Originally Posted by RedHead (Post 696967) Ternsky remained silent for a moment after Houndpaw spoke, dipping her paw in the water once more to slap another fish easily onto the bank. She dug her claws in its scaly flesh, killing it as her orange eyes remained focused on the water below. She wasn't quite sure what to say. It seemed there was definitely something from Houndpaw's past that was bothering him. It was just like with Sassafrasfire. Ternsky never had anything tragic happen in her past, she was brought up pretty well, had two parents who loved her and siblings who she got along with. Most of them may be gone by now, but they passed in their own time and she had had her mourning time for them, and knew they were now thriving in Starclan. But she'd never had anything super tragic happen to her other than that. So she didn't know how to help or relate, only feel and know when someone was hiding something terrible they didn't want to talk about. She wasn't sure if she just wanted to ignore what he said and hope that she didn't offend him, or if she wanted to ask, yet risk getting yelled at because it was a touchy subject. "I've always wanted to have kits, one day." She finally meowed, before snapping her maw shut, realizing how stupid that sounded. And how inconsiderate that sounded as well. "Sorry, I... I just didn't know what else to say. That just... kinda came out." The black-furred warrior apologized, her ears flattening against her head as she refocused her attention on the pond below.

Houndpaw had been totally prepared to play it off like he had said ‘boys.’ He wasn’t the type to call his friends ‘boys’ nor was he the type to have many friends, but it was better that she think he was a hick than know the truth. But, Ternsky’s reaction made him pause. It wasn’t at all what he had expected, and she immediately apologized for it, but it was somehow... refreshing. For the first time in a long time, Houndpaw didn’t feel the urge to lie. The tom focused on the water before them and scooped another fish from it, choosing to stomp on it rather than use his claws. Without looking at Ternsky, he said something he’d never expected to say to a cat in Riverclan, “it might be the most worthwhile thing any cat can do...” Also for the first time in a long time, tears pricked at Houndpaw’s eyes. He swallowed them back and didn’t let them fall, until he looked at his reflection on the water and watched his grief shift it into the image of his son. Even then, only one year slipped out to shatter the mirage.

Originally Posted by Mumble (Post 696843) Badgerpaw scurried over to where he pointed, her ears perked, and her eyes scanning for any possible prey.