{The Shadows I Cast::Follow Me Down}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Crestedfire
Don't sweat it. It was set on false pretense

Long grass parted beneath white paws and a broad-shouldered orange tabby frame. Crestedfire's feet crunched rocks underneath as his banded tail waved above the grass. The large tom was in the Moonlit hills, hoping not to get lost as he meekly followed his nose to some good hunting. His large amber eyes searched the ground, sniffing anxiously.

His pelt was warmed by the lines of light poking though the grass onto him. Crestedfire's comb stood at attention no matter what he did and today it casted sharp-toothed shadows onto the ground ahead of him. A cloud covered the sun for the moment, leaving him to descend a hill without the sun beating down on him.

Predictably, he tripped over his own paws, crashing at the foothills in a patch of soft grass. He sighed and laid there miserably, feeling like a complete idiot. He was almost three cycles old, yet he still felt like a three-moon-old, Mistheart coming to him for his every need. The large tom sniffled and came to his large paws, sitting down pathetically.</sub>

[trissea]

<sub>Gray dappled pelt rippled over smooth muscles, glinting green eyes watched from a tree branch as the bumbling tomcat made his progress. Her tail flicked pateintly at a bothersome wasp, which was building a nest in the wood of her scraggly oak, on the fringes of the hills. She was not far away from Crestedfire, maybe a badgerlength. Of course, he hadn't noticed her. She hadn't meant to be noticed, sitting stock still as his figure appeared on the horizon. At her slightly bloody paws laid a freshly killed wood-thrush, which was the reason Grayface had climbed in the first place. Now, though, she grinned. Crestedfire needed some cheering up.

She pushed the thrush over the edge of the branch, and it fell with a rustle in the dry grass. She tried not to think that this was where Shakenleaf had died as she slid down the bark of the tree. She picked up the thrush, and made her way over to the tom, setting her thrush down again and licking a paw before speaking. "Cloudy today, isn't it?" She meowed, tucked her tail around her paws, now both on the ground.</sub>

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Crestedfire nodded timidly, trying and failing to make his large body seem smaller than it really was. "Hi, Grayface," he managed to squeak out. At least the tom hadn't jumped seven feet into the air like he usually did when others spoke to him. He was a bumpkin and that was all he'd ever amount to.

"It might rain," he said quietly, keeping his head down. His tufted ears twitched and faced forwards as he meekly looked up at Grayface, blushing in embarrassment. The orange tabby noticed the thrush. "A-a-are you done hunting, Grayface?" If he could possibly unleash the words, he would ask her to go hunting for Grieverstone's full house.</sub>

[trissea]

_{Grayface glanced over at the oversized ginger tomcat, trying to decipher his body language, which was, as usual, nearly impossible. He seemed to want to ask her something else. She looked at her thrush, then back at him. "I wasn't going to go back to camp just yet, if that's what you mean? You want to hunt with me? I'm sure a little more fresh-kill wouldn't hurt." She hoped it wouldn't rain for too long-- the Clan had enough problems without having to limit the hunting time.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Crestedfire flashed an adorable lopsided grin, like something you'd see on a Twoleg kit's face. "Well, I'm going hunting for Grieverstone's medicine den and we seemed to be low on freshkill so I decided to go out and get some but of course I'm lost in the moonlit hills and then I found you so I--," he rambled on in a completely open tone to Grayface. He smiled again. "Um...sorry...I kinda blabbered on there..." He looked up at the sky. "If we hurry, I'm sure we could beat the rain..." He seemed so open now that someone had shown him an ounce of kindness. Then again, that's all it took. One ounce of kindness and he was a friend for life; one ounce of animosity and you had him scared like a baby squirrel.}

[trissea]

_{Grayface's heart did a double-flip when he smiled- which was unanimously annoying while also making her think. Why? Sure, the grin had been dazzling. And sure, all cats knew he was impressively handsome. But why the flip-flop? She'd never really expected any romance in her life. Or wanted it, really. She looked down at her paws. "Its okay," she said to him. "Let's go." She looked back up at him and smiled lightly, flicking him with her tail.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>((Blackie, you forgot Grayface in your siggy =o lol))

Crestedfire padded along like a happy kitten, once again forgetting that he was larger than a small dog. He immediately tripped but luckily caught himself. He let out a small chuckle and loped after Grayface all dopey-faced. The tom smiled and sniffed around, giggling as if he was an apprentice again. "I like it here," he said. "It's one of my favorite places...even though I get lost and Firestar has to come find me." He looked down bashfully with his odd grin that scrunched up his face whenever he did so.

