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Post by malice on Jun 29, 2011 22:51:04 GMT -5
Maliceheart nodded as she explained that it would be too much time to run back to the Clan before the got too cold to move. He wondered what she meant about waiting tell the Clan about, but didn't dwell on it for too long.
"I'll go out and collect some leaves to make some bedding with," he meowed, leaving the cave to collect som of the leaves. A lot of them were blowing past, and the only thing he had to do was stand in one general area chasing them. He returned a couple times, making sure to set out a comfy bed for Echosong.
"There... that looks good..." he finally meowed, making sure that everything was perfect. He was such a perfectionist when it came to setting up anything. He looked up to see if Echosong was pleased or not.
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Post by echosong on Jun 29, 2011 22:56:22 GMT -5
Echosong smiled. No one had ever done anything this nice for her before. She licked his shoulder gratefully and settled down on one side of the flat area.
"I noticed you don't sleep near the other warriors. You can share this lovely bed with me, if you like. But if you don't want to be close to another cat, I understand......" She mewed softly.
'Come on you fool! ASK HIM!' she screamed in her mind.
But she was scared to ask him to be her mate. If he said no, it's crush her inside, she just knew it.
'That's what happened with Horsestar......'
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 12:54:54 GMT -5
Maliceheart blushed again under his dark fur again as Echosong licked his shoulder, but he was happy that she was pleased with everything he had set up. He froze again when she asked him about never sleeping around the other warriors, and offered to let him share the bed with her.
"Er... well..."
The truth was that he was shy. He was shy about sleeping around the other warriors, when he was an apprentice he was shy about sleeping around the other apprentices, and even when he was a kit he felt awkward sleeping next to his mother. However, Echosong was cold, and best way to keep her warm was sleeping next to her.
"...If it's alright with you, I'll join you," he finally mumbled, curling up next to her to keep her safe from the cold. After thinking about it, Echosong made him feel okay when he did something he normally didn't like, like be around someone else or sleep next to someone else. If she could make him face that, maybe she could even make him face his fears and lead him to StarClan...?
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Post by echosong on Jun 30, 2011 13:04:47 GMT -5
Echosong's ear drooped. She hadn't meant to make him uncomfortable. Maybe this wasn't the right time to ask. But she just wanted to help him. To guide him back to his warrior ancestors. Living without them.... She couldn't imagine it.
She pricked her ears and looked Maliceheart over. He was strong and lean, well able to care for her and any kits they might have together. She smiled at the thought of having little bundles of fur bouncing around her paws, seeing those fluff balls becoming warriors, of spoiling her grandkits. All the females in her family have had freakishly long lifespans. The males.... not so much. She shook her head and cleared her throat softly.
"Maliceheart?" she whispered softly. "Would you.... um... be willing to be..... my mate.....?"
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 14:08:29 GMT -5
Maliceheart lied down, with his head down on his paws, but his eyes were open, as if he was guarding the she-cat next to him from anything which might seek shelter in the cave. He was being protective... He was always protective of his sister and his mother, Silversnow, but never of anyone or anything else since Silversnow's death. He hadn't even visited his sister since his loss.
His amber eyes were locked onto the cave entrance. Why am I so afraid that something will rush through at any second? he thought, before turning back toward Echosong when he heard her speak.
"Would you.... um... be willing to be..... my mate.....?"
The black tom didn't know what to say. Silversnow always talked about what a great tom she had for a mate, but he had died just before Maliceheart had showed up. He didn't know how good of a mate he could be, he never had a real father-figure to try and be like. But he loved Echosong! As much as he tried to find another explanation for how he felt, the only answer was that he loved her. He nodded his head, pressing his nose to hers,
"Of course I will... I should be the one asking you..." he meowed, using a gentle tone for the first time in his life, "I love you, Echosong..."
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Post by echosong on Jun 30, 2011 14:14:32 GMT -5
Echosong smiled slightly, relieved at the tom's answer. She licked his cheek softly.
"I love you too, Maliceheart."
She pulled back slightly and looked at the tom. He was so tense. "What's wrong, Maliceheart? You're acting like you expect a dog to run in any minute."
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 14:24:47 GMT -5
Maliceheart looked up again when he felt Echosong pull back slightly and look at him. He felt his tail twitch when she asked him what he was so afraid of, and mentioned dogs.
"I was chased by them yesterday," he meowed, "Brushfire and I were going to get a chicken for the Clan, and the dogs chased us as we ran away... it was the first dog I've ever seen... I don't want you to get hurt again."
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Post by echosong on Jun 30, 2011 14:27:44 GMT -5
Echosong smiled sadly when she heard Maliceheart's concern for her.
