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warriors-fallen · 5 months

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CHAPTER ONE: [NIGHTKIT]

Tiny paws silently crept along the ground as a tiny black kit eased forward in a crouch, her kinked tail twitching eagerly behind her. Her green eyes narrowed, glinting in the soft light beaming down from above. Her target’s pale grey fur was in sight, the little kit rolling around in the soft moss of a warm nest, oblivious to the eyes closely watching him.

Flexing her paws, the black kit narrowed her eyes, focusing as she stalked as close as she could get, whiskers twitching as she watched the other kit roll onto his back and wiggle around as if he were antsy. Bracing her haunches, she pushed off and leapt towards him, her front paws slamming right into his belly.

Squealing, the grey kit’s paws wrapped around her in a tight grip, and the two began to roll around and tussle, dust beginning to stir as they tumbled out of the nest.

“Nightkit!” The grey kit squeaked in protest as the black kit finally pinned him down, a pout growing on his face. “Unfair! You’re bigger than me!”

“Only by a little!” Nightkit puffed, beaming triumphantly as she stepped off of Quickkit, giggling as he sat up with his fur all messy. He giggled with her, reaching out a paw and swatting at her muzzle.

“I snuck up on you good, didn’t I?” Nightkit leaned away from Quickkit’s paw. “I’ve been practicing my stalking! My momma showed me some tricks the other day.”

“I didn’t see you!” Quickkit confirmed, tail beginning to thump behind him. Nightkit always swore instead of blood he had only energy inside him. He was always moving!

“I-“ Nightkit began.

“Please be quiet!” An irritated, hoarse groan cut her off, and Nightkit turned to look at the black and brown she-cat half-hidden in shadow at the far end of the nursery. Her swollen belly heaved as the she-cat turned in her nest, eyes narrowed at the two kits. “I can’t get any sleep!”

“Sorry, Ravenhaze!” Nightkit squeaked, snapping her mouth shut when the further noise earned her a harsher glare. She hung her head and shuffled her front paws, glancing at Quickkit who was looking similarly crestfallen at the scolding.

Ravenhaze is always so grumpy! Nightkit thought with annoyance. We weren’t even being that loud!

Nightkit got to her paws and opted to slink into the shadows toward where her and her mother’s nest was. The moss was a little cold by now since her mother had left with Quickkit’s mother and sister to stretch their legs, but she happily sank down into it, purring softly at the strong, comforting scent of her mother. She looked out into the nursery, glancing over the smooth, dug out walls and up above at the hole that let light shine in through a cover of all kinds of plants. Nightkit remembered her father telling her that it would let light in that way while also blocking out most of the rain.

The nursery had been dug out wide to leave plenty of room for queens and kits. Nightkit knew, from what she had seen, that it was almost as big as the warriors’ burrow! It never felt cramped to her, even with four queens currently staying in it. If Nightkit focused, she could see where Wildrunner’s nest was close to Ravenhaze’s. Wildrunner had only recently started to plump up, so she didn’t stay in the nursery very much.

Nightkit turned her gaze to the nearest wall where her and her mom’s nest was. While the nest was in the shadows, a little bit of light pierced through and shone faintly on the wall. Dark, little pawprints were clustered all along it. Nightkit peered a little bit away from the wall, even closer to the nest, where one little pawprint was. That one was hers! All the queens had their kits leave a muddy, clay paw mark on the wall, from what her mother had told her. She had wanted to better tell where hers was, though, so her mother let her put it away from the other marks. Her mother had proclaimed it as ‘Night’s Corner’. Nightkit felt warm thinking about it. She had made her mark when she was three moons old, and now she was four moons old! Her paws had grown a bit since then. If she lifted her paw up, she could tell the difference better.

One day my paws will be so big, you won’t even see my mark next to them!

Nightkit purred quietly at the thought. She was going to be a burrower just like her dad and uncle, with big strong paws! She couldn’t wait! She would dig the best tunnels ever!

Quiet voices snapped Nightkit to attention, and she craned her ears towards the entrance tunnel to the nursery. Quickkit, who had been rolling around in his mother’s nest again, also perked up, jumping to his paws and excitedly lashing his tail. As the voices grew, Nightkit recognized them.

Swallowing back an excited squeal when she remembered Ravenhaze’s scolding, Nightkit jumped out of her and her mother’s nest and bounded over to Quickkit, standing beside him. After a few moments, a golden brown tabby she-cat appeared in the tunnel, chatting eagerly with a pale grey tabby she-cat with a folded ear. A little brown tabby kit with ginger points followed, her tail raised high in the air.

“That’s what I was saying! It was so silly-“

“Momma!” Nightkit purred happily, crashing into her mother’s golden tabby fur, nuzzling her chest eagerly. Her mother’s voice was cut off as she laughed lightly, bending her head to lick Nightkit between the ears.

“Hi, sweet thing!” Her mother purred, the soothing rumble making Nightkit feel warm.

“Mom! You were gone so long!” Quickkit was squeaking as he circled his mother, tail still waving behind him. His sister Foxkit had taken his spot in their nest, sitting and smoothing her chest fur with her tongue.

“It was only a little while,” Rabbitear sighed in exasperation, though Nightkit could tell she was playing around by the smile on her face. She watched her son circle around her fondly for a few more moments, before she carefully stepped over him to plop down into her nest beside Foxkit.

“I snuck up on Quickkit, momma!” Nightkit beamed, lowering into a crouch. “I crouched just like this, like you showed me! He didn’t know I was there until I got him!”

“Impressive!” Warrenstalk praised, gaze warm as she watched her daughter creep forward to demonstrate. “You’re already a little warrior!”

“Yeah!” Nightkit squeaked, getting back to her paws. “You think Tunnelstar will make me an apprentice early?!”

Warrenstalk laughed affectionately. “You’re still a little too young. But I’m sure you’ll already be an amazing apprentice when you get there.”

Nightkit huffed, though she enjoyed her mother’s praise.

“Great StarClan, can’t I get any sleep?!” Ravenhaze’s sharp voice made Nightkit flinch. The plump she-cat was glaring from her nest at the gathering of cats, her teeth glinting in the low light as her lip curled.

Nightkit saw Warrenstalk shoot the other queen a harsh look, though Ravenhaze seemed to not be bothered as she puffed and settled further into her nest, tail-tip twitching irritably.

Rabbitear was staring at Ravenhaze herself, pausing in her grooming of Quickkit’s ruffled fur as he had settled in next to her, Foxkit having scooched to make room for him. She cast a glance at Warrenstalk, and the two she-cats seemed to share something silent. Nightkit wasn’t sure what it was.

“Why don’t you three go play in the camp?” Rabbitear offered after a few more moments of silence. “Let Ravenhaze get some peace and quiet for a while.”

“That sounds fun!” Warrenstalk agreed, leaning down to give Nightkit another lick between the ears. “Your father was in camp when we left. He might still be there, if you hurry!”

Nightkit perked up immediately. She nodded eagerly, and Quickkit was by her side in an instant, bouncing on his paws. Foxkit joined them a moment later, quietly looking back at her mother.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Quickkit squealed, pelting into the tunnel at the entrance to the nursery.

“Bye mom!” Nightkit called as she hurried after Quickkit, bursting into the darkness of the tunnel. She heard her mother softly call her own goodbye, and felt the breath of Foxkit on the tip of her kinked tail.

Foxkit’s always so quiet! Is she even excited to come play?

