool of water Morningpaw had brought her to. The blue sky reflected in like beautifully. Summer smiled and dipped her head to take a  drink and then sighed contentedly, looking at Morningpaw. "Am I the first drifter you've ever met?" she asked curiously. "You're certainly the first Clan cat I've met. I should hope you're all so sweet and clever."

On the one paw, Summer was laughing at her (a sound which Morningpaw would have been more than happy to listen to forever if she didn't have rebellions to plan and geese to fight), which probably meant she wasn't doing too good a job at this whole 'being poised and refined like a proper warrior' business. But on the other, Summer was laughing at her (again, a sound which Morningpaw adored, more beautiful than a whole chorus of songbirds), which probably meant she was, at the very least, doing something right. She tried to remain straight-faced as she replied, "I heard there's a tree full of owls in ThunderClan territory- that's a real hoot," but couldn't help break down into laughter of her own a few seconds later, her whiskers twitching in mirth as she mewed, "Hoot- like owls- yeah, you get it. That was terrible and I'm proud."

After her merriment had subsided to manageable levels, she joined the ginger she-cat by the pool, waiting a few moments as she thought; of course, Summer was the first drifter she'd met, but then- surely not all drifters were like Summer, just as not all Clan cats were like Morningpaw. She knew for a fact that some cats were anything but charming (her thoughts immediately drifted to Brackenstar- though not technically a Clan cat any more, she doubted he ever had an ounce of charm)- and Morningpaw was sure that same principle extended to drifters as well. After all, Summer was one of a kind, and imagining there being even a single other cat as sweet as her was inconceivable. "Well," Morningpaw replied after a few seconds, "You are the first drifter I've met! But even so- I think if I met a lot, you'd still be the nicest. As for Clan cats... well, depends who you run into. I'm not exactly typical, though- the usual cat doesn't get into half as much trouble." And then, looking over with a smile that was clearly trying too hard to look innocent, she asked; "On an unrelated note- can you swim? Just wondering. Out of curiosity."

Summer rolled her eyes at Morningpaw's attempt at a straight-faced delivery of a joke about owls, her mouth spreading wide in a grin as she scoffed and lifted a paw to playfully, delicately, shove the gray tabby's shoulder. "You know what I meant, you clever girl," Summer interjected through Morningpaw's laughter, chuckling herself. "You should be proud; it was terrible, and I still laughed." Then she had drank and asked her next question, and now she watched her companion's face with interest while she considered her response. Summer twitched her ears when Morningpaw began, stating that she was, in fact, the first. Summer smiled at that, content to drink up any little feeling of being special she could get. Her friend went further than that, though, happy once more to make the conversation into a game of flattery.

The drifter smiled warmly and laughed breezily at the compliment, then laughed a little more heartily when Morningpaw expressed that she often got into more trouble than the average cat. "You know, darling, somehow that doesn't surprise me," Summer replied in a silky sweet voice. She raised one brow with playful skepticism at the WindClan cat's question. "Unrelated?" she asked, eyeing the pool of water before them. "In fact, I can swim, darling. I'm no otter, but I like to think I'm quite good at it for a cat." Her blue eyes sparkled knowingly. "And how about you, dear? You can hunt... run... charm... Can you swim, Morningpaw?"

Oh, what couldn't Summer do? Once again, Morningpaw was in awe of the drifter's capabilities- and had Summer said she could fly, Morningpaw would've almost believed her on the spot. But the knowledge she had gleaned from her question was far more valuable than the admiration it inspired; no, the apprentice had cunning plans that she resolved to see to fruition. She still couldn't help but beam at her companion's words, though - a 'real' warrior would've been so much better at all of those things, but Summer treated her with a respect and kindness she could only dream of; Morningpaw really could get used to this feeling. So with a warm, inviting smile, she sidled up to Summer, draping her tail over the other cat's (and marvelling at just how fluffy she felt) and gently resting a paw on Summer's flank. "Not well, but enough to survive," she admitted, her voice steady-smooth; really, in itself, that should have been a sign she was planning something; "but I've never really needed to. I don't need to hunt fish, or swim across rivers, and I don't have charming but annoying friends who push me into pools as revenge for pouncing on them." And then, with the sweetest smile; "Like this."

Perhaps she'd been a little too obvious, and perhaps she should've focused more on the execution rather than the buildup; but Morningpaw was determined to have her revenge on this beautiful, wondrous, goddess of a cat before her, and that revenge would come in the form of water-based justice. And perhaps she had forgotten that her tail was now intertwined with Summer's, and that her companion was far more perceptive than she let on, and that- though she had the advantage in strength over the slender she-cat before her- Morningpaw's ability to keep her balance was less than stellar. So maybe she should've seen this one coming; but when Morningpaw gave Summer a playful shove towards the pool, hoping to introduce her new companion's gorgeous fur to an oversized crystal-clear puddle, the apprentice found herself falling as well (as if she hadn't fallen hard enough already), a brief flash of surprise crossing her face before she felt the water splash down around her (or more accurately, she felt herself splash into the water- this did not go as she expected).

