Hello, hello, hello.

I'm just going to preface this with an author's note, and some question answering. This fic… the idea for it was concepted around about a year ago. Lockdown was the trigger to get those words out of there, and now… now it's done.

Posting this fic, having the motivation to do this has given me so, so much. And I'm forever grateful to you, the reader. Thank you so much for following along on this ride. And if you're reading this for the first time, thank you as well.

Little headsup - may go back, and edit a couple of few things, ect ect. I'll post on one of my other fics if/when I do that.

Anyways… question answering, then review replies, then… we're on to the last chapter. Thank you for sticking around.

Questions;

What is Petalpaw's problem?

She has an unquenchable desire to please. The lack of attention from Duckspark drove her a different way, a way that made her just want to stand out. She gets crushes easily, and isn't ashamed about them.

Who's perspective is hardest to write and why?

Hmmm… I sometimes struggle with Rushstorm, to be honest. Rustpaw, Goldpaw, and Beebounce all come easy to me. (also i added goldpaw as pov for some reason lol)... and I have no idea why! I think it's just because of his sorta self-confidence, at the same time as being very doubtful in his abilities as deputy.

Why did you change Beebounces's name? (I'm glad you did)

Because I realised 'Streamstripe' didn't really match his personality.

What inspired you to start writing? If it's a person, who?

Hmmm… a couple of my teachers when I was like, 10, were really helpful, but if I had to say one person, I'd say my English teacher from when I was like… 11 to 15.

When did you originally come up with the idea for this fic?

I first came up with developed backstories around my birthday last year (I got new promarkers, and came up with family relations on the spot)

I've just had a look at the history of this google doc, and I wrote the first half of the prologue on the 14th February! The original inception of the idea for the fic was on the 18th of October 2019.

From the day they were created were they meant to be together?

If I can remember correctly, I drew Rushstorm at my gran's house, and a few days later went "HE NEEDS A BOYFRIEND" and it sorta spiraled from there.

Review replies:

Storm: TAHNK YU SO MUCH. HONEYWISP IS BABEYYYY! ALSO YES I ADORE ALL THOSE SHIPPSS SM AND YEAH YEAH SANDKIT.

Mossy: Thank you! and yes they are adorableeee

Minty: THANK YOUUUU IT WAS VERY BITTERSWEET TO WRITE AND THANK FOR REVIEW

Wlydclaw: aw thank you!

Dragon: thank you so so much and awwww that's very sweet :)))

Crystal: YEHHH IT MADE ME CRY AS WELL AS THANK U

Fireclaw88: ty for the reviews!

And… that's it. As always, feel free to review and pm me, and onwards with the chapter.

"-give you your warrior name. Rustpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Rustbloom. Starclan honours your resilience, and your growth." Rosestar called. Beebounce smiled proudly, sitting besides Rushstorm, their tails entwined. Rushstorm's apprentice had just been made Petalbreeze, a fitting name for the quick-witted, and skilled she-cat.

Rustbloom's face broke out into a full on grin, and his chest puffed out. He dipped his head respectfully to Rosestar, who returned his nod sharply, her blue eyes gleaming. "We welcome you as full warriors of Riverclan." She mewed, turning to Petalbreeze and Frostscratch. Goldpaw's brother had been given his name for his sharp-tongue, and his undoubtable talent in battle.

The clan began to call the new names, Rushstorm joining in loudly besides Beebounce. The tan tom paused, and began shouting the names, his voice rivalling Rushstorm in volume.

No cat could rival Goldpaw's jovial mew, though. He seemed noticeably louder on Rustbloom's name, second only to his joy as he called Frostscratch's name.

Beebounce turned to Rushstorm, pushing into his mate, with a smile on his face, and a peaceful expression. "He did it." He murmured softly.

"Because of you." Rushstorm said dopely, purring. Beebounce didn't answer, and went back to looking up at Rosestar.

His mother nodded curtly at him, before her expression softened. She gave him a faint smile, and a shrug in Rustbloom's direction. She mouthed something, and Beebounce understood immediately

Good job, kid.

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she seemed like she was about to call out, before shaking her pelt out, clearly disturbed. Beebounce followed her gaze, wondering what had shaken her so.

A shadowy figure. Standing just behind Rustbloom. Beebounce gasped, and nudged Rushstorm, unsure why she was here. Before he could, before his mate noticed what he was staring at, Brambleswipe - because it was her, he was sure of it - disappeared.

As she did, Beebounce clocked his expression. She wore a peaceful, accepting smile. And her eyes… they were closed lightly. She looked proud, almost. Like Rustbloom was her apprentice, and now… and now her work was done.

Her work was done. And somehow… Beebounce didn't think she'd trouble them anymore.

