He pads through the gold grass, feeling it's dry stalks brush his dark fur. The sun is high overhead, beating down upon him. It makes his thirst even more intolerable-with the lake nearly dried up, there hasn't been much water to spare. Most of it goes to the elders and kits, and then to the apprentices, and then to the rest of the Clan. Even though his innermost nature screams against it, he makes himself be one of the last to receive their share.

"Hey! Wait for the rest of us!" he turns, and sighs as the rest of the patrol runs up to him. The speaker, Harespring, glares at him with slanted gold eyes as he continued. "Honestly, we're just on a patrol, not a raiding party. There's no need to go racing off ahead, Breezepelt."

Leaftail nodded in agreement to his best friend's words. "Yeah, it's bad enough in this heat without some traitor's son bossing us around. Come on, Harespring-why don't you lead? The heat is obviously getting to Ashfoot-–-no way is Breezepelt fit to organize a border patrol."

Breezepelt opens his mouth to let loose a cutting remark, but the others continue on their way, towards the ThunderClan border. It's been like this for ages, ever since that stupid Hollyleaf had to just ruin everything. He sighs again, and races off after them.

Soon, Breezepelt is standing next to the dry reeds that border what used to be the stream. He waits as Harespring and Leaftail sniff around, apparently determined to find a ThunderClan intruder.

"Hurry up already. Let's re-do the scent markers and go home-no one's here."

"That's what you would say...oh hey! I scent something! And I can see-hey you! What are you doing by the border?"

The reeds rustle, and a delicate tortoiseshell steps out from behind them, a look of surprise on her face. Breezepelt can see that her belly is slightly rounded-she must be carrying kits.

"I'm sorry, she begins, her ears flat to her head. Breezepelt notices how...frightened she looks..." I was just looking for water, and-"

"That's no excuse! ...You were spying, weren't you?"

"No! Of course-"

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Lay off, Leaftail..." Breezepelt hisses, suddenly struck by how roughly his Clanmate was treating the shecat. Or perhaps it's just her eyes (round peices of jade, perhaps) or maybe the way her voice-even though it's riddled with fear-is still soft and sweet that makes him defend her. "She already told you. Now let's go!"

Leaftail looks at him oddly, his brown and white fur beginning to ruffle around his neck. "Why do you care if we freak her out a bit?"

"Um...I-"

"Father like son!" mreows Harespring gleefully after shooting the shecat a glare. "We'll go now and tell Onestar that someone is letting their eyes stray past the border!" And he practically bounces away, followed by Leaftail. Breezepelt glances one more time at the shecat, who looks a little relieved (or grateful?), and begins to pad away.

"Wait!"

He turns quickly, his breath catching in his throat. Did she just talk to him?

"My name's Poppyfrost." she mews, tilting her head a little to the side. "And I've never really seen a WindClan cat actually tell their Clanmate off for being rude-not that I'm insulting you, of course, it's just that-"

"It's alright. My name's Breezepelt."

"Breezepelt..." she says slowly, as if trying it out for the first time. "Lovely name."

"Thank you."

He should turn to leave-–his heart is pumping silver adrenaline through his veins and his paws seem to be floating. He has never felt this way before...not ever. But something keeps him there, in place. He shouldn't be drowning in her jade eyes, he should not be feeling like he could run across the border and steal her away from her Clan...her mate...

"Well…I guess I'll see you some other time?" she says, snapping him out of it. There is something in her voice...a longing. A sadness. He could help heal that...perhaps...

"Yeah…I suppose so...wait, could you meet me here? Just to talk and stuff?"

She seems startled at his suggestion but something in her eyes suggest that she has troubles that no one she knows would want to listen to. "Sure, but what would happen if one of us gets caught trespassing?"

"Ah...we could meet at the moonpool instead. That's neutral grounds, right?"

"I guess it is. Okay then, Breezepelt! I'll see you."

"Me too..."

a/n;;just a bit of Poppy/Breeze fluff. ^_^ Reviews are cherished.