Nightkit slowed down as the darkness in the tunnel grew, navigating the familiar path. The warm walls of the surrounding earth thrummed softly at her sides, relaxing muscles she didn’t even know she had tensed. She always felt so relaxed and safe in the familiar tunnels and burrows of BurrowClan’s territory; she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. When she had first learned the other Clans didn’t live underground, she had been so shocked! The outside was fine, she had been up there with her parents a few times, but it felt so open and exposed, and was so noisy with so many smells! She didn’t know how other cats were happy without the comforting darkness and hugging tunnels of the underground. She didn’t even have to look where she was going to get around! Her paws knew where she was, and she was hidden from anything that might want to hurt her.

After a few more pawsteps, light began to show ahead, lighting up the pale grey tips of Quickkit’s ears. He hurried forward, and Nightkit picked up the pace as well. Soft sounds were beginning to fill her ears, and the earth below her paws was gently thumping with the pawsteps of other cats.

The kits soon burst free of the tunnel, out into a large dug out space with a massive hole above, covered with many plants just like the nursery. The warm sunlight shone through the plant cover, casting a dappled pattern on the ground below. Dark entrances of tunnels were everywhere along the smooth walls, leading to burrows and tunnels of all kinds. At the far end, across from the kits, was a cracked boulder the size of two warriors.

Nightkit felt Foxkit brush past her as she excitedly looked around. The camp was so cool! Quite a few of her Clanmates were milling about, chatting with each other or basking in the sunlight. She saw a few cats clustered around the fresh-kill pile near the big boulder, and from what she could tell it was super full! Hunting must have been great!

Hm, now where’s dad…

Looking around for him, Nightkit-

“Oh! Oh!” Quickkit gasped, nudging Nightkit in the shoulder and interrupting her thoughts. He raised a paw and pointed, and she followed his paw. She could see he was pointing at a brown tom with darker brown spots along his pelt; he was currently stretching and yawning with his tail rose high. She recognized him as Peatpaw.

“Peatpaw!” Nightkit immediately squealed, forgetting what she had been doing and wasting no time in rushing towards the apprentice. He always played with them! He was the best at moss ball and Clan Invasion!

The apprentice looked at the kits running towards him, and he gave them a smile, sitting up and yawning again. “Hey, kiddos! Out on your own, hm? Causing trouble?”

“We’re not causing trouble!” Quickkit protested, hopping around Peatpaw. “Ravenhaze was being grumpy!”

Peatpaw winced. “Sounds like her.”

Nightkit nodded seriously. “So we have a duty to do!”

Peatpaw tilted his head, tail flicking out of the way of Quickkit’s paws as the tom kept bouncing around him. “Hm?”

“We left our mommas unprotected! So now we must defend them!” Nightkit announced, eagerly looking up at the apprentice. She hoped he would take the invitation to play! He was so fun! Her paws itched to pounce!

An expression of realization dawned on Peatpaw’s face, before he grinned and narrowed his eyes mischievously. “So, it would be the perfect time to invade, huh?”

“Never!” Quickkit growled, jumping away from him to stand at Nightkit’s side. His tail lashed fiercely, and his pelt bristled. Nightkit matched his fierce stance, seeing Foxkit slowly pad up to join them. She looked a little less fierce, but a soft snarl rumbled from her throat.

“Are you three the only thing stopping my invasion?” Peatpaw laughed, getting to his paws and lifting his head. “BurrowClan must be the weakest Clan ever! I’ll invade, and take all your prey and burrows!”

“Never!” Nightkit yowled, leaping at Peatpaw with her paws outstretched. His soft fur tickled her paw pads, and he yowled as she clung to his shoulder, her claws carefully digging only into his fur and not his skin. He tried to shake her off, but Quickkit nipped gently at his hind leg, making him tumble and flop to his side.

Foxkit growled and rushed over, her paws firmly landing on Peatpaw’s haunches as she tried to pin him down. Peatpaw gasped and flailed, making Foxkit let out a rare squeal as she lost her balance and tumbled on her back.

“We got you, intruder! Surrender!” Nightkit hissed, still holding tight onto his shoulder.

“I will never surrender!” Peatpaw yowled, struggling and wiggling until Nightkit and Quickkit lost their grips. Nightkit yowled as if she were struck, dramatically envisioning scratches all along her pelt. Quickkit panted beside her, quickly getting to his paws as Peatpaw began to rise.

But before he could, Foxkit had launched herself at him again, managing to squirm onto his back and hang on tight. The apprentice screeched, stumbling, and Nightkit and Quickkit quickly recovered to help Foxkit.

Unable to take the onslaught yet again, Peatpaw fell onto his side.

“Oh, no!” He cried dramatically, an anguished look in his eyes. “I underestimated you! I’ve been defeated!”

“Do you surrender?” Quickkit squeaked, his fierce façade quickly turning excited. Peatpaw sighed, looking warily at the kits pinning him down, before nodding sadly.

“Yay!” Nightkit happily detached herself from the apprentice, watching as he shook Quickkit and Foxkit off, both giggling as they slid off him.

“Having fun?” An amused meow sounded behind them, and Nightkit looked behind her to see Rockpatch’s grey tabby coat. He was eyeing his apprentice fondly, and Peatpaw laughed.

“Yeah! Crazy kits.” Peatpaw whacked Foxkit with his tail, making her sneeze as his fur tickled her nose. The sound made Peatpaw chuckle.

“He was an intruder! We defeated him!” Nightkit happily informed the large tom. Rockpatch smiled.

“You did a good job!” He reached out a large paw to gently pat Nightkit on the head. When Quickkit scurried up, he patted him too. Foxkit just stayed where she was, grooming her ruffled tabby and ginger pointed pelt. “You’ll be great warriors.”

Nightkit beamed at the praise.

“Now, Peatpaw,” Rockpatch looked back at his apprentice. “Poolfang and I are going to investigate a faint badger scent we got near one of the breeze tunnels. Would you like to come?”

“Yeah, sure!” Peatpaw perked up.

“Alright,” Rockpatch nodded approvingly, a twinkle in his eyes. “Give yourself a good grooming, and join us by the warriors’ burrow tunnel.”

Peatpaw blinked, looking over his pelt which was severely ruffled from the playing. Looking a little embarrassed, Peatpaw nodded.

Rockpatch chuckled, before turning and padding away to join Poolfang by the tunnel that led to the warriors’ burrow. The black she-cat was sitting patiently.

“Well, I best do that.” Peatpaw nodded at the kits, fondly nudging Nightkit with one paw. “Have fun protecting us from invaders!”

“We will!” Nightkit promised, watching as he stalked a bit away to find a spot to groom.

“What now?” Quickkit was already back to pacing, as if the play fighting hadn’t worn him out at all.

“We could go see the elders,” Foxkit’s soft voice surprised Nightkit, and she turned to her. “They like it when we visit.”

“Good idea!” Nightkit agreed, and Quickkit seemed to agree as well by the way he was already running towards the tunnel that led to the elders’ burrow.

It’ll be nice to visit my grandpas!

“He’s so wild,” Foxkit murmured, and Nightkit fell in beside her as they followed Quickkit more slowly. “I can never keep up. Mom says he’s just like dad.”

Nightkit frowned, reaching out her kinked tail to drape it over Foxkit’s shoulder. Her mother had told her Quickkit’s and Foxkit’s dad had died before they were even born. Before she was even born. She couldn’t imagine not having a dad! “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Foxkit gave her an appreciative look. “I didn’t mean to be sad. I was just saying.”

Nightkit nodded.

