The Flight of a Deer

The Other One

Deerflight woke up and wrapped her paws around herself. She realized that Greenfeather was curld around her uncomfortably tightly. She prodded Greenfeather. "Hey! Wake up! You need to get out there. Today's your leader ceremony." Greenfeather jerked awake.

"Woah! Really?"

"No. That was just payback for the patrol guise."

"Aw, come on!"

"Greenfeather, I think you are the last tom Shadestar would pick for deputy."

"No, I could do it!"

"I said the last tom Shadestar would pick."

"I have a chance?"

"No."

Greenfeather poked her belly, making her flinch. Deerflight responded with a friendly lick to Greenfeather's head. She stopped to whisper something to Grenfeather.

"Tonight, Greenfeather." Greenfeather nodded, his golden eyes glinting with an edge. Deerflight looked around. They both knew what she was talking about. And they both looked forward to it. "Heat already? You know what they say about us. We're too close."

"That's why I'm trying to seduce the deputy." She gave a hollow laugh. Greenfeather looked at her thoughtfully.

"Think we should go out now?"

"You know what? We're not on patrol, and we're alone."

Greenfeather shook his head. "ActualIy, I'm too sleepy to do that. Let's just lie here." Deerflight nodded. They curled up, paws around each other, tails interwined. Eventually they fell asleep like that. Brackenclaw happened to walk in moments after they slipped into their dreams. He inspected the two. Intertwined like only mates would. 

"They are close-knit siblings," He said, a shadow crossing his face. He thought there was something more than just family bonds.

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Deerflight woke up to a sharp bramble poking her in the belly. She wiggled put of Greenfeather's warm embrace and woke him up. "Greenfeather. There's a bramble in the moss and it poked me! Now I'm bleeding, get up, you lazy mouse!" Greenfeather saw her big scratch, and how it was losing blood. He saw a thorn stuck in there, and he helped her to the Medicine den.

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Yarrowfeather examined the wound and bramble. After a minute, he turned back to the siblings. "Well, it looks like a lazy apprentice just forgot to clean out the moss. Nothing bad. Come here, let me ge some cobwebs on that cut." Deerflight came over and sat still while Yarrowfeather cobwebbed her scratch. 

"Alright, you're done. Just be careful next time." Yarrowfeather reminded her.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks." Deerflight replied.

"Hey Greenfeather? Can I talk to Deerflight alone for a little?" Yarrowfeather asked.

"Sure, I'll wait here," answered Greenfeather. 

Yarrowfeather led Deerflight to the back of his den, where he kept his herbs. "Okay, Deerflight. You know it's a heat week?" Deerflight shook her head. "I smelled an unusual lot of heat scents while I was in the clearing. Remember the last heat week?" Deerflight did. 

"Yeah, all the toms had to hide because of that, but the only one stubborn enough not to was Greenfeather. He avoided everyone," Deerflight said thoughtfully. Everyone but me. 

Yarrowfeather nodded. "So, you were the only one who was in control of your het, and you managed not to, well, rape any of the toms. We are going to need you to be halfway in between, as sort of an alert to tell all the toms when the heat is gone. Cooped up in some hole, I don't think we're going to be able to tell if it's over."

Deerflight thought it over in her head. "Even you are going into hiding?"

Yarrowfeather nodded vigorously. "No chances with this tom!"

"Okay, I'll do it. Just... where are you going to be hiding?"

Yarrowfeather said quietly,"Under the Gathering place, It's heat week for all four clans, so we all hide together, You will be the only female allowed to come here."

Deerflight tapped her tail on the ground. "I guess so. You got a deal. When are you going? Heat's already started, although not in full swing."

Yarrowfeather racked his mind. "At moonhigh tonight. Brackenclaw made sure to post toms as the guards."

Deerflight nodded in understanding. "Alright. Deal. I'll sometimes bring prey, so you don't need to some out as often."

Yarrowfeather's relief showed in his eyes. "That means less hunting patrols. Thank you."

Deerflight flicked her ears to show that she'd heard. "Bye, I need to go. Greenfeather is probably waiting."

"Okay. Remember the place."

Greenfeather followed Deerflight out of the den, passing Gorsepelt on the way. She didn't know that she was waving her tail, and her heat scent hit Gorsepelt full-on. He thought she was showing off, but pushed the thought away. Focus on heat week.

Greenfeather looked at Deerflight. "You heard about the heat week, I suppose?"

"Yes, I did. I need to get rid of it before it hits full-on. Probably right now." Deerflight needed it, badly. SHe was actually barely keeping herself in check. 

Greenfeather knew what she needed. "Come on, let's go."

Deerflight purred. "I knew you'd want it."