I'll Sing to You in Different Tongues [C]

Forest Speak
Feral Speak


The familiar timbre of Wiggleworm's voice was like birdsong, capturing the warrior's attention immediately. The meticulous task of stacking the fresh-kill pile was quickly forgone, as Silverdusk turned, a smile illuminating their features, to greet the spotted tom. A smile that only grew when he spoke to them in his native tongue, how pleasant it sounded when he spoke it -especially after his confession about Cloudychase. It meant so much to see how far he had come, and that he was growing to be confident in all parts of himself... Which was why the sudden nervousness he spoke with caught the tall molly off guard. Nervous to ask for their company, they were the closest of friends he did not need to ask; her answer would always be yes.

Silverdusk padded closer to him, raising their head to gently lick his cheek. The gesture, however simple, set them alight. Tingling from head to tail, and wishing they were more than just friends. The notion of her feelings towards him, had hit them very suddenly, but truth be told they had been there far longer. If only war had not been the force that exposed them, it made things so much more complicated. There was grief in her heart for something that had never existed between them and perhaps never would. She sniffed, pushing past the emotions that constricted their heart, and easing into what was normalcy between the two. "Of course I will walk with you, Wiggleworm."

There was a longing to say more. The mention of blooming flowers, stirring those feelings once more. They were not so easy to push down and forget, not when they spent so much time together. And not when he was far, far, too good for them. Why was there no room for feelings to blossom like the flowers he spoke of? Reality was cold and a breaker of hearts, but a world with Wiggleworm in it was a world far better than one without. "You lead and I will follow." purred Silverdusk.

Forest Speak
Feral Speak

Wiggleworm was acting like a kit, and Silverdusk couldn't fathom why. Conversation was usually so easy between them, but today the spotted tom was tripping over all his words -both feral and of the forest tongue. Green eyes blinked, as he paused to look at them, heat rushing to their cheeks as his gaze lingered. It took them a moment to decide on how best to reply with the way the tom was flitting between both languages. "Is that not what we usually talk about?" mewed the tall warrior. Maybe the switching of tongues was another mark of his anxiety, was he scared of her? He'd never been so bashful around them before, had something changed? Silverdusk's tail swished back and forth and she opened their mouth to ask, but Wiggleworm was already hurriedly squeezing out of camp.

They shook their head, trotting to catch up to him. Answers would come in time, and they were always honest with one another, he would tell them when he was ready. Finally, the silver molly caught up with him, their pelts brushing together, which only added to the warmth that still bloomed on her cheeks. With the duties that came with having an apprentice they were yet to admire the forest during Newleaf, this walk allowed Silverdusk's ever racing mind to slow. To take in the sights and smells. There was a sweet aroma to the air, full of pollen and it tickled her nose. The landscape itself was dappled with colour, evidence of the dawning season. Green split between the blossoms of blues and whites, the precursor of an explosion of colour. The same way Wiggleworm banished the monochromatic melancholy that had sunk its claws into her life as of late. Silverdusk sneezed loudly.

The welcome intrusion of his voice, drew them forward, back to reality. Their pawsteps fell evenly, perfectly in tow with the large warrior's own. The stumbling from earlier was still there, but as the wind gently rustled the leaves above, sending petals cascading to the ground, he seemed to rise in stature, finding that familiar confidence. The shift, brought a warm smile to Silverdusk's maw, happy he was more comfortable and acting like himself again. Which meant gentle brown eyes creased with worry for them. Though, Wiggleworm did not need to worry. "Better." replied Silverdusk and she meant it. Truly.

It had been so hard, but now the scar tissue was healing. It flared up, as all wounds do, but it wasn't all consuming. The mountain of guilt had become a molehill of regrets. The war... It still played over and over in her mind, but the desire to change the past ebbed. Would the future they wished to forge be darker than the one they were in? The God of Now had urged her to save Honeydew, to protect those that needed it most. Wiggleworm had been right all along, though it had taken moons to accept the truth. Saving Honeydew would be a path to peace with SkyClan, and a means to Sunfire's head too. The contradictory nature of the thought did not dawn on the she-cat. "Flowers can still grow amongst the ashes, and as ThunderClan recovers so do I. I feel much better, and this walk has made me feel better still. What of you, Wiggleworm?" Silverdusk cocked their head in question.

