Bitter and Sweet (Twineheart)

[ShiverCry]

Twineheart (Blackpaw)

Owlpaw padded out of the apprentice den, the morning sun warming his fur. He stretched and let out a massive yawn. After stretching each muscle individually, he made his way over to the fresh-kill pile. Nosing his way through it, the brown-pointed tom pulled out a nice sized piece of prey and sat down, ready to fill his rumbling belly.

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry]

Blackpaw lay within the apprentice den, hidden amongst the sea of other Midnightclan trainees. Her slender body curled in a tight ball as to not touch any cats nearby. Her narrow face tucked beneath one of her forepaws, her skinny tail wrapped tightly around her lithe body. Her chest rose and fall peacefully until she started to stir from the world of sleep. Slowly she pulled her head from beneath her forepaw and yawned, revealing her dangerous looking fangs. Blinking her emerald eyes rapidly she slowly sits up and stretches luxuriously, before sitting back down to groom her sleek black pelt. Once finished the young she-cat pads from the den, her belly telling her it was time to eat.

Once outside in the Midnightclan camp, Blackpaw's narrow emerald eyes look about. She doesn't fail to notice Owlpaw, but skirts around him giving him a wide birth as she goes to the fresh kill pile herself. There she finds herself a tasty looking mouse to eat. Picking the creature up in her maw, she pads a little ways away to enjoy her meal. Her emerald gaze occasionally flickering to Owlpaw watching his every move.

[ShiverCry]

I feel watched. Owlpaw thought, his pelt prickling every once and a while. He tried to ignore it at first, but the sensation kept returning. He lifted his gaze from his nearly finished gaze, and it fell on Blackpaw. Quickly, he looked back down. Should he ask her why she kept looking at him? It had to have been her. but what if it wasn't? And if he does, that would require actually talking to her. "U-um, B-blackpaw, do you n-need something?"

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry ]


Blackpaw's slender ears flicker upwards at the sound of her name. She looks around in surprise, her emerald eyes landing on Owlpaw, she blinks at his question. " No I'm good Owlpaw." She says, her tone lacking emotion as she inclines her head in his direction. Her narrow emerald eyes watch him for a moment before she takes another bite of mouse. Licking her lips, she finishes off her mouse with another few bites. Her emerald eyes again flicking to Owlpaw. It wasn't because she felt the need to stare it was just in her nature to keep track of cats nearby. It was a habit of hers due to her dislike of being close to others, she was constantly watching to make sure they didn't come into her personal space. Sitting up, the lithe she-cat gently grooms her forepaws, the sunlight catching her pelt just right and revealing her unique leopard markings beneath her black pelt.

[ShiverCry]

"Alright..." Owlpaw muttered, returning to his prey. He also finished it rather quickly, feeling awkward because they weren't talking. Owlpaw was an awkward cat to begin with, but when there was silence he had no idea what to do. After he finished, started licking in between his claws and his whiskers. He glanced over to Blackpaw, noticing her unique markings. Blinking, he shifted his eyes away. Should he try making conversation? "Um... What... Do you like training?" He asked without making eye contact.

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry ]

Blackpaw hadn't expected Owlpaw to attempt further conversation. Her demeanor usually enough to scare away others, or keep that at bay. but no he broke the awkward silence and asked her a question. Which surprised her since she hadn't ever been asked that question by anyone. " Oh well..." She says emerald eyes blinking at him. " I suppose I do." She remarks nodding her skull a little and thinking of her mentor Badgerclaw. " It's better than sitting around camp or being in the nursery." She finishes giving the nursery a withering look. Having grown up with a mother who pretty much ignored her completely the nursery held no good memories. Hesitating she knew the polite thing to do was to return the question. " How about you?" She asks hoping she wouldn't regret her decision, her skinny black tail flickering as she speaks.

[ShiverCry]

Owlpaw nodded as she spoke, but felt a little surprised when she returned the question. She had been expecting the other apprentice to just answer and not continue the conversation, maybe walk away from Owlpaw. "Ah... Um, well, it's, er..." He shifted his paws uncomfortably. "It's fun." He simply replied. "What's your... Uh... Favorite part or training? If you have one..."

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry]

Blackpaw keeps her tone emotionless and even, her narrow emerald eyes never leaving the tom before her. At his question she shrugs her slender shoulder blades, " Just getting out of camp I suppose." She says remembering her first trip out of the camp. Badgerclaw had taken her all over the territory but her favorite part had been the willow tree. It had been newleaf and the tree was in full blossom. The memory actually warms her cold eyes a little. Suddenly she realizes she'd gotten lost in her own thoughts blinking she eye's Owlpaw, the warmth disappearing. " How about yourself?" She asks the tom.

