You Again? (Member ONLY)

[Naruto]

Batpaw stalked out to the river,golden eyes gleaming with irritation. Those other apprentices were annoying. And his mentor just sat on their butt all day. He didn't bother to ask to train. Because his mentor would likely suggest one of the annoying new apprentices. Great StarClan! He knew that Spiralpaw and Ebonypaw were grieving over the loss of their sister....and Deathpaw was also grieving in a very depressed way. But did that mean that they had to pester him constantly about stupid things? No. There wasn't any excuse for how annoying they were.

He sat down at the edge of the river,grumbling about how unfair life was. Annoying warrior...annoying apprentices....annoying kits....Basically,RiverClan was annoying. Maybe it wouldn't be that way if he wasn't so...Batpaw. That's just how he thought,not that he'd give a voice to that nagging thought.

[Member]

"What's biting your pelt, Stranger?" Leafpaw mewed as she sauntered up to the river. Something... tonight, had compelled her to come back to this river. Ever since the first day she'd been having.. weird feelings. Mix feelings and confused ones. She wasn't so sure about anything anymore.

She came here, hoping Batpaw was around as he usually was, to find some comfort. But why? She didn't want to talk to him abou tit! THat was embarrassing. Well, anyways, he was here, and he looked to annoyed to even talk about something like that.

[Naruto]

"A bunch of fleas that look like the new RiverClan apprentices,"Batpaw grunted,looking up. "Please don't tell me I have to save another ThunderClan cat." He smiled slightly. He still hadn't told anyone in RiverClan about his saving not one but three ThunderClan cats from the overflowing river.

[Member]

"I'm sure they can't be that bad," Leafpaw told Batpaw. How bad coupld a couple apprentices be? "N... No." She said to him, her fur growing hot with embarrassment. She lightly pawed at the group. If she could, she'd blush right now.

[Naruto]

"They are,"Batpaw responded,scratching behind his ear with his hind paw. "Good. It was becoming something of a hobby." He grinned at her before saying,"So why are you out here?"

[Member]

Leafpaw twitched her ears at his question. Why was she here? To find comfort, but she couldn't say that now. No! He was already irritated with the complaints of his own clanmates, he didn't need a ThunderClan cat doing the same.

"I like coming to thr river." She replied after a pause. That wasn't the truth, but it wasn't a lie either, she liked it here, in this particular spot. "Why are you here? Other than trying to get some peace."

[Naruto]

Batpaw shrugged. "Well alright. Long as you dont steal fish I'm OK."

[Member]

Leafpaw chuckled and walked a little closer to the river. She liked being atthis river... and talking to Batpaw. Why taking to Batpaw? It was good to have company. Nothing else. Nothing, she thought hopefully.

Absentmindedly she dipped her paw in the cold water of the river. A shiver went through her as she slowly swirled her paw around in small circles. It was cold enough for her to want to take her paw out, but she didn't, she wanted t keep i in, even if her paw started to get stiff with he cold. She liked the way the water flowed around her paws.

"Hey, what's it like swimming?" She asked Batpaw, her thoughts... away for the moment. Thinking about just... everything.

[Naruto]

Batpaw was a little bit surprised at the question,and his eyes reflected shock. Was a ThunderClan cat asking what it was like to swim? And one who'd recently almost drowned? Man,StarClan kept making crazy cats.

"Very..." How should he put it? He struggled to find a word that fit before saying,"Relaxing." He padded closer to the river and let his tail trail in the water;of course he barely felt the cold that was enough to shock any non-RiverClan cat due to his fur shedding water like a duck's feather.

"You want to find out?" He said it without thinking and then he clawed himself mentally. Yes,he could teach her to swim. Yes,it would be near impossible. But he found himself wanting to spend more time with Leafpaw. Plus,it would give him an excuse to get away from those annoying apprentices in RiverClan.

Yeah,sure,he was gain for it. Though if they were caught he'd have his ears clawed it would be worth it if he didn't have to save Leafpaw every time she came to the river;which was apparently often. As often as he came,maybe.

[Member]

Leafpaw pulled her paw out of the water quickly when she heard Batpaw's question. Show her...? He meant... teach her how to swim?! No! She couldn't! If she started swiming who knows what kind of trouble she'd be in!

But... she... wanted to learn, yes, she did. It seemed so, fun, and she yearned to be with Batpaw. No... no... it wasn't that,she just wanted some company. Nothing else.

"Oh, I would love that! So very much!" She said happily.

[Naruto]

"Okay."Batpaw said quickly,blinking in surprise. Then he regained his composure and took a deep breath. "First,you just need to get used to the flow of the water in your fur. Try standing in the river for a few moments,"he suggested,going down to the edge of the river himself and stepping in.

[Member]

"Okay," Leafpaw said with a nod. Slowly, she slipped into the river, a shudder going through he as the cold water touched her skin and soaked into her like moss. She felt the tug of the river on her fur, it was so... weird, and yet she was used to it, wih all the times she'd fallen in or had to step into it herself.

