Quality Time (Dawnstar & Lioncloud)

[Twilidramon]

The air was crisp as Dawnstar pushed her way out of the thorn tunnel. It was quiet in the forest, the dripping of rain from the leaves the only sound she could pick up near camp. Already she felt drier in the forest than she did in the open-air camp, and she shook her fur to free it from the water dragging it down.

She moved out of the way so that Lioncloud could come through without ramming into her. The ground was soft and cool beneath her paws, still moist from the thaw, and as she looked around she saw that puddles dotted the territory.

Let's hope I don't get too muddy from this... she thought.

[Deleted]

Lioncloud relished the quiet minutes of walking beside Dawnstar through the forest sprouting with new life. The trees were in bloom if they flowered, and if not, their branches were sprinkled in leaf buds and baby leaves. Birdsong could be heard, despite the clan cats menacing presence; one could hear the complaining cries of bird hatchlings who didn't want the rain droplets touching their bare skin. The spongey forest floor was collecting the sprinkle of rain, causing his own spongey fur between his toes to soak up the muddy water with each step. Puddles were noticeable, but thankfully they weren't completely blocking off the paths like they had last newleaf, hopefully they would avoid the paths for the rest of the newleaf, no one likes wet paws. The humid and cold air brought it a rush of green scents as the golden tom inhaled. Lioncloud almost hoped everyday could be like it is right now.
ThunderClan's large deputy turned his head to face the leader, and he opened his mouth to aska question. "So, where would you like to hunt? It might be a bit marshy where we, I, originally planned..." His long whiskers brushed Dawnstar's face as he twitched them.

[Twilidramon]

Dawnstar took a look around, momentarily distracted by all the water. Leaf-bare had been particularly snowy, but Dawnstar didn't think the thaw would be this... wet. She sighed.

"Lioncloud, I'm afraid this little stroll of ours might have to turn into a patrol," she mewed. "I want to check and see if the WindClan border hasn't flooded too much. The stream there is wider, and if the water remains by the time of the Gathering, we might have to go all the way around through... ShadowClan territory."

She hadn't meant to make it sound so dramatic, but she and ShadowClan had never gotten along; not since Emberjaw. The thought of traveling through their territory made her neck fur fluff.

[Deleted]

Lioncloud's huge muzzle stretched open in a wide yawn as he replied. "Mmwhat? Well... Alright. I suppose it would be best to check." The fluffy tom sensed some negative emotions when Dawnstar spoke of how they may have to go through ShadowClan territory to attend to the gathering, he tried to think of a better idea than that, he knew that the relationship between his clan and ShadowClan wasn't at it's best right now. "Hm, I think ShadowClan may be just as flooded as ThunderClan, I don't think we'd have to pass through their land to head to the island, and anyway, that would be so much longer. Maybe if we went further up the stream? Maybe near the Moonpool, it should be narrower there, and then when can cut through WindClan territory, they are much friendlier towards us." Lioncloud tried to keep up a steady pace beside the clan leader, but talking and walking was not his best talent, he lagged a little bit behind the ginger dilute. He hoped that what he had proposed would work, but it was very likely that it wouldn't be the best option.

[Twilidramon]

Dawnstar had to admit that her mate's words were only a faint buzzing in her ear. She kept up a brisk pace, her thoughts distracting her from her wheezing mate behind her. The water grew squishier and squishier as they climbed up the slope towards WindClan territory.

A tree had fallen in the winter - and there it lay across their path. It was a younger tree, but it's trunk could not simply be walked over. Its roots were bare in the air, cleaned off by rain and thaw. Dawnstar leaped over the trunk without much trouble, landing smoothly on her paws.

There she waited for Lioncloud.

[Deleted]

Lioncloud was vaguely hurt when he realized that Dawnstar wasn't listening to him when he had spoken, her ears had been facing forward the whole time. He buried the little dark feeling away for the moment as the leader sprung over the slick birch trunk. "Hey, hey, hey! Hold up a moment! Let me catch a breath!" The deputy stood for a short moment, regaining his lost breath. As he wheezed franticly, he tried to leap over the toppled tree like his mate, but he only made it halfway, his torso hit the stump with a sharp and painful thud. The slippery bark and the momentum cause him to still slide down the trunk, where he landed whiskers first in a bunch of squelchy mud caked with debris.

[Twilidramon]

The sound of her mate's fall made Dawnstar's heart begin to race. She rushed back to him, blood pounding in her ears. She pulled wet leaves off of her mate's pelt as water dripped gently onto the fluffed fur along her spine.

"Lioncloud!" she called. She could see him, in the mud by the tree. "Lioncloud, are you all right?"

Oh, what would she do if he wasn't all right?

[Deleted]

Lioncloud rapidly stood up and shook his long fur in an attempt to get some mud out. "Of course I'm fine! Just slow down, for StarClan's sake!" The tom snapped. He would probably have few bruises, and be limping for the next few days, but he was fine. Despite the little mishap, he was still more angry at his mate, who wouldn't slow down for him. Yes, he was acting like a kit when he growled at her, and no, he didn't care one bit. Posterior to the deputy's short outburst of anger, he hopped out of the mud, tail lashing violently, and began to hastily swipe his barbed tongue over his grimy pelt.

[Twilidramon]

Dawnstar flattened her ears, feeling them burn with regret and embarrassment. She watched her mate angrily lap at his pelt. He wasn't angry often, so that made it burn all the worse.

"Lioncloud," she mewed. "I'm sorry, you know I am. I've just been so busy lately... we've hardly had time for each other since I made you deputy! I thought that would change with time but it hasn't..."

She looked at her paws. "I understand that you're mad at me," she mewed. It felt like the wind was knocked out of her chest.

Heaving a sigh, she told him, "We came out here to spend time together; to talk like we used to, just you and I. Can't we still do that? Another patrol can check the water."

Blinking at him, looking at his muddy pelt and the way his eyes were narrowed, she added, "Or we can just return to camp."

[Deleted]

The deputy deflated at Dawnstar's words, the hurt in the was near unbearable for the sensitive tom. He looked up at her with sorry eyes, and bent his head forward to gently lick her shoulder. He began to talk in a quiet and sincere voice, but not before he let out an exaggerated sigh. "Look, dear, you have no reason to apologize, we both have extra duties now, but we'll find a way, okay? We always will." There was a small pause before he continued. "No, I'm not mad at you, I'm sorry I snapped... Yes, we should get som other patrol to go on this patrol, and I don't think we'll have to worry about going to the gathering tonight, the sky is too cloudy for the moon to shine anyway." He had nearly returned to his normal self already, but he was only softer. "No, only if you want to go back to the camp." The golden tom in all honesty did not want to go back to the camp he'd been stuck in for so long, but if Dawnstar wanted to go back, he wouldn't show any negative feelings about it.