[ShiverCry]

Owlpaw blinked in surprise as the she-cat's eyes softened. but then the warmth disappeared, and left the brown pointed tom feeling a bit confused. "Me?" He repeated. "Um... Well... I really like just learning things." He replied, flicking his tail. He began looking Blackpaw up and down, admiring her. She was rather pretty... Owlpaw flattened his ears in embarrassment and looked away. "Sorry." He muttered, not sure if Blackpaw even knew what he was apologizing for.

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry ]

No that tree over there, thought Blackpaw fighting the urge to voice her thought out loud. The last thing she wanted was to send this apprentice crying to his mother. It wouldn't reflect well on her and she knew Badgerclaw would lecture her about it. So instead she bites her tongue and listens to the tom's reply. As he finished she noticed his eyes roaming over her slender frame. Then hears his muttered apology and watched him glance off. Unsure how to feel about what had just happened or what to say Blackpaw chooses to ignore it. Instead she picks up a black paw to lap and run over her face.

[ShiverCry]

Owlpaw blinked a couple times, scuffing his paws over the earth below him. He acted as though he was very interested in the way the dust poofed up when he scuffed it, and watched in mock interest as it then settled. Without any idea of what else to say, he said the next thing that popped into his mind. "N-nice day, h-huh?" Mouse-brain. You need to ask in-depth questions, so we'll get a good conversation! Well, too late for that.

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry ]

Blackpaw scoffs having thought Owlpaw had given up on their conversation. Her narrow emerald eyes snapping back to the tom, she gives him a look that could peel paint. " You know I don't need you to talk to me. I know everyone seems to think that because I'm the odd cat out I must be lonely and want to talk but the fact is I am quite happy being left alone." She finishes with a huff and turns her back on the tom. Her words were far from the truth, she was lonely and deep down she did want company. but her mother's neglect had left her feeling unworthy of such things and therefore she pushed everyone away. Fearing they too would abandon her just as her mother had. No one really cares, she reminds herself refusing to look back at Owlpaw.

[ShiverCry]

Owlpaw's eyes widened at her response. He was not expecting that. "O-oh, I had no idea." He meowed, looking down at his paws. No. I can't be shy. He thought, and forced himself to look back up at her. "I wasn't trying to make conversation because I thought you were lonely. I was trying to make conversation so we could... Maybe... Be friends...?" The brown tom hoped that Blackpaw would face him again. He really did just want to be her friend.

[Twineheart]

[ ShiverCry ]

Blackpaw kept her back facing Owlpaw her slender ears awaiting a response. She could imagine the look of surprise or shock on his face at the moment. The realization that she wasn't worth his time. but just when Blackpaw thought Owlpaw would retreat he spoke. She flickers her ears, listening without looking at him. At first she does nothing but at his second statement she freezes in place. Friends....? She thought shocked. He wanted to be her friend?

Turning her head she looks back at him with her narrow emerald eyes. " I've never had a friend..." she admits. This was true she really hadn't ever had someone she considered a friend. Perhaps Badgerclaw but he was her mentor. but never a cat her age that she thought of as a friend, like the other normal cats in the clan had. Someone to talk with, share tongues with and hunt with. The idea wasn't half bad when Blackpaw really thought about it. Suddenly she remembers her mother, and her ears flicker back. " You don't want to be my friend." She says voice emotionless. " I'm not friend material..." She adds shaking her slender face and looking away.

[ShiverCry]

Twineheart

Owlpaw's eyes widened, not for the first time and probably not for the last. "Y-you've never had a friend?" He repeated. Sympathy washed over his pelt; sympathy for this poor cat. Though it was true for Owlpaw as well, he still has those close to him that he would go to if he had problems. Well, I suppose Stonepaw would be my friend. He reminded himself. He felt shocked again as Blackpaw persisted, and he leaped to his paws despite himself. "I don't believe that for a second!" He called to her, his voice rising for the first time. He hesitated, but he had already dug himself a hole too deep to back out now. The young tom cleared his throat and continued. "You seem like a great cat, and I'm sure that if you tried, you would see how wonderful having a friend is!" He paused, and continued in a softer voice. "I have no clue what you've gone through in your life. but what I do know is that I want to be your friend, and there's a first for everything." Owlpaw began holding his breath without knowing it, awaiting her response.