twilightclan | cats of the witching hour | update!

Palecloud shook his head with a huff and tilted his head. "If you want to make friends you don't need to be so shy. Look at me. I'm only 13 moons yet I hang out with cats nearly twice my age, since I put myself out there. The kitty pet is nice and a fellow apprentice would be good for you to hang around with, since we all need friends around our own age." He grinned at the younger tom, trying to push him out of a comfort zone to help him out. He knew it was hard, since he was awkward himself around Peony.

( Totally fine with me It'd be nice for him to have a younger friend who he might have trained with a little. )

Palecloud sighed and planted his bottom to the ground and tilted his head to the side, "Do you really only want two friends, Smokepaw? Doesn't that sound quite lonely?" He gave him a look that said he understood how his friend felt. He barely wanted to talk to Peony and Noisepaw since the awkwardness of being there when Peony realized her people had left her behind. He winced slightly on the outside at the memory then shook it off. "I know those two are nice and I doubt they'd think anything ill of you. You're great in your own way. I also doubt you snapped at them in a way they couldn't deal with. They deal with Badgerheart after all." He snorted at the mention of the tom. Palecloud didn't like him at all after getting the nasty, dark feeling that radiated off of him and his apprentice. "Speaking of Badgerheart, stay away from him and Ivypaw. Something isn't right about them."

Palecloud sighed at his friend and batted him over the ear. "Try to make more friends. I'm always here for you, y'know that, but I can't be the only one besides your sister here for ya." His eyes darkened a bit and he shook his head. "They just... There is just this vibe I've got. They always sit in the shadows and whisper with each other while glaring at everyone. They make me uncomfortable. I've also heard them snark about the rogues that have been joining us lately and I'm wondering if it's not just these rouges, but our once-rouge leader they don't like." His pelt was bristled and he shuddered somewhat. He didn't dislike rouges as long as they accepted the clan life and put effort into what they needed to do. He didn't see the point in hating someone of his own species just because of where they were born, but the dark looks, the comments, and everything made Palecloud wary.

"You aren't an annoying fur ball. Just a normal fur ball." He scrunched his nose at his friend before sighing. He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. "I fear for her. I don't want someone to hurt her just because of where she came from. She is our leader. She was chosen by StarClan and I don't know how that isn't enough for some cats. If our ancestors can accept her, despite where she came from, she should be accepted. I hate that anyone looks down on her. It's not right. Just..."
He looked around and then shook his head. "Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious and tell her if something feels off. She listens to us, even though we are young." His eyes caught sight of Pricklepaw staring at them and then he smirked at Smokepaw, "I see you've been making friends on your own. Caught the eye of that little she-cat over there have you?"

"Ahhh listen to that stutter!" His grin spread out wide on his face as he bumped his shoulder into his friend's. He then lifted his paw and waved it a little bit at Pricklepaw before giving a little wink. "She's cute there Smokepaw. You got yourself a looker." He tried to sound serious but just wound up snorting out a laugh. Palecloud sucked in a breath of air, trying to calm himself. He wanted to keep a calmer demeanor. He didn't want to act like Sootstorm but it was a bit hard to not tease and be a young tom when that's exactly what he is.

A larger grin busted out on his face when the tables were turned on him at first, trying not to laugh more. He bumped into the younger tom before falling over as if in despair. "Ohhh how could you tell her my secret? So much for trusting you!" He held a serious face for all of two seconds before laughing once more. He sat up and called over to her as well. "I'm sorry! Teasing him got a bit out of hand. It is nothing bad about you, promise!"

( Just so you know Palecloud is only 13 moons old. He's really not that much older than the apprentices, that's how he and Smokepaw are such good friends. )

Palecloud smiled at Smokepaw and then continued to lay there next to him. He stretched his legs out, popping and cracking a little as he did so and he sighed in relief. "One day you will find someone you like. I haven't found any one yet either so no need to rush. I am sorry about teasing you. It's just you make it so easy that it's hard to not give into the urge."

"But what if I don't like anyone? Ever? Would that make me weird?" He asked worriedly, settling down next to his friend, just close enough to keep their conversation private. He didn't want anyone else hearing about his silly concerns. Honestly, the whole "finding the right she cat" thing always bothered him, maybe because he never had crushes like that. Even his sister had crushes, he just felt weird for not having those kinds of feelings.
(They really don't mind the age gaps XD) 

I've had a few crushes before, too, I think. Just not on she cats. Never on a she cat. But what does a crush really feel like? Maybe I just really, really want to be their friend. He thought to himself as he listened to his friends words of wisdom. He supposed Palecloud was right- he honestly wouldn't be miserable if he never found a she cat, tom, or otherwise, would it be nice? Sure. But not needed. Not for him, he didn't think.
"I suppose you're right. But what if I'm friends with she cats and they get the wrong idea?" He asked worriedly, stretching out his paws momentarily brushing against Palecloud as he stretched before returning his paws underneath his body, eyes falling onto Noisepaw and Peony again.

((heya. just slapped a slatestorm pic up onto the art thread.))

Noisepaw noticed Smokepaw staring over at them and Peony. "Hi!" they loudly called over in greeting quickly.

"So what will we be learning today"? Lightingpaw asked as she followed her mentor.

"I would say I know how to pounce and stalk as well as some defensive moves." Lightingpaw mewed as she tried to remember.

Palecloud hummed lightly and then sighed, "Well you're going to probably wind up hurting their feelings but you should tell them the truth right away. It might sting for a while but honestly its the best thing for you to do to save your friendship if you don't want it to be romantic."