[ti]Private[/ti]can you feel it too?

[Meow]

There'd been something different in Pigeonfang for the last few days; he had a skip in his step and light behind his gaze for the first time since the birth of his kits. He was smiling at times and even sometimes hanging out with his old friends. Many clan mates had noticed the weight that had begun to lift from the tom's back. Few, however, were aware of why Pigeonfang had suddenly begun to recover from his depression. His moments with Sparrowlily at the border had opened his eyes to the opportunities for happiness still present in his life, and he often found himself searching for the brown she-cat between patrols, sometimes giving her knowing glances and friendly smiles in passing. However, Pigeonfang hadn't yet approached her since their talk, finding, for the first time ever, a lack of confidence within himself.

He was hesitant to speak with her again, fearful that their connection that day might've been more fragile than he thought. Sparrowlily, after all, was a timid cat- would she be comfortable with him seeking her out day after day? Did she actually want his friendship, or had their chat been a one-time thing? These were thoughts that had never passed through Pigeonfang's mind. Sparrowlily was refreshingly gentle compared to everyone else he'd ever befriended- which also made him wonder if she'd have the heart to tell him to go away if she didn't want him there.

Pigeonfang shook his head to banish the stupid thoughts from his head, knowing he wasn't giving her enough credit. He was hoping she'd pass by the camp's entrance soon, where he'd been assigned to sit guard until the afternoon patrol returned with his replacement. He needed to talk to her before he drove himself crazy thinking about someone he'd talked to one time.

[Storm]

Sparrowlily
MothClan | Warrior | She-Cat | 19 Moons | Heterosexual

The little earthy-toned warrior had wandered out of camp earlier in the day to enjoy the peacefulness snow brought.  Sparrowlily thought better than to waste so much time away and come back empty-jowled though.  She could picture the scowl Eveningblaze would've given her if she returned with nothing and even the image made her frame shiver.  So, in pranced the she-cat with snow sprinkled between the fluff of her pelt.  A bird swinging from her jaw by its wing, unfortunate enough to not have noticed the feline melted into the branches of the tree she stalked in.  

Pigeonfang's burning pelt grabbed her eyes the second she cleared the brush.  Sparrowlily had immediately caught his gaze in hers and for a moment she awkwardly turned her head to check out the rest of the camp.  It was the same every time before the tom offered her a smile, she'd giggle nervously and glance away to hide her reaction. This time she gathered herself though, forced herself to face the tom and smile through the feathers in her maw.  The she-cat had really enjoyed the moment they had shared, she wanted that again.

"H-Hey Pigeonfang," she mumbled through her freshkill as she drifted to the side where he was posted.  Placing the bird at his paws, she lowered to sit and flicked her fluffy tail to offer it to the tom.  "Need someone to keep ya' company until you're free?" The two weren't really strangers anymore, it wasn't too difficult for the she-cat to start the chat, why hadn't she done it before now? Oh yes- this fluttering warmth she felt, that was why.  Little did she know, she'd at least made Pigeonfang's life easier.  Well of course he'd seemed to be improving since their talk, but she didn't know now he'd been struggling to get the courage to speak to her again and here the quiet cat was chatting him up instead.  

[Meow]

Pigeonfang's expression lightened up almost immediately at the sight of Sparrowlily's brown pelt as she slipped through the bushes, the worries in his head silencing their chatter as their gazes met. As usual, Pigeonfang met her with a small smile, not surprised in the least when she awkwardly looked away from him. Unexpectedly, however, Sparrowlily was quick to gather her courage and share his smile as she approached to place the bird at his paws.

"Of course," Pigeonfang hummed, surprise and delight spreading warmth through his fluffy chest. "You have great timing, actually. I've been wanting to speak with you." The tom glanced down to the bird at his paws as he spok. With all of his thinking, Pigeonfang hadn't been paying much attention to his own needs that morning- he was pretty hungry. "I'm sorry for being a bit awkward around you for the last few days. I wasn't sure how to approach you after that talk we had," Pigeonfang mewed, his lips framed with an easy smile. "Silly, right? I think you're the first cat I've ever been worried about giving a bad first impression."

[Storm]

Sparrowlily
MothClan | Warrior | She-Cat | 19 Moons | Heterosexual

"Oh?" The she-cat hummed inquisitively, trying to hide the hastening beat in her chest with a tilt of her head.  Sparrowlily felt a bit intimidated by his pause, having no idea what direction the tom would take his next words.  Her ears sat forward, on edge, listening but her next breath rolled out her lungs with relief.  This seemed like it'd be a light and airy conversation compared to their previous one.  The felines fur settled on her relaxing skin and she felt the cold flakes that clung to her press deeper.  Sparrowlily shimmied to shake the ice free before it melted against her flesh.  Her paw passed gently over her ear a few times as she settled her weight comfortably to one side. She wrapped her tail around her flank and allowed it to rest over her paws.  

