Nocturnal Wonders II [c]

Hedgepaw blinked groggily at her awakening, forcing her eyes open past their desire to remain closed. Was it time for training already? Had she really slept in so late? It felt as if she'd only gone to sleep recently. But once her green eyes caught sight of her brother, they opened wide and all tiredness fled. "Of course!" she whispered eagerly, grinning. It had been a while since she'd gotten to spend time with Fernpaw, given how busy he was with his training. Whatever it was he planned--it didn't matter what--she wanted to do it. Especially since he was specifically coming to wake her up and hang out, just the two of them. The special attention from her brother made her chest burst with warmth. She rolled over, shook out her short-furred pelt, and then followed him outside.

Time spent between them... just her and her brother. Hedgepaw's heart glowed warm, sending tingles down her spine and through her paws, as she followed Fernpaw around and closely shadowed his steps. Whatever interesting thing he wanted to show her, whatever surprise, held her intrigue--but not as much as she simply felt overjoyed to be with him. He could have taken her to the deepest, dingiest part of Carrionplace and she would have loved every second. But the fact that he wanted to take her somewhere special felt so nice that she soaked it up like a ray of the late evening sun. It reminded her of creeping outside of the nursery with him when they were kits, off to investigate the ceasing sound of crickets and frogs. Fernpaw had grown so much. He was taller now, his limbs longer, the white spreading even further on his fur. He looked almost like a proper warrior--all he needed was the official name. Her brother, so sure of himself. Her brother, all grown up. And she... she, still tiny, still useless. The sourness of that thought dissipated in the sweetness of his presence, though, and so she let it vanish with the setting sun. Now was not a time to think unpleasant things.

Leaf-fall hadn't quite stricken all the green from this part of the forest yet. Hedgepaw admired the deep colors of pine needles and mossy rocks as they walked together. It was rare that she got up early enough to see them in daylight like this, especially with the nights growing longer from the turning seasons. The sky shifting colors from a rare, pale blue to hues of rose and gold made reflections of light glimmer across her eyes. However, she couldn't stop glancing back at her brother as she followed behind him. To her, Fernpaw was more miraculous than any of the wonders that nature had to offer. Even if they had to live at the awful lake-place again, or a scary wide-open space like WindClan, she would go anywhere if it meant that she could be with him and the rest of her family. Quietly, she counted herself grateful to be blessed with his love and attention, given how busy he must have been training for warriorhood. When he finally stopped, she did as well, ears flicking eagerly to catch all his words. "Okay," Hedgepaw chirped happily. Then she registered the instruction to be quiet, and lowered her voice appropriately to a hushed whisper. "I mean, okay." The small brown she-cat sank down into the grass, loafing on her paws. She couldn't wait to see what Fernpaw was so excited about.