It was hard to know whether sweet, clever Morningpaw was trying to be sneaky or whether she was trying to act like she was being sneaky, but Summer could guess her companion's devious scheme as the she-cat sauntered to the drifter's side with a too-serene look on her face and a glint in her pale green eyes. Summer played along, leaning into Morningpaw's touch with much too intentional a shuffle and a bright look of interest in her eyes. The WindClan cat's white-tipped paw on her flank sent a jolt of electricity through her pelt and it rippled reflexively. Her thick ginger tail oh-so smoothly intertwined with Morningpaw's - delicately, but very purposefully. She gazed into the gray tabby's beautiful round eyes with adoration and interest, and impish Summer clearly recognized the glint of a concealed ploy coming to fruition.

"Never needed to, darling?" the drifter echoed breezily, tail tightening against Morningpaw's. Summer grew more certain of what her friend intended as her soft voice carried on over the pool. The drifter kept her face neutral as long as she could, but at last an almost daring flash crossed Summer's ginger face. Could the charming, stammering young sweetheart called Morningpaw pull off such a bold, daring move against a she-cat she'd only just met? Would she dare?

And ah, yes, there it was: suddenly the water was rushing up to greet her.

Maybe Summer had expected it, but she hadn't prepared for it, and the delectable consequences were well worth the trip (ha, what a hoot she was). Her blue eyes widened in delighted shock as the WindClan cat pushed her off-balance directly into the pool, and she only had a brief moment to register the stunned look on Morningpaw's face indicating the plan had worked exactly as intended: Darling, if I'm going down, you'll come down with me, she thought with amusement, and she squeezed her eyes tight as the brisk pool splashed over her and seeped instantly through her pelt. The pale-furred drifter floundered for a moment before gaining her footing in the earthy bed of the pool.

Summer hauled herself upright and broke the surface, shaking her head fiercely and letting out a loud mrrowr of laughter all while regaining her breath. Her pelt was a deep sandy color soaked against her tight, lean muscles, and the fur of her tail floated delicately towards the surface as she immediately sought her "attacker". "You - I can't - Morningpaw!" she stammered, laughing too hard to form anything more coherent.

This might not have been the wisest idea, in hindsight- but it was not wisdom that had brought Morningpaw into this predicament, and it was not wisdom that would save her either; and as she toppled into the cool water with a very undignified yowl of surprise, the only thought running through Morningpaw's mind was that she regretted nothing about this turn of events. Well, that and a whole lot of water, since she hadn't quite had the presence of mind to close her mouth before taking an accidental dive. Her paws flailed ineffectively around her for a few moments, splashing perhaps even more water onto her soaked companion, but after a few moments, they found solid ground- or, well, solid... cat; Morningpaw clung to Summer for her life, coughing and shaking with merriment and mirth. "I can't believe-- okay, that was not meant to happen!", the apprentice spluttered, letting out a giggle-snort of laughter and batting at Summer with a gentle paw. "Summer-- you did that on purpose and I know it-"

It wasn't like she could talk - Summer's heinous crime was clearly justified self-defence - but even so, she hadn't expected such cunning, such depraved tactical cruelty- oh, Morningpaw couldn't even continue the line of thought; she was simply laughing too hard. This was, without a doubt, entirely worth it; sure, she'd gotten drenched in pondwater, and sure, she was now clinging to Summer for dear life (and didn't particularly want to let go-- out of safety, she convinced herself), but oh, that was perfect. The whole moment was perfect; not how she'd planned it, of course- but really, had any of the day gone to plan? She'd imagined catching a hare, but she'd caught FEELINGS instead, which- she had to admit- was far more pleasant. Morningpaw calmed her giggling for a moment, staring into the alluring blue eyes of her new crush, and mrrowled in mock exasperation, "Summer,"-

--the alluring blue eyes of--

--her new--

oh
oh stars
that's not good

--and for just a moment, her expression changed from one of unrestrained glee and adoration to- well, she greatly resembled a kittypet whose paw had gotten stuck in a cookie jar and had just seen their owner walk into the room. Realisation, surprise, a little guilt?- and then Morningpaw let go, her paws touching down on solid (if submerged) ground and her face immediately turning away with a brilliant flush. "I, uh-" the apprentice murmured after a moment, clearly trying to keep her voice level and calm, "I- probably shouldn't have done that, I'm very sorry. It- it was rude of me." Oh, like she's going to believe that. You've fallen, Morningpaw, and you can't get up.