Under the Owl Tree [C]

Becoming a warrior had left freedom itching beneath her paws. The harsh season had meant apprentices were not to leave camp without their mentors, or a warrior, and even then, Stoatstar had advised cats leaving camp in pairs.

As she had yet to have an apprentice of her own, borrowing another cat's time to keep her company had almost felt like it would be an impossible task. Thrushnose still had another apprentice to train, Starlingflare was a cat she had yet to ever really talk to, Stoatstar had his paws busy with many cats, and Dovefrost still seemed to be processing all that had occured since his return. It left very few options available for the young warrior, and temptation to leave camp on her own certainly crossed her mind a couple of times.

After all, who would notice the newest warrior, quiet as she was, slip away from camp? They'd likely presume she was with another, helping other warriors train the various apprentices. It caused an odd dynamic on the moments she volunteered. A few moonrises ago, she was a fellow apprentice, sharing her den with several of them. Now, she was a rolemodel, a cat to ask questions to. It was hard to wrap her head around sometimes, but at the end of the day, she would be there to help.

Even if temptations of sneaking away had crossed her mind, the knowledge that she would be doing wrong overpowered whatever will she had. So, early before the sun had even fully crept upon the camp, the molly had stirred. She stayed tucked into her nest, but waited until Minnowfin had also woken. A gentle whisper - a hope - had asked he would spare some time to come with her to the Owl Tree at sunhigh. So that was where her paws had carried her.

A small patch of grass had been unearthed from the blanket of snow that otherwise covered the forest floor, and Mottlerose had seized the opportunity to settle down in that spot. While it was a nursery tale that an owl resided within the oak tree, the tortoiseshell was certain that it would pose no threat. After all, very few creatures wanted to expend energy during the leafbare, and the owl certainly wouldn't risk coming out at sunhigh. They were creatures of the night, and unless easy prey would be awaiting for it below, there would be no point in expending the energy.

Earlier that morning, he'd woken to the gentle whisper of a denmate; a plead... no, a call to join her at a designated spot at sunhigh. The simple request lingered with him all day, nagging for time to speed up. Going out with one of his apprentices to train, his thoughts were distracted, no matter how much he tried to dismiss the idea of a certain she-cat. Had she been waiting for him to wake up? Mottlerose had only moved into the warrior's den a few sunrises ago, and yet he couldn't stand the thought of sleeping without her by his side. A part of him had been lonely, he realized. Being the deputy wasn't how other cats expected. There were no special privileges, more like special jobs and responsibilities that one had to manage. He had expected that... once he became a warrior, he would be free to do whatever he wanted and he would be happy, but it turned out to be... different. Oh get over it minnowheart! It's an honor you don't deserve. It isn't whether or not you can handle it. It's whether or not you'll push yourself to do it. At least be grateful for it...

At last, sunhigh was approaching, and the promise he'd made with himself was tested, a brisk run needed to get there in time. He could see the tip of an oak just below the sun. Faded clouds could be seen scattered across the vast expanse of pale blue. His pace slowed down into a quiet approach, and peeping from behind another thin tree, he caught a glimpse of tortoiseshell pelt among the white covering of snow. It felt like his heart was about to burst, pounding with an ever-increasing speed. There was a reasonable explanation, he convinced himself. He had just been running to get here, he argued within.

Mousebrain- she can smell you hiding behind this tree for Starclan's sake! Silently he stepped away into open view, nearing the she-cat with a jubilant smile. "Found a comfortable patch of grass?" was his quiet greeting. The tom stood there, somewhat awkwardly wondering whether it would be acceptable to sit with her.

With dark-patterned fur, the feeling of the sun that found its way through the leaves was quite a bit more soothing than the tortoiseshell otherwise would have realized. It was as if she had another layer of fur, warming her and bringing her energy in the otherwise cold and quiet times. As she had settled in quite comfortably, it was also rather difficult not to close her eyes and simply enjoy the sensation. The excitement that continued to prickle within her body kept her awake, adjusting from sitting to curling her paws beneath her several times. Her ears were kept on a swivel, listening for the sound of even slightly crunching snow as a sign of Minnowfin's arrival.

The peace that leafbare brought with it served to her advantage, as it seemed to bring the noisy forest down to silence. Gentle crunches of snow caught her attention, but it was to her slight dismay that it was only a tiny vole running by. Had she not been waiting for Minnowfin, the temptation to go after it certainly would have overpowered her otherwise stationary frame.

Her amber gaze quickly turned upon hearing the familiar voice, her entire frame immediately lighting up with a joy of her own. "Minnowfin!" Had it been newleaf, she probably wouldn't have been able to hear him as clearly. The molly's tail flicked with glee as she shuffled to the side, making room for the both of them to at least sit. "It's quite warm, come sit~" She purred. Mottlerose typically didn't find conversation all that endearing, but around the young deputy, she found conversation seemed to flow easily. Stoatstar's words briefly flashed into her mind concerning the silver tom before her, and her gaze searched for any sign of stress.

"I hope you haven't been too busy today." She commented, offering the chance for him to ramble about whatever it was on his mind, should he wish.

