" Oh, nothing." He sniffed, unconvincingly. Her eyelids drooped a little and she rested her chin on the edge of her nest. " What is it, Specklebranch?" Sunsetsplash asked. His amber eyes were blazing like two fires in the den, and anger pulsed from his pelt. She looked over at Specklebranch's nest and realised with a jolt he was still awake. She dropped down into the fluffy pile and sighed. Sunsetsplash realised that her nest, filled with soft moss and feathers that carried the faint scent of Specklebranch. Splashtail was already asleep, curled up in her new nest. Feeling like she was walking on air, she slipped inside the warrior's den. Sunsetsplash nodded, too breathless to speak. " You should get some sleep, Sunsetsplash." He meowed. Sunsetsplash felt like the only important thing in the world was to be as close to Smokecloud as possible. " I love you too, Smokecloud! I.I do want to be your mate." She buried her nose into his neck fur, and Smokecloud purred and licked her cheek. Sunsetsplash felt the world sway under her paws, while her surprise and delight bubbled inside of her like happy butterflies. " I love you, Sunsetsplash.and I want you to be my mate." Smokecloud took a deep breath and fixed his gaze into hers. " Sunsetsplash, I.I - you - well, you see I -" Smokecloud stammered to a stop. His voice was soft, and also kind of.shy. Sunsetsplash watched her sister's tail flick away into the shadows. He disappeared into the den, and Splashtail followed him inside. Specklebranch shot his brother a sharp glance before muttering something. " Help Splashtail find a nest for her and her sister, I want to talk to Sunsetsplash." The mottled tom poked his head out of the warrior's den. Specklebranch can help you find some nests - Specklebranch!" " Go on ahead, I want to speak to Sunsetsplash about something. Mismatched blue and green met dazzling water-blue for a long moment, and then he turned to Splashtail. She gazed at Smokecloud, who turned and met her eyes. " I think you've got the wrong den, mighty warriors." Smokecloud purred. When they were standing outside of the bush, a familiar voice made Sunsetsplash turn her head. Sunsetsplash let her sister take the lead towards their nests. I'm so tired I think I could sleep on that log over there." She gestured towards a fallen tree, covered in dew-slick moss. Splashtail was first to comment as they squeezed through the gorse tunnel. The two former mentors purred and, after meowing goodbye, padded into the trees. " Thank you, Thistlepelt!" She licked her front paw, which felt like it was filled with sand. Sunsetsplash stood up too quickly and felt the blood rush through her legs. Splashtail let out a grateful purr and stretched deeply. Sunsetsplash forced her way back to reality just in time to hear Thistlepelt say the six words she'd been dying to hear since moonhigh. Their pelts touching, white and cinnamon-streaked against night-black, as they padded through the forest, light dappling the leaves as sunlight filtered from the canopy.
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