2: Reflection
With a great deal of luck, Sunstorm found himself able to mope around the camp with the arrive of the rainy season that marks the arrive of Leaf-fall as the water level within the lakes and rivers rose dangerously high. However, with the ability to hide within camp and ignore his duties came the inability to find a place where he could be alone. There were many more cats within camp than normal during the day, taking up spots that normally were quite isolating. However, Sunstorm found himself padding along the ground, a bounce in his step for the first time in a while as he noticed that his special spot was empty.
The apricot tom leaped up the rocks that marked the highest point of the camp, where he could get a clear vantage point over the camp. He watched the borders of the camp that remained silent, mud trickling down. Sunstorm closed his eyes, listening to only the sharp breeze that ran through the camp as rain pattered down with sharp drips.
“Remember when we first were made to guard from here?” Swallownest asked, looking at his mate who jumped, not realising that someone had joined him up in his private sector. He relaxed a moment later, realising it was simply his mate. “It’s when I first realised I didn’t hate you anymore. Y’know when you saw that kit getting chased by dogs and your first reaction instead of sending an alert to the warriors on the ground was to leap off the ledge and run there yourself?”
Sunstorm smiled fondly at the memory. “Yeah, you’d made me a better cat. I just couldn’t bare to see the kit hurt. I mean, the injuries were totally worth it, right?”
“It shows you are a true warrior,” Swallownest purred, rubbing his head against the neck of his mates. “They showed that you were willing to sacrifice your beauty for someone. You’d have never done that before. I mean, you’re even more beautiful now.”
Sunstorm just looked at Swallownest chuckling. “What are you even doing here? Aren’t you about to leave on your big quest?”
Swallownest nodded excitedly, a grin on his face. “We’re just leaving; I just wanted to say goodbye and I love you before leaving.”
The smaller tom gazed at the ball of fur that he called his mate, smiling fondly. “I love you too. Be safe,” Sunstorm says warmly, pressing his forehead against Swallownest’s own.
As Sunstorm watched the retreating form of Swallownest as his mate met up with the group that he was about to leave camp with, he whispered quietly to nobody but himself. “I wish I could still be the tom that’ll throw himself in front of a group of dogs to protect the tom.”
The apricot tom leaped up the rocks that marked the highest point of the camp, where he could get a clear vantage point over the camp. He watched the borders of the camp that remained silent, mud trickling down. Sunstorm closed his eyes, listening to only the sharp breeze that ran through the camp as rain pattered down with sharp drips.
“Remember when we first were made to guard from here?” Swallownest asked, looking at his mate who jumped, not realising that someone had joined him up in his private sector. He relaxed a moment later, realising it was simply his mate. “It’s when I first realised I didn’t hate you anymore. Y’know when you saw that kit getting chased by dogs and your first reaction instead of sending an alert to the warriors on the ground was to leap off the ledge and run there yourself?”
Sunstorm smiled fondly at the memory. “Yeah, you’d made me a better cat. I just couldn’t bare to see the kit hurt. I mean, the injuries were totally worth it, right?”
“It shows you are a true warrior,” Swallownest purred, rubbing his head against the neck of his mates. “They showed that you were willing to sacrifice your beauty for someone. You’d have never done that before. I mean, you’re even more beautiful now.”
Sunstorm just looked at Swallownest chuckling. “What are you even doing here? Aren’t you about to leave on your big quest?”
Swallownest nodded excitedly, a grin on his face. “We’re just leaving; I just wanted to say goodbye and I love you before leaving.”
The smaller tom gazed at the ball of fur that he called his mate, smiling fondly. “I love you too. Be safe,” Sunstorm says warmly, pressing his forehead against Swallownest’s own.
As Sunstorm watched the retreating form of Swallownest as his mate met up with the group that he was about to leave camp with, he whispered quietly to nobody but himself. “I wish I could still be the tom that’ll throw himself in front of a group of dogs to protect the tom.”