When Cobalts blue eyes opened, the first rays of a new day were pressing through the bramble bush. He pushed himself up and looked around, memories of the previous day flooding back to him. Spadeheart and Ashscatter slept close together between Articpaw and the cave entrance. Cobalt could make out her cream-colored fur, even in the dark. There was the black shape curled up on the opposite side of the cave, Dallas' fur rose in steady rhythm as he dreamed. The diluted tortie shuddered to think about what the loner dreamed of.

But something was wrong; there was an extra shape. Cobalts eyes narrowed at the familiar shape of a tabby tom curled up and asleep near Dallas. Cobalt shook his head, he should have expected Alex to show up sometime in the middle of the night. Five was enough, but six was just ridiculous. His den wasn't a boarding house for crying out loud!

He sighed, tail lashing in irritance. He really should've known. Everywhere Dallas went, his brother would follow. Alex usually took some time about it, but he always showed up. Cobalt walked over to where the tabby was sleeping and promptly swatted his head. "Get up, you lazy pile of fox-dung." Alex opened one eye and stared balefully up at Cobalt, before grunting and going back to sleep.

Dallas raised his head and yawned, turning his attention to his sleeping brother with mild interest. "When d' Alex show up?" He muttered sleepily. Cobalt sent him an icy stare.

"You tell me, he's your brother." Cobalt almost hissed. The tortie wasn't a morning cat, and he was fine with letting people know that. He wasn't the late-night type either, for that matter. Cobalt was always at his best behavior sometime between sunhigh and when the sun went down.

Dallas just grinned sleepily, yawning again and getting up to attempt to wake up his brother. Cobalt heard the cats on the other side of the den stirring and waking up. "How did we end up with another one?" Spadeheart grumbled as he saw Dallas sit on Alex. Cobalt turned and gave him an exasperated sigh. Apparently, the warrior wasn't used to waking up and finding strange cats scattered about.

Dallas was his only friend, yes, but he had many acquaintances that stopped by if and when they needed a place to stay. Cobalt didn't really worry about anyone taking his things. They didn't have an interest in any of things he had in his den. All the same though, it irritated him when they just came in and slept whenever they felt like it.

Articpaw sat up and regarded Alex with surprise, looking at Cobalt for some kind of hint as to what the cat was doing here. Cobalts stomach chose that time to rumble loudly and make its emptiness known. He left the den without looking at the others.

When Cobalt was hungry, he went to get food. When he was embarrassed, he got out of the public eye. Strangely enough, outside his den was more private then inside. He heard someone else squeeze through the brambles behind him and turned to see Articpaw emerge, Dallas close behind her.

The cream-colored she-cat smiled hesitantly up at him. She was trying to figure out why Cobalt didn't seem to like her. What did she do to make him so angry? She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Dallas. "You hungry?" He asked with a mischievous glint in his eye that Cobalt had come to accept as permanent.

"Leave her alone Dallas, she's not your type." He could barely believe the words had come from his mouth, but he stood firmly and stared at Dallas all the same.

The black tom narrowed his eyes, but kept his easy grin. "So wha' then, Coby? She your type?" Cobalt lashed his tail, noticing that Articpaw was watching them both with a surprised, apprehensive look. He didn't like the look on her face, it didn't suit the pretty she-cat.

"My type, Dallas? No ones my type, you know that." He narrowed his eyes to match Dallas'. "She's no ones, and she'll be leaving for home soon. I'm sure if you mess with her, all of Rainclan'll be out for your blood." He registered that Dallas seemed surprised by his little speech.

Dallas turned to go back into the cave, most likely to get Alex and go hunting. "When did you start to care, Cobalt?" Cobalt was stunned and looked down at his paws. He knew exactly when it was he started caring. He was a little surprised by Dallas calling him Cobalt. The country cat almost always called him either Coby or Magpie. Dallas just didn't like Cobalts real name.

He sighed. He honestly didn't care what Dallas did, and one could only call them friends if they used the term loosely. If Dallas was mad, that was fine with Cobalt. He was brought out of his thoughts by Articpaws voice. "Cobalt?"