"and here I thought I was the one being awkward," she mewed, turning her head ever-so-slightly to hide the smile that tugged at her lips.  Why would he be worried about not impressing little nervous her?  If anything she was glad he'd even seen value in her comforting words.  She'd be an easy cat to write off, especially as one as well-liked as Pigeonfang.  Just as he was doing now, he made it so easy to chat- so easy to like him.  He surely had stronger friends, wiser ones, friends that were braver and better with words.  A light laugh passed her lips as she looked warmly up at him, "Well don't worry at all.  I feel like I learned a lot about you."  Being vulnerable was a difficult thing, but his opening up had shown her things she'd have never seen in him.  "I don't know if I was necessarily the one you wanted to share with, but I was happy to listen."

[Meow]

Pigeonfang answered her laugh with a polite chuckle, feeling a pleasant warmth settle over his cheeks as she mentioned that she'd learned a lot about him. As she finished speaking, he finally broke eye contact with her in order to expose the bird's soft underbelly with his paws. "I'm glad it was you," Pigeonfang declared, his tone light as he leaned down to take a bite of fresh-kill. The large tom didn't take more than a few seconds to chew before swallowing it almost whole. "You're a good listener. Empathetic and kind- patient, too." Pigeonfang grinned as he took another bite which, yet again, seemed to be instantly sucked into the black hole of his stomach.

The bird had been reduced to scraps in the huge tom's two ridiculous mouthfuls, and Pigeonfang pushed himself back up, his eyes sparkling with newfound energy as they reunited with Sparrowlily's. For the first time in a long time, Pigeonfang was the bold and fiery warrior his clan mates had known and loved (and, occasionally, despised). "I feel like maybe I've misunderstood you all this time- I'd like to know you better. As more than just a clan mate."

[Storm]

Sparrowlily
MothClan | Warrior | She-Cat | 19 Moons | Heterosexual

Heat rose beneath her pelt despite the dying flurries of cold that had drifted down and settled on the earth beneath her paws.  Her brown fur hid the blood rushing to the surface of her skin, she blushed as he listed off her best qualities.  She didn't know if anyone had said something so nice since the hazy memory of her warrior naming ceremony.  Only the realization that Pigeonfang had destroyed his meal in two bites distracted her from the awkwardness of receiving a compliment. Sparrowlily smiled in acceptance before she decided to make a comment, "If you always eat like that you must be the reason Eveningblaze has to send out so many hunting patrols!" She giggled, lifting a paw to tap at his strong legs playfully.  

He caught her off-guard again with his sparkly look and words, Sparrowlily gulped.  "Oh-" her mind flooded awkwardly, there wasn't much more too her, but she didn't want to disappoint, "-Well I don't know if I'd be very interesting... But I'd like that too."  She had to push herself to say those last words, not because it wasn't true, but it was a very bold thing for her to say.  Words didn't eloquently dance from her vocal cords like they did for Pigeonfang, still she'd try.  "I was an only kit, MothClan born so no cool stories there... I'm not much of a fighter, but I try my best.  I'm a pretty good hunter I think at least though!"  Her fluffy tail tip flicked at the dismantled bird at his paws.  

She paused there, realizing she'd only said superficial things he may have already known.  "Uhhmmm," she hummed trying to fill the silence as she thought, "I care a lot about what everyone says, good and bad, so things kinda get to me sometimes...  I don't want to let anyone down, but I try not to worry about that stuff too much.  I have a really good life and I just try to enjoy it." Sparrowlily's ramble ended there, her eyes looking questionably at the tom.  She knew her spiel was nothing compared to the deep and meaningful conversation he'd shared.   

[Meow]

Pigeonfang snorted in slight embarrassment at her comment toward his sloppy and rushed eating, though he knew she meant no harm by it. He was a big boy, after all, and he had a very healthy appetite. It was simply an unfortunate side effect that he almost always inhaled his food, often grossing out his friends with his lack of table manners.

He listened attentively as she then went on to tell him a bit about herself, beyond happy that Sparrowlily felt the same way about developing a friendship between them. Pigeonfang found it hard to resist the comfortable grin that settled itself on his muzzle as she tried to come up with something interesting about herself. appreciating her effort to give him some insight into her life. How often did "tell me a bit about yourself" encourage someone to actually say something interesting about themselves? Even he sometimes found it hard to come up with something when he was put on the spot like that.

When Sparrowlily ended her little backstory and looked at him, Pigeonfang blinked back, humming quietly. "A huntress, an only child, a good life... I can dig that. I like that you have a positive view on life. And... I can empathize with caring what others think of me, too," Pigeonfang mewed, looking quite pleased with her answer. "I'm handsome, I like food, and I'm very, very strong." Pigeonfang lifted his head high, smirking playfully. "The ladies? They love me. The toms? They want to be me. I'm the awesome, charismatic son of Brackenstar himself. Fearless, a true daredevil. The perfect cat!" Pigeonfang's confident grin suddenly softened. "That's more of just a persona I have for my old friends now. Still- it's what I used to believe when I was younger."

