Night has Come and Gone (Issie)

[Deku]

Sunstar sat in her den quietly. It had been several sunrises since she had lost a life. Several sunrises and she was feeling better. However, there was one matter that concerned her. That very same morning she had died, Nightfox had run out promising he would return to talk later. That promise had not been kept. Three moons ago she would have expected something like this from the warrior. Now though she didn't believe it possible. Unless, he had been lying the entire time he had been in her den. Had he been lying about her being a friend? Had he just been helping her for the sake of the clan and nothing more? That's what a loyal warrior would do wasn't it? She honestly didn't know why she cared so much. She most likely would be worried about any of her good friends like this, but there was something else down there too. Something that almost felt the same way around him as it did with Beetlestrike. No! Not again. Never again. The more she cared, the more she lost. 

She sighed, standing up. She was going to look for him. If she had to search the whole of the camp and territory so be it. He was not going to hide. She gave her fur a quick grooming before padding out of her den. There was a thick blanket of snow on the ground, but she didn't stop. She would search the warriors den first.

OOC: Lol she can be the oblivious one that's for sure. She still doesn't realize the possibility of him having Greencough. That and she's afraid of being hurt again... Isilme

[Isilme]

How much time had passed? The tom raised his head a little over his fluffy tail to look outside, it was still snowing and the sun shined brightly as if not was happening at all, he sighed and layed his head down again, usually he would be happy being able to sleep all day and do nothing else but after the first few days he became bored, none of the medicine cats allowed him to leave and so he had stayed all this time wraped around himself in a corner of the medicine cats den waiting, he was a lot better now, he didn´t coughed anymore and didn´t woke up shivering even when his fur was supposed to keep him warm, but it seemed that it was still not good enough for him to go, Nightfox thoughts travelled to a certain she cat that he had let alone with a promise of coming back, was she mad? Probably, he sighed again and watched as clan life went by outside his prison.

[Deku]

Sunstar padded back into camp, her head down in defeat. She had looked everywhere! Nightfox had simply disappeared! She had looked in the whole territory and all the best hiding spots. He hadn't been in the apprentice den or the warriors den. Where could he be? Had he left the clan completely? Had he gone to the lengths of trespassing on another clan's territory? She couldn't think as to why he would want to leave.

To be honest there was one place she hadn't looked. She was afraid of what she would find, but it was the only place left. She turned towards the Medicine Cat's den, padding slowly. "J-just don't g-get sick yourself." That was the one thing she had asked, not like he could do anything if he had the unfortunate luck of catching Greencough. Now that she thought about it, he hadn't really answered her after she asked that of him. Maybe he had already been sick.

She quickened her pace shortly before reaching the den. She stopped at the entrance and poked her head in, searching for the black mass of fur she knew as Nightfox. She looked over each patient. Most were small, but one in the corner stood out. A large lump of black fur. 'Oh StarClan don't let him be dead.' She thought as she anxiously walked over. She prodded him gently with her paw. "Nightfox? That is you isn't it?"

[Isilme]

As he looked outside he noticed a familiar golden cat walking side to side as if searching for something, the tom narrowed his eyes wondering what had gotten the leader so restless, has someone gone missing? A idea came to his mind but he quickly dismissed it, no way that she was looking for him! but all thoughts quickly left his mind when he noticed Sunstar coming to the den, his mind went blank and he quickly hide his face with his tail again hoping beyond hope that she wouldn't notice him, but of course she did, the tom sighed and uncurled himself trying to don't look as weak as he felt. "Hey Sunny! How you doing?" He said sending her a small smile. "Are you feeling better?"

[Deku]

She frowned as he finally showed his face. So it was him. At least he wasn't dead. Sunstar sat down, keeping her amber gaze on his blue one. "Hey Sunny!" And there he goes with that nickname again. Maybe he was fine. When she had been she hadn't even felt like talking to anyone, nevertheless joke around. "How you doing?" She was really tempted to just yell in his face how she was here to find the answer to the exact same question. When he smiled though, she couldn't help but give a small one in return. She had to at least try to be patient. If he really was sick, then he would be feeling miserable no matter how much he hid it.

"I'm feeling fine Nightfox, but I would like to hear an answer from you as well. An honest one please." She mewed softly, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't bother the other sick cats.

[Isilme]

His smile fell for a moment before he forced it back to his face, she had been worried, but it was simple not in his nature to admit any kind of weakness, and Sunstar wouldn't be the first to break through his facade... Or would she? "I'm fine now, thank you for asking" The tom said with his best dismissive tone hoping she would get the bait. "It's good to see you again, I was worried about you." Well, at least that was true, he really had been worried about her recovery and beside feeling guilty for letting she die in the first place, he felt terrible for not being on her side while she recovered like he had promised. "Did the clan fell apart while you were out?" Nightfox teased, he didn't doubted Willowbranch ability to take care of things, but it was a amusing thought, not that he was going to tell her that.