“Mom says when she was pregnant with us, her stomach hurt all the time,” Foxkit went on, and Nightkit withdrew her tail. “She thinks it’s ‘cause Quickkit was running circles in her belly.”

“Ha!” Nightkit giggled; she could certainly imagine that! That was such a funny image! “He probably was!”

Before Foxkit could say anything else, Nightkit heard her name being called. Pausing, she peered behind her shoulder, perking up excitedly when she saw a familiar black pelt adorned with white ears.

Nightkit glanced over at Foxkit, who waved her paw.

“You can meet us there.” She simply said, padding on her way. “I’ll tell the elders to wait if they want to tell stories.”

“Thanks, Foxkit!” Nightkit called after her, before grinning and running towards the tom waiting for her.

“Dad!” Nightkit squealed, launching herself at the tom. He smelled strongly of clay and dirt, and judging by his muddy paws and crusty pelt, he had probably just returned from working on a tunnel. He laughed as she collided with him, and she felt his big strong paws wrap around her as he sat down, pulling her into his chest and belly.

“Hi, little miracle!” Darkfrost purred, nuzzling her cheek and making her giggle as his whiskers tickled her face. He cooed at her laughter, his tail coming to wrap around her to join his paws. Nightkit sank into his warmth and hold, feeling like her chest was going to burst with how hard and loud she was purring.

“Hi, dad,” Nightkit smiled, craning her head to look up at her father’s face. “I couldn’t see you earlier! Momma said you were in camp.”

“I was,” he nodded, wiping excess mud off one paw on the ground so he could run it through Nightkit’s fur. “I had to leave for a little while to finish up some work. I’m done for the day, though!”

“Yay!” Nightkit cheered, excitedly shifting on her paws. Now she and her dad could hang out!

Wait! The elders!

She couldn’t hang out with him yet! She had to join Quickkit and Foxkit!

“What have you been up to?” Darkfrost prompted, swiping away a stray loose piece of fur on Nightkit’s shoulder.

“A lot! But can I tell you later? I’m supposed to go see the elders with Foxkit and Quickkit!” Nightkit flicked her head at the dark tunnel that her friends had disappeared into.

“You have no time for your dad?” Darkfrost gasped, a look of anguish and hurt in his eyes. He let go of Nightkit to place a paw on his chest, his ears flattening against his head. “B-but…”

“Daaaad!” Nightkit giggled. He looked so silly! Her father’s expression lightened, and he leaned down to touch his nose to her cheek.

“Playing! Go have fun. We can catch up later. Say hi to your grandpas for me!” Darkfrost nudged her, and Nightkit nodded, eagerly racing off with a quick goodbye.

She wasted no time in darting into the short tunnel that led to the elders’ burrow. It only took a few strides to pop out into the dug out burrow; all of the burrows except the nursery were really quick to get into.

Pale light shone from above through the leaf covering, lighting up the pelts of Foxkit and Quickkit, who were clustered around the three elders chattering away in their soft, feather-lined nests.

“Hi, grandpas!” Nightkit greeted, making two toms look up at her.

“Nightkit!” Gravelheave rasped, his dark grey pelt a little unkempt. His white tail-tip flicked in greeting, and Nightkit trotted up to him to touch noses with her mother’s dad.

She moved on to touch noses with Badgerclaw, her dad’s dad. His white nose stripe and back stripe stood out starkly against his black pelt, making him really look like a badger! Nightkit had never seen one, but she had heard tales of them.

“Nice to see you,” Badgerclaw murmured fondly, and Nightkit settled between her grandpas. “Siltdrop was just telling Foxkit and Quickkit a story.”

Nightkit peered at her friends, paying full attention to a silver tabby she-cat with a dark grey chest.

“…And then, Blazepelt leapt at the hawk! It let go of Rootkit, and Rabbitear caught her!”

Quickkit and Foxkit both gasped aloud, and Nightkit puffed.

“Aw, they were supposed to wait for me for the stories…” Nightkit grumbled, though she didn’t actually mind all that much. It was a story about their dad. “But I guess it’s okay.”

Gravelheave chuckled, tucking his front paws under him. “There’s plenty of stories to hear. You have all the time to hear all kinds of stories.”

Nightkit meowed a soft agreement, half-listening to Siltdrop’s story for a moment, before she sniffed at Gravelheave’s slightly messy pelt. “Do you want help grooming a little, grandpa?”

“That would be sweet of you,” Gravelheave looked at her appreciatively. “You can help with my back. It’s hard to twist back there, and Badgerclaw and Siltdrop are always too sleepy to help.”

“I helped the other day!” Badgerclaw retorted, with no harshness behind his words. “You just have so much fur, it tangles up just sitting there.”

Gravelheave huffed, and Nightkit couldn’t suppress a smile at the elders and their remarks. She sat up and leaned over her grandpa, softly lapping at his dark grey pelt, focusing on smoothing the fur along his back. She didn’t mind helping at all in general, but she could also see it as early training! Apprentices had to look after the elders and help them out, after all. She was just getting a head start!

It didn’t take long to smooth Gravelheave’s ruffled back. It really wasn’t that messy, just a little ruffled. By the time she was done, Siltdrop had finished her story, and Foxkit and Quickkit were chatting amongst themselves about the story. “Dad was so cool!” Quickkit thwacked his tail against the earth, stirring up a bit of dust. “I can’t believe he fought so many hawks! They’re so big!”

“He was the Clan’s best hunter when it came to birds,” Siltdrop rasped. “You have to be careful aboveground. Big birds like to look for anything out in the open. Blazepelt was brave, and didn’t let the birds get near anyone if he could help it.”

Nightkit shivered. No thanks! I’m happy underground!

Luckily for her, when she did go out, she had her parents watching the sky. She couldn’t imagine going outside alone!

Badgerclaw curled his tail close, drawing his tongue across his lips. “Hawk tastes really good. Maybe one of you will grow up to be a hawk hunter.”

Foxkit’s eyes gleamed at that idea, and Quickkit gasped enthusiastically.

“I’d bring ‘em down with one swipe!” Quickkit squealed. “They’d be no match for me!”

“Very brave of you,” Siltdrop purred, though her tone quickly became serious. “But it’s important to remember a hawk can drag away even a full-grown cat. You must not do anything reckless if you see one.”

Foxkit and Quickkit nodded obediently. Nightkit knew that Quickkit could occasionally be a little serious…at least, when it came to situations where he could get seriously hurt.

No way I’d try to get a hawk!

“Oh! Looks like I missed you, Nightkit,” Siltdrop rumbled. “Hello! Would you like a story? I’m sorry you missed out, Foxkit really wanted to hear a story about Blazepelt.”

Nightkit got to her paws, carefully stepping around her grandpas to make her way over to the other elder and her friends. “Oh, yes please!”

“Hm…” the silver tabby she-cat hummed thoughtfully as the three kits quieted down and settled around her, eyes wide and expectant. “How about…a story about the curse?”

“The curse?” Nightkit tilted her head.

“Isn’t that a bit scary for kits?” Gravelheave piped up. “Don’t give them nightmares! I think their mothers would have our pelts.”

“Relax,” Siltdrop dismissively flicked her tail. “It’s not that bad.”

“What’s a curse?” Quickkit asked, fidgeting with his paws.

“It’s something that haunted BurrowClan for many seasons,” Siltdrop began, flicking her ear at Badgerclaw and Gravelheave who looked at her warily. “It brought great destruction. The Clan almost perished completely.”