"I know you care. And it's justified, really." She flicked her torn ear. "I can fight really well, you know. And if a dog did run in here, I'd be concerned about you. You've never fought a dog before have you?" she asked innocently.
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 14:56:16 GMT -5
Maliceheart listened as Echosong tried to comfort him. He purred, and put his nose to her shoulder. She was offering to protect him? He had never actually protected someone before, although he tried to help his mother fight greencough, there was nothing to fight other than what he could not hurt, the illness. He didn't want to risk loosing his new mate, now that he had lost almost everyone else that mattered to him.
"No... I've never fought a dog..." he meowed in response, "But I have been in fights before, and I've seen a dog... I'm sure that I can handle whatever comes in here... if something does, anyway."
The black tom didn't want to worry Echosong. The thing he didn't know was that there was reason to worry... there was a fox outside, two of them, looking for den to sleep in. Neither of the cats had any way of guessing they were out there, and neither of the foxes had any way of knowing that the two cats were in the cave.
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Post by echosong on Jun 30, 2011 15:02:59 GMT -5
Echosong purred softly. "They're really not that scary, once you know what to expect. I mean-" She stopped short as something-the foxes-walked into the cave, their nails clicking against the stone floor. The darkness made it difficult to see. Echosong stood up quickly, her pelt standing on end and her eyes stretched wide. She unsheathed her claws and stepped forward to stand beside Maliceheart.
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 15:33:18 GMT -5
Maliceheart felt his heart drop when Echosong stopped talking. He turned his head to see the foxes standing at the cave entrance, sniffing the air and growling, their fangs dripping with drool. He stood up quickly, steeping in front of the she-cat after she stood next to him, his fur standing on end.
One of the foxed ran at them, snarling loudly as it lunged for the cats. Maliceheart didn't dodge for fear that the fox would get Echo instead, so he jumped up with claws unsheathed, scratching it's forehead and catching his attention before landing behind it. The russet fox turned around quickly, lunging for him again.
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Post by echosong on Jun 30, 2011 15:38:25 GMT -5
As much as Echosong wanted to help her mate in his battle, the other fox had other ideas. It leapt at her and she rolled to the side, hooking her claws in it's flank and ripping a chunk of fur out. It yowled and turned to her, snarling and baring its teeth. Echosong hissed and the fox charged again. She jumped up and onto its head, biting its ear and making it scream. It shook its head violently, dislodging Echosong and sending her flying across the cave. Her back hit the wall and she froze stiff as she hit the floor with a loud thud. She groaned softly as the fox stepped closer, snarling and dripping drool.
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 15:50:58 GMT -5
Maliceheart saw Echosong fight off the other fox, but his second of distraction gave the first fox a chance to bite his leg and throw him back. He hit the wall, yelping, but stood back up once he slid down. His leg was shaking, but he ignored it and ran back after the other fox, the one attacking the other warrior.
"Hold on Echosong!" he yowled, running at the other fox and jumping up onto it's head. He bit down on the top of it's muzzle, sinking his teeth as deeply into it's skin as he could. The larger creature stumbled back, shaking it's head again to try and throw him off. He jumped off before it ran into a wall, stumbling. When he thought he had one one battle, another started, and the other fox bit his side and threw him up into the air, catching him again in it's jaw.
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Post by echosong on Jun 30, 2011 15:58:03 GMT -5
Echosong panted and shook her head, spattering blood on the wall as she stood up. She saw Maliceheart get bitten and she screeched, afraid for him. She rushed forward and snapped down hard on the fox's leg. It dropped Maliceheart and Echosong blocked him from the fox with her body. Her back leg dripped blood and shook violently. She hissed and the fox stopped. It stared at her, eyes narrowed. Echosong panted softly, "She doesn't want a fight." She backed up a bit and she fox turned to her companion, nuzzling his shoulder. They headed toward the enterence. "That fox was her son. I think. They just want shelter." she panted.
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Post by malice on Jun 30, 2011 16:24:56 GMT -5
Maliceheart watched as Echosong rushed foreword and snapped down on the fox's leg. He didn't want her to fight and risk getting hurt, but was relieved that the fox had dropped him finally. When she pointed out that the fox didn't want to fight, he thought she was crazy, but seeing it by it's son made him pause to think.
"I think you're right..." he muttered, nodding, "We should... get back to camp... it's almost morning..."
He waited to see if Echosong was up to it, not wanting to leave if she couldn't. He wanted her to get to the Medicine Cat as quickly as possible, he could drag her back if he had to because of her injured leg. He was injured as well, but his worrying made the pain forgettable.
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