Hidden in the Falls.

Chapter 13

Pale walked the river's side. It was a path he walked often, usually when he wanted a break from the fighting and kits playing in the cave. He couldn't complain much as over these six moons, Red has started helping with cleaning after her littermates's messes. Pale's ears perked as he heard the shaking of a bush, the tiny flick of a tail, scampering of tiny paws and a hiss of annoyance. "I can never get it," the voice said from behind the bushes. Pale caught the scent of the cat, River, and the smell of a mouse.

"You'll get it next time," Pale called over the undergrowth in his mate's general direction.

"Oh, hi Pale," the bushes quivered, and a tail tapped Pale's shoulder. "You headed home?" River asked.

"Only if the kits have calmed down," he laughed. Fish convinced Shore to take the youngest kits, excluding Red for some reason, out to tour the territory. They had been ecstatic ever since. "Well, and Petal and Rat and... Bark have also calmed down."

"Oh no, what's the argument about this time?" River said sarcastically. Pale could tell that, even with his lack of sight, River was rolling her eyes.

"Petal thinks that if the kits are strong enough to explore the territory, then it's time for them to get off it. Rat was saying something about a promise, and Bark was, of course, arguing to stay," Pale summed it up quickly.

River let out a giant sigh, almost as if she was exaggerating it. "Can't they just get along. You know, like Shadow and Wolf." River had to lean onto Pale's shoulder as she almost collapsed with laughter. Pale let out a small meow of laughter as well. It was a joke to start off with, when River first noticed that Shadow always seemed to try to stay near Wolf but never actually talked to him much. Wolf later also started acting awkward around Shadow. By then, it was abundantly clear that they had a huge crush on each other but neither of them was confident enough to tell the other how they truly felt. Young love, such a funny thing to joke about. Well, at least for Pale, who got a crush on River after just two days of knowing her.

They were nearing the slope up the cliff, nearing the waterfalls. The screams of anger could be heard from a few paces away. How did the debate get this heated? River let out a sigh, stopping. "They haven't stopped yet?" she sounded shocked, but not too much as if she half expected this. "I'll be looking to see if any herbs have sprouted. Oh, and maybe find some catmint on our own territory. You know, so I don't have to keep traveling to Manna's place any time it comes around again. Cya later, Pale," River said, turning away into the bushes.

"Why are you abandoning me to face their shouts by myself?" Pale whispered, slightly saddened listening to her leave. The fox was still out there, so was the beast. What if she ran into it? Or maybe a stray dog, or one of those loud monsters that travel on the hard flat plains? Pale stopped his thoughts, blinked his sightless eyes as if to clear away hallucinations. No, he needs to stop thinking like that. River may be poor at best when it comes to hunting, but she can fight. Maybe not the beast or one of the loud thunder path monsters, but she could stand her ground. And Twig would be there, to save her as she did for him when we first found him, only one moon old.

Shaking his head clear, Pale walked to the loud shouts that drifted in the wind from the cave. How did they even have enough breath to continue screaming for so long at each other? Pale thoughts whizzed past through his head as he walked the shore line, stepping into the cave to almost run into Shadow. Pale barely stopped himself from giggling as he scented Wolf close by. Was he staring at his crush? What was going on in their heads?

"Oh, sorry, Pale," she said in a rush, dodging around him.

"Escaping from the yelling feast?" Pale joked headed for his nest.

"Hey... Pale, good friend, I'll say the best that I've ever had... while here-"

"What do you want, Wolf? Love advice?" Pale struck the nerve with the friendly joke. Wolf shuffled his feet with discomfort. He mumbled 'yes' so that no one could hear it. Not like anyone would hear it over Petal, who's voice kept growing louder and louder. "Well, I'm not the person to ask. If I were you, which I'm not, I would ask Shadow." Pale didn't know how he managed to keep a straight face, and yet he kept himself from bursting out laughter.

"Yo- you mouse bile! Who all kno-." He stopped, "Oh no, she knows doesn't she. Oh, she must think I'm some stupid kit with a stupid crush." His paw steps went from side to side, his tail dragged across the floor with anxiety. "Oh, I messed up somehow, didn't I?"

"You did nothing of sorts. In fact, she has a crush on you."

"She does... how come she hasn't told me anything?" Wolf said a bit louder than Pale thought he should. Shore was in the cave now, calming everyone down. Wolf was going have to start talking more quietly soon if he wanted to keep this conversation private.

"Same reason you have," Pale said, listening for any cat coming over. "You're afraid she'll reject you, that she doesn't feel the same even though you haven't even told her. Now, I'm going to get in a nap before Red tries to convince me to take her exploring, again." He flicked his tail to try to send Wolf away.

There was a tiny scoff of disbelief behind a stalagmite about two nests away. Wolf didn't seem to hear it as he was already walking away. "I would never," Red hissed with a hint of laughter