The kits all gasped, and Nightkit’s eyes widened. That sounded bad! Why hadn’t she heard about something so serious and dangerous before?

“The curse came as cats,” the tabby elder went on. “It happened so randomly, it was impossible to predict and prepare for. Some kits would be born cursed, and bring destruction with them. Cats would mysteriously die all around the Clan, and StarClan would send a warning to try to help us. The curse was beyond them.”

“StarClan…” Foxkit breathed. Nightkit shared her awe. StarClan, their warrior ancestors…they were so elusive!

“Wow!” Quickkit squeaked, eyes wide in horror. “Cats would just…die?! Because of the cursed cat?”

Siltdrop nodded grimly. “So many would.”

“What happened when StarClan sent the signs?” Nightkit leaned closer, her pelt itching with curiosity.

“The signs would tell who was causing the destruction,” the elderly she-cat went on, dipping her head. “Then, the leader would exile the cat. But it wasn’t always simple. Once, almost the entirety of the Clan was wiped out by a curse, before my time. StarClan’s sign was a little too late. But, as you can tell, we’re still standing.”

“StarClan couldn’t take the curse away?” Foxkit tilted her head curiously.

“No, it was beyond them. But they helped however they could.”

“But…what if there’s another one?!” Quickkit gasped, suddenly looking terrified. “What if one of us is cursed, and we don’t know yet?! Is everyone gonna die?!”

Foxkit leaned to comfort her brother, but all it did was make him wail.

“Told you you’d scare them!” Gravelheave scolded, and Siltdrop rolled her eyes. Her gaze softened, and she gently reached out a paw to Quickkit. Nightkit understood his fear. Dread was pooling in her belly. Why hadn’t anyone warned her about curses? She didn’t realize her Clan could be in so much danger!

“It’s okay,” Siltdrop soothed, and Quickkit sniffled. “I wasn’t finished. I was going to tell you about how BurrowClan got rid of the curse once and for all.”

“We…got rid of it? For real?” Quickkit quickly started to calm down, Foxkit letting out a little relieved noise. Nightkit felt herself relax, too.

Thank StarClan! It’s not around anymore!

“For real,” Siltdrop confirmed softly. “Our leader, before Tunnelstar, was Duskstar. I was around when she was alive. She gave a great sacrifice to save the Clan from cursed cats. I witnessed many of my Clanmates die when I was young. But Duskstar saved us.”

“How?” Nightkit whispered. She sounded like a hero!

“She gave up the rest of her lives,” Siltdrop murmured, looking wistful and in awe herself. “She had seven left. But when she lost so many of our Clan, she took action. She went to the Moonfalls with the medicine cat, Eagleflake, to commune with StarClan, and desperately pleaded to ask what she could do. StarClan told her they discovered the power of a leader’s lives could defeat the evil source of the curse. So, she readily gave them all up.”

“Wow!” Nightkit breathed, awestruck.

“That’s so brave!” Quickkit sounded just as breathless.

“That’s so sad,” Foxkit murmured. “I wish it could have been defeated by something else.”

“It is sad,” Siltdrop agreed. “But it saved our Clan. Eagleflake brought back Duskstar’s body, and Tunnelshadow became Tunnelstar. We’ve had no curses for moons and moons. Duskstar truly saved us all.”

“I’m so sad nobody talks about her!” Nightkit frowned. “She was a hero!”

“We do talk about her,” Badgerclaw gruffly pointed out. “We just don’t usually tell kits. It can be a scary story for a cat so young.”

“It wasn’t scary!” Quickkit insisted. “I mean, it was…but we know the curse is gone, so it’s not scary anymore!”

Siltdrop gave a pointed, smug look to the other elders, who both huffed.

“I’m getting hungry,” Foxkit quietly meowed to Quickkit after a moment of silence. “I’m gonna go get some food and go back to mom.”

“Oh! Me too!” Quickkit got to his paws. “Thanks for the stories, Siltdrop! Bye!”

Nightkit giggled as Quickkit wasted no time living up to his namesake, racing out of the elders’ burrow. Foxkit shared an amused look with Nightkit, before slowly padding off after her brother.

“Goodbye!” The elders all called after the kits.

Nightkit got to her own paws. Now that she wasn’t focused on an intense story, she could feel hunger biting at the edges of her belly. “I’m getting hungry, too. Thanks for the story.”

“Of course, dear,” Siltdrop purred.

Nightkit padded over to her grandpas, touching noses with them again. “Oh! Dad says hi, by the way.”

“Tell him hi back,” Gravelheave purred, the sound rough and raspy.

“And that he needs to visit more!” Badgerclaw added. “Him and his brother must think they’re too cool for their ol’ dad.”

His tone was teasing and light, and Nightkit laughed. “I will!”

Bounding off after her friends, Nightkit emerged back into the camp clearing. Most of the cats she had seen out and about were gone now, likely doing their own thing. As she glanced up at the hole above, she saw the light was fading just a little. It was getting close to evening, so most cats were probably finishing patrols or duties for the night.

Some cats were sprawled around camp, sharing prey and chatting. Nightkit saw Foxkit and Quickkit in the middle of the clearing with their mother. Nightkit spotted Warrenstalk next to her, and ran over.

“Hi, mom!” Nightkit squeaked, reaching up to touch their noses together.

“Hi!” Warrenstalk purred, sitting down and patting the spot beside her with one paw. Nightkit obediently sat down. “From what Foxkit and Quickkit are saying, you had an exciting day!”

“Yeah!” Nightkit nodded eagerly.

Before she could go on about her day, Darkfrost came into view with a plump rabbit hanging heavily from his jaws. He was walking over from the fresh-kill pile, and flicked his head. Warrenstalk got up, and guided Nightkit over to a quiet spot where they all huddled down in front of the rabbit.

“Picked just for you guys,” Darkfrost murmured, nuzzling Warrenstalk. She purred, licking his cheek. “The plumpest rabbit on the pile.”

“Thank you, hon,” Warrenstalk looked over at Nightkit. “Wanna tell me and your dad about your exciting day, sweet thing?”

“Yes!” Nightkit eagerly purred, sinking her teeth into a small, soft part of the rabbit’s belly. She ate it quickly, swallowing as her parents dug in themselves. “So, first me and Foxkit and Quickkit defeated Peatpaw…”

After a filling meal and rambling on about her day to her parents, as well as a game of moss ball and some evening sunbathing, all three cats headed to the nursery. From the faint moonlight cascading into the nursery, Nightkit could see Rabbitear and her kits were soundly snuggled in their nest, so she carefully stepped around her. Ravenhaze was sprawled out as much as she could be with her huge belly, thankfully asleep. Even Wildrunner, with her mud stained white and grey splotched coat, was in her own nest near Ravenhaze, a rare occurrence.

Warrenstalk laid down in her nest, and Nightkit snuggled into her belly, sighing as her eyes fluttered shut. She was so sleepy and worn out from her exciting day. She felt Darkfrost curl around her and her mother, and she happily fell asleep, feeling loved and safe between her parents.

