Thankssss! You reviewers rock! XOXO, Silvershadow

Berrynose

Gosh, Poppyfrost or Honeyfern? They're both hot, sassy, and witty. I know Honeyfern's my girlfriend and all, but seriously? I don't think we're ready for all that serious commitment stuff. And Poppyfrost is just as pretty as her sister. Maybe even prettier. Wait… I can take both of them to the dance! I spot Mousewhisker, my brother, walking alongside the lockers. I want to tell him my idea. Isn't it brilliant?

"Hey Mouse!" I call. Several older students snicker.

"Don't call me that!" Mousewhisker hisses. I chuckle and shrug it off. He's always so serious, but I know he doesn't mind it when I tease him. "What do you want, Berrynose?" he asks.

"I need some advice on asking a few girlies to the dance," I say loftily.

"Why would you ask me," Mousewhisker asks, chuckling bitterly, "when I've been rejected by, like, every Thunder girl in existence?" I shrug. Cuz you're my brother, dumbass? Then, his eyes widen.

"Wait - did you say a few girls? You're asking more than one? Are you out of your mind?" Mouse is hissing at me again. I roll my eyes and wait for him to stop ranting. "You have a girlfriend," Mousewhisker continues, jabbing a finger at my chest. "You should go with your girlfriend. Seriously! Going with more than one girl - do you want to look like a player?"

"Come on, Mouse." He scowls at me and taps his foot. "All this commitment is so exhausting. Why tie myself down to one hottie when I can have them all? It's a pretty good idea, and you know it." Mousewhisker looks unconvinced, but he knows better than to cross me.

"Alright, so who are you asking?" he asks, sounding a bit curious. I grin, and respond.

"Honeyfern, and her sister Poppyfrost," I reply. Mousewhisker looks exasperated.

"Berrynose, why did you have to go with Poppyfrost? I wanted to ask her out…. Why can't you just be satisfied with one girlfriend?" I laugh, loudly and mirthfully. Mousewhisker looks somewhere between insulted and hopeful.

"You? And Poppyfrost? Why would she go with a geeky little Mouse who's the younger brother of the muscular and strong Berrynose? Really, even the geek girls have rejected you. Why not just go by yourself?" Mousewhisker's cheeks burn red with rage - no jealousy. Jealousy seems more like it.

"First of all, I might be geeky, but I'd actually care about her and consider her opinion. Unlike you," he says.

"Shut up! She might be listening! I don't want her to hear your… your… what's that word? The one that sounded like salamander?" I hate giving in to my younger brother's knowledge, but as Berrynose once said, a great man will have to learn to tolerate the general populous.

"Slander," smirks Mousewhisker. "Anyways, I hope she's around, because it isn't slander when it's true. And as I was saying, you're only twelve seconds older than me, so don't get all high and mighty about it. Like I said before, I might not be all brawn and no brains, but I'd be a better fit for a girl because I'd listen to her and understand her, not just ask her to, like, compliment my muscles. So! Why would a girl choose a bleached-blonde, self-absorbed stuck-up who's the twin brother of a hardworking, understanding person?"

"I told you I would kill you if you told anyone about my hair! And keep your voice down! I am in no way self-absorbed or whatever." Mousewhisker sighs, probably realizing how right I am, and then holds up a piece of mirror, no doubt left over from his geeky drama class.

"Wowww," I say, staring at my own reflection. "I've grown even more handsome!" And then I see Mousewhisker smirking at me.

"Not self-absorbed, eh?" My jaw drops as he saunters down the hallway, whistling a tuneless song.

Poppyfrost

I've gotta find Berrynose. I want to get him to ask me out to the dance, because it's a guys-ask-girls thing. He's a bit ditzy and annoying, but he's cute and funny too. The only problem? His girlfriend is my sister. Still, I have a feeling he's getting tired of her. He talks to me way more than he talks to Honeyfern.

Suddenly, I crash into Mousewhisker. "Sorry, Mouse!" I say, ruffling his hair. Mousewhisker is one of my friends from Drama class. Berrynose says theatre is geeky, but I just love it. Sorry not sorry! Berrynose doesn't like Mousewhisker either, but I guess that's just because they're brothers.

"No problem," he says. "And - hey, I'd like it better if you didn't call me Mouse."

"Wait, really? But Berrynose said that you liked that, so I thought - " Oh gosh. This is so embarrassing. I've been calling him Mouse literally every day since sixth grade started, and he never liked it?

"Oh, it's alright. Nobody really listens to what I say, especially when it's Berrynose's word against mine," he sighs. There's a hint of resentment in his voice, and I get the feeling that this rivalry isn't just a sibling thing after all.

"It's alright, Mouse - I mean Mousewhisker. I'll listen to you. You can tell me everything, kay? Now, I gotta go - " Then Mousewhisker tugs on my arm.

"You know, Berrynose is planning to ask both you and your sister to the dance," he says.

"What?!" spits Honeyfern from behind us. We both jump. "What do you mean he's asking both of us?" she cries, glaring at me.

"I have no idea!" I say, and it's true. "Stop glaring at me like that, Honeyfern. I really don't know if this is true or not. I have nothing to do with his, uh, plans."

"It's true," Mousewhisker confirms. "He comes up to me, gloating and about how he's not ready to commit himself to dating, so he's going to ask two pretty girls - " he looks pointedly at us " to the dance to make himself look even better. " Honeyfern's seething, and my state isn't much better. Is he insane? What a player!

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Berrynose, who has seemingly abandoned his usual lolling gait in favor of a clumsy, hand-waving sprint. He sees us, and pants, "There you are!" Honeyfern turns away from him, her caramel-colored braids slapping her cheek.

"Now, now, Honey, don't wound yourself here in front of me," he drawls. Mousewhisker snorts.

"What's all this about you asking both of us to the dance?" I demand. Berrynose looks taken aback.

"I thought you'd like the idea," he says softly, staring into my eyes. I blink, then look away.

"Are you kidding?" snaps Honeyfern. "You thought we'd like the idea? What are you, stupid? I thought I was your girlfriend. You- you- player!" she bursts out.

"Listen, both of you," commands Berrynose. "I want us to have fun. Why can't we all go together? It's not as if the Halloween dance is like getting married. Both of you are lots of fun. I don't want to hurt either one of you, so we can just all go together as friends!" Honeyfern huffs, blowing a few strands of hair out of her face, so Berrynose keeps going. "It's just like how people go in big groups of friends to prom and parties and dances. We can go together as friends, keep out of all the inevitable drama, and have lots of fun together. Whaddaya say?"

I'm impressed. Berrynose makes the prospect sound like lots of fun. Just going as friends and having a good time… That would be fun, wouldn't it. It would also be a good chance for Berrynose to notice how much more fun I am than Honeyfern. What? Just saying! Honeyfern seems to be mulling it over as well.

"Well, that's okay with me," she says finally. "But no making moves on us. Just friends, right?" she asks, glancing pointedly at me. Berrynose shakes his head. "Just friends," he echoes.

"Alright, I guess I'm fine with it," I say, ignoring Honeyfern's suspicious glare. If I can just keep Honeyfern off my case, this will be a fun night.

Oooh. Berrynose just stole his brother's date! And he's going with two girls! Is this going to be fun, or will it backfire?