Smudge watched as Hattie walked out of her nest's door and into her housefolk's backyard, leaping onto the fence. The sun illuminated her glossy brown tabby pelt, reminding the black and white tom of just how beautiful she was. Her amber eyes were set on the last tree that remained of the woods- it was a sycamore. He had heard from a grey rogue named Pebble that they were building a 'park'- he had no idea what that was, but it apparently included chasing his friend and the wild cats out of the forest. Hattie's tail twitched, letting out an amazed meow. "They used to see that every day? Do you think they climbed it?" Smudge let out an amused purr. "They could have. Maybe they even hunted mice there." Hattie glared at the tom before hissing. "You know I hate that!" Smudge leaped over to his crush's fence, chest puffed out happily. "I know, that's why I tease you about it." The brown tabby swiped at him, cuffing his ear. He was suddenly glad that her twolegs got her declawed- apparently, she had sharpened her claws on something she wasn't allowed to touch. "At least I don't tease you about Alice! How are her kits, anyways?" Smudge flinched, remembering his former mate. She was a pretty young she-cat with a tortoiseshell-tabby coat and white undersides, her hazel eyes full of life. They had a mostly white, black tom named Shadow, a tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws named Poppy, and a brown tabby tom whom looked quite like Hattie, whom was named Simon. "They're.. They're good! Yeah. Simon goes to his housefolk four sunrises from now. Shadow's staying with Alice, and Poppy's going to a housefolk who smells of flowers and wears a lot of shiny things." Hattie nodded, hearing one of her housefolk- a small male with short brown hair- call her name. "I have to go. See you tonight?" Smudge nodded, his pelt heating up. "Uh.. Yeah! Sure!"
-Time skip brought to you by noodles-
Smudge curled his tail around himself, his pelt fluffed out as snow fell around him. He wished he knew when it'd snow, he would have dragged his soft nest with him. He broke from his thoughts as a familiar door opened and Hattie rushed out, practically leaping into the snow.. and spraying some on the black and white tom's face. He shook his head, silently cursing everything alive. This was supposed to be the night he confessed something, not the night they had a snow fight- "Smudge?" He stopped shaking his head, looking straight into his tabby companion's amber eyes. "You spaced out there. I was asking if you want to go to the tree before they rid of it?" Smudge perked up, shaking his pelt free of snow. "Sure!" The two cats lept onto Hattie's housefolk's fence, hurtling down it almost immediately. They pelted forwards, the two engaging in a silent race. Once they reached the sycamore, the two cats paused, gasping for air. Smudge flopped onto his side, earning a laugh from his tabby companion. "You look like a fish out of water." Smudge flicked his tail, waiting to catch his breath before speaking. "You look like a dog." "Well- you look like- you look-" Smudge beamed, leaping to his feet. "I win the name game, then?" Hattie nodded, her tail flicking back and forth. "You looked like you wanted to tell me something earlier?" The black and white tom nodded, his pelt feeling as if it were fire. "Um.. Yeah.. Hattie, I've liked you for moons now. Not friend like.. Like like. Listen, when I see you my mind becomes fluff and my pelt feels like it's on fire and-" He was stopped by the feeling of another cat's nose on his, his eyes widening at the sight of Hattie's face. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open happily. "I love you too, Smudge."