#warriors ocs #warrior cats oc #warriors fanfiction #warrior cats fanfiction #fanfiction #fallen #warrior cats #warriors #chapter #nightkit #burrowclan

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the-determined-sparks-au · 7 months

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Thundergrowth Clowder

Bishop : Bishop Lilystrike {Bluestar/Willowbreeze}- a long furred blue/silver thick pelted molly with black horns and blue eyes. Icewillow has golden brown scales creeping up the back of her neck* Sibling: Lilystrike, Thistleclaw

Heir: None

Guardian: Sparrowsong {Halftail}- a very dark mackerel tabby tom with white horns, yellow eyes and pine green scales on his chest. Sparrowsong has a very short tail Apprentice: Raccoonpaw

Sibling: Patchbelly

Mate: Waspeye

Children: Wildrunner, Owlglare

Soothepurr: Featherwhisker- a long furred, thick pelted smooth silver- gray tom with light yellow eyes and teal gold scale crawling across his belly. Featherwhisker has yellow horns and yellow eyes. Apprentice: Spottedpaw

Warriors

Waspeye {One-Eye}- pale gray virtually blind molly with scars all over body and shredded ears along with patches of violet scales. Her left was clawed out and the wound has since healed shut- her remaining eye is a foggy yellow

Mate: Sparrowsong

Children: Wildrunner, Owlglare

Jaygrowl {Robinwing/Dappletail}- a small brown molly with patches of orange and black scales with thick sleek fur. Dapplewing has white horns and amber eyes

Parent: Mumblestep

Sibling: Thrushnose

Mate: Specklescorch

Children: Lionheart, Finchdawn

Patchbelly- a small black and white tom with green gold scales crawling on his face and shoulders. Patchbelly has white horns and yellow eyes {Patchpelt}

Sibling: Sparrowsong

Thistleclaw- a huge gray and white tabby tom with uneven patches of yellow green scales crawling on his face and spiky fur. Thistleclaw has black horns, amber eyes and spiky fur that is said to be softer than it looks Apprentice:Tigerpaw

Siblings: Icewillow, Nectarpool

Child: Sleetsong

Rosetail- a gray ticked tabby molly with a bushy tail with red rose scales at the end. Rosetail has white horns and blue eyes

Parent: Poppydawn

Children: Racoonpaw, Spottedpaw

Lionheart- a large golden tabby tom with thick fluffy mane around his neck like Leo’s mane. Lionheart has patches of black scales; brown horns and green eyes

Parents: Specklescorch, Dapplewing

Sibling: Finchdawn

Mate: Frostnip

Turtlenose- a brown and white tom with golden brown scale legs and two white toes. Turtlenose has white horns and orange eyes and was formerly a Drifter

Mate: Sablewhisker

Children: Wisteriafog, Fireflydawn

Sablewhisker- a black spotted tabby with indigo scales crawling on her shoulders. Sablewhisker has silver horns and blue eyes and was formerly a Drifter

Mate: Turtlenose

Children: Wisteriafog, Fireflydawn

Sharpwatcher- light gray ticked tabby with white scales going up his legs. Sharpwatcher has small ears, black horns and copper eyes

Parent: Sheepear

Sibling: Frostnip

Frostnip {Frostfur}- a long furred speckle gray molly with white scales splash across her face. Frostnip has white horns, small folded ears and blue eyes

Parent: Sheepear

Sibling: Sharpwhisker

Sleetsong {Whitestorm}-a snowy white tom with tufted ears and patches of silver scales crawling on his face that shimmer in the light. Sleetstorm has black horns and blue eyes.

Parent: Thistleclaw

Mate: Wisteriog

Childrem: Tulip, Fern

Fireflydawn- a chocolate brown mackerel tom with an orange scaled tail. Fireflydawn has white horns, orange eyes and small ears.

Parents: Turtlenose, Sablewhisker

Sibling: Wisteriafog

Owlglare {Mousefur/Darkstripe}- small solid black molly with silver scales crawling up her tail. Owlglare has a pink nose, white horns and orange eyes.*

Parents: Sparrowsong, Waspeye

Sibling: Wildrunner

Wildrunner {Runningwind}- a lithe light brown tabby tom with black scales going across his face. Wildrunner has brown horns and green eyes.

Parents: Sparrowsong, Waspeye

Sibling: Mousetooth

Nightsnap {Nightkit}- sleek black molly with with darker strikes. Nightsnap has silver scales crawling up her face and neck, white horns and green eyes

Parent: Panthershade

Siblings: Mistsong, Tigerpaw

Apprentices

Raccoonpaw {Redtail}- a small brown furred tortoiseshell tabby tom with pale marigold scales going across his face and shoulders. Raccoonpaw has a vibrant ginger tail, amber eyes and white horns.*

Parent: Rosetail

Sibling: Spottedpaw

Spottedpaw- a dark tortoiseshell molly with white splotches on her face and belly. Spottedpaw has blue-black scales crawling up her back, amber eyes and black horns.

Parent: Rosetail

Sibling: Racconpaw

Tigerpaw- a large dark brown tabby tom blessed with the stripes and claws of Tigris. Tigerpaw has flecks of white scales crawling up his face and belly, red scales going across his throat, white horns and amber eyes.

Parent: Panthershade

Siblings: Mistsong, Nightsnap

Blazepaw- a long-furred bright flame-ginger molly blessed with the rosetted coat of Pardus with black scales crawling up her legs and belly. Blazepaw has a white chin, tip tail, black horns and arm-webs; green eyes. Formerly of Stratovden.

Parents: Jake, Nicole

Siblings: Sean, Ruby, Sootpaw

Monarchs and Caretakers

Head caretaker: Specklescorch {Speckletail}- a cream golden classic molly with splashes of dark red scales going down her back and tail. Specklescorch has yellow horns and green eyes.

Mate: Dapplewing

Children: Lionheart, Finchdawn

Thrushnose {Thrushpelt}- a pale grayish brown with white scales crawling up his chest and neck. Thrushnose has white flecks across his snout, brown horns and green eyes

Parent: Mumblestep

Sibling: Dapplewing

Mistsong {Mistkit}- a gray molly with a white locket and belly. Mistsong has sky blue scales crawling up her legs and down her spine, black horns and amber eyes

Parent: Panthershade

Siblings: Nightsnap, Tigerpaw

Finchdawn {Goldenflower}-a golden tabby molly with gray torbie patches with blue scales across her shoulders and back legs. Finchdawn has a short tail, white horns and green eyes

Parents: Dapplewing, Specklescorch

Sibling: Lionheart

Children: Coyote, Jackal

Wisteriafog{Willowpelt/Brindleface}- pale gray spotted molly with white scales along her back; silver horns and blue eyes

Parents: Turtlenose, Sablewhisker

Sibling: Fireflydawn

Mate: Sleetstorm

Children: Tulip, Fern

Kits

Coyote {Sand/Bright}- a cinnamon tabby molly with torbie patches and a white belly. Sand has red scales crawling up her back and legs, green eyes and white horns

Parent: Finchdawn

Sibling: Jackal

Jackal {Swiftpaw/Longtail}-a pale sandy furred tom with dark black stripes and white splotches. Swift has silver scales on his toes, ears and legs with white horns and blue eyes.

Parent: Finchdawn

Siblings: Coyote

Lynx- a cinnamon torbie molly with dark brown tabby patches and yellow feathers on her shoulders and throat. Lynx has green scales going across her face, yellow eyes and black horns. Under the care of Thrushnose

Tulip {Graystripe}- dark gray tom with darker gray feathers along his spine. Tulip has bright teal scales along his shoulders and legs, black horns and yellow eyes

Parents: Wisteriafog, Sleetsong

Sibling: Fern

Fern- pale gray molly with darker flecks and a white belly. Fern has green scales along her throat and crawling up her face, white horns and green eyes

Parents: Wisteriafog, Sleetsong

Sibling: Tulip

Elders

Mumblestep {Mumblefoot}- a small graying brown tom with thick fur that is patched. Mumblestep has orange scales on the back of his neck and chest, white horns and amber eyes. The oldest cat in Thundergrowth

Children: Dapplewing, Thrushnose

Panthershade {Leopardfoot}- a sleek raven-black molly with white splotches on her face. Leopardshade has pink scales crawling on her legs and the tip of her tail, silver horns and green eyes.

