This is my entry for The Crushed Soul: What is Love contest! It's a MaplepawXThorntail story!
"That's good Maplepaw!" called Shadewhisker, "But put your tail down! You are sending a warning signal to every bit of prey in the forest!"
"Sorry!" Maplepaw adjusted her crouch. Maplepaw and Shadewhisker were out training. Shadewhisker was teaching her about hunting squirrels. "Is this better?"
"Much," said her mentor, checking the sky which was slowly turning a shade of orange, "Well! We better head back!"
Maplepaw got out of the crouch, "But I want to practice!" she complained, "I can't be a great warrior of Roseclan like this!"
"But you need rest. Come on." Maplepaw began grumbling about how warriors could stay out late but she followed her mentor to camp. "Go some food and get to bed," instructed Shadewhisker, "I want to continue training bright and early tomorrow."
Maplepaw's stomach growled at the mention of food. She felt her fur grow hot, "I'm going to go eat!" Maplepaw raced away from the black she-cat. However she tripped over Thorntail in her escape.
"Watch it!" snapped the tom, whirling around to face her, "Oh…Maplepaw."
Maplepaw got to her paws, "I'm sooooo sorry!" Maplepaw bowed to the tom before running to the fresh-kill pile. She chose a vole and began munching on it. Larkpaw sat down next to her.
"So?" asked Larkpaw choosing a thrush, "How's your training? See this thrush? I caught it today! Streamtail was so proud of me!" She puffed out her brown fur, "I know I will become a warrior soon! How about you?"
Maplepaw felt a twinge of jealousy. She wasn't doing well in her training and she knew Shadewhisker was getting tired of her mistakes. She sighed, "I am not a good apprentice at all! I can't do anything right!"
"What do you mean?" Maplepaw looked up surprised. It was Thorntail. The golden brown tom's fur seemed to glow in the remaining sunlight. Maplepaw felt a lump in her throat.
"Wh…What is it?" she stammered. "What's going on?" she thought, "Why am I stammering? It's only Thorntail!"
"I overheard your conversation," said Thorntail, "Maybe I can give you a few pointers?"
"Yeah!" agreed Larkpaw, "Thorntail can help you!"
Maplepaw didn't know why she was feeling so flustered, "Uhhh alright," she stammered, getting to her paws, "Lettt's g…go."
Thorntail lead the way out of camp. He took her in the opposite direction of the training hollow. "Where are-"
"Shhh," said Thorntail, kindly, "Here we are!" Thorntail stopped in front of a lush hill. Many flowers of every shade were on the hill. The many colors of the sky seemed to only accent the hill even more.
"What is this place?" whispered Maplepaw looking around in awe. She ran onto the lush grass and sniffed a purple flower. Its scent was sweet.
"I thought you might like it here," whispered Thorntail, "It's called… Well it's called…never mind."
Maplepaw wondered why Thorntail wouldn't tell her the name of the hill but she pushed the thought away. Maplepaw ran to the top of the hill and gasped. She could see all of Roseclan territory, but what she truly loved was how the sky looked, in the painting of blues, purples and oranges. "It's so beautiful…" she whispered, a faint breeze moving her tan fur.
"I love coming here," said Thorntail coming up behind her, his voice in the same low whisper. Maplepaw turned to him, and the lump seemed to grow bigger in her throat.
"Why am I feeling like this?" she thought, "Why? Why around Thorntail?"
"Maplepaw," the golden tom's blue eyes stared deeply into her amber ones, with an emotion Maplepaw didn't understand. But she felt something. She wanted Thorntail to be close to her. "Maplepaw," he repeated, "I have always felt something…I don't know when it began but I have always felt something about you. I have always watched from afar but now I can't hold it anymore. It's like a beast waiting to be freed."
"What are you talking about?" asked Maplepaw. She was rooted to the spot, unable to look away from Thorntail's deep blue eyes, "What?"
"Maplepaw," Thorntail tore his gaze away and sat down on the hill. Maplepaw sat down beside him, their fur barely touching. Thorntail turned to Maplepaw and blurted out, "I think I'm in love with you!"
Maplepaw froze. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. "You love me?" she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.
"I really do!" insisted Thorntail, "I really care about you!"
It dawned on Maplepaw that he was telling the truth. "I…" she whispered, "I care about you the same way."
A look of relief flooded Thorntail's face, "Thank Starclan. I thought the confession would have chased you off."
"It didn't," answered Maplepaw, the two cats' strummed their tails together and turned to watch the setting sun. They didn't speak or move till the sun had left the sky and the moon was beginning to rise. They got up, their tails still entwined. They silently began the walk back to camp.
However half way there Thorntail stopped and said, "The hill. It's called Lover's Peak."
Maplepaw purred, "Well I don't care what it is called. Nothing will tear us apart."
Thorntail smiled and the two cats slowly made their way to camp, silently enjoying the time spent together.