The sun had just sunk beyond the horizon, and Taloncall was feeling lonely. His day had been embarrassing, and he was regretting that the day had even started. Silvermist could twist him until he broke, and still then by pieces, he would still admire the brave she-cat. If only she was chosen as deputy instead of him, although he thought of stepping down he refused himself and wanted to respect Risestar's decision. Risestar was a very new leader, and Silvermist probably would be the next deputy. She just needs an apprentice. He thought about how Wolfshade had looked at him growling, he was so hostile if he made any other advances, he would definitely not make it and be able to lead. Meanwhile...
"The clan was actually worried about you two!" Wolfshade growled.
"We were gone one day," Silvermist hissed, "It's not like we were plotting with the enemy!"
" I'm sorry, " Feathersong softly meowed, "If I didn't come out here in the first place then Silvermist never would've found me."
"That's not true! I would've run away anyways," Silvermist shrugged.
Wolfshade starting walking away, "Come on, let's head back before we waste any more time."
"Your not the boss," Silvermist muttered, yet she followed him anyways.
"Well, I'm older by two moons making me the boss," he growled, it was meant to be light-hearted yet Silvermist took it the wrong way.
"Why don't you go rest in the shade, searching for me in the sun has made you grumpy."
Instead of Wolfshade being offended, he gave a small laugh. Feathersong also gave a small giggle.
Silvermist smiled, "It wasn't that funny."
"Was too!" Both cats meowed.
"Fine, then I challenge you to a race," Silvermist announced.
"You're on Silver," Wolfshade said.
"Want to race too?" Silvermist asked Feathersong.
" no thanks, " she meowed. "I'd like to walk and clear my head."
"Are you sure?" Silvermist asked, wondering if she said something wrong.
" Positive! And beat Wolfshade for me! " Feathersong smiled.
"Will do!" Silvermist nudged her friend.
"Come on Silver! I can't beat you if you don't run!" Wolfshade called.
"Alright Alright! On your mark! Get set! GO!"
The two cats shot off.
At first, the two warriors were tied, then Silvermist got an idea. When she was still a kit and Wolfshade was apprentice, Silver could make Wolfshade do whatever she wanted by a simple trick that out the tom in a daze. She would use her tail and wrap it around his face then slowly under his neck. It always worked back then.
Alright, let's see if it still works...
Silvermist drew ahead by a little way and took her tail. She rubbed her tail slowly around in his face then drew it under his neck real slow. Then Silvermist took her tail and softly drew it under his chin. It worked! Wolfshade was in a small daze. He was staring at her and not watching where he was putting his paws. He tripped and fell giving Silvermist a huge lead. Silvermist turned her head around and smiled at him. Silvermist kept running, now she could see the camp. Then suddenly something pounced on her. Wolfshade had caught up and leaped on her. The two cats plummeted each other with sheathed paws like kits. Wolfshade and Silvermist rolled into camp and hit Rainshine. The three cats tumbled then came to a stop, Silvermist got up and shook out her grassy pelt.
"I think the victory goes to me!" Silvermist announced.
"No way! I won!" Wolfshade exclaimed, heaving Rainshine off of him.
"Yeah, I watched the whole thing! Wolfshade won!" Rainshine gazed up at Wolfshade.
"Ha! See! What would we do without Rainshine!" Wolfshade meowed.
" Starclan forbid that should happen, " Silvermist muttered.
Taloncall approached the three cats, "Just the cats I was looking for!"
Wolfshade slid closer to Silvermist, laying his tail protectively over her back. Silvermist shook it off and boldly stepped up to deputy.
"What do you need?"
Taloncall waved his tail, "As you can see we are building the camp. Wolfshade and Rainshine, I want you two to go work on the nursery. Silvermist, you and I will be working on the elder's den."
"Okay!" Rainshine bounced, "Let us go Wolfshade!"
Wolfshade glanced between Silvermist and Taloncall and let out a small hiss, but didn't say anything.
Silvermist sighed, "Let's get started."
Taloncall led the way to where the new elder's den was. There were twigs and mud to hold it together.
Silvermist didn't speak to the deputy, she looked around for a small sturdy branch. Taloncall did the same. The two cats turned to each other and their noses touched.
Feathersong dashed off, glancing at the racing cats before going alone. That was one thing she had that Silvermist didn't seem to have: A preference of solitude. In a way, she envied Silvermist. Strong, fast, a few friends and nearly the deputy. Emberblaze, her brother, would gladly throw everything away for even a little of her talent. Suddenly, the silver she-cat froze, noticing a figure racing towards her. She relaxed slightly when she noticed Dappledleaf. Then she took a step back, noticing her almost angry expression.
"Where were you!" Her sister cried out. "I have been worried!"
Feathersong flattened her ears, her tail lashing. "So what!" She spat, a wave of irritation washing over her. She was fed up with Dappledleaf, always worrying about her over the slightest thing.
"You've not been acting like yourself lately. We haven't even all done a group hunt since we got here!"
"What if I want to be alone for once!"
"Just tell me what's up." Dappledleaf's expression softened.
Feathersong longed to tell her, yet she didn't dare. Her sister wouldn't understand. "Nothing."
"There is something wrong, I know it." Dappledleaf pleaded with her sister, obviously desperate to help.
"Leave me alone!" She hissed, resisting the urge to dash off. She had created enough drama between them. Maybe it would be better to tell.
Dappledleaf noticed Feathersong hesitating. "Soo? What is it?"
"Not-"
"Stop lying!" Dappledleaf interrupted. "I know you enough to tell when something's up."
