Disclaimer: I do not own, or claim to own, warrior cats.
Oceanblueseaeyes: agreed!
Mybrokenheart123: Thanks!
Hollyleaf is cool: Thanks for the suggestion!
Olivialynn1999: Not really possible, because she actually does love Deeppool, remember? Sorry though!
Graystripe XD: Thankyou!
Wyldclaw: We will find out all of that soon! Thankyou for the suggestions!
Shadowfur1017: Thanks! I agree about Rowanstar!
The darkness inside me: Thankyou! Jay is getting close! Here's the next chapter!
8Hollysplash8: Thankyou! I don't think their kin either… Hmm…
Scourge: Oh well! Rowanstar is kind of cool, I suppose…?
Random kittypet: Thanks for the suggestion!
A huge thankyou to Wyldclaw for being my 100dth reviewer!
"That was great, Pigeonpaw, but you need to put a bit more power behind the swipe!" Hollystorm called advice to her new apprentice as he practiced battle moves with Twigpaw in the mossy hollow. The young grey tom however, seemed reluctant to raise a paw against his brother, and was hesitant in almost all of his battle moves. They were practicing the basic moves: Front-paw strike, Front-paw blow and the teeth grip. Rosepetal and Hollystorm were supervising and giving advice to the two apprentices as they sparred together.
"Right, let's try the Front-paw blow again." Called Rosepetal, the dark cream she-cat halting Twigpaw as he had just raised his paw to swipe at his brother. He then adjusted his position and braught his paw clattering down onto Pigeonpaw's head. The grey tom slipped and fell onto his stomach, grumbling something under his breath before springing back to his feet and clouting his brother about the head. Twigpaw seemed unfazed by the heavy blow, and simply lay in the dirt, laughing softly. Pigeonpaw nosed his brother, who flopped over, still giggling.
"Oh great." Sighed Rosepetal, rolling her eyes at the incapacitated apprentice.
"Drag him up here. I think you hit him a bit too hard." Pigeonpaw cast a guilty glance at Hollystorm, then seized Twigpaw's scruff and hauled him out of the hollow. The pale brown apprentice stood up, staggered around then collapsed onto his back, batting feebly at something invisible in the air. Hollystorm tried not to giggle, but she was reminded of the time she and Lionblaze had discovered Jayfeather's catnip when they were apprentices…. She trailed away with a laugh, and Rosepetal looked at her sternly.
"I'll whack you senseless in a second." She threatened, but even her tail was twitching in amusement. She padded over to Twigpaw and picked him up by the scruff, carrying him off into the forest. Pigeonpaw looked to Hollystorm for permission, and when she nodded her head, he charged away, and the dusky warrior was left alone in the forest.
"Hi…" Hollystorm snapped her head around to see Deeppool, his head lowered in embarrassment, Ears and tail lowered to the ground. The young warrior instantly adopted the same, awkward position. She and Deeppool had tried desperately to rekindle their friendship as it had been when they were apprentices, but the fragile bonds they had created seemed to have been lost or destroyed. Hollystorm twitched her whiskers, tail swishing awkwardly.
"You know, this is just stupid!" exclaimed Deeppool suddenly, exasperation clear in the tone of his voice.
"Can't we just accept how we feel about each-other? Can't we just enjoy life?" Hollystorm was unsure whether the grey tom was talking to her or himself, but the words he spoke seemed to strike her deep inside, and reawaken the emotions she had hidden for so long. She shook her head sorrowfully.
"It's against the code! We can't do it!" she whispered sadly, but Deeppool, for the first time in moons, looked her directly in the eyes.
"No-cat would find out, though." He reasoned, his eyes glittering with love.
"Just once? For me?" Hollystorm hesitated, but she couldn't avoid the crystal-like gaze of Deeppool, and she pushed her nose against his head and purred.
"Just once." Deeppool smiled and bounced happily, before racing away into the forest. Hollystorm followed, a whoop of joy rising into the air as she felt the wind rushing through her fur and streaming past her whiskers. A look of joy was clear on her face as she sped in beside Deeppool and felt his pelt brush against hers. The simple contact sent sparks through her fur and she whipped her tail happily. The two cats raced through the forest, each cheering in pleasure, when Deeppool bowled into Hollystorm, knocking her off her paws. The two young cats collapsed into a giggling heap, lying in the leaf-litter, heads pressed together lovingly. The medicine cat stretched out a paw and covered Hollystorm's eyes.
"What are you doing!" she laughed, squirming away from his paw. Deeppool looked at her deviously and whispered,
"Close your eyes. I want to show you something." Hollystorm obliged, closing her emerald eyes and walking forwards hesitantly, guided by the feeling of Deepool's pelt pressed against hers and his tail placed softly upon her shoulders. She suddenly felt the terrain turn rocky under-paw, and she glanced side to side, though unable to see anything.
"Open your eyes." Hollystorm blinked, and gasped in wonder. She was standing on a rocky outcrop, Deeppool pressed comfortingly against her, the lake stretching out beneath her, tinged scarlet by the light scattering across the sky from where the sun was slowly sinking below the horizon. Her eyes seemed to shimmer with wonder, and she leaned wordlessly against Deeppool, a sigh escaping her mouth.
"I love you…" Purred the grey tom, entwining his tail with his companion's. Hollstorm fixed Deeppool with a wonder-filled stare, and whispered softly,
"I love you too…"
A/N: 105 reviews! Great starclan, I never expected to get so many. Yeah, I know this chapter is a bit…mushy…. But it is kind of necessary in the story. Let's just say it's a calm before the storm… Review please!
Storm!