Hunting... yeah

[Onyxdart]

Pinedark, as usual, got to the hunting ground before Loveless. Instead of bounding off to hunt, she turned so she'd see him when he showed up, and nervously licked the fur on her chest flat- it suddenly seemed determined to stand up- and then tried to flatten the rest of her fur.

Oh yes, this had seemed like a great plan, before she'd given it any thought whatsoever. She smoothed down the fur on one front leg and then started on the other leg, and was still trying to groom herself into some kind of composure that she wouldn't have noticed Loveless showing up unless he ran her over. He might have acted like he had ants in his pants, but she acted like she was about to tangle with a full grown Doberman all by herself.

Pinedark was apparently still prone to falling back on old ways in times of stress, and became the stuttering, nervous, skittish little she-cat she'd been when she first met Loveless, when she'd first been apprenticed to him.

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[Loveless]

Even at his cheery pace, Pinedark still managed to get to the maze before him, go figure. It was a good thing that some things never seemed to change, but why was the she-cat in such a hurry? Loveless tilted his head to the side and mentally shrugged to himself; who knew what went on in the mind of a she-cat.

Really? He didn’t want to know.

Even stranger was her behavior when they got to the maze. Instead of hunting, like she had suggested, she had sat down and was grooming herself as if she’d not in a moon. Even two! “Uuuh…” Loveless started, but puzzlement won out and the tom circled Pinedark for a minute, before glancing into the maze. Aw, all those tasty little dinners were going to get a chance to flee or something before he could get to this…but whatever was wrong with Pinedark came first, always. “Are you okay, Pinedark?”

He scented the air, smelling the coming storms as well as the chillness in the air…followed by the close, and more overpowering, scents of several mice in a small leeway to his right. But… “Pinedark?” He approached the she-cat, worry glimmering in yellow eyes before he sat down right next to her, clumsily swiping a lick across her head.

[Onyxdart]

It was becoming clear that Pinedark's fur wasn't going to lay flat until she calmed down, despite rather thorough go she was having at licking it down. She grinned at the ground as Loveless licked the top of her head, and then turned her head to look up at him.

"Everyone seems to think we should be mates," she said awkwardly. That didn't explain anything. She flicked her ears back half-embarrassed.

"Do overs. Everyone thinks we already are mates. But we've never talked about it, and it's hard enough with everyone around, and I needed to talk to you but then it was really hard and I was scared you didn't want to talk about it," she spluttered, her fur all puffed up, until she ran out of breath. Then she just turned her head and leaned her forehead against his side, with a huge sigh. Her ears flicked around as she heard prey. They really did need to hunt, but this was important business to be tended to first. The mice would wait.

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[Loveless]

This was…worrisome indeed and Loveless didn’t like having to worry. He gave a bit of a purr, trying to make up enough confidence for the two of them. However, Pinedark then said something he completely did not expect for the she-cat to say. “Everyone…huh?” The tuxedo tom gave her a quizzical look, not quite yet getting it. Talk about not being the brightest crayon in the box, but he was a loveable oaf.

She was then changing what she had said, and Loveless flicked one ear back. Oh. Oooooh, so that was it? “Well. Um. I was…errr..I wasn’t sure if it was something you wanted to talk about? I mean…” Hunting could wait, this was major important…and even Loveless realized that. The tom glanced up at the sky as if it could provide the answers he needed to give the she-cat who was now leaning against him, sighing himself. “I do love you Pinedark. I don’t think I’ve ever hid that, and I’ve loved you for so long now. I just…want you to be happy.”

Was it the right thing to say? He didn’t know.

[Onyxdart]

At least Loveless hadn't misunderstood her. He was being his normal comforting self. She chirped at him, and sat back on her haunches, then looked up and nosed him under the chin.

"I love you too, so it all works out. And now everyone else can rest easy knowing both of us know, and they can quit giving us sidelong looks. Just as soon as they figure it out. Which they will, because they are nothin' if not observant," she said. Then she stood, and looked around.