Rushstorm flicked Beebounce in the side with his tail, shaking him out of his thoughts. "Love? What was it?" He asked quietly.

Beebounce's gaze caught on just past Rustbloom, where Brambleswipe had been standing, and just shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing at all. Everything… everything is fine."

Strangely, Beebounce thought he was telling the truth.

Rustbloom's POV.

Rustbloom hadn't noticed the figure behind him. He'd felt a brief gust of wind dust his shoulders, but by the time he'd looked around, it was gone, and he was alone.

Well. Not alone. His clan surrounded him, voices echoing, calling out his name. He'd done it.

He grinned at Petalbreeze, their past hostility forgotten in this moment. His sister returned his smile, nudging Frostscratch. The white-grey tom just shrugged her off, stepping away from their small group to speak to his ex mentor, Fishclaw.

Rustbloom wondered if he should go and speak to Beebounce, but he seemed preoccupied with Rushstorm, and anyways… there was a cat he wanted to talk to first.

He slipped away from Petalbreeze, leaving her babbling away to the elders - who looked nonplussed - and walked, as slowly as his excited legs would let him, to Goldpaw.

The medicine cat apprentice was engaged in a discussion with Duckspark and Peachpounce, but the moment he spotted Rustbloom, he grinned, his eyes lighting up. He didn't wait around to say goodbye to the cats he was talking to, he just ran for Rustbloom, making the tortoiseshell tom's heart leap in his chest.

(Ugh. Feelings.)

"You did it!" He exclaimed, and Rustbloom couldn't help but blush. They stood, just looking at each other for a few heart-beats, before Goldpaw stepped forward, and pressed his forehead to Rustbloom's, closing his amber eyes lightly.

Rustbloom's eyes widened, and he half wanted to stubble away, but he didn't. He sighed, and breathed in the other tom's scent, the hustle and bustle of the clan fading around him.

"I did it." He said in a small voice. Goldpaw smiled softly, and opened his eyes, leaning forward to give Rustbloom a small lick on the cheek.

Goldpaw frowed, and he suddenly pulled away, looking at his paws. If Rustbloom didn't know any better, he'd say that the tom looked bashful. "Sorry… I…" Goldpaw murmured, and Rustbloom couldn't stand to hear him sound like that.

He nudged him, a warm, friendly smile on his face. "You want to get out of here?" He asked, and Goldpaw nodded, the worry leaving his eyes. Rustbloom nodded, and tapped Goldpaw lightly on the shoulder with his tail, padding away from the clump of cats.

(Duckspark winked at him as he left. He decided to ignore her.)

He felt strangely… he couldn't quite place the feeling. It was somewhere between uneasy, nervous, and apprehensive. There was no reason for it, he'd been alone with Goldpaw countless times. They slept in the same den - no, the same nest - most nights, especially now, as leaf-fall turned to leaf-bare. Rustbloom swore he'd freeze to death if it wasn't for Goldpaw's presence.

He still couldn't work out how he was allowed to share that den with Goldpaw. Figuring it was a combination of his bloodline, and Goldpaw's status, he hadn't asked, but still. They'd just started sleeping there one day, and hadn't been asked to leave.

Goldpaw walked a little in front of him, his heavy paws catching on twigs, and leaves. He seemed almost nervous, and Rustbloom padded a little faster, trying to catch up with him.

Goldpaw blinked at him. "I like the name." He said quietly. Rustbloom's brow furrowed. His friend - they were friends now, really - seemed troubled. He didn't press it, and just nodded.

"It's a bit… well, it sounds a bit…" He trailed off.

"Flowery? Pretty?" Goldpaw asked, and Rustbloom nodded his head in agreement. "It's… it's nice. It is pretty. It… it suits you. Because you are pretty." Goldpaw stubbled over a tree root, which gave Rustbloom an adequate amount of time to try and process what Goldpaw had said.

Thankfully, he didn't need to respond, because Goldpaw looked up, and very loudly bustled forward, yelling something about a bird in the distance.

If he hadn't been completely immobilised, he would have rolled his eyes, but at the moment he couldn't move. His legs appeared to have forgotten how they were supposed to function, and he took one, wobbly step forward, before taking a shaky breath.

You're a warrior now, Rustbloom. Just go and follow him.

He skipped after Goldpaw, skidding up next to him, spraying leaves all over the forest floor. Goldpaw seemed not to notice, deeply transfixed on watching the river flow.

"What do you think your name will be?" Rustbloom asked, trying to shift some of the… tension away from the pair. Thankfully, it seemed to work.

"Uh… Gold… Goldleaf, maybe? Or like… Goldstep. Something like that." Goldpaw shrugged. "It won't be for a while, though. Beebounce and Rushstorm need to pretend to be attacked again."

