hello hello hello!

Qotd; what's been your favourite chapter so far in this fic?

My answer: I loved how the swimming chapter ended up :)

Review Replies:

SomeStormLeaf: Riverclan and their fancy traditions smh. AND THANK U!

SilentsongOvO: AHHHHHHHHHHH THANK U SM SILENT :)))

Mintflight0245: HEHEHE THANK U!

Dragonbreathjr: tHANK U I THINK SO TOOOO

Mosscloud: Hey! Thank you for reading, and thank you for your lovely review :)

Without any further ado, let's jump into the chapter! As always, feel free to review and pm me :)

Also i wrote this whilst watching/listening to a book of mormon bootleg so if there's any weirdness in here blame that.

Rushstorm was happy.

No, he was content. There were still bad things going on in his life, no doubt about that. But right now, the good almost seemed to outweigh the bad. He'd finally, finally ended up where he wanted. By Beebounce's side.

He'd always been there, but now it felt like forever. Like something stronger than just friendship. (As much as he apprenticed Beebounce's friendship, it wasn't the same as being able to curl up against him and entwine tails.)

It didn't push the other problems in his life away. He just had someone there to help him through it. He knew deep down that Beebounce had been there all along, but now he could tell him everything. Which he had.

Rustpaw was a pretty major issue, that was for sure.

He had no idea that Rustpaw could be capable of murder. Especially the savage way that Petal had gone out with. Her throat had been torn out. And that expression on her face, her lips curled into a snarl, her eyes wide with fear...

Somewhere, deep down, Rushstorm knew he was still the sweet little kit that he'd visited with Beebounce all those moons ago. He was still that slightly over eager apprentice who just wanted to make his mother proud. He was still the cat who'd walk with Frostpaw to the gathering. He could still go back. Back out of what he'd become, return to the light.

Still, Rushstorm was happy. He had something with Beebounce. Something that wasn't just friendship. It wasn't dissimilar to how their friendship had been, but he felt like he could do more now. Lean in to lick Beebounce's cheek. (His ears always turned bright red every time. It was adorable.) Wrap his tail around Beebounce's side. Push his head into Beebounce's shoulder.

They'd stayed up all night long, just talking. Confession after confession after confession. Apparently Beebounce had loved him for Starclan knows how long. He'd only found out just after their warrior ceremony, because he'd thought he'd been allergic. Rushstorm did laugh when Beebounce told him that, but secretly he thought it was quite sad. He couldn't imagine how finding that out must have felt.

Beebounce had also confessed that Rushstorm's swimming lesson had been Beebounce's attempt at flirting. He didn't quite know how to feel about that. (It hadn't been obvious at the time, but looking back on it...)

They'd attempted to put a better name to their relationship. Beebounce had suggested 'courting' with uttermost seriousness in his mew, which had just set Rushstorm off into fits of giggles. Courting. Honestly. He didn't mind the term usually, but when you applied something so formal to him and Beebounce it just made him laugh. He didn't want to launch into just being mates, though. For one, the Riverclan ceremonies were always competely over the top. Rushstorm could remember a few, and they'd gone on well into the night, with feasts, and speeches. If he could remember correctly, one of the ceremonies had ended with the happy couple in the river. No, he didn't think that was for him and Beebounce. (Not just yet, anyway.)

They'd also ended up talking about their friends, which was when Rushstorm discovered that Fishclaw's thing for Frogtoe might not be as one sided as he originally believed. He hoped they'd get together. They both deserved it, and each other. He thought it was really sweet, actually.

They'd discussed other things. Like what they'd do if 'the Hawkstar thing' came out - apparently cry wasn't a good enough answer. In truth, Rushstorm didn't know if he'd care. He obviously wouldn't be overjoyed- all the clans knowing he was related to such a horrible cat wasn't ideal. But it wouldn't be the end of the world. Same with most of Rustpaw's other threats. They'd be annoying to have out among the clans, but it wouldn't ruin lives. He'd have to think it through some more, though.

Beebounce also had wondered out loud about when Rosestar would be told about their relationship. Rushstorm had suggested a bet on how long it would take for her to notice, but apparently that wouldn't be good for Beebounce and Rosestar's relationship. Whatever. He'd do the bet with Fishclaw on how long Frogtoe would take to realise instead. He figured that he could probably win a pawful of mice with that, Frogtoe was very unobservant.

Beebounce had eventually decided that he'd tell her at some point. He'd said, rather despairingly, that 'she probably wouldn't care, anyways' which Rushstorm had to disagree with.

He'd learnt quite a few things about Rosestar in his moons as deputy.

Number one was that she cared deeply about her family. Whenever Rushstorm would come and report to her at the end of the day, she'd always ask how Beebounce, or Duckspark, or Rustpaw, or Petalpaw was doing. And she'd always listen to the answer.

Number two was that she was a good leader, and Riverclan was lucky that she had many seasons left in her. She had a good few lives left. She'd never burst into battle without thinking it through first, and she wasn't very confrontational. If Rushstorm ever became leader, he knew he'd have a lot to live up to.

Number three was that she would care about Beebounce and him. She'd definitely want Beebounce himself to tell her, and not have to find out herself.

Rushstorm had told Beebounce that much, and he'd reluctantly agreed to tell her at some point within the next quarter moon.

(Duckspark had worked it out immediately.)

They'd stumbled back into camp after staying up all night, and Duckspark had looked them up and down, and had smirked. Beebounce had gone bright red (again) and had looked away.

Rushstorm had done a lot of thinking that night. About himself, about his friends, about the cat he wanted to be. He'd realised something pretty major about himself.

He didn't actually really care if the clans found out about Hawkstar.

It would be annoying at first. He knew he'd get his fill of taunts, both from Riverclan and the gathering. But it would blow over. Eventually.

this chapter sucks i am sorry you might as well just skip it