A little gesture, a flick of the tail invited him to settle beside her. Gingerly, he curled his paws beneath him, pelts touching, warmth was shared between the two. The dappled light that peered through leaves tickled his back, a brief moment when he shut his eyes to enjoy the sensation. Mottlerose's comment brought him out of that moment and the tom averted his eyes. A hushed but tired sigh, though held back, was audible; it had not meant to be heard. "Not busy enough to stop me from coming here..." he tried joking, a miserable attempt at changing the subject. His facade was falling apart, the illusion of a capable warrior revealing to be nothing more than a kit, trying to use his tiny paws to fill in the much larger pawsteps of a warrior.

"I... don't know how to put this. It just- it just feels like... everyone's expecting so much of me. And I suppose I do too. At first, I thought that I could... well, I thought I was capable of the tasks given to me, but... I'm not so sure anymore." his voice was quiet, slow, words were chosen with great thought, yet all of it was heard very clearly. Even the slight shake of an exhale. All was silent, but the silence was quickly broken with an apology. "Sorry.. I didn't mean to unload all that on you... I hope I didn't ruin the mood?" The tortoiseshell companion was just so easy to talk to. Usually, he'd be the one to listen, but between the two, she was even more unspeaking. He could feel her warm, amber gaze searching his expression.

The added warmth of the silvery tom was certainly welcomed in the otherwise chilly air, and Mottlerose found herself resting her eyes as well as the pair simply enjoyed what was. Her whiskers twitched in response to his joke, almost a quiet chuckle. She knew that it was a compliment, but also what gave way to the truth of what was going on. As he began speaking, her amber gaze had returned to the tom, her head tilting with full intent on listening to him. It didn't surprise her that he felt overwhelmed. Any cat in his position naturally would. After all, to spend no more than a day as a warrior, only to then be told he had to lead them all?

Sometimes, the young warrior couldn't help but question what exactly went on within Stoatstar's head, but at the same time... she knew why Stoatstar had chosen Minnowfin. A gentle, comforting purr arose from her chest as she rubbed her head along the deputy's side. "You are capable." She began, her voice soft. "I have no doubt in my mind that it is a lot. But... Stoatstar knew you could handle it. He isn't wrong." Mottlerose met the tom's gaze, sincerity shining in her eyes. "No matter what the Clan may say, or how they may doubt. You are capable, and you can do it. I've seen you do it. For StarClan's sake, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be able to hunt." She jested, headbutting the tom once more. "Whenever it gets to be too much... I'll be here for you. Even if it means waking up before sunup to tell you to come meet me here." A gentle smile was upon her maw. Mottlerose felt that Minnowfin certainly needed some decompression time away from all of his duties, and it was the best solution she could think of.

Embracing the comfort and company of the lovely she-cat, his eyes glowed with appreciation and when she rubbed her head against his side, it surprised him that a flinch was absent. Simple words of encouragement brought such a welcomed reassurance, kindling the little flame of fire in his eyes which met the tortoiseshell's amber gaze. The grey and white tom took the molly's words to heart, more grateful than he'd ever been for her support and confidence in him. She believes in me. Stoatstar believes in me too. That's all that matters. Something clicked within, like a blockade had been broken down, letting a spring of water flow.

The young deputy found himself hiding a smile as he listened to Mottlerose's little rant, her playful nudges bringing out a childish grin. How could he thank the molly for everything? The two were sitting closer, from a distance it looked like they were a single form in the dappled sunlight. Gently resting his chin on her head, hushed words rumbled in his throat. "Thank you, Mottlerose. ...I needed to hear that. But also, I'd like you to know that I'm here for you as well. You've always shown your care for your clanmates, but someone has yet to care for you. I want you to know that I can be that person, if you'd like that." In that moment, all was still, peaceful and quiet. The words offered had been poured out from his inner being, truly from his heart. He had meant it.

She swore she had felt his frame relax, even just a little bit. Had she been lying to herself, the smile that appeared on the tom's maw confirmed otherwise. Mottlerose couldn't help the purr that rumbled from her chest as Minnowfin rested his chin atop her head, and gently she rested upon their paws. Considering that most of her fur was black, the sunlight seemed to soak into it, turning her pelt into a source of extra warmth.

Her frame stiffened a bit as she heard Minnowfin ask to be the cat that took care of her. It brought back memories of her moonstone, just before she became a warrior. The sweet Windclan warrior who had told her that sometimes, the carers need cared for. Warmth rippled inside of her, as if she had found herself close to the sun. "Do I deserve the deputy to care for me? Do I even deserve taking him away from his duties like this? Am I being selfish, or actually caring for him?" The thoughts passed in her mind, doubt creeping just underneath the bashful warmth.

She gave a dismissive twitch of her whiskers and opted for relaxing yet again. Having reached her conclusion, the molly's purr only grew louder. "I'd love that." It was only a moment of silence that separated his question, and her response, despite the dozens of thoughts flying within her mind. Shyly, Mottlerose curled her tail lightly around the tom's silvery frame. Their colors complimented each other well, even if it made for a unique view. Silver and white, black and gold.

A soft purr merged with his own, but the lack of words worried the tom. Had he been right in asking that? Was I- did I mess this up? Oh stars- I ruined, didn't I? When his worries were denied, his heart fluttered with joy. His pelt warmed with her tail curling against his own. Flooded with that same feeling he'd felt that time he'd taught her to hunt, his purr starting to get louder. He couldn't wait to find out what future they would have in store, but for now, he was content with what they had. What they had was beautiful, and though not perfect, it was close enough. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that." he whispered, closing his eyes.