do you feel it? [closed for fox]

Dawnhock and flitted in and out of their lives as quickly as he'd come, seeking out salvation in the clans like she'd suggested. The barn cat learned little of his life and perhaps it was better that way - the tom was not her problem and seemed to have a decent enough head on his shoulders to care for himself, even if having proven to be a bit strange. Besides, her paws were happily preoccupied in helping Briarthorn recover.

She'd briefly set off to hunt something more filling than the mice they often feasted on in the barn. With each passing day the handsome tom from the moors was growing stronger. Soon, he would be able to hunt his own prey. The idea brought about a bittersweet sadness. His company was pleasant. Even though she had grown used to busy life on the farm, Briarthorn seemed to make the days easier and brighter all at once. She shook her head, rattling the slender frame of the rabbit between her teeth. It would likely be welcome, from what she knew of his home.

"Here you are, sugar. Figured something different for today. How're ya feeling?" Hollyhock smiled after gingerly placing the rabbit near his paws. She tucked her pads underneath, relishing in the moment and trying not to thing too hard about what could possibly come after this.

Briarthorn had been living in the barn now for around a moon, and his leg was well on it's way to being fully healed. He'd spent much of his time with Hollyhock, the kind barn cat who had been taking care of him. She did her best to make sure he was comfortable, bringing him food and water, and making sure that he stayed off his leg. As Briarthorn got to know her, he found that he really enjoyed her company. He thought of her as a friend, but he had started to feel that there might be something more. She was beautiful, kind, and understanding. When he was with her, it almost felt like he was home.

Briarthorn was startled out of his thoughts as Hollyhock came towards him holding... Was that a rabbit? He smiled as she sat by him. "I'm feeling just about as well as I could be, and my leg is almost healed," he said in reply to her question. "In a few days I should probably start walking to build my strength back up. Maybe you could show me around the farm, then." Briarthorn turned the rabbit that she had brought him. As he began to eat it, he closed his eyes, relishing the flavor. He hadn't had rabbit in moons, not since he lived in WindClan. He opened his eyes and looked back at Hollyhock. "Thank you. I haven't eaten rabbit since, well, I left. You don't find them very often in twolegplace." After a moment he continued. "Would you... like some?"

"Sure, sugar, thank you." She had listened, nodding ever so slightly to digest the words. When Briarthorn spoke, she found herself hanging onto every syllable. The low rumble of his voice caused her pelt to warm and her tail to stir, flickering back and forth rhythmically. Hollyhock dipped her head, taking a hearty bite and allowing the flavors to dance across her tongue and slip down her throat. The she-cat had gotten so used to the barn mice it was a welcome change. Her eyes darted back up to study the tom's features. It was obvious how much the taste of rabbit meant to him, the home he reminded him of. There was a pang at the idea of him leaving but she shook it away.

"We'll have ya knowing this whole place in a day's time. Your' a strong enough tom to run the whole barn, even with an injured leg!" Hollyhock chimed up with a broad grin. She drew closer and butted her head affectionately into his shoulder. Her ears only heated for the briefest moment, unabashed by her own forwardness. There was no reason to hide these feelings, it would do little. Besides, time was fleeting, cats were in and out of this barn all the time. Drawing back ever so slightly, Hollyhock dipped her head to meet his gaze, "Ya know, I'll miss you when you leave, Briarthorn." The earnest nature of her voice was raw, wholly honest. A bittersweet smile crossed her maw at the thought already.

Briarthorn listened to Hollyhock talk as they continued to eat the rabbit together, chuckling softly at her comment that he was strong enough to run even with his leg injury. When she butted her head into his shoulder, instead of his body stiffening up as it once might have at the sudden contact, it just felt... right? He looked at her and smiled a genuine smile, something he had found himself doing a lot when he was with her. He'd probably smiled more times these past moons than he had all the rest of his life, including his time as a Medicine Cat.

When Hollyhock brought up him leaving, the edges of his smile turned downwards and he looked away, thinking. Briarthorn fixed his eyes on her's before replying. "I'll... I'll really miss you too, Hollyhock. You've treated me with more kindness than I'll ever deserve. But-" He took a breath, sitting up from the reclining position he had been in while eating and looking away. "I don't know if I ever will leave. I want to go home, back to the moors, to WindClan, to my family... But they'd never accept me back anyways, not after what I've done."