I may not always be there with you, but I'll always be there for you (c)

Padding into camp with the squirrel he'd just caught, Curlyfluff was on a mission; to find his best friend Firefly. With him having been stuck in the medicine cat den for who knows how long while he got over his illness, he'd heard about things happening around camp and with his clanmates, but he hated that he hadn't been able to fully be there with them. He'd heard something about Firefly's adopted kits having gone to StarClan and tried his best to get more information, but it'd been a difficult time with him having been nest-ridden and not wanting to pass on his sickness to his family and friends. Now though, he was as good as new and was ready to make up all the time he’d lost being a lump on a log.

Spotting the molly's red pelt across the clearing, he made his way over to the leader's den where Firefly was. "Brought something for ya," the curly-pelted tom purred with a soft smile as he placed the prey at her paws. Giving his fur a shake, he wasted no time and sat down next to Firefly so close that their pelts brushed against each other. "I'm sorry I wasn't there," the warrior began in his usual gentle tone, though the air around him held a sense of melancholy.

A lot had happened since their last talk: she had found an orphaned kit that she had named Peonykit, absently raised her to warriorhood where she had earned the name Peonylight, and then one day... She was gone. Run over by a monster as though she were merely a weed. The next big blow was realizing just how absent she had been in her sister, Murkyripple's, life. Only finding out much too late when challenged to one last duel before she left for RiverClan.

All of these thoughts and memories and the occasional what-if's plagued her as the russet warrior absently laid against the cooled ground in the shadow of Highrock. Spooked out of her thoughts by a very welcomed voice: Curlyfluff! It had been tough without being able to speak or hang out with Curlyfluff the last few moons, and seeing the soft smile of her best friend made her shoulders suddenly feel lighter than they ever had been. "You have nothing to be sorry for, dear friend." She leaned into him, taking a moment to feel the warmth of someone she cared for deeply. Something she'd been missing. She gave a quick nod of thanks for the meal she had no stomach for. "You feeling better these days?"

The relief he felt when his dearest friend accepted his embrace would forever be unmatched by any other emotion. Sometimes the spitfire-like she-cat's mood could be unpredictable, and every night he thanked the stars that they were able to share each other's company so effortlessly.

"I am, thanks to our wonderful medicine cats," Curlyfluff purred. Getting over any sickness was no small feat for any-cat, but having cats that knew about herbs and healing certainly made life so much easier. He wasn't sure how loners and kittypets could possibly manage and wondered if they had their own versions of medicine cats, but that was a question for another day and his mind quickly snapped back to his original train of thought.

"I'm sorry... I don't mean to keep bringing it up, I just..." he began to mumble, shuffling his paws against the ground below. Brining up his friend's past heartache was the last thing he wanted to do, but having been absent from her side had been making his stomach twist and turn with pain and he needed to make sure of one thing. Besides, there was no time like the present and it never hurt to ask, right?

"I just... I just want to make sure that if there's anything I can do for you... I'm here to do it," he mewed with a smile, glad he got out the bulk of what he'd wanted to say to her.

There was really no need to hesitate when it came to sharing things with Curlyfluff. He had been there for every little thing, going as far as to continuing to push for friendship when she had been so mean most of her young life. One day, she would be there for him in his time of need. Not that the curly tom had ever expected anything from her in return.

A shaky breath in. "I've been so focused on myself and holding up the warrior code and following the rules that I... I think I've lost sight of what actually matters. Peonylight was so young and I failed to spend time with her even when I promised to watch over her as though I were her mother. And then Murkyripple. She suffered a heartache so great that I had no idea until the day she approached me to tell me - not ask for guidance or opinions - that she was leaving ThunderClan for good. And all I could do was wish her the best. Loss comes in more than one form, and I've unfortunately only been able to understand once it was too late." A tear rolled down her scarred cheek, slicking down whatever hair was left on it.

"This may be selfish of me... But I don't want to lose anyone else and only realize I loved them too late." Her mind wandered to ThunderClan's squirrel-like deputy and the joy their sparring had brought her each time. Did Acornstem even know that she apprietiated those moments they shared? "Tell me, dearest friend, how does one tell someone they care about how much they mean to them?"

Listening as she spoke, the fluffy tom couldn't but help but feel the utmost empathy towards Firefly's current situation, seeing as though he was in the exact same position himself. Well, not with the loss of her family perhaps, that was a tough one for sure. Loss was never something any-cat would enjoy and it was more difficult than anything the forest, but he could always find comfort in knowing that the ones that were special to him would never be forgotten and hoped that perhaps she did the same.

Thinking about how to reply to something like that and watching as tears began to fall down his face, his heart hurt more than anything for her and he wanted to try and muster up something that could be of use to her, but she changed the subject and he presumed she'd rather not dwell on the rest for too much longer. Pondering her question for a moment, he figured out what to say much quicker than before. Well, I suppose it's always important to tell someone how you feel, even if it's difficult," he paused for moment, reflected on how he should heed his own advice when it came to telling Rosepaw how he felt and wished to spend the rest of his days by her side. "And it's okay to be scared. Trust me, I sure am," he continued on with a soft chuckle, meeting her olive gaze with a soft smile. "But opportunities can be lost in the blink of an eye, while regrets can last a life time," the lavender grey tom mewed softly, hoping his words were of some usefulness.