"Come on, Batpaw. Attack me!"
Berrypaw's neck fur was fluffed up, making him look like a tiny puffball. Batpaw's heart melted. "I can't, you're too cute!"
Berrypaw rolled his eyes. "Pretend I'm Brightlight. C'mon. Give me a good ol' scratch."
"Okay..." Batpaw softly reached out to paw his face, but Berrypaw quickly pinned him down to the ground.
"You move like a slug!" He teased. Batpaw gazed up at him. "C'mon. You need to take this seriously. Or else- you'll still be an apprentice when Snowkit gets his warrior name!"
Batpaw placed a paw on his, keeping him overtop of him. "Then be scarier. You look like if a snowball and a feather had a kit." He murmured.
"Shut up." Berrypaw leaned his head down to lick Batpaw's. He moved aside, allowing Batpaw to stand up. "C'mon. Attack me!"
Batpaw crouched low, staring directly at his shoulder as he aimed for his stubby legs. Berrypaw let out a squeak of surprise, falling down on his back. Batpaw placed both his paws on his soft belly, keeping him down as he pretended to bite his neck, only lightly touching it with his fangs. "I would bite harder than that in a real fight." He explained.
"I figured."
Batpaw let go of him, allowing him to shake the leaves and grass off his pelt. "My leg hurts." He whined.
"Which is why you need to exercise." Berrypaw sniffed. Batpaw rolled his eyes.
Berrypaw dragged him back to camp. The two were greeted by Snowkit, staring up at Berrypaw.
"My momma said to tell you that... um... I need meddy-cine." He bounced, before coughing violently. Berrypaw gasped, and scooped him up. He took him quickly to the medicine den, not saying goodbye to Batpaw. Batpaw watched him leave, before limping after him.
"Here. Have some coltsfoot and tansy." Berrypaw nudged the herbs towards him.
"Is it serious?" Redtuft asked, his voice flat.
"I think he has whitecough." Berrypaw mewed worriedly. Batpaw limped towards Snowkit. The little kit's nose was crusted, and he was sniffling and coughing.
"Did I use up the last bit of catmint?" He asked, feeling guilty.
"There might be a bit in the storage. Berrypaw, go get it." Redtuft's voice was lacking emotion, as though he didn't care about the small kit. "Come on, Snowkit, you need to take these herbs."
"Okay." Snowkit weakly lapped up some of the tansy. Berrypaw returned with a small amount of catmint.
"Here, Snowkit, this will make you feel better." Berrypaw's voice trembled, his brown eyes blazing with anger and stress. Batpaw comfortingly touched his shoulder with his muzzle.
"Berrypaw, I think I can handle Snowkit by myself. You're free to leave." Redtuft mewed. Berrypaw opened his mouth to protest, but Redtuft silenced him with a glance.
"He's stressed." Berrypaw murmured. Batpaw stared at him. How could he tell? The tom's voice always seemed flat and emotionless.
"Come on. Let's go get something from the fresh-kill pile. You barely ate yesterday."
"Okay." Berrypaw sighed.
Batpaw took a plump crow to share with him. His favorite. The pair sat beside the medicine den. Snakepaw glared at them.
"Don't you get enough food from your twolegs?" He sneered at Berrypaw, who looked down, embarrassed. "You fat, lazy kittypet. Always taking our prey." Iciclepaw cackled at his mew.
Batpaw's neck fur bristled in anger. "He's not a kittypet! He does more work than you two. Oh, wait, did your mentor tell you to play moss-ball?" He blinked innocently, only his fur and lashing tail giving off the anger he felt. Snakepaw was such a jerk!
"That's different. We were on break." Iciclepaw protested.
"Yeah, sure. Tail-licker!" He added with a snarl.
Iciclepaw and Snakepaw whispered to each other, glancing at Batpaw. He raised his head. I hope they're talking about how much I'm right. The two stomped over to Eggpaw and Flowerpaw. They formed a small huddle, leaving Batpaw and Berrypaw alone. Batpaw sighed. "You didn't have to do that." Berrypaw murmured, his fur flattening.
"If you're not gonna speak up for yourself, then I will." He sniffed. Berrypaw said nothing in reply, but took a small bite from the prey. "Something wrong?"
"I'm just worried about Snowkit." Berrypaw admitted. Batpaw nuzzled his shoulder comfortingly.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. He's strong."
"Yeah..."
Batpaw lapped at a knot in Berrypaw's fur as he ate. "Do you ever groom yourself?" He scolded, like a mother to its kit.
"I barely have time to relax." Berrypaw shrugged. "Here, want some?"
"Thank you, kind sir." Batpaw took a small bite. The two continued to share prey with one another, taking small bites to leave enough for the other cat, until Berrypaw, sighing, took the last bite. "Can we go train again?"
"Yeah, sure. Go catch me a mouse." Berrypaw yawned. Batpaw rolled his eyes.
"Lazy lump!" He teased, prodding him with a paw, "You aren't busy right now. Let's go train."
"Only if you help me with my herb training."
"Fine. I know almost nothing, though."
"After all that time in the medicine den?"
"Yeah."
Berrypaw let out a sigh. "Come on." With a flick of his tail, both cats padded out of the camp. Batpaw's heart drummed in his chest at the thought of being alone with Berrypaw. Alone, without any interruptions... His fur grew hot. "You okay? You're warm." Berrypaw looked at him worriedly.
"Yeah." They sat near the river again. "You know, I suddenly don't feel like training." Batpaw yawned.
"Then what was the point of dragging me over here?" Berrypaw whined. Batpaw said nothing, but leaned closer to lick his neck. Berrypaw's fur bristled, his eyes wide with surprise.
"I love you so much..." Batpaw murmured, his eyes shining with affection. He moved closer, their muzzles almost touching. Berrypaw's body trembled, though his eyes flooded with a strong amount of love for him. The two pressed their muzzles against each other for a kiss, their lips touching, before pulling away quickly. Batpaw's pelt burned.
"Batpaw," Berrypaw breathed, his eyes full of love, "I love you."
"I love you too." Batpaw's legs trembled. He loved him so much. The feeling overwhelmed him, flooding his mind. Once, he had thought they would only be friends. But now... Berrypaw was the only cat he loved. The only cat who he could picture himself with. Berrypaw kissed him again, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Surprise," He purred softly. Batpaw finally managed to respond.
"You little sneak!" He pinned him against the ground. Berrypaw looked up at him, his eyes wide and full of love. Batpaw leaned down to kiss him again. Before Batpaw could do so, however, the ferns rustled, and Hollyheart appeared.
"Hey guys..." Hollyheart's fur spiked up.
"Oh. Hey." Batpaw pulled away from Berrypaw, his fur growing hot. Berrypaw sat upright, looking down at the ground. Hollyheart blinked.
"Come on. Redtuft needs both of you." She mewed with amusement. Batpaw's pelt was warm with embarrassment.
"Coming." Both apprentices mewed together.