Child: Tigerpaw

Sheepear {Smallear}- a gray tom with very small folded ears, one which has a nick in it. Sheepear has black scales crawling up his throat and down his chest, black horns and orange eyes

Children: Frostnip, Sharpwhisker

Poppydawn- long haired dark red molly with an extremely bushy tail. Poppydawn has golden scales going down her back and legs, brown horns and amber eyes.

Child: Rosetail

#warrior cats au #warrior cats rewrite #world building #thunderclan #Thundergrowth #allegiances

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determined-blazeau · 1 year

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Thunderclan

Leader: Icestar (P.Bluestar)- messy silver bluish gray molly with silver scales across her muzzle and tabby markings on her legs; blue-green eyes and silver horns*

Sibling: Snowfang, Featherfall, Cricketsong

Child: Mossfreeze

Apprentice: Blazepaw

Heir: Mossfreeze (P.Mosskit)- dark gray tom with white splotches and a silver scale paws; bright blue eyes and white horns* Sentinal

Parent: Icestar

Protector: Cardinalspark- dark brown tabby tom with ginger tortie splotches and white scales on his face; yellow eyes and black horns*

Sibling: Patchbelly

Apprentice: Tigerpaw

Meditator: Rosetail- gray tabby molly with a pink orange scaled tail; yellow eyes and brown horns

Sibling: Tigerpaw

Children: Spottedleaf, Racconrustle

Fairy: Spottedleaf- dark tortoiseshell molly with white on her paws and red feathers growing along her spine; amber eyes and black horns

Parent: Rosetail

Sibling: Racconrustle

Warriors

Fuzzythorn (P.Fuzzypelt)- black tom with fur that stands on end with gray spines along his spine; yellow eyes and gray horns Crafter

Children: Buzzardpaw, Ravenpaw

Robinwing- small dusky brown molly with a ginger patch of scales on her chest; amber eyes and red horns

Mate: Specklescorch (Ex)

Children: Peachthorn, Wablerheart, Addertail

G.Children: Lynxkit, Hoodkit, Sunnykit

Dappletail- black and brown tortoiseshell molly with white scale patches; amber eyes Crafter

Children: Featherfall, Cricketsong

Patchbelly- black tom with white belly and white scale legs and face; amber eyes and gray horns

Sibling: Cardinalspark

Snowfang (P: Snowfur)- white molly with grey tabby points and black scaled ears; black horns and blue eyes

Sibling: Icestar, Featherfall, Cricketsong

Child: Blizzardstorm

Sweetfern (P.Sweetkit)- small white molly with tortoiseshell scale patches and tiny ears, green eyes and brown horns Blacksmith

Apprentice: Ravenpaw

Warblerheart (P.Lionheart)- long furred golden tabby tom with a white scaled belly; green eyes and golden horns

Parents: Specklescorch, Robinwing

Siblings: Peachthorn

Half-Sibling: Addertail

Apprentice: Drizzlepaw

Featherfall (P.Featherkit)- deaf white tom with a white scaled tail; blue eyes and white horns Blacksmith

Parent: Dappletail

Sibling: Cricketsong, Icestar, Snowfang

Blizzardstorm (P.Whitestorm)- snowy white tom with grey tabby points and a scaled tail; yellow eyes Sentinel

Parent: Snowfang

Mate: Willowheart

Child: Drizzlepaw

Apprentice: Sandpaw

Darkstripe- large gray tom with black scaled stripes; yellow eyes and silver horns

Mate: Brindleface

Willowheart (P.Willowpelt)- slender very pale silver-gray molly with dark gray scales along her spine; blue eyes and white horns

Mate: Blizzardhawk

Child: Drizzlepaw

Brindleface- silver dilute tortoiseshell molly with darker scaled flecks; green eyes and silver horns

Parent: Sheepear

Sibling: Frostshine

Mate: Darkstripe

Racoonrustle (P.Redtail)- small black tortoiseshell with a distinctive ginger tail and dark ginger scale patches; amber eyes and brown horns

Parent: Rosetail

Sibling: Spottedleaf

Mate: Wildrunner

Child: Sandpaw

Apprentice: Buzzardpaw

Wildrunner (P.Runningwind)- light brown tabby tom with black scales around his eyes and black scale hooves on his hind legs; green eyes and black horns, formery of Windclan

Parents: Mudclaw, Morningsong

Sibling: Lionwhisker

Mate: Racconrustle

Child: Sandpaw

Addertail (P.Longtail)- pale brown tabby tom with dark black scale stripes and a long tail; blue eyes and silver horns

Parent: Robinwing

Sibling: Lionheart, Peachthorn

Apprentices

Blazepaw (P.Fireheart)- dark ginger molly with black stripe scales on her legs, a white chin and chest along with a white tip tail; green eyes and black horns

Parents: Starlingstar, Garnett, Alexandrite, Quartz

Siblings: Spinel, Ruby, Jade, Opal, Obsidian, Topaz

Tigerpaw- large thick furred dark brown tabby tom with a patch of reddish scales on his throat and unusual long front claws; red eyes and white horns

Half-Sibling: Rosetail

Ravenpaw- skinny black tom with a white dash on his chest and tail along with an extra pair of scaly white paws; green eyes and white horns

Parent: Fuzzythorn

Sibling: Buzzardpaw

Drizzlepaw (P.Graystripe)- massive dark gray and white spotted tabby tom with a dark blue gray stripe along his spine, unusual white scales spotting his face; yellow eyes and white horns

Parents: Blizzardstorm, Willowheart

Sandpaw- light cream brown tabby molly with dark red scale stripes along her back and dark red scale hooves on her hind legs; green eyes and red horns*

Parents: Racconrustle, Wildrunner

Buzzardpaw (P.Dustpelt)- large dark brown tabby tom with dark black scale paws and an extra pair of scaly black paws; green eyes and black horns

Parent: Fuzzythorn

Sibling: Ravenpaw

Monarchs

Speacklescorch (P.Speckletail)- pale golden spotted tabby molly with white scale marking around her face; amber eyes and white horns; Head Caretaker

Mate: Robinwing (ex)

Children: Lionheart, Peachthorn

Peachthorn (P.Goldenflower)- long furred pretty golden spotted molly with pale pinkish scale stripes; yellow eyes and amber horns

Parents: Specklescorch, Robinwing

Siblings:Wablerheart, Addertail

Children: Lynxkit, Harpykit, Sunnykit

Cricketsong- dark blue gray tom with white patches and black scaled back; blue eyes and black horns; Caretaker

Parent: Dappletail

Siblings: Icestar, Snowfang, Featherfall

Mousebite (P.Mousefur)- dusty brown molly with black scales spotting on her right side and belly; orange eyes and brown horns

Parents: Waspeye, Sparrowsong

Kits: Expecting

Frostshine- sleek speckled gray cat with scaled white legs and tail; blue eyes and white horns (they/them)

Parent: Sheepear

Sibling: Brindleface

Mate: Wablerheart

Children: Preparing

Kits

Lynxkit- dark golden molly with patches of brown tabby splotches and a black scaled tail; yellow eyes and black horns

Parent: Peachthorn

Siblings: Harpykit, Sunnykit

Harpykit- huge black molly with silver scales on her throat and belly; green eyes and silver horns

Parent: Peachthorn

Siblings: Lynxkit, Sunnykit

Sunnykit- long furred golden spotted tom with white scale ears and paws; white horns and green eyes

Parent: Peachthorn

Siblings: Harpykit, Sunnykit

Elders

Sparrowsong (P.Halftail)- dark brown tabby tom with patch fur and black scales poking through; yellow eyes and black horns

Mate: Waspeye

Child: Mousebite

Sheepear(P.Smallear)- gray tom with dark brown scale belly and folded ears; yellow eyes and brown horns

Children: Frostshine, Brindleface

Waspeye (P.One-eye)- pale gray molly with scars across her face and a patch of silver scales along her back: virtually blind and dead with one yellow eye and one broken black horn

Mate: Sparrowsong

Child: Mousebite

#warrior cat au #warrior cats rewrite #warriors rewrite #warrior cats au #warriors au #thunderclan allegiances

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distillerchic92 · 1 year

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Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Nike Wildrunner Wild Run Black and Grey PR Jacket.

