Stained Sunsets [c]

Dawnfeather, her tail twitching, waited outside camp for Olivepaw. She’d asked the younger molly to come with her, to watch the sun before it set. In reality…

Dawnfeather had an ulterior motive.

Oh, stars stars stars stars above, eergh! She turned in nervous circles until she tripped over her own tail and faceplanted on the leaves. Of course, Olivepaw had to appear right then. Great. Way to set a serious mood. Dawnfeather clambered to her paws with a nervous smile, her tail twitching frantically. “Great okay let’s go yes right?” Stumbling over her words, she led the way towards the Moonlit Creek, nearly tripping over her own paws every few steps. She needed to ask someone for advice, and Olivepaw was very good at advice. She was a hard worker too.

Finally, the brook’s cheery voice could be heard in the distance. They were close now, close to where Beetlepaw and her had climbed up to their special hollow… their special hollow. A warm feeling spread across the young warrior at the thought. This was what she needed to talk to Olivepaw about… but maybe she should talk to Prima or Smokema first? She bit her lip in anxiety, wavering. She could just say “ooh look at the sunset…” or she could admit to Olivepaw that… she… eergh… l… loved her brother.

Olivepaw went straight towards the camp entrance, glancing up towards the glowing orb in the sky. If she was fast they could make it in time to see the sunset. Scurrying through the thorny tunnel she found Dawnfeather on the other side who had fallen. Assuming she startled her, the apprentice softly uttered an apology before following her into the territory. The ragdoll's paws were quick and careful, unlike the warrior beside her, who was having a bit of trouble. Olivepaw wondered if the cream she-cat had something on her mind.

The song of the river ahead reached her ears, they would be there soon. She turned her head slightly to Dawnfeather. Olivepaw thought of her expression as odd, like a mix between excitement and dread. Something is definitely up, but should I say anything? she pondered. Once the shimmering stream was in her sight she picked up speed. Crouching down near the water she lapped it up. Even though she couldn't taste it, the cool water was fantastic on her pink tongue, especially since the long-haired cat tended to overheat.

It had only taken her a few moons into her kit hood to figure out she didn't have a sense of taste. One morning she was nosing her way through bushes, dew still on the leaves from the rainy night before. But the sparkling drops of water couldn't distract her from mystically, blue berries. She gulped down one or two of them but was disappointed to find they didn't intrigue her mouth as much as they did her eyes.

Olivepaw focused back onto the present, she had a sunset to see not taste. A thought arose from the bottom of the river to the surface of her mind, Did we really come out here to see a sunset? Or is there something else she wants to tell me? She curled her tail around herself at this idea, a habit she did often.

“You see, I-“ Dawnfeather began, turning her head to look at Olivepaw as they neared the stream… and walking straight into it. She jumped back with a yelp, shaking cold water from her paws. “Oooh, cold cold cold. I… umm…” She shifted her weight from paw to paw, nervously biting her lip. And then, as though the stars were determined to prove her this situation could always get worse, she slipped on the wet rocks, banged her chin on what was luckily moss and not rock, and faceplanted in the creek. Somehow. Even she wasn’t quite sure how she did that.

The young warrior surfaced spluttering and panicking, water in her eyes. Luckily the water was barely paw-deep, and she sheepishly clambered back out onto the rocks. “I um… I meant to do that…” she started cleaning off her fur, now wet. Luckily not completely soaked. The last of the sun’s rays gleamed on her damp fur as she finally mustered her courage. “I um… well… IloveBeetlepaweeeek!” With it out in the open, she put her face on her paws and covered it with her tail, exposed ears blushing red.

Olivepaw snapped her head to Dawnfeather's yelp, her thoughts became tense. Water flicked onto her long fur, she realized there was no danger. Her face softened at her clumsy friend who stumbled into the creek. That relief didn't last long. She leapt to her feet as Dawn ended up slipping, alarm and concern returning to the apprentice. Her gaze scanned the warrior once she got back up, looking for cuts. She's okay. Sitting back down Olivepaw gave her a worried look. Whatever's got her paws in a bundle must be very important, she figured. Holding her attention on the now soaked molly she meowed hesitantly, "What's the matter?"

Her ears twitched when Dawnfeather finally let out what was bothering her. Did she hear her right? It was hard to decode her stitched together words, she could be mistaken. "You...love Beetlepaw?" she guessed. Dawn turned the color of a ladybug. I think I got it right. Olivepaw looked towards the last sunlight creeping behind the horizon as what Dawn just said settled in her brain. My brother? Love? Stars... that's amazing. Beetle and Dawn? She knew they were friends, but not anything closer. "Does he like you back? Are you together? Stars what did I miss." Why is she so embarrassed? Why was she so nervous to tell me? This is beautiful, my friend is in love. With my brother no less! They're so lucky, she thought while her gaze was set on the water, reflecting the carnation and grape sky. Very lucky.

Olivepaw turned back to Dawnfeather, brushing her tail on the she-cat's shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked gently. Love is a strong thing, she felt it every now and then. It was understandable Dawn was flustered, even if the ragdoll wasn't sure why.

Dawnfeather peeked out from under her tail, a single brilliant blue eye watching Olivepaw intently. She didn’t seem… any of the reactions that Dawnfeather had feared. “I mean… I-I-I… don’t know I hope so but maybe he thinks we’re just friends and if he thinks that you have to promise me Olivepaw that you’ll never tell him about this because in that scenario I wouldn’t want to ruin our relationship as friends. You didn’t miss anything…” she mewed awkwardly. “I’m good… just overwhelmed. What am I even supposed to do?”

Even as she asked she knew the answer. Continue being his friend. If something popped up, all for the better! But the very least she could do was continue being his friend. Dawnfeather slowly straightened back up, refusing to take her gaze off the creek. “I- I haven’t really told anyone, Olivepaw, so please don’t tell anyone? Especially him.” There was no need to add who him was.