Rustbloom rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because that went so well the first time." He joked.

"It went okay!" Goldpaw exclaimed, wilting under Rustbloom's glare. "Okay, no. They're both terrible actors. I'll drag Frostscratch into it, next time."

Rustbloom nodded. "I'll have to bribe her, but Petalbreeze'll help." He said.

The two toms fell into a silence, comfortable but still, for a good few moments.

Finally, when Rustbloom spoke up, he was quiet.

It was time to be brave. It was time to… to be the warrior he'd told himself to be.

He'd been nursing this crush on Goldpaw for what felt like moons now. And… and he was beginning to feel like it wasn't just him. Like… like his friend also wanted more than friendship.

And damn, Rustbloom wasn't going to pass up on that opportunity.

"What… what did you mean when you called me pretty?" He got out, shifting his paws.

This was it. He'd been brave.

Now he just had to wait for Goldpaw.

Goldpaw's pov.

"I-uh…" Goldpaw fumbled on his words, looking anywhere but Rustbloom. "I…" He swallowed.

He'd screwed this up. When Rustbloom hadn't pressed it, he'd heaved a sigh of relief, thinking he'd escaped messing up their friendship. But now... now Rustbloom was just sitting there, waiting for him to say something. To explain himself. To tidy up what he'd broken.

He sneaked a glance at Rustbloom, and he caught the other tom mid-blink, round, midnight-blue eyes half closed. It was how he looked as he slept - not that Goldpaw watched him, or anything, he was just a good observer - sort of softer in a way he was never during the day time. Vulnerable. His face not twisted into a snarl, not looking like he was about to come out with a dry, but witty comeback.

Goldpaw liked this Rustbloom. The one that didn't think about Duckspark, or how rough training was, or the things that still haunted him from his time spent being taken over by Brambleswipe.

That was the real reason they slept in their own den. After Brambleswipe had left, Goldpaw could have headed back to his own den, away from Rustbloom. But… but that last night, Rustbloom had cried out in his sleep. He'd whispered something, something that had chilled Goldpaw.

Get out of my head. Then. Stop hurting me.

She was gone, but she was still hurting Rustbloom. And… and Goldpaw would cross the ends of the earth to stop that from happening. He'd… he'd do anything for his friend, he felt. Put his own life on the line.

So, they'd stayed in that den. It was getting considerably more and more cramped, as Goldpaw filled out, beginning to look more like his mother, Bearear. Who was a very cosy, motherly-looking cat. Goldpaw didn't exactly mind looking like her, but he felt like he looked almost… too soft, to be a tom. He supposed it was his job to look approachable and friendly to be a medicine cat, but Duckspark rippled with muscles, and was covered in tiny scars, from moons of service as a warrior, and she was still a fantastic medicine cat.

Rustbloom said he liked the extra fur.

Rustbloom… well, he was still just as lanky as he'd always been. Somehow, despite his family. There was an echo of Rosestar in his muzzle, Goldpaw thought. In the shape of his ears, as well.

But… since Brambleswipe had left him, he'd been training much harder, wanting to prove everyone wrong. Wanting to prove that he could be a skilled warrior, ghostly mentors be damned. And Goldpaw thought he'd shown himself to be worthy of his name the moment he told Brambleswipe what he thought of her, the heart-beat he had apologised to Beebounce, and spoken to Duckspark, but Rustbloom didn't agree. So the tortoiseshell tom had thrown himself into training, often stumbling into their den at almost moon-high.

He'd gotten bigger, from that. Broader shoulders. A gleam in his eye that got brighter and brighter with each passing day. He'd started grooming his fur again properly, smoothing it over the scars Brambeswipe had left him with.

In short… well, he did look pretty. Especially those quick, rushed moments after the ceremony, where he'd had a blue flower, a forget-me-not, tucked behind his ear, complimenting his eyes perfectly. So… so Goldpaw hadn't been able to help himself, and now he was stuck with this. This awkward, blocky silence, where they only sound he could hear was the thumping of his own heart beat.

Right. He should probably respond. "Uh…" He fumbled on his words, and mentally slapped himself. "I… um… because you are?"

Wow. Real smooth, Goldpaw.

"I'm not." Rustbloom replied immediately. "You mean I'm pretty good at being a mess." He looked away, and suddenly Goldpaw couldn't stand it anymore.

"You're my mess." He blurted. "I… I… uh… I mean…"

His eyes widened, and he stared in horror at Rustbloom, who for some reason looked oddly… triumphant. The other tom stepped closer to him, blue eyes narrowed.