Feathersong couldn't hide it any longer. "I want to leave."
The sun awoke and rise to rosy light, as it came out from its den on the horizon. Taloncall was lost deep in his thoughts, which were mostly about Silvermist. The beautiful silver she-cats had run off the past night and Talon call was unsure if she had returned. Rainshine was gone too so was Wolfshade, it was a wild tail chase, and Silvermist was the prize. Wolfshde chases Silvermist, Sivermist chances freedom, Taloncalls chased by freedom, Wolfshade is chased by Rainshine.
Whatever the order was it didn't matter, all the tom knew was... Silvermistwas a stunning young she-cat. A she-cat that could twist Taloncall until his breaking moment, and even in a pit of the shards on the ground, he would still look up and admire the beautiful and brave she-cat.
Taloncall dashed off to find the she-cat she was already awake and ready for the long days work ahead.
"Hey Silvermist, As you can see we are building the camp. Wolfshade and Rainshine, I want you two to go work on the nursery. Silvermist, you and I will be working on the elder's den." Taloncall lept at the opportunity to have a second chance with the she-cat.
The two cats were digging up a hole, which later would form the den for the elders. Eventually, the Hole led up to a tunnel of burrowing owls, it was long ago abandoned. Taloncall was becoming anxious about the silence. so he was the first to speak.
"This would make a nice nursery, because of its size," Taloncall remarked breaking the silence.
"That's not our job" Silvermist barked, edge laced her tone. She notices Wolfshade and turns to him and sent him away with the flick of her tail.
The silence continued between the cats and eventually, Taloncall couldn't take it, it was at sun high when he began an apology.
"Silvermist, I'm sorry if I came off as nosey to you, I rushed myself as I felt I was falling behind" Talon called and looked at the she-cat who had a confused look on her face.
"rushed?" she asked.
"yes, I felt like Wolfshade would get with you before I'd even talk to you, you see over the journey I could see you differently, feel sympathy for you... and feel pain when I saw Wolfshade as a two-faced tom, but I never spoke to you, I was too shy" The tom felt hot in his ears, embarrassment for keeping it so long, envy for Wolfshade, and the hope of stars and for a brighter future all shone brightly in his eyes. before he could say more his nose already was touching Sivermist's.
Even though she was with him, Taloncall was still at war in his brain, and Silvermist was worth fighting for. That was the only thing Taloncall had decided
Silvermist's and Taloncall's noses stayed together for a few heartbeats. Silvermist was registering what he had just said.
Does he think Wolfshade and I are together? And Taloncall is after me?
Ever since she was a young kit, she was aware of how many toms had fallen for her. When Silvermist was at her first gathering as an apprentice, her sister Willowcloud got jealous that cats cheered louder for Silvermist then herself.
Then Silvermist came back to her senses and quickly pulled away from Taloncall. Taloncall looked hurt, but Silvermist didn't care.
"I don't know what to tell you Taloncall but the fact that I'm not with Wolfshade ."
"Your not?" He pricked his ears with interest.
"No, I'm not. Besides, I'm pretty sure Rainshine has dibs on him."
Both cats turned and watched as Rainshine tried to get Wolfshade's attention. Wolfshade was ignoring her, which is not easy to do.
Silvermist shuffled her paws in embarrassment, "I accept your apology, I guess."
Taloncall broke into an unsteady purr, "Really?"
Silvermist nodded.
"Thanks!"
Taloncall made a move to touch his nose to her ear but Silvermist backed off. The tom gave a small nod and they went back to work. Silvermist kept her distance though, making sure that they didn't come into contact.
"So Wolfshade! I bet you didn't see what Silvermist did to Taloncall!" Rainshine song said.
This time Wolfshade couldn't ignore her if it had something to do with Silvermist he wanted to know.
"What is it?" He snapped.
Rainshine looked pleased that she finally got his attention, "Silvermist and Taloncall touched noses!"
"What?" He lifted his head sharply to look over at the deputy and the she-cat.
They were a few feet apart, but Wolfshade didn't see my harm to ask what was going on. The dark brown muscular tom stalked over there.
"Wolfshade! Where are going?" Rainshine wailed.
Wolfshade whipped his head around, "To talk to them!"
"Why? You have me?"
This time he ignored her.
"Silvermist?" Wolfshade asked.
Silvermist turned around, her bluish silver eyes pierced through him. Wolfshade felt weak in the knees but he stood up tall.
"Yes?"
"Can I speak with you? Over here? "
Silvermist glanced at Taloncall then back at Wolfshade.
"Sure," she meowed.
Taloncall looked like he wanted to object, but he didn't. He just turned back around.
Wolfshade trotted a little ways away from every cat, Silvermist followed.
"What's this I hear about you and Taloncall acting like mates for life?"
Silvermist just stared at him, "What?"
"You and he were touching noses!"
"First of all, it's none of your business what happens to me! Second, we bumped noses! It didn't mean anything!" She hissed.
" I'm sorry, I was just worried that he was making you uncomfortable. "
"You know, you and Taloncall have one thing in common."
Wolfshade likes to think that he and Taloncall had nothing in common, "What?"
"You both can't mind your own business."
And with that Silvermist flicked her tail in his face, and walked off.
Wolfshade sat in a daze, but not like the daze he was used to when Silver flicked his tail. He was lost in memory.
"Oh, Wolfshade!" Rainshine bounded up, "Risestar said that we all can have a break! Let's go hunt!"
"Okay," Wolfshade let Rainshine lead him away