Maybe she’d been in love for longer than she’d realized. The memory of Hawkuncle asking about Beetlepaw was still fresh in her mind. Maybe she should ask him about advice- when she saw him again. Really, the only reason she’d told Olivepaw was that Beetlepaw was her brother, and she had some vague feeling that Olivepaw ought to know. Her tail curled anxiously around her hind leg and she let out a sigh. She’d talk to Prima, or maybe Smokema, but it felt nice to tell her friend first.

The ragdoll listened to Dawnfeather. Her ears flicked at her mention of Olivepaw being the first to hear about this. She came to me first? she repeated the pleasant thought. The ever so slightest purr began to stir in her, nobody would ever hear it. She felt... Honored? Something like that. Proud that Dawn felt comfortable enough with her that she spoke to her first over everyone else. Does she think I'm good at advice, or is it just because I'm Beetlepaw's sister? She might think I know what he feels. The she-cat's tail brushed through the grass, disappointed if that was the case.

Either way she wanted to help her friend if she could. Olivepaw kept her eyes locked on Dawnfeather, "I won't tell him. I won't tell him you love him." She watched the molly carefully. This was her friend, and she deserved to be able to at least share her feelings. She deserved to see where it might go.

Olivepaw's tail twitched as a small lizard scurried behind her towards the water. She thought about Beetlepaw, the friendly tom who seemed to think everyone as a friend. A small smile appeared on her muzzle when thinking about her brother. If anyone- if anything were to happen to him, she'd bury the danger deep in the dirt. And she'd probably do the same for Dawnfeather.

The lizard disappeared into a group of ferns, she turned back to the cat. She wanted this to work out for them, but nothing will happen if Dawn doesn't talk to him. "Dawnfeather, I think you should tell him," she suggested. Starclan knew she had no real experience in this, just the strong feeling she had to protect her siblings. Is that the same as what she's feeling? Olivepaw wanted to help her, and wasn't sure how, but she wanted to try. "I could.. ask him how he feels about you? I won't, tell him what you feel, unless he asks, or not at all, if you want." It sounded a bit odd to her, but if it would help Dawn feel better then she'd do it.

(ooc: morning post so it's a tad messy <3)

“Thank you- wait, what? Tell him? I- oh stars…” Dawnfeather flopped onto her back and gazed up at the darkening sky with apprehension. “No no no no no! I- if any- aaaargh… what should I do Olive? Have you ever felt like this about somecat, with your paws on air and your tail in a twist?” Dawnfeather was no stranger to love. She loved her family, her friends, her Clan, anycat who crossed her path. But not like this. This was new and wild, taking her on a path she’d never thought of before.

To be honest… it was scary. Whenever she caught a glimpse of him her heart skipped a beat. She was flustered and clumsy… but happy. She felt like the pounding of the river roared in her ears, and instead of fireflies lighting her path it was the stars descended onto the green grass. It was… argh. She flicked her tail, her blue eyes reflecting the sunset. She didn’t know what to do, but she’d do her best.

Olivepaw raised a paw when Dawnfeather spoke, she didn't know why she did so. Placing the paw in the creek she pondered Dawnfeather's question. With my paws in the air and my tail in a twist? The she-cat was usually very grounded but she could recall a moment or two where she felt like that. Like there were stars in her eyes and the sky in her legs. "Yes... I've felt like that before," she replied, "But Dawn, you have to tell him right?" That wasn't exactly how she wanted that to come out, but then again she didn't have much experience in speaking what she was thinking. "And again, if you're scared I can talk to him and see if he just thinks of you as only a friend." Olivepaw thought it was worth the risk, and besides, she couldn't quite see a scenario where they break their friendship. How can you not like Dawnfeather?

“Oooh! About who? Oh my stars who, Olive? Is it…” Her queries were cut short as Olivepaw continued. Dawnfeather grimaced, looking up at the younger molly as she lay sprawled on her back. “I do? I mean, I will… just, please don’t talk to him… about this. I’ll talk to him as soon as he becomes a warrior. I will, I promise.” A date set, Dawnfeather fell silent, a gentle purr coming from her maw. Her eyes drifted shut as she listened to the melodies the brook sang, a gentle yet cheerful song, a reminder that, while there was a whole wide world out there, with an… oh-shen like Hawkuncle had told her of, there was also this small corner of it.

“Twining like a spider’s web, spinning many-colored threads, green and red rear their ugly heads. But hark, to the sounds of the weaving threads, as blue and gold spread throughout the web, cleaning, purifying the threads. The sunset’s juices stain the skies colors, and under this same sun battles were fought, and tales were spun, and we are merely a speck of dust in a river, the river of time carrying us steadily away on its gentle flow, so familiar we can imagine nothing else…” her voice trailed off as the sun died, falling behind the horizon to rise anew the next morning. Dawnfeather shivered. “It’s cold. Should we head back to camp?” The spell of the spinning words, laden like dew in the morning, was broken. But it wasn’t good to live in a spell.

She nodded, satisfied with her promise, and backing off the topic. Turning away Olivepaw blushed slightly, trying to pretend she didn't hear Dawnfeather asking who she loved. Of course. Who. She should have expected her to ask. Just don't say anything and maybe she'll forget. The stars seemed to be brighter than usual, she wondered why. After a while of stargazing her ears caught Dawnfeather's voice, asking if they should go back. The long-furred cat wasn't cold in any way, and she wanted to keep observing the stunning sky, but Olivepaw wasn't in the mood to reject her friend. "Okay," she said softly, her voice not fully prepared after the silence. She took one last look around at the bushes and trees, promising to return to the peaceful creek another time.