John swiftly put his jacket back on as Nepeta danced anxiously by the door. "Let's go in a loop so we can end up back here at the end, ok Nepeta?" "Of course!" John looked at Pounce De Leon. "What about-" "we'll leave the door a bit open, he can hunt for himself for once!" And with that Nepeta clasped John's hand and walked quickly out the door. John noticed how Nepeta was walking a bit slower than usual. "Letting me breath on this tour are you?" "yep! Also there is no rush, we can take our time." Nepeta stopped, gesturing to the woods in front of them. "I think you know the woods rather well by now, but these are the woods!" Nepeta and John shared a laugh and continued on.

Nepeta took John all around their surroundings. The ocean, the graves, the fields, and the greatest trees. "Hm, it's almost sunrise. Well we're almost to the hive anyway!" They trotted back to the hive, chatting about the various things Pounce could be up to when they reached the cliff. "and here's the cliff, the hive isn't far from here. There's the top of it now!" Nepeta pointed to the bumpy red roof and the trial of rocks leading up to it. "Hey Nepeta, you never showed me that!" Nepeta widened her eyes. "Really? It's so cool! And especially pretty at sunrise!" Nepeta raced over to the rocks and held out a hand.

John and Nepeta climbed up the rocks to the roof. "Wow, that sure is a tricky climb, but the view over the cliff is just-" John stared out over the horizon. The sun hadn't come up yet, but the colors where painting themselves across the sky. A dark starry emptiness was behind them. Soon colors of red, violet, and orange came streaking across the sky. The colors were still dull from the horizon, but the forest below had a warm tint to it. "Nepeta, this is just wonderful. I'm so glad you brought me up here." "Thanks!" Nepeta sat down with her feet hanging over the edge. "Care to join me before the sun comes up?" "Sure." John sat down next to Nepeta and stared off with her into the landscape.

Nepeta had not seen a sunrise this beautiful ever before. It seemed to be taking it's time too, the sun was far behind the colors. Nepeta gazed at the warm colors of the sky and could feel them cloaking her. She then realized that it was actually John, putting his arm around her. Nepeta tried her very hardest not to blush as they continued to look out. "It sure it beautiful up here, Nepeta." "Don't you mean out there silly?" Nepeta pointed out toward the landscape. John turned his head toward Nepeta. "No I mean up here, next to me specifically." Nepeta tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean, John?" John reached over and clasped Nepeta's outstretched hand. "I mean don't you feel a bit flushed? Because I do" Nepeta could feel john staring deeply into her eyes. "What? John you're silly!" Nepeta wasn't sure what John was trying ot get at. "I, I guess what I mean is... Nepeta I think this red sky may be getting to me, but, Nepeta?" Nepeta smiled. "What John?" "Will you be my, my matesprite?"

John stared deeply into Nepeta's playful eyes as she struggled to find the right words. "I, of, of course John!" John couldn't help the huge grin spread across his face. "John, I-" John gently put his finger to her lips, shushing her. He then hugged Nepeta, holding her close. Nepeta hugged him back. John pulled back slightly, still holding her only inches away. "Thank you Nepeta. You're a good friend." "You're a better friend!" With Nepeta's smiling happy face only inches from John's, John blushed, leaned forward, and kissed her. Nepeta, her cheeks now a bright olive green, kissed him back.

Nepeta and John stayed up on the hive roof until the light was beginning to brighten too much. Nepeta then took John's hand and they carefully climbed down the rocks, both in high spirits as they went through the front door. Nepeta checked on Pounce. He was asleep on the floor, his paws over a huge dead badger. "I guess Pounce can look after himself!" Nepeta laughed and turned around to look at John. He was stealing a glance toward her shipping wall. "Hey, Nepeta, are you sure you really like me?" Nepeta walked over to him. "John, you said so yourself. Like people who are nice to you. I like you John." John once again blushed slightly. "Oh, ok I'm sorry Nepeta." "No worries, silly! Anyway we need to get some sleep." Nepeta and John made their way to the respiteblock and, lazily, climbed into their beds and stared at the ceiling.