He looked up at her, doing his best to keep his face emotionless. "What did he mean 'when did you start to care?'" She studied him for a second. "You don't seem uncaring to me."

Oh that was perfect. His heart twisted in some other new emotion. He wasn't so used to feeling his emotions so strongly. What was this one anyway, guilt? "I never cared." He said quietly, looking away and up at the hill. "And I don't know what would make me seem like I care." The first part was true enough, but he was lying through his teeth the on the second comment. He glanced down at Articpaw to see what her reaction would be. He froze as he saw her pained expression. His dismay overwhelmed him as Articpaw turned to go back into the den

Cobalt felt like crawling under a rock. He almost shouted out that he didn't mean it, but reconsidered quickly. It was better for them this way, he realized. If he distanced himself from Articpaw, she couldn't break him further when he left her with Rainclan. It was best for her, too. She shouldn't have to deal with him, even if it was only for a few days. He'd never really tried as far as she-cats went, and he was almost positive any effort on his part would be painfully pathetic. Which would be bad enough if it was just Articpaw, but there were now four other cats hanging around his cave.

He sighed to himself, agreeing with his choice, but upset about it all the same. He turned to go find something to eat.

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Articpaw was miserable. How could he just look at her and say he didn't care? It shouldn't bother her this much, she didn't usually mind how other cats thought. But this was the cat that had rescued her from Bleachstar, doesn't that mean he cared? Even just a little? But why would he lie to her? Her only conclusion was that he wasn't lying, and that Cobalt must just be cold and uncaring, just as he'd said.

"Is everything all right, Articpaw?" She looked up at Spadehearts voice and gave the concerned tom a small smile. He was obviously cheered by her smile and purred contently. She liked Spadeheart, he was like a big brother that was extremely easy to please. Ashscatter rose and stretched, greeting the two of them with a nod.

The silvery gray tom's gaze wandered to the brothers on the opposite side of the cave. Dallas was promptly sitting on a gray tabby. He decided not to ask. Articpaws troubled expression caught his attention and he looked puzzled. "What happened, Articpaw?"

Articpaw sighed, she couldn't get around Ashscatters questions like she could Spadeheart's. "I don't think Cobalt likes me." She admitted, hanging her shoulders. To her surprise, Ashscatter chuckled.

"Cobalt is hard to understand, but trust me when I say that he likes you." She looked up at him, an unreadable expression on her face. Could that really be true? If it was, why was Cobalt always acting like he'd rather be anywhere else.

A laugh came from the other side of the den. "Coby? Hard to understand?" It was the new cat, Alex. He had a happy-go-lucky, carefree grin on his face, and seemed not to notice the big black cat that was now chewing on his tail. "Naw, he's easy! Coby's just Coby." He kicked at Dallas with a hind foot before continuing. "He likes his stuff, and he's not very nice."

Dallas snorted. "Not now though." He seemed resentful. "He's actin' weird. He's got five strange cats in 'is cave, and he's not bouncin' off the walls and hissin' at everyone." It was obvious Dallas didn't approve of the change. "And he's bein' protective of sumthin' 'sides his toys." The pointed glance he threw in Articpaws direction left no doubt what he was referring to.

Articpaw didn't know how to respond. Was Cobalt really acting different because of her? She sighed and Spadeheart decided to step in. "Aren't you hungry Articpaw? When was the last time you had a hunting lesson?" She looked up at him gratefully.

"Not since before I came to Hailclan."

Spadeheart shook himself and started toward the exit. "Well let's go, don't want to get rusty, do you?" He teased before dashing out through the brambles, Articpaw following close behind.

Ashscatter, however, was staring appalled at Dallas and Alex. "Where did you two illiterate mouse-brains learn to speak?" Alex rolled onto his back and Dallas pretended not to hear him.

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Hi all, it's me again. I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who's left a review. And to anyone who hasn't, please review. All kinds of reviews welcomed and appreciated! (unless you're going to insult Dallas and Alex's accents. In which case, bite your tongue off and throw it in the nearest river)