[Naruto]

"Don't worry;you'll get used to it soon enough."Batpaw assured Leafpaw,eyes gleaming with amusement. "Just don't step any deeper and you'll be fine."

[Member]

Leafpaw nodded her head happily before she looked back into the dark water. She couldn't see her feet with only the light of the moon, not a chance. She moved her toes around a little and swayed. Ah, it was so fun in thi river.

[Naruto]

"Now just take a step forwards."he instructed,stepping forwards himself. It was if there was a drop-off;this was the real river bank. Batpaw made sure that he was still on the shallow end,and kept his face above water,the icy water seeping into his neck fur. "And don't panic."

[Member]

Leafpaw stepped farther into the water, her breathing quickening as she stepped in. It was so... cold! She got in as far as Batpaw did, up to her neck. She felt like she could hardly breath that far down! It was just... so... weird!

[Naruto]

"Now just keep walking,don't stop moving your paws. If you go under,don't panic. If you do,you'll drown."Batpaw said bluntly,stepping farther into the current. He almost immediately went under,but he quickly bobbed back up,his fur slicked flat to his body. His paws kept churning steadily,keeping him above water so he could breath.

[Member]

Leafpaw nodded. Okay, the hard part. Slowly she walked forward, her pelt starting to prickle with excitement and anziety. The water slowly rose farther up to her neck, and her breathing quicked. So cold. She closed her eyes as water went over her head. SHe walked on the tips of her feet, not sure what to do anymore. What was she supposed to do!?

Her head, or, her face actually, barely bobbed over the top of the water. Just enough for her to see and hear and get a quick breath before going back under. "What do I-" she went under and came back up, "do now?"

[Naruto]

"Just keep moving your legs. It's as easy as walking."he called,swimming closer to Leafpaw in case she went under and was unable to get back up. Batpaw blinked,thoughts swirling through his head faster than the river's current. Why did he care so much about a ThunderClan cat? Why did he find the need to come down to the river every night,just to see if she was there?

[Member]

Leafpaw tried to push with the little bit of foting she had left in the water. Immediately he pws started to frantically push in their attempt to swim. No! Do it like your walking! Like you walking! She thought as she sank under the water. Forcefully, she slowed her legs until they were moving as slowlyas they would if she was taking a walk. Soon enough she found herself floating.

She smiled at her occamplishment. She'd done it! But even so, just occasionally, he feet would move fast again, just for one quick second before moving back to their slow pace.

[Naruto]

"Good. You're getting the hang of it!"Batpaw mewed encouragingly,just a black shadow in the water. "Come over here. It's a little deeper."

MAH MUSE LEFT!!!*Face palms*

[Member]

"Really! I am!" Leafpaw mewed happily, and loudly at that. She quieted herself down, what if there was another cat around. They'd rip off their fur and keep it as a reminder! Or... something.

Slowly, Leafpaw moved towards Batpaw, her head moving up and down in the water. THis swimming thing, it was so hard! And it was only made harder with her fur soaking it all in! She felt like she had a big fat cat on her back!

[Naruto]

"That's it. A little farther,"Batpaw encouraged,eyes shining with triumph. "You need some more practice,but you've got the hang of it. You can get out now,if you want to."he added,swimming towards the RiverClan side of the river. "The next step is teaching you how to fish." He pulled himself out onto the bank,water streaming from his fur. He shook himself off,still looking sleek and better fed as his thick black coat dried.

[Member]

"You'll teach me how to fish!" She said excitedly as she unknowingly pushed towards him eagerly. She watched as he got out of the river, and admired him. He was bigger than her, and looked better fed as well. She knew there were muscles under all that girth, and not just the blubber of too much fish. She loved it, and she loved him.

Huh? No. No. Definitely not. Leafpaw swam up onto shore and sat next to Batpaw. A chill went through her fur as a breeze rolled through and caused her to shiver. She looked back over the water and then looked at Batpaw, lifting her ears.

"Heh, seems like I got off on the wrong side!" She giggled.

[Naruto]

"Yeah,I guess you did!"Batpaw purred,flicking his tail. He saw a shudder pass trough Leafpaw's pelt and paused,concern filling his gaze as he unknowingly padded towards her. "You're cold." It wasn't a question,but more like a statement.

Pale gray flitted through the forest as Rockpaw ran towards camp,a bundle of the softest moss he could find for the queens in his jaws. Then he caught a familiar scent. Leafpaw? He set the moss down at the roots of an oak tree and followed his sister's scent,stopping at some bushes that overlooked the RiverClan border. He picked up fresh RiverClan scent and froze,panic making him shudder violently. What if someone had caught and killed Leafpaw?

He crouched low,looking desperately for his sister's familiar pelt. He saw her on the RiverClan side of the river,unharmed but...sitting next to a humongous black tom. What?

[Sponsored content]