~Back from a hunt.~

[fernie. (:]

Leopardflight and Runespell walked back into camp. Leopardflight dropped the prey she had caught onto the fresh-kill pile. She had a sparkle in her eye and a big grin on her face.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell held the rabbit he had caught fast in his jaws. He was a few pawsteps ahead of Leopardflight. The rabbit he carried was rather fat and healthy-looking for leafbare, a sign of the strange warmth that remained in BrightClan territories even in leafbare.
The tabby flicked Leopardflight's flank with his brown striped tail, then trotted over tothe warriors' den. He lay outside, placing the rabbit in front of him, then beckoned to his companion with a kink of his tail.

[fernie. (:]

Leopardflight lay down beside Runespell and started to eat. The rabbit was juicy and plump, a good catch. Between mouthfuls she thought: Runespell loves me!

[SHADE. :D]

Runespelle wordlessly licked Leopardflight's soft ear, then bent his neck to take a bite. His cheek brushed her's as he bit into the fur and reached the tender flesh. He let out a muted purr, before lifting his head and chewing slowly. He swallowed, the meat travelling fast down his slender throat, before he ducked his head to take another bite. The tastes of meat and blood danced and mixed together on his tongue, and he shivered involuntarily.

[fernie. (:]

She swiped her tongue around her jaws, then took another bite of rabbit. Her purr rumbled deep in her chest. 'So, looking forward to your own apprentice? I know I am!'

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell nodded with a small smile. "Yes. But your sure to get one before me. Your older," he mewed. "And have way more experience." He hastily added.
The tabby dipped his head, embarrased, and quickly polished off the rest of his half of the rabbit. The afternoon out of camp had left him exhausted. He got to his paws and stretched, missing the warmth of Leopardflight's spotted pelt pressed against his.

[fernie. (:]

'I'm not that old! Only fifteen moons. And I'm bound to be more experienced because your warrior ceremony was delayed.' she got up too, pressing her nose into Runespell's soft tabby fur. She then went over to a warm patch of ground and lay down, giving herself a thorough wash.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell gave a good-natured shrug, then sat himself beside the she-cat. He began to lick his paw. A while later, his coat gleamed from the thorough wash he had given it. He ws exhausted. He yawned hugely, then blinked sheepishly at Leopardflight. He got to his paws and looked at he she-cat. "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight." He half hoped she would want to come too, but knew she probably wanted to be alone to stir around her thoughts.

[fernie. (:]

'Oh. Okay. See you in the morning.' She looked a bit crestfallen, but then went to her own nest. She felt frozen without Runespell's warm pelt beside her.

Later that night she woke up after a nightmare about her dead brother, Tigerkit. She was shivering aswell, so she padded over to where Runespell was sleeping quietly. She curled up with him and lay there for the rest of the night...

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell blinked his eyes open, only to hastily snap them shut as harsh morning light hit them. He opened his eyes to slits, then looked about. He purred as he saw Leopardflight curled up, asleep, beside him. He carefully uncurled himself and slid away from the she-cat, trying not to disturb her slumber. He stretched each cramped limb long and hard, jas stretching wide in a yawn. He sneezed a couple of times before sitting down to give himself a thorough wash. Despite the groom he had done yestarday, his fur was mangled and matted with moss and dirt. When his coat shimmered like dew on a petal once more, he stepped from the warriors' den, selecting a plump vole from the fresh-kill pile, then crouched alone outside the den, gorging hungrily on the beast.

[fernie. (:]

Leopardflight awoke not long after Runespell and followed his scent out of the den. She chose a small wren from the fresh kill pile and went over to the brown tabby tom. 'Good morning!' she purred. The morning was actually quite frosty, with mist hanging low to the ground. The sun was shining through the mist though, and warmed the ground. Leopardflight crunched the wren and swiped her tongue around her jaws.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell swalloed the last mouthful of his vole, then turned to face Leopardflight, eyes shimmering. "Good morning," he purred. "Do you want to grab an apprentice and go on patrol? Or I could ask Murdercalling... BrightClan needs it's bprders protected." He added this last bit as a feeble excuse. He knew Leopardflight would be able to tell that he really wanted to spend time with her.