"So're we gonna hunt now we've had the talk I dragged us out here to have?" she asked, eyes bright as she looked around, trying to decide the best hunting spot.

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[Loveless]

Yay for being able to comprehend something~

At least…this had been easier then if he had been stuck as the one to figure out how to breach this subject – they be getting old and grey before he had the heart to. Loveless wasn’t completely oblivious to the fact that he wasn’t the most brilliant of cats nor even as handsome as a lot of clan toms, but hell.

Pinedark loved him too. He must be something special indeed. “That’s good. I suddenly feel very watched by certain friends of ours.” He laughed, flicking his tail easily a few times before rising to his paws, “Could be worse, right? They could have been like old biddies and try to hook us up.” Would that be a terrible thing? Loveless liked going with the flow and doing his own thing, not pushed in any direction.

Hunt? Oh yeah right! The tom ducked his head sheepishly, having just about forgotten – but he then crouched and slowly stalked towards a patch of long grass jutting from the side of the rocky maze wall. A pause, the slightest soft movement forward and then the tom was airborne, pouncing onto the wiggling form in the grass trying to escape him.

Loveless looked practically silly, looking up at Pinedark with a mouthful of wiggly, still alive mouse.

[Onyxdart]

Thread resurrection YAY!

The little she-cat grinned at Loveless as he stood there looking like a complete goof, with a mouse... was it alive? Poor mouse!

"Oh, put the poor thing out of its misery," she said, but she was still smiling. With a flick of her tail, she sideskipped and vanished into the tall grass. A few steps away, the grass rustled, and she crouched down, crept forward, and pounced.

She came up with a mouse- one which she'd killed when she'd pounced on it, its neck broken. Triumphantly, she trotted back to the clearing and poked her nose out of the grass. She perked her ears forward at Loveless, grinning around the mouse, and then dropped it.

"How much do we need before they'll be convinced we were really hunting?" she asked.

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[Loveless]

“Mmmm mmmmh mmmmph mmwmmer~” Loveless said, his expression and yellow eyes bright and cheerful around the mouthful of living, wiggling mouse. It only took just a second, a single sharp bite down of crushing jaws, and the little mouse hung limp. During this time, Pinedark had gone and secured another mouse, promptly killing it was such efficiency that alit the tuxedo tom’s eyes with the glow of pride.

Pinedark had done so well, became something so wonderful in her life. Of course he was proud.

“Hrmma.” The fool said, padding forward to drop the mouse down besides hers. “Urm. I mean, I dunno. If they all went out on a patrol or did something with themselves we may not be noticed slipping back into camp with three or four. Maybe even two?”

He was no help.

[Onyxdart]

Pinedark pawed the two mice meditatively. Maybe they wouldn't notice if they only brought back two mice.

"Well, they are rather large mice, for Leafbare," she said, and then picked one up.

"Mmmmf mmmmr," she said, grinning around the mouthful of mouse. Then she flicked her tail and took a step back towards camp, waiting for Loveless to follow. She wasn't going to outrun him this time, but wait for him instead.

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[Loveless]

Eating huh? That sounded nice…Loveless’ belly grumbled in protest in reminder that he hadn’t eaten yet today. Ah well, the clan came first~

Then he could stuff his own face, rawr!

“Must’ve been eating away before it got all cold, brrr.” Loveless shivered for effect, poking at his mouse with a sly paw with an air of cheery, silly boredom. He was grinning in less then a heartbeat before snatching up his own mouse and practically pranced over to his pretty little mate, pure, simple adoration shining with yellow eyes.

His mate, the little cat he had loved for what felt like moons and moons and moons now. He had to tell Chainless the news too! His faded sister needed more cheering up, he always felt so bad for not visiting her as often as he probably should. “Mmmm, mmmmphmh, mmmph!” He waved his tail high and started walking back to camp, more then willing to travel the entire distance side by side.