For SJ

love doesn't always need words

even when one side blabbers their mouth off

Lightningpaw shifted his weight impatiently, waiting for Lightstorm's lesson to be done. Pinepaw, Jewelpaw, and Dawnpaw were there as well, all seeming far more intrigued than Lightningpaw himself. Of course, he couldn't blame them—this lesson was particularly interesting, centered around different prey, their abilities and the best approach to catching them, but the apprentice had much better things to look forward to.

Gaze drifting toward the medicine den, he curled his tail tightly around his paws, trying as best he could to focus on that day's lecture (but failing terribly).

"Now, rabbits—Lightningpaw. Lightningpaw, are you even listening?" It took the apprentice in question a minute to process that Lightstorm was asking for his attention, but when he did, he snapped to attention, a little embarrassed.

"Yes, Lightstorm?"

Sighing exasperatedly and shaking his head, the deputy continued to teach the young apprentices, occasionally having to grab Lightningpaw's attention throughout it. By the end of it, Lightningpaw was about to burst, brightening when he thought he was dismissed.

"Alright. You kits did a good job listening. At least, most of you." While saying this, the tom shot a look straight at Lightningpaw, whom of which payed no attention to the glare. "Quick, Jewelpaw—how does a mouse sense you?"

"It uses its hearing and the vibrations in the ground," she answered almost immediately, beaming as Lightstorm nodded approvingly.

"Nice work. You obviously put a lot of effort into listening." The deputy turned to the tortoiseshell apprentice next to Jewelpaw, firing another question. "Pinepaw, what is decidedly the best way to catch a rabbit with the likeliest chance of succeeding?"

Pinepaw hesitated for a moment, but replied to the question with confidence. "It's best to do a double-team, because you can chase it in one direction while the other waits to catch it, or vice versa. In my experience, it'd be easier to hunt alone if the area was mostly closed off, so you could drive it into a corner."

"Good work tying experience into your answer! Dawnpaw, if I saw a crow pecking at the grass, how would it be best to approach it?"

"You could—I mean, maybe—but you could make sure to drop from a high point so it can't fly up to escape." Dawnpaw's uncertain expression changed to a pleasant one when Lightstorm bobbed his head.

"Creatively put, since we didn't go over that. I'll make sure to try it next time." He gave a reassuring wink before shifting his gaze toward the last apprentice. Lightningpaw"—Lightningpaw jumped when his name was mentioned, looking up at the tom cautiously—"where are voles most commonly found in LeafClan territory?"

"...Um, the fresh-kill pile?" Pinepaw, Dawnpaw and Jewelpaw burst out laughing at their fellow apprentice's response. Lightstorm silenced them with a glare, but he himself seemed disappointed in Lightningpaw's answer.

Lightstorm flicked his tail at the she-cats, signaling for them to leave. Lightningpaw's ears burned with embarrassment as he heard whispers and a bout of laughter coming from his sister and her friends, flattening them to his head.

Settling down, the older tom asked seriously but in a kind tone, "I've noticed your attentions have been drawn from the lesson. Would you care to explain to me why?"

Why? He didn't know why. All he knew was that he really, really, really wanted to go see Sorrelflight right then and there, so he shrugged, averting his eyes from Lightstorm's striking gaze.

Grunting, the deputy stood up, sensing he wasn't going to get much out of the apprentice. "I would advise you to focus more on what I'm teaching you than whatever else you're thinking about these days if you'd like to pass your assessments."

His assessments? Those were a few moons away still! ...Sorrelflight would be gone by then, wouldn't she? Lightningpaw's eyes widened at the thought. She was one of his best friends. He wouldn't be able to bear it! Pushing his conversation with Lightstorm and the shrill giggles of the other apprentices out of his mind, he hurried into Dustheart and Ashdapple's den, searching the inside for the RockClan she-cat.

"Lightningpaw? I thought I heard you out there." Sorrelflight raised her head off her paws where it had been resting, blinking up at him with those oh-so-gorgeous green eyes.

She heard? His ears felt like they were on fire now. She'd know he wasn't doing well in his apprenticeship.

"Are you okay?"

Lightningpaw ignored her question, shooting it back at her. "Are you alright? Is your paw healing? Your ribs?"

Sorrelflight smiled, but it looked more like a wince as she sat up to give Lightningpaw more space in the bitter-smelling, cramped den. "Dustheart and Ashdapple say it should be. It's more sore than ever."

"Are they treating you well?" he pressed, a little worried.

"Who, the medicine cats?" Sorrelflight chuckled. "You need to stop worrying yourself so much, Lightningpaw. Yes, they're treating me well. I'd be limp for life without them."

Just the thought of it made Lightningpaw cringe. To never be able to run again would be awful. "Okay, if you say so. I was just wondering."

He stayed there the rest of the day, earning a disapproving look from Dustheart and a polite but irritated request that the two relocate themselves elsewhere from Ashdapple. Come to think of it, they had been taking up a lot of the space, and Lightningpaw had almost tripped Dustheart with his tail. Shrugging, he helped Ashdapple carry the patient outside of the den as the sky grew dark.

Stars were already beginning to wink down at the moonlit clearing, a slight sliver of the moon just visible beside Silverpelt. Lightningpaw glanced over at Sorrelflight in silence a few times before murmuring, "You know, um, Sorrelflight… Earlier today, Lightstorm was after me because I was unfocused, and he asked me why. I didn't know then, but I-I think I do now."

The she-cat gave him a curious look, staring at him for the first time since they had started to stargaze.

Lightningpaw took a deep breath, then let his words tumble out of his mouth like a stream. "I love you, and I think I have for a while, ever since we started to hang out when you came here, and I've always been thinking about you, and when I'm around you I feel warm and fuzzy inside, and I've always debated on whether—I don't know—I should twine our tails or say something, but now…"

He pulled out a sorrel leaf he had sneaked from the medicine den along with a small poppy, passing them to the she-cat he loved. The medicine cats wouldn't be happy once they noticed, but to Lightningpaw, it was worth it.

Sorrelflight hadn't yet responded. Worriedly, Lightningpaw nudged her, then sagged his shoulders. "I knew it. I shouldn't have said anything."

And taking him by surprise, Sorrelflight twirled her tail around his, looking as happy as he had ever seen her, and together the two watched the stars until the sky showed the first signs of dawn.

So… when SJ and I decided how this relationship was going to work out, they suggested that we have Lightningpaw falling head over heels while Sorrelflight is the more unconscious liking kind of gal. And I have to say, it works. This has become my absolute favorite OC pairing, even though SJ and I kept inserting little things in our posts like "excuse me while I *barfs*". I love our little kitties anyway.