private THE ROCKROSE AND THE THISTLE [ splashdance ]

[pebbletail]

(☼) the moon lingers near the horizon, signaling the ending of a night, and the soon-coming beginning of a new day. as riverclan treks back from the gathering, pebblepaw hovers near splashdance, pelt tingling with newfound information. the embarrassment of being mistaken for a love interest by his friend’s mother is still flushing through his skin, although more of what he remembers is ferndance’s kindness. no wonder a she-cat like splash turned out the way she is, with a mother like that. their reintroduction had been joyous, a scene out of some story, and he’d simply been happy to be there at all. that he had been introduced was a surprise to him.

now, as he pads alongside his friend, their pelts brushing (although he won’t allow his tail to twine with hers unless she makes the first move), he finds himself smiling. “eventful gathering, hm splash?” the dappled blue tom nudges his companion, ember eyes glittering. they’re near the back of the group, the next cats a few fox-lengths ahead, and so he takes his opportunity. “or should i say snowy?” seeking her reaction, he’ll let out a soft chuckle, amusement decorating his features. “your mom was nice,” his tone lowering to a murmur, pebblepaw blinks genuinely.

there’s been a small nugget of worry stuck in his head ever since he’d watched the reunion, a concern that perhaps now that splashdance has seen her family again, she’ll want to go back to them. it’s not like he’d begrudge her - one’s family is oftentimes the best thing they can have - but he would miss her. stars, he’d miss her desperately.

I DO NOT HAVE WINGS, LOVE ☼ I NEVER WILL

• // @splashdance set right after the september gathering " #848DAE"
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  PEBBLEPAW ☼ HE / HIM, APPRENTICE OF RIVERCLAN. MENTORED BY FOXTAIL. 11 MOONS OLD, PENNED BY LAVS
  
  
  a large blue tabby with low white and vitiligo. pale blue fur covers the length of pebblepaw's stocky body, sliced through with darker tabby stripes and spots. baleful orange eyes peer out of heavy set sockets, and his muzzle, paws, and tail tip are dashed with white.

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[splashdance]

Her mind whirs after the gathering. She spent most of it with her mother, detailing her own successes to the best of her ability. In truth, she had been so engrossed in conversation that she hadn't paid much mind when the leaders began their announcements (and she realizes on their trek home, she isn't sure if Pebblepaw remained by her side the whole night.) The immediate feelings of wanting to return to ShadowClan had dissipated over the night as her heart settled with RiverClan once more. She loves and misses her family, for sure, but she's made a home by on the island. She can't leave that.

She almost hums something noncommittal to Pebblepaw - but he whispers her former moniker and she's quick to hush him, "Shhhh!" Though as she does, she giggles. Their shoulders are close, but she does not knot their tails together like she had done so freely before. "Not even Lichenstar knows that. She'd have my ears if anyone else knew..." Though there is a part of her, happy, that she gets to share this secret with the tom.

"... Thank you for being there," she says, finally. Her gaze doesn't waver from him, "I would've picked you, I think... to join me for the gathering..." her choice after winning the tourney had been her mentor and former co-apprentice. A quick and true pick, certainly, but if she was given time to decide (which she was, ultimately, but the she-cat still trembles with the excitement of winning at all,) she would've been troubled with decision paralysis. "But you always tag along with Foxtail. I knew you'd be there regardless," she says so much in hopes that he understands. He's her rock, she realizes. But she can't quite find it in her to admit that to him, "I'm glad you didn't prove me wrong."​