✣ { ＡｅｔｈｅｒＣｌａｎ } ✣ { 7+ years together! } c l o s e d ✣

Berryfawn’s eyes lit up when their gaze connected with Sandpebble’s. Had they been thinking the same thing or was it just coincidence that they caught each other’s eyes? Regardless, they were glad it had happened. Now they had a chance to talk. “Good!,” Berryfawn mewed in reply. “Got any plans?” they asked, leaning forward in a slight stretch. Clearly their muscles were already preparing for activity, even though no plans had been made.

Mouseflight was one of those cats who would never fully outgrow apprenticeship, and thus was engaging in a lazy game of catching his own tail. He wasn’t worried if anyone was watching or judging him; why should he be? He was bored and it was there. Plus it was getting a bit wet outside, if his ears were right, and he crinkled up his nose at the thought. Splashing in water when it was warm was one thing. But rain dripping onto your pelt and leaking through the fur was uncomfortable. He sighed, realizing he should probably be out hunting or patrolling regardless of the weather, as that was a warrior’s duty. He was broken out of his thoughts by the motion of a thrashing tail passing across his vision. He sat up and tilted his head to examine the culprit, flicking an ear as he saw it was his denmate Quietstep. He looked upset. That wasn’t right; something must be done. He got to his paws and trotted over to the clearly upset tom. “Hey there!” he meowed in a friendly tone, though he had enough sense not to raise his voice too much to an emotionally agitated cat. “You okay?” his head tilted again, this time the other way, one ear flopped down a bit in concern while the other focused intently on Quietstep.

Olivepool grinned at him. “No, just me,” she teased, rolling over onto her feet to sit up, not noticing the twig stuck to her flank. She looked around the small space. It was cozy and dry, a nice contrast to the cold, wet weather outside. It was also rather intimate, being a den of course, but that didn’t bother her at all. She had stayed with Hiro in one of his dens before, and this was no different. Right? Even if she felt a small tingle in her stomach at the thought, there was no reason to think this would be any different than normal. “How long have you lived here?” she asked, trying to distract herself from her confusing thoughts. She didn’t know how he could stand moving around so much. Home had always been very important to her, having found her own after everything she went through as a kit. It must be strange to have called so many places home. Or perhaps none of them were homes, just places to sleep. She didn’t know if asking would be prying and kept the thought to herself.

Flamepaw’s ears pricked up from deep within the medicine cats’ den at the sound of Sunnydawn crying out. He lifted his head from where he had been examining and sorting herbs, tail flicking nervously. This would be the first kitting the clan had since he had become an apprentice, and after just a moon of training his mentors had decided he should sit this one out. He didn’t mind—what if he messed something up and Sunnydawn or one of her kits died? Still he also didn’t like feeling useless, thus the reason he was sorting herbs that had no need to be sorted. Something to keep his paws busy. But now that the kitting had begun, he emerged from the den and peered out into the cave. The queen was on the ground outside the nursery, Cloudfeather standing over her. They would be fine, he knew, but his brow furrowed anyway. Had his mother really gone through all that pain for him and his littermates only to leave them alone to die? He shook his head. There was no way of knowing why she left them. Maybe she had no choice. But maybe, he thought with a sinking heart, she just didn’t want us.