dear thisbe (c)

It was hot. Falconpaw’s pelt was just thick enough for the heat to feel oppressive. It tried to sap his energy, but nothing could dull his flame entirely. Even with sweat building under his coat, Falconpaw couldn’t shake the restlessness that overcame him. He was itching to do--something. He didn’t know what. But something. Pollen clogged his nose, but underneath it, Falconpaw swore he could smell rabbits. He wanted to run, sprint across the moorlands until his legs gave out under him and his chest threatened to collapse from his exertion. His paws were tingling with the urge. He was sitting, though he refused to lay down fully, but his weight kept shifting between paws and his tail kept flipping back and forth.

It was then that Ryepaw’s voice broke through his idle thoughts. Falconpaw turned to look at the tom beside him, blinking down at him. ”I look bored because I am bored,” he laughed in response. Not the usual cocky grin he wore, but a more genuine expression of happiness, appeared on his muzzle. It was easy for Ryepaw to make him smile and laugh. That’s what best friends were for, after all. The yawn, followed by a sneeze, from the pale-furred tom just pulled another laugh out of him. ”And you look like you’re about to fall asleep.” Falconpaw said. Then he hopped up to his paws and spun around to face Ryepaw more directly.

”Come on,” he said insistently, ”don’t you want to do something? I know it’s hot, but I mean...” Falconpaw’s tail wagged with energy. In a sudden motion, he struck out with a forepaw and boxed Ryepaw over the ears. Not a hard blow at all--just enough to encourage some wrestling. Ryepaw was bigger and heavier than he was, so he’d likely get tossed around with ease, but Falconpaw didn’t care about winning so much as he did having something to do. ”C’mon, spar with me a bit. It’ll make us look productive, so the warriors can’t get mad at us for lazing around. We’re just playing, though, really.”