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red-arrow-pack · 6 years

Photo

“Suffer as the wildlands have suffered!”

#warcraft #world of warcraft #gifs #hunter #marksman #thas'dorah #artifact #wildrunner #blood elf #belf #sin'dorei #huntress #lunara #wow legion #war of the thorns #lore #roleplay #heroes of the storm

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starboyholland · 7 years

Text

Therapy - Harry Holland One Shot

Requested: No

Rating: PG-13 for idk cursing, drinking, that kinda stuff idk this isn't too rough :)

Summary: You and Harry have been rivals for as long as you can both remember. Last week, the two of you fucked and you can’t get him out of your head. Now, the two of you are at the same, crazy party, and you just can’t seem to avoid each other. (Inspired by ‘Therapy’ by Khalid).

A/N: ‘Y/L/N’ stands for ‘your last name’ just for clarification.

Happy reading!

“Something that you’re doing has me falling all the way”

Harry had been staring at you all night. He’d been staring at you since seventh fucking grade, actually. His staring had been what initiated your feud. He had been caught off guard by the pretty, smart, witty girl who sat three seats down from him in his seventh grade English class with the droning teacher. One day you’d caught him looking at you for what had felt like the billionth time, so you had leaned forward so the two of your eyes locked, unobstructed by the people sitting in desks between you. “Maybe you should take a picture, it would last a while longer,” you had questioned, the words had flown straight from your lips and bitten into him, he had recoiled as if he had been punched. The only way he could think to respond was more violently than he’d intended.

“Of you? In your dreams, YLN.”

He had spat the words with a tone much more harsh than the one you’d employed and he still remembered how you’d frowned slightly before making sure the teacher wasn't paying attention before spitting out the words, “then fuck off, Holland.” Ever since, the two of you had a rivalry the entire school knew about, that neither of you made any effort to hide.

But then last week had happened. Last week with a club meeting that had ended up in a way so unexpected that you could barely convince yourself it had happened. But you knew it had, of course, as after it’d happened, Harry had grown only colder towards you, his comments carrying more of a sting than usual. You couldn’t tell if you were just extra sensitive, or if something had changed, or both.

But now, it had been exactly a week, and you were both at the school football game. Both of you there to photograph the student section and the game. You and Harry had shared your usual un-pleasantries as you worked, both of you in the school photography club, and the best photographers for the yearbook staff. Harry had bumped into you as you were in the middle of taking a photo and you reprimanded him sharply for blurring the picture you had been so excited to take.

“God, Holland, there’s an entire stadium around here and you decided to walk right where I am?” you’d rolled your eyes and brought up the blurred photograph on your camera screen, doing your best not to show your surprise that the picture actually looked good, as though it had been blurred on purpose.

“Get a grip, YLN, like I would want to get any closer to you than I have to,” he had scoffed. “I probably made the picture, better, anyhow, y’should be thanking me,” he had then turned and walked away, leaving you alone beneath the bright lights of the field to take your pictures.

You tried to convince yourself that you didn't miss the company. You tried even harder to convince yourself that you even remembered why you and Harry hated each other so much.

Your school team won the game, the student section had gone ballistic and shortly after, everyone had piled into cars and headed to a party to celebrate your team’s win. Your friends had convinced you to go, and before you knew it, you found yourself with a red plastic cup in your hands and your bones shaking from the volume of the music that pounded like a pulse in the house.

You were a light-weight, you knew that from the first sip you’d taken that night, not used to the burn and buzz of the alcohol everyone else around you seemed to be tolerating so well. You were so drunk that you saw two Harry’s instead of one staring t you from the other side of the dim room.

“I’m tripping off your love and all the other drugs we’re taking”

At this point, you had injested just the right amount of Jello-shots to make your away across the crowded basement, rolling up your sweater sleeves and walking right up to harry, so close that your chests nearly touched. His friends noticed you immediately and didn't wait to begin giving the two of you some space. Harry smirked at you, crossing his arms, smirking at you. You could tell your face was flushed slightly, partially from the alcohol and partially from the heat of being in a crowded room in your thick sweater

You didn’t really process the image before you, you didn’t notice that Harry’s eyes were red, or that he slightly swayed on his feet unintentionally.

“I don't mean to come off aggressive”

“Why do ya keep starin’ at me, Holland? Hm?” you inquired, poking your finger into his chest in an accusatory fashion. He said nothing, only continued to smirk. “You’ve been mean t’ me all week,” The alcohol that had settled deep in your veins now pushed you on, causing you to step even closer, Harry didn’t back away in the slightest and now your chests were touching, not a measurable space between the two of you.

“Have’nt been this close since they made us dance for gym in eight grade,” Harry teased. “Sure you savored that moment,” you quipped back.

“Why d’ya hate, me, Holland?” you questioned more quietly now, your mood swinging wildly with the alcohol in your veins. Harry’s smirk faltered as you continued. “’S there somethin’ wrong with me? Why are ya always starin’?” now you were pushing slightly on his chest with both hands.

“You fuckin’ had sex with me, like, a week ago, and you’re actin’ like it never happened, was it that bad? Do you despise me, or somethin’? What did I do-” Your voice was hushed but growing louder with emotion.

Before you could continue, Harry’s hands rested on your forearms, holding you steady and silencing you at the same time. You wished that you could self-regulate your actions, but at the moment you didn’t mind because Harry’s touch was a nice kind of warm.

“No, ‘f course there’s nothin’ wrong with ya, YN, you’re the most goddamn perfect person I know,” he admitted quietly, his hands dropping to his sides before he made the bold decision to grab one of your hands in his own. “Let’s go out there,” he said, weakly pointing towards the door that led to a patio. His hands were clammy and slightly shaky in your own, you hadn’t stopped to consider that he was nervous. You hadn’t thought until now that Harry was just as gone as you were, his eyes were pink and so were his cheeks.

The two of you found your way to the empty patio that sat above the large backyard of the house, lots of your classmates mingling around below where you sat, walking around the lawn on legs that made them look as stable as new-born deer.

Harry found a chair around an empty patio table and you sat in a chair across from him, trying to get comfortable as you felt yourself growing more and more sober, the buzz you’d felt earlier beginning to ebb away now that you’d realized what you had done. You’d just made it very clear that you cared more than you’d previously let on to Harry, just as your friends had told you to do for years now. You’d always told them you never would, but you supposed that was now a lie.