He saw a vole and immediately dashed off after it. The clumsy tom lunged, caught it in his jaws, and predictably tripped and crashed into a tree. "Ohhhh...," he groaned, toppling onto his back, but at least he had the vole. Shaking his head to clear some of the stars, he nudged the vole towards Grayface. "Look what I caught!" he said, dazed but proud. He rarely caught anything on his own, let alone when someone was with him. He blushed, knowing that the she-cat was probably annoyed to death by his banter. "Sorry for annoying you...," he said quietly, hanging his head. His tilted ears bent.</sub>

[trissea]

_{Grayface giggled and prodded the gentle giant with one small paw. "Well, look what I caught," she said, pointing to him with her tail. "And I didn't even have to touch him!" This meant more to her than to him, seeing as he hadn't noticed her reaction. Of course, she wasn't beautiful at all, and she knew she'd never win him. And that he'd never want her.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Crestedfire tilted his head. "Are you angry with me? You're bright red," he said quietly, pulling back. He swallowed, staring at his large paws.

He turned away, feeling as if he had disappointed Grayface. "I'm sorry," he said, licking Grayface's muzzle with his large rough tongue. He tried to purr but it came out as a warble. Crestedfire's eyes grew sad and he looked away.</sub>

[Spice..xx]

ooc: Sorry guys for interrupting but Aurrie i love Crestedfire sooo much! Lol xD

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[trissea]

OOC: Aw, Aurrie, I'm getting goosebumples! XDD Spice, who wouldn't love 'em? <3))

_{Grayface felt immensely strange when the huge tom licked her cheek, as if she were falling and floating at the same time. Angry? She shook her head. "How could I be angry with you?" She said softly, moving closer to him. "In fact, Crestedfire-" She had been about to tell him, but her confidence failed her and she pulled away, still embarassed, and now also sad. "We'd better head back, I felt a drop of rain." She meowed feebly, her heart fluttering.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>((lol. Black, why? xD))

Crestedfire looked up and swallowed. "Oh...right," he said quietly, picking up his vole. His banded tail waved like a battle flag as he lurched up to full height. The large tiger-like tom stayed by Grayface's side for fear of getting lost. Then a crack of thunder exploded in the air, nearly costing him his silky hair as he jumped up high. He yowled in surprise and began running circles around Grayface until he calmed down a bit. He inhaled deeply and hung his head by hers. "Heh...kinda scary," he confessed, wriggling his button nose.</sub>

[trissea]

OOC: 'Cause they're so cute together! XP

_{Grayface tried not to laugh when the oversized tom panicked, but when he hung his head, she touched him with her tail on his shoulder. "Well, yes. I could feel it was going to happen, though. I don't know why. I sorta jumped, too." She confessed, grinning sheepishly. She let her tail rest on his shoulder, not for any real reason, although she did get a little thrill out of it.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>((lol!))

Crestedfire scratched his button nose. "I guess you have better instincts than I do," he laughed at himself. "My mom always said I had the best instincts of the Clan, but I think she was lying." He gave his lopsided smile again. "But I don't mi--." The tom tripped over a rock and crashed into Grayface, sending both cats into a shallow puddle. Feeling like a mousebrain, he hastily tried to wipe off the she-cat's face and beautiful pelt.

"Look, I made you pretty again," he said cheerily. From his point of view, it was a pretty decent job. From a regular's warrior's point of view, it was pretty decent job...for a kit. Crestedfire gave a crooked smile and nuzzled her shoulder. "I'm such a bumpkin," he confessed. "That's why no one likes me very much. I get along better with apprentices and kits anyway, but you've been really nice to me, along with Wovenknot a-a-and Darkmagic and Firestar and--." He had lost count, his eyes screwed upward trying to remember all the kind-hearted cats in his Clan. "Thank you!" Deciding to forget the count, he thanked Grayface happily, padding along again.</sub>

[trissea]

_{Once again the gray tabby she-cat felt a falling sensation, but this time it was real. They tumbled together, head over heels, into a cold puddle of water, splashing her with mud. She giggled happily, fighting the urge to purr. He pawed and licked at her pelt, making her feel warm inside, and she licked his shoulder gratefully. "Well, thankyou," she said, even though she was blatantly suprised he considered her beautiful in the first place. "I haven't had this much fun since I was an apprentice," she purred, as they stood up. She listened carefuly to his deep voice when he spoke again, her ears attentive- the rain was letting up a little now. "You're welcome, Crestedfire." She couldn't think of anything else to say-- just wanted him to feel the special something she could between them. But she knew this kinds of things couldn't be rushed. She only glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, admiring his broad shoulders and tufted ears.}

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Crestedfire beamed with as much spirit as his name. "You're welcome!" he smiled, a thing he rarely got to say to another cat. As if on que, his signature tuft of hair on top of his head dried and stood straight up like a rooster's comb. He rolled his eyes up to see it and tried in vain to pat it down, but it still held its case.

Voicing deep laughter, Crestedfire said, "If I ever have a kit with my fur that sticks up like this, I'm calling him Heronkit, or, if it's a she-kit, I'll call her--." He wiggled his button nose in thought. "--Crestkit, kind of like my name, but shortened." He gave Grayface a cute smile again.

"Ready to go home?" he asked, waving his banded tail.</sub>

[trissea]

Grayface nodded, and padded by his side to camp, feeling satisfied with herself.

OOC: A little different than Glacierstripe, huh? XDD

[(aurora) of the problematique]

((_{I wouldn't know. I've never RPd with Glacier xDDDD}