Forest Speak
Feral Speak


Despite his nervousness, Wiggleworm didn't seem afraid of them... More so nervous. Had her assumption about his fear been misplaced? Silverdusk sighed in relief, they didn't know what they'd do if he suddenly disliked them. Now reassured, his nervousness instead coaxed a soft laugh from the tall molly. Their eyes squeezed close, and she pressed against him. Once before, Wiggleworm had laughed at their own awkwardness and they had been so dumbfounded, but now it was her turn. Though that brief reassurance melted away as the tom let out a mouse-like squeak and practically jumped away from them. Silverdusk paused, their ears falling backwards, was that too personal of a gesture? She hadn't meant too... Even before their feelings had developed she had always been physically close with him, so why now did he shy away? Heat burned their cheeks, had she accidentally brushed against a wound? Had he been injured? By another cat? Hot air pushed its way out of her nose, whoever had hurt Wiggleworm, whoever had done this, they would find out. And then she'd sink their claws into their skin. Wiggleworm would not end up murdered like their clanmates.

He returned to their side, but the absence of his pelt brushing against her own was noticeable, and she mourned its loss. "Are you hurt?" they all but blurted, green eyes laced with concern gazing up at him. Still he seemed much too focused on whatever was bothering him to reply. Their brow furrowed, but she wasn't going to push it. Instead she took to admiring the scenery again, and just being content in the feral warrior's presence.

Ahead, there was a thick cluster of ferns and Wiggleworm turned to look at her. His smile was warm and perfect, but what he said worried them. This trip had been important, and now they were away from camp was he going to tell them what happened? Silverdusk's forehead creased with worry, but naturally she followed him, brushing the fronds aside. The spot, though unintentional the silver she-cat assumed, he had chosen was possibly one of the most beautiful scenes she had ever come across. A glade dappled with white and shafts of sunlight that turned Wiggleworm gold and his eyes into pools of Honey. If it weren't for the tightness in their chest at what he wanted to reveal, she would have broken into a loud purr. They smiled, but immediately felt sick with dread. "If you are about to tell me you are hurt, I will bring down this entire forest." mewed Silverdusk quietly.

It was a weight off their chest, expelled in a sigh of relief. Wiggleworm was okay. Everything was okay. With the wight lifted, Silverdusk's heart rate slowed and she allowed herself to be at peace and take in the glade. The tom's odd behaviour was pushed aside, all that mattered was The Now. His touch lingered on the molly's cheek, and green eyes tentatively followed his form. It took them a moment to process that he was asking for her to follow him further, but she did, wildflowers brushing against their pelt. The clearing seemed to become a sea of white, the green of the forest replaced by the mottles of clover, that perfectly silhouetted the feral warrior.  She drew in a sharp breath, tail swishing gently, watching his every movement.

Despite how in tune Silverdusk tried to be, they hadn't expected Wiggleworm's complements. Their eyes widened, and her skin burnt, she felt as red as a rose. The breath stolen from their lungs, as they tried to collect themselves. "..." The tall she-cat swiped at their muzzle, not use to feeling so bashful or sheepish. These feelings were a growing occurrence, and now it felt like they'd reached a crescendo. She swallowed, meeting his gaze, which only made them want to hide their face more. But that wasn't her, she needed to get a hold of this, reel in these feelings. Friendship was one thing, but more... He didn't see them that way, and so she would let these feelings pass. "You look beautiful yourself, especially with all these flowers." Silverdusk finally managed to get out, returning Wiggleworm's complement.

Silverdusk, fell back, settling on her haunches, regarding him. The tom seemed to do the same, his own brown eyes, turned a warm honey by the sun's golden rays, rested upon them. A silence grew between, and while they longed to break it, to fill the forest with the adoration she felt... She couldn't. There was a lump in the warrior's throat, that only grew as his smile faded. Her ears pricked, was he about to tell them what bothered him so? She leaned in, and he finally, finally, began to speak. The mention of SkyClan and the war instantly had the tabby's pelt prickling, drawing in a sharp breath along with the unwanted flurry of memories it brought up, but what upset them more was the spotted warrior mentioning how they had made him feel. Shame welled up, even if they had acted out of love, that didn't negate what she had done. Silverdusk was here now though, she was here, and they always would be. The words were on her tongue to reassure him, but he was already moving ahead, and she didn't have a chance to say anything before Wiggleworm's own words made the she-cat freeze.

"I thought it was just because we're bestfriends and, uh, maybe that's all it is, to you... But... Not to me... I... Love you."