[Deku]

"I'm fine now, thank you for asking." She narrowed her eyes. What happened to an honest answer? "If you were fine now you wouldn't be curled up in a ball in the darkest corner of the medicine cat's den." She retorted, not even slightly taking the bait he had set. Why wouldn't he tell her the truth? She could tell he still felt weak.

Her patience wouldn't last much longer, she knew that, but she tried her hardest to keep a temper in check. He just seemed so insensitive right now. He was worried about her when he clearly lied about coming back to talk to her a few days ago. Maybe it was all an act to him. Was she even a friend yo him or just simply his leader. She couldn't say anything about keeping it a secret though. She herself had tried to do it, and she would be a hypocrite to call it out on him. "No the clan didn't fall apart. Although, we are losing warriors to this dreaded sickness. Warriors that do not have a life to spare."

[Isilme]

He stared at her for a few moments, and even opened his mouth to tell yet another lie but he couldn't, he looked to the side and sighed, what should he do now? "I'm sick." The tom said not looking at the leader, his voice lower and lacking any particular emotion beside a obvious tired tone. "I had been for a while, I just..." He stopped for a moment not knowing what to say, he just what? Nightfox moved on his nest a little unconfortable under her eyes. "I couldn't put you in risk again after you lost one life, I had to leave... Believe me I didn't wanted to, I wanted to make sure you were alright." His eyes were focused on the ground and stayed there observing it as if it was the most interest thing in the world. "I'm sorry okay? I didn't thought it would take so long for me to get better."

[Deku]

She listened quietly as the truth came out. He had been sick. That's why he hadn't been all that worried while helping her. She sighed. "I do believe Nightfox. I just got worried when you didn't come back like you promised. Technically you just said later, not that night." She shouldn't have gotten mad. Especially after he stayed with her while she was sick. "Now I know how you felt when you came in after the ceremonies." She muttered, not removing her gaze even though he had long ago. "but at least you are getting better. I doubt you had to go through any of the worst phases."

[Isilme]

He raised a questioning eyebrow to the leader. "What you wanted me to say? 'Hey! I'm dying so I must go, I don't know if I will ever see you again! Bye!'" He said with a silly voice that sounded girlish and annoying, the tom sighed tired. "I'm sorry for worrying you, but your state was way worse than mine ever was, taking care of you was more important." Nightfox looked into her eyes for a few moments before looking to the ground again. "If I had waited more I probably would be like you were and then we already know how it would end." The words were heavy but it was the truth. "The medicine cats said I will be back to health in no time now, let's hope they are right so we can have that hunting trip hum?" The tom said with a small smile looking back to Sunstar.

[Deku]

OOC: Remember how we were plotting that first thread between these two? I never expected this turn in events.

She cringed away slightly as he changed his voice. It was hardly noticeable, but that didn't mean it was impossible to see. Especially with how her ears pinned against her head. He was right. Again. The guilt dropped onto her and it felt like she had been run over be a twoleg monster. Not that she would know how that felt, but it was the closest she could think of. Why did his comments hurt her so much?

Almost immediately she straightened back up, returning to normal just before his piercing blue gaze met hers again. She zoned out everything he said as she went back to dwell on her thoughts. What if he had died because he had tried to help her first? What would she do then? She still had Willowbranch, but with Beetlestrike gone... Inwardly she sighed. She had an inkling of an idea as to why the guilt hit her hard earlier. She recognized the feeling locked deep in her heart. She didn't want to accept it though. StarClan would just steal it away.

"... hunting trip hum?"

What? Hunting trip? She returned the smile with a wider grin. "Of course."

[Isilme]

OOC: I didn't either lol

He didn't noticed that Sunstar had spaced out, he was just glad she was alright and back to her duties health as always, the tom also felt strangely happy that she had been worried about him all this time but quickly dismissed the feeling as nothing, it was nothing, right? "Well glad to know you haven't forgotten, but you better go before you get sick again, I don't want anymore delays after I'm out of here, and I'm already sick of dealing with sick cats." He attemped a joke but was quite sure it had been terrible, well at least he had tried. "I will see you later, this time I mean it." Nightfox said looking in the leader eyes.

Deku sorry for the long wait!

[Deku]

OOC: Alright, I'll make her leave now. This will be my last post, and you can determine if you want to post another in conclusion.

She nodded hesitantly, still frowning slightly. She was definitely relieved he was feeling better, and elated that he hadn't gotten worse. Such strange feelings all mixed in together caused her brain some confusion, but she would just have to overcome that. Nightfox wasn't just pushing her away, well technically he was, but it was for her own good. The joke he had attempted was truly horrible, but she gave a small smile anyways. She held onto his blue gaze for a while before standing. She turned towards the clearing and took a step before glancing over her shoulder. "As soon as you're better we are going on that hunting trip." And with that statement she left, finally able to actually think about her duties.