"What did you mean, Goldpaw?" He questioned, meeting Goldpaws's gaze with a certain ferocity that made Goldpaw immobile. There was something deeply searching in his eyes, something that suggested knowing, and waiting for the truth to slip out.

Goldpaw's gaze darted away, looking just past Rustbloom, fixing on his shoulder. He tore away, looking back at his friend, heart in his throat. "I… mean…" He choked out. Rustbloom raised an eye-brow, and stepped even closer, before shyly looking away.

Goldpaw squeezed his eyes shut, but when he reopened them, Rustbloom was still standing there, waiting for an answer.

"Wh-... what are you doing?" He asked desperately. "You clearly know what I'm going to say." He spat out, getting unusually aggressive.

"What are you going to say, Goldpaw?" Rustbloom asked quietly.

"I… I want you to be my mess." Goldpaw whispered, his voice broken. "I… I thought you… you felt the same way. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll… I'll leave." He said, standing up, and turning around.

He snuck one last glance at Rustbloom as he headed away, and to his surprise, the other tom was wearing that familiar, cocky grin that Goldpaw loved.

"You're not a mess, Goldpaw." He said, and Goldpaw froze. "You're… you're… you saved me." He murmured. "You saved my life, you know that, right? In more ways than one."

Goldpaw tilted his head, slowly, slowly making his way back to Rustbloom. "I… I did?"

Rustbloom let out a dry, mirthless chuckle. "Brambleswipe would have… she couldn't have let me live. She would have killed me the moment I did the same to Beebounce." He exhaled shakily, glancing away. "And… Goldpaw, sometimes… I thought I'd do anything to not let her get in my head again."

Goldpaw swallowed. "Oh… Rustbloom… I… I don't know what to say."

"I thought she'd get me in my sleep and turn me into a monster again." Rustbloom continued. "Because I am a monster. I'm a killer. I'm not pretty."

"You're not a monster." Goldpaw said firmly. "You're… you're so fucking brave, Rustbloom."

"How?" Rustbloom asked. "How am I brave? I… I let her take me over."

"And you fought her off." Goldpaw stepped even closer to Rustbloom, breathing in his scent. "You fought her off, and you won. That… that wasn't me. That was all you." He drew up all his courage, and pressed on. "You're… you're amazing."

Rustbloom snorted, his ear-tips flushing red. "Please." He muttered, a small smile etching on his face. "Me?"

Goldpaw nodded frantically. "Dude. You're just… so… so…" He was lost for words, and caught on his last, gazing into Rustbloom's wide eyes.

Right. Words.

"I'm… I get it if you don't feel the same way about me. And… I understand if you don't want… me, because of the whole medicine cat thing." Goldpaw murmured.

"I do want you." Rustbloom blurted out. He stayed in place, shaking slightly, but meeting Goldpaw's gaze evenly.

"Just… just so we're on the same page…" Goldpaw said cautiously. "You… you like me? Right?"

Rustbloom hesitantly nodded, biting his lip. "I… yeah. I think so."

Goldpaw grinned, a wide smile that took up all of his face. He raised an eyebrow, his heart still thumping, but not from the unknown. No, now he was so sure of himself, and what was happening, that he felt like he was lit up from within. "You think so?" He teased, a goofy smile crinkling his eyes.

Rustbloom smirked back at him. "I know so." He said, and hesitantly, leaned in, pressing his forehead against Goldpaw's, the same way the amber tom had done earlier. Goldpaw swallowed, and bumped his nose against Rustbloom's, before pulling back.

"You know, I hear that you're supposed to do a tradition, or something." Goldpaw said, nudging Rustbloom, everything seemed so much clearer.

Rustbloom glanced at the river, and back at Goldpaw. "Uh, am I? What would that be?" He asked, feigning innocence.

Goldpaw rolled his eyes. "You've gotta swim, Rustbloom." He said, flicking the other tom in the side with his tail.

Rustbloom grinned. "Well, follow me in." He said, taking a run up, and launching into the fast-flowing water.

Goldpaw did as he asked, because why wouldn't he? The jolt of the cold water was a shock to his system, leaving him breathless, and gasping for air. He shook out his pelt, and followed Rustbloom downstream, brushing against his pelt with every splash of water, every pawstep further.

It gave him a moment to think. A moment to process what had just happened.

He… he had Rustbloom. In the way he'd let himself hope he had. And Rustbloom, well, he seemed equally as joyful at the prospect. Goldpaw had seen him sneaking glances at him the entire swim, and looking away, smiling bashfully.

They'd take this road step-by-step, bit-by-bit. But they'd take it together, and Goldpaw thought that was all that mattered.

Finished.

i'm done i'm done i'm done ahahhhhhhh thank you so so mcuh for reading this ily all for sticking along for ride ! and will reply to all reviews in pms