It was like the wind had stolen their ability to function. Her feelings... The ones that had been tormenting Silverdusk for moons were reciprocated, and he'd realised no less the same way she themself had. As it truly settled in, that they weren't alone, the molly began to laugh. "This is what troubles you?" they laughed, tail unfurling and eyes bright. She sighed, letting her giggles die away. "It is funny, because I feel the same way, and that day made me realise that I loved you too... All this silliness, to have felt the same way this whole time." mewed Silverdusk, laughing again "I did not dare hope you felt the same, I did not want to ruin our friendship by telling you. I would have been content in silence if it meant getting to see you everyday."

The warrior stood, stepping carefully between the blooms as they made their way towards Wiggleworm. "It is so good to know you feel the same." she purred, nuzzling his cheek with a lick.

Forest Tongue
Feral Tongue

“All this time.” she repeated, burying their heads in the crook of his neck. Moons upon moons, since she had earned her name, they had loved him. Going out her way for him, small gestures like making sure to catch the prey he preferred, or tidying his nest. Small, unnoticeable things, a compromise for loving Wiggleworm silently. Always so worried that the tom would catch on, that things would suddenly become strained until that thread inevitably snapped and they never spoke again. Such pointless anxieties, when all this time they had been as hopeless as one another. Young fools so blinded by their own love for the other they couldn’t see what was in front of them, and now having realised, it really was hysterical. There laughter filled the forest, chords fleshing out the melody of bird song completing it. “I was so busy trying not to look at you out of fear I’d reveal my own love, of course I missed how you felt.”

The spotted warrior wrapped his forelegs around Silverdusk and they leaned further into his touching. Her laugh faded away into a matching purr. For a moment they stayed like that, content, before Wiggleworm dragged her with him as he rolled. A shower of petals erupted as they fell onto the forest floor, cascading around them in brilliant white. Silverdusk let out a small noise at the sudden loss of balance, caught completely off guard. The tom landed atop them, and immediately began showering her with affection. Fierce heat rose to their cheeks and she felt the urge to hide away, it felt almost scandalous to be so open about their feelings after hiding it for so long. Each compliment punctuated by a soft lick that made them blush harder and harder.

“And what about you, Wiggleworm, hm?” mewed the silver she-cat, flipping them over to exact their revenge “Handsome, gentle, selfless, confident, chivalrous… Are you not more than amazing? I am surprised the whole forest doesn’t swoon for you.” Naturally, they buffeted him with an onslaught of adoration more the same, if not more than he just had. There was a giggle to her words, not dissimilar to those crushes of apprenticehood. Though she knew this would be far less fleeting. “Am i not the luckiest cat to now be able to call you my mate?”

Forest Speak
Feral Speak

Silverdusk relished in the heat that poured from Wiggleworm as they switched positions. His bashfulness its own reward, his tucked chin and darting eyes singing to her. Though in all his blustering, he was, infuriatingly, still able to retain some control and have them blushing again. She shook her head playfully, eyes closing, trying to clamp down on those traitorous feelings. It was so ironic, hiding from him all over again, as if she hadn’t just declared themself as his mate. His purr was louder than a monster, nagging at them to open their eyes. She did, meeting his gaze again. She’d never seen so much love held in a single look before, but it was as if the spotted tom was melting, and stars knew they were too. She laughed again, pressing their forehead against his.

“Of course I mean it.” breathed Silverdusk “Nothing would make me happier, I just need you.” the molly grinned, peeling back slightly, only for the tom to bury his head in their pelt. She purred, using their chin to pull him closer. His voice rumbled against her chest, as he spoke, sending a wave of electricity through her. Wiggleworm pulled back again, pausing for take the warrior in. Her body thrummed, and then stalled as he spoke.

“I love you, y’know that?”

The breath was stolen from Silverdusk’s lungs at the confession, her heart beating in a stuttering syncopated rhythm. Why was it so profound? Saying it aloud made it all the more real. Actions you could hide behind, play off, deny, but such a declaration wasn’t so easily disproved. Of course, of course, of course they felt the same way, and it occurred then, as the world came back to its axis, that she was taking far long to answer. She inhaled, pressing her forehead to his again. ”I do.” they
confirmed, his scent wrapping around her. “And you know that I love you too.” Silverdusk wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement, either way she would be content spending the rest of their life proving to him that she did.