Everlasting Love (Stormwind)

Willowheart flattened her ears, looking down at her paws. She knew she’d messed up somewhere and hurt him, but she didn’t know what she’d done.

Blossomsnow’s eyes widened in surprise and she stood frozen for a few moments before deciding ‘what the Dark Forest’ and returning the kiss.

“It’s alright,” Oakfoot replied, standing up fully now. “I’ll see you around.” With that the tom turned away, trying to not let his head hang until he was out of sight of the medicine cat. Somewhere, Silverwish was probably shaking her head.

Peach opened her muzzle to reply, but decided on a different course instead. The She-cat walked closer until their chest fur rubbed together. Then, she closed her eyes tightly and went in for a kiss, her first ever.

“I’m sorry, but I really just don’t want to,” Willowheart said softly, noticing his disappointment.

Blossomsnow pinned her ears back, staring back at her. “But, I’m not.”

Oakfoot sighed softly, having hoped to spend more time with Willowheart to help her win. But she seemed disinterested, and the tom nodded wordlessly. “Alright,” He mewed simply, starting to stand up.

“But you are!” Peach protested, stepping closer to the pretty tortoiseshell and meeting her crush’s yellow gaze with her own Amber eyes.

“I don’t want to know it,” Willowheart said firmly. “While hunting might be useful, I never want to learn something that’s sole purpose is to harm another cat.”

Blossomsnow opened and closed her mouth several times before she managed to find her voice, stunned. “But- why me?” She asked. “I’m nothing special.”

“But it would be fun to see you stick it to Wolfheart! He’s always so smug.” Oakfoot complained, his tail drooping a bit. “I can just help you with the warrior stuff at night before we go to sleep. You’re smart enough to do it!”

Peach pinned her ears back, sighing quietly. “Blossomsnow, you’re just so nice and so pretty… I think I love you.”

Willowheart shook her head. “I’d really rather not.”

Blossomsnow’s eyes widened in surprise and she stared at Peach.

“I can help you learn those parts!” Oakfoot volunteered, ears perked. “It’ll be easy!”

Peach looked off to the side, continuing to squirm nervously, before finally blurting out “Blossomsnow, I think I love you.”

Willowheart frowned. “The only thing I would be good at is identifying the herbs. I barely know anything about hunting or fighting.”

Blossomsnow still seemed baffled. “But… there are others that treat you nicely, too. And judging you without getting to know you is just rude.”

Peach felt her cheeks flush with warmth under her fur, and she glanced back towards the exit to the den. Then she realized they were still the only two in there, and sighed softly before mewing “Blossomsnow, you treat me so well, and I just wanted to show that I appreciate it.”

“You’re going to enter that contest, right? A final between you and Wolfheart could be really intense!” Oakfoot purred, green eyes glimmering with excitement at the thought.

“Why?” Blossomsnow asked, baffled. “I mean, I do like it, but why’d you get it for me?”

“Do you like it?” Peach mewed bashfully, knowing there wasn’t a real way to explain Shane she’d done away. She looked hopefully at the pretty she-cat, the bengal hoping she’d reply to the affirmative. “I picked it for you.”

After a moment, Blossomsnow padded over to her nest and lowered her head, sniffing the flower. She turned to look at Peach in confusion when she found her scent.

Willowheart made an ‘ah’ sound and fell silent, twitching her ears. She didn’t usually hold casual conversations and so didn’t know what to say.

“It’s all one big quiz,” Oakfoot Replied. “If I’m understanding it right, herbs are only part of it. The rest is on the code, hunting techniques, and some battle moves.” The tom flicked his ears back toward the medicine cat’s brother. “And that’s where Wolfheart has the advantage.”

Peach pinned her ears nervously as she stood behind Blossomsnow, knowing it was only a matter of time before the warrior found her scent on the pretty flower in her nest.

Willowheart frowned slightly. “I don’t understand why there would be a quiz about herbs, though. I’m the only one that has more than a passing knowledge of the most basic herbs.”

Blossomsnow headed over to her nest, stopping in surprise when she saw the flower.

“That’s good,” Oakfoot mewed, offering Willowheart a friendly smile.  Flicking his ears toward the Highledge, The tom Asked “Are you excited for the event?  That quiz thing she talked about, with the herbs and the code and everything in it.  I didn’t suggest that.”  The tom glanced over his shoulder at where Wolfheart was sitting.  “He must’ve gotten a word with his mother to get that included.”

Peach smiled nervously at Blossomsnow and followed her into the den.

Willowheart nodded, curling her tail around her paws.

Blossomsnow eventually left her mother and padded towards the warriors’ den, pausing to blink at Peach when she saw her pacing.

“It’s fine,” Oakfoot mewed, offering Willowheart a friendly smile. “You do have a lot to worry about, as long as you don’t have an apprentice that is.” The tom sat down so he was facing her, heaving his tail loose behind him. “Are you feeling any better now?”

Peach nervously paced around outside, waiting for Blossomsnow.

Willowheart blinked at Oakfoot when he padded over to her and said hesitantly, “I… apologize for my earlier behavior.”

Blossomsnow was speaking with her mother for the moment but would soon be retiring to her nest.

The clan broke into excited knots of cats, each trying hard to get partners for the team events. Oakfoot didn’t seek that out for now, however, believing he could get Emberleaf to work with him on at least one. Instead he scanned the crowd until he saw Willowheart and padded towards her.

Peach was bubbling with excitement, but her heart sank as she realized she hadn’t tried conceding her scent on the flower she’d picked for Blossomsnow. She would know exactly who got it for her, and the bengal she-cat wasn’t sure wether that was good or bad.

Emberleaf smiled back at him as Rainstar finished the announcement and leaped down off the High Ledge.

Peach was shaking softly the whole time with excitement, especially since Rainstar gave her credit for the idea. Maybe now the others would respect her a little bit more!

Oakfoot glanced over at Emberleaf when Rainstar confirmed what he had said to get the pretty she-cat to sit with him, smiling softly.

Emberleaf meowed a soft greeting in reply, before falling silent when Rainstar appeared ready to speak. The silvery-gray she-cat announced Peach’s idea and quickly explained what she and others had decided.

Sterlingflight padded alongside Rainstar, still strangely stoic, and sat down.

Duststorm, Oakfoot, Wolfheart, Echowhisper, And Peach gathered eagerly beneath the leader. Oakfoot offered a smile to Emberleaf when she sat next to him as promised, mewing a soft “Hello!”

Eventually, just when the late afternoon was turning into evening, Rainstar leaped onto the High Ledge and called a meeting.

Mossflower, Streamfire, Brookwing, Emberleaf, Willowheart (who’d eventually come back to camp), and Blossomsnow gathered beneath the ledge, Emberleaf sitting next to Oakfoot like she’d promised.