“I’m just here to pass off the message”

“So,” Harry began, trying to think of what he wanted to say and how he could possibly say it sounding more put together than he really was.

“So,” you repeated quietly, playing with the sleeves of your sweater, thankful for the light breeze that whispered throughout the backyard, the music in the house seeming more like background noise now through the closed patio doors.

“Why is it so hard to talk to you when I’ve seen you naked- I’ve fucked you, for fucks sake, and I can’t even talk to you,” Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration, and leaning heavily back in his chair. His feet slid forward just enough to tap against yours at the movement and you winced as though the slight contact could somehow do you harm.

Harry cringed internally at the fact that the unexpected touch made you recoil so obviously. “I don’t hate you,” he spoke out loud, looking up from his hands that were sat in his lap, his fingers tangling and untangling themselves.

You nodded. “I don’t hate you either, don't even know why we have this whole rivalry thing goin’ on, if I'm honest,” you spoke, a quiet laugh slipping past your lips as you looked up to meet Harry’s eyes.

He wished he could express how wild you drove him. Not wild in a way that made him want to beat you at everything the two of you competed at, not the kind of wild that had the two of you shooting comebacks at each other constantly.

No, something about you- everything about you, drove him the kind of wild that made him search up your social media pages and tiptoe around the ‘like’ buttons to fawn over you. The kind of wild that made him want to bring you up at every possible moment, the kind of wild that made his friends sick of hearing about what you were up to. Everyone assumed that it was the rivalry, that his actions were driven by spite but they were wrong, his actions involving you were, and always had, (even since that day in seventh grade) been driven by his feelings for you. Harry Holland had a crush on you. He had since he met you in middle school and some- if not most days, he was convinced he always would.

So when you looked up at him with those pretty doe eyes, and your smile that made him think of stars. Your mannerisms that had made him look up your compatibility according to astrology websites more than he would ever admit.

It had been worse since the two of you had found yourselves kissing in a back hallway after photography club, with nobody around to see. That had ended up with you on top of him in the back seat of his car in what he was sure was the best moment of his life. The two of you had dressed and acted as though nothing had happened. He couldn't get your face, your touch, your taste from his head. He couldn’t stop thinking of how your voice had sounded calling his name as your head was thrown back in his car.

“I can’t stop thinking about you,” was all he said.

“Then it’s probably good that we’re talking,” you replied with a small smile.

“I need your therapy”

Harry nodded, he had never needed to talk to somebody so bad in his life, he wondered if this was what having a shrink was like. Probably not, he decided quickly.

“I think I have a crush on you.” You blurted out, you clapped your hand over your mouth for a second before dropping it helplessly at your side, shutting your eyes in disbelief that your self control had dwindled down so much that you had allowed yourself to become so vulnerable.

Harry, on the other hand, had never felt so relieved, so light, so elated in his life. He felt like the sparks that shot out of a dying star, he felt like the rays of sun that warmed the earth, like a firework, he felt like the human embodiment of a lightbulb, a hot air balloon, a candle, a lightning bug, a fireplace,the first rainbow. Harry felt like love poetry and the like the music that pounded in the house. He couldn’t hold back the smile that spread from one side of his face to the other.

“Great, now you’re never goin’ t’ let that one go, might as well start to transfer out of our school now, you’ll probably spread that around like wildfire-” You sighed, pulling one of your legs close to your chest. Harry had never shook his head faster in his life.

“I hope I made the impression that I was always interested, all the feelings I kept in”

“No, listen, I like you too, have for like, forever,”

“couldn’t have liked me for forever, Holland, only ‘ve known ya since year seven,” you quipped, wishing you could suck the words back into your mouth. “Sorry,” you spoke quickly. “old habits die hard, I guess,” you spoke quietly, kicking yourself internally for ruining the mood. Harry laughed a little bit, his eyes crinkling.

“No, ‘s okay, I think you’re funny, ‘s been hard not to laugh at the funny things you say all this time,” he admitted slightly sheepishly. You couldn’t hide your disbelief. “Really?” You inquired, your brows furrowing. Harry nodded his head to indicate ‘yes’.

“said I liked ya, didn’t I?” He grinned, his lips falling slightly as he continued to talk. “I’m sorry, I know I’ve been a real ass t’ you, especially this week. I tried to tell you one time, several times actually, but I could never get it out. Been tryin’ since like, fucking year seven,” He laughed at himself and you tried to process what he told you, taking the adorable sentiment to heart and letting it warm you from the inside out for a moment before returning sharply to the reality of the situation.

“So what should we do? Whatever you want to”

“So what do we do with this? Like, where do we go from here?” You questioned, finally giving voice to your uncertainty. Harry shrugged. Without thinking, you ascended from your seat, rarely letting your eyes leave Harry’s.

You realized, now that you allowed yourself to freely think about Harry, that after the last 5 years of constantly competing, the two of you had learned quite a bit about each other. You knew the face he made when your jokes were no longer funny and he could no longer continue banter, you knew the music and movies and books and classes he liked, you’d learned what he wanted to do for a living nd what his family was like, you realized that you and Harry were more well-acquainted than anyone, even the two of you, would give yourselves credit for.

You walked around the table and within a few quick steps you were upon him again, the two of you connecting as though you had been lovers for years, and not a few days.

You had managed to get one leg on either side of his lap, similar to how the two of you had been in his car, but Harry broke from the kiss long enough to slow you down. “Wait, wait, don’t want t’ have you like this, want to be able to remember every moment in the morning, don't want to take advantage of ya, as bad as I want ya right now, believe me I do,” He spoke quickly, pressing kisses to the side of your face lightly and your neck in between his words. You leaned forward into him, your tiredness catching up to you unexpectedly. The shots you’d taken earlier working against whatever energy you had left.

“I’m not the type for relationships, it’s overrated”

“Are we just going to keep doing this? Just keep this, whatever it is a secret, and not put any labels on it?” You asked, trying to keep your expectations as low as possible to avoid getting hurt tonight by the boy who had come to mean so much to you. You’d heard him say in passing before more than once that he didn't see himself as “a relationship kind of guy.” That was part of what made you leave his car so quickly after you’d finished, pulling your clothes back on and pulling your hair up as quickly as you could, grabbing your backpack from his floor-mats and trying to look normal walking away on slightly shaky legs, forcing yourself not to look back.

“We could still be lovers, that’s all I’m saying”

“Do you want more?” He asked, his hand running encouragingly up and down your spine, the fabric of your sweater making him feel even more at home with you pressed close to him.

“I just know you’ve said you aren’t a relationship kind of guy, so we could still be like, lovers, or something-” your words came out slow but quickly sped up as your nerves increased, worried about saying the wrong combination of words that could send Harry flying away from any form of commitment that was too much in his eyes.

“Whoa, whoa, love, I’m not goin’ anywhere, don’t worry,” he said, and you could hear the slight smile in his voice. You nodded slightly, your face against his chest.

“What do you want?” You questioned, letting on of your hands play with his hair, he hummed quietly at your touch. “I want you,” he finally replied and this made you perk your head up and change your position slightly so the two of you were face to face again. “Meaning what?” You asked, your noses almost touching.

“Meaning,” he paused for a second to think. “I would be a relationship kind of guy with the right person, and I like you, and tell me if I’m wrong, but I think you might like me a bit,” his voice sincere, only carrying the familiar teasing tome towards the end.

“ You’re not wrong,” you assured with a smile, resting your forehead against his lightly, Harry’s hands around your waist.

“Well, YN,” His lips turning up into a smile. “Think that we’re ready to call a truce?”

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