[Storm]

Sparrowlily
MothClan | Warrior | She-Cat | 19 Moons | Heterosexual

The she-cats shoulders bounced as her giggle grew louder with each characteristic he boasted.  His words eased away the tension of trying to impress him with her life story.  His little autobiography set her in such a light and fun mood, she was happy to play along.  Her golden gaze reflected a playful skepticism, "So let me make sure I've got all of this... Handsome, strong-" she eyed him up and down dramatically, "-Very strong, lotsa' ladies, jealous toms, awesome, fearless and built from a leaders bloodline?" Sparrowlily hummed with thought, "I don't know, I sure think you're all of those things.  Maybe the persona is just your cockiness," She stuck out her tongue to offset the jab she took at him.  No one was a perfect cat, but he was a perfect Pigeonfang and she thought it was totally okay to be authentically yourself, especially with those close to you.  

The she-cat popped to her feet, "Let me try, let me try.  I'm Sparrowlily! Delicate and kind, a simple beauty," a sultry look dangerously crossed her face before she strode in front of him, her tail brushing beneath his chin, "But cautious and stealthy, my prey won't escape me!" She turned at his other side now and slowly lowered into a playful stance, tensing with her last words as if faking out a pounce at the tom.  Sparrowlily fought the silly look creeping to her expression, but eventually the goofy pretend façade lost and she laughed at herself.  

[Meow]

Pigeonfang rolled his eyes as she poked fun at him, very aware that he sometimes, occasionally, maybe every once in awhile, not very often at all, let his cockiness get the best of him. He couldn't could how many times he'd done something stupid on a dare because he "couldn't possibly fail" or put someone down for maybe not being as great and strong as he was. Thankfully, most of that occured when he was an apprentice... most of it. He did, however, feel a bit flattered that she felt most of it was true.

Well, it was true. He was pretty hot stuff. Still, he liked hearing it from her.

"Oh, no," Pigeonfang chuckled as she suddenly hopped up and declared that she wanted to give his little display a try. As she shouted her name, he felt his chuckle build into laughter, suddenly finding her quirky personality completely adorable. He could already tell that Sparrowlily would keep surprising him for moons to come with the many different sides of her personality. Her sudden switch to seductive, however, made him choke on his laughter for a moment, a rush of her scent flooding him as her tail tickled his chin.

Yes, she was certainly surprising. Thankfully, he managed to recover as she lowered into a playful crouch, a few more hearty laughs rumbling from deep in his chest. "If I were a mouse," Pigeonfang purred, reaching out to boop her pink nose with a meaty paw, "I would be absolutely quaking in my pelt right now." Pigeonfang grinned, feeling a rush of affection toward her goofy display. "Now that you've spoken so highly of your hunting skills, you'll have to prove it to me sometime- at sunhigh tomorrow, maybe?"

[Storm]

Sparrowlily
MothClan | Warrior | She-Cat | 19 Moons | Heterosexual

The fluffy brown she-cat scrunched her face up as Pigeonfang toyed with her.  She stood up a bit taller, puffing out her chest as her tail swished behind her a few times.  A mouse?  The tom was bigger and bulkier than her, but in this moment she felt bold and limitless, or was it that he made her feel that way?  Anyway, the warriors doubts had been cast out around Pigeonfang and with a cute little smirk she expressed how she thought she could have rustled his pelt a little, mouse or warrior.  

Sparrowlily tilted her chin up ever-so-slightly for her golden gaze to fall on him as he proposed a hunting trip.  There was a different kind of nervousness that built up in her chest this time, a good kind- giddiness she guessed.  All those awkward smiles and glances shot to the floor when noticed seemed to be over, but now Pigeonfang wanted to hang around with her again tomorrow?  She blinked with a pleasant smile, "O-of course!" Her mew faltered a bit with a tilt of her head.  "But only to show you that my prey is freshkill before it even gets a chance to quake in fear of my awesomeness. We'll see how you stack up against that tomorrow, Mr. Awesome."  The last of her play confidence escaped with her statement before the reality of the situation hit her.  

Dizzy with the excitement of having such a cats attention, Sparrowlily thought it better to leave Pigeonfang to his thoughts on that note.  That way she could calm and gather her own as well.  She turned to face the warrior den, "Till' sunhigh," she hummed softly with a glace over her shoulder before she padded off to retire.  The she-cat quickly curled into her empty nest, hoping her thoughts would let her fall asleep before the tom was relieved of his post and would follow suit.  The thought of hunting alone with the tom had her whirling, but if she wasn't asleep by the time he made his way to his nest she'd surly admire him the whole night.