[fernie. (:]

'Sure! I'm going hunting with Berryleaf later as well, but I'd be happy to go on patrol. Let's see where Murdercalling is.' she purred, and licked his cheek. She gave herself a quick lick as well.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell purred. "Okay." He padded quickly over to the warriors' den, then poked his tabby head through the inclosed branches. He peered about, wondering if he would be able to spot Murdercalling's familiar tortoiseshell splattered pelt, and when he could not, mewed uncertainly: "Murdercalling? Are you in here?"

[FIREH!!]

"What do you want?" asked Murdercalling very grumpily.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell blinked, hurt. "I wanted to know whether you wanted to go on patrol with Leopardflight and I, but it's obvious you'd rather lie around in there like the lazy furball you are." He whipped around and marched back over to Leopardflight.

[FIREH!!]

"Whatever," Murdercalling stepped out of the den and glared at his brother. He was still hurt from the way his brother just left him the day before. "I don't care if you would rather hang out with your girlfriend than your brother anyway!" he screamed.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell glared furiously at his brother. "She's not my girlfriend!" he snapped. "At least I have the guts to hang around with she-cats!" He wanted to slash the face of the brother he had once loved. He was so sensitive!

[FIREH!!]

" As a matter of fact, I do have the guts to hang out with she-cats! And maybe if your judgement wasn't always clouded with thoughts of Leopardflight, maybe you'd see you are neglecting me and our other siblings!" tears spilled down his face as he remembered the fun times he had with his brother.

[fernie. (:]

Leopardflight stalked up behind Runespell and Murdercalling. 'We could always just see if any of the apprentices wanted to go on patrol...'

[SHADE. :D]

"Neglecting you?" The tabby hissed, stalking up to his brother. "Oh, I spend one night with a friend and I'm neglecting you. What am I meant to do, stick by your side all the time while I groom ticks out of your fur?" The tom was furious at his brother for being so selfish.

[FIREH!!]

" I asked to go hunting with you. Instead, you tell me to go hunting with Poisontears, who was put on the Evening patrol! You obviously car more about Leopardflight than our family!" With that, he turned and stalked out of camp. Murdercalling threw once last glance towards his brother, not full of hate, but full of grief and sorrow.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell hissed after his brother. "At least I'm not as selfish as you!" The tabby whisked around and stalked out of camp. He forget about going on patrol, about being with Leopardflight. He jut wanted to hurt Murdercalling. He saw the tortoiseshell shape of his brother up ahead. "Murdercalling!" he yowled, claws unsheathing.

[FIREH!!]

"What do you want now?" he cried through tears.

[SHADE. :D]

"To show you how selfish you are!" the tabby snarled. He darted up to his brother. "This is the first time I've ever spent time with Leopardflight. We had no frirnds as apprentices! You know I liked Azteckit! But she ran away! So in that department, I was alone! You can't expect me to stay by your side all your life! I can have friends! I can do whatever I want!" The tom's voice grew high with anger at the end of his speech.

[FIREH!!]

"Runespell! Leave me alone!" he cried. Murdercalling ran ahead, but he slid and fell, tears cascading down his face. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

[SHADE. :D]

Runespell glared after him. He whipped around and ran back to Leopardflight. He sighed, then sat down. "Sorry," he mumbled to the she-cat, ahuffling his paws. "But he made me so mad...." He looked up at Leopardflight with brow eyes glistening with tears. Tears from wondering whether he hd ruined their friendship, and love, by arguing ith his brother.

[FIREH!!]

" I don't want to lose him," whispered Murdercalling. He lay down in the puddle of tears that had formed around him. His brain formed memories of him and Runespell as apprentices, battling side by side, training, and just playing. "I miss him," he whispered. Murdercalling began to cry as he thought of how them becoming warriors ruined their friendship together. "I'm afraid of losing you," he whispered, "You're my best friend."

[brook]

^{A pure white Rex she-cat sat at the entrance of the warriors den. Her eyes were on Murdercalling. She felt so bad for him. Finally, the skinny cat swiftly trotted over to where he lay. She realized that he was laying in his own tears. She touched her pink nose to his shoulder and sat down beside him. "Do not cry,"she mewed softly.}

[FIREH!!]

"My brother," he whimpered, "Hates me..."