Originally Posted by Maplefur (Post 89169) "Oh!" Maplefur exclaimed. "That's right, you don't know where everything is yet. Well that den over there," she gestured with her tail to the apprentices den. "is the apprentices' den, and the one right across from it is the warriors' den." She gestured around the camp as she continued to point out places. "That's the nursery- you've probably already scented it, though. Over there's the elders' den, and that's the medicine cat den." She turned to the large rock in the clearing. "That's high peak, where Ashstar will announce any news- such as a loner joining the clan, for one example!" She gave Apurva a large smile. "The leader's den is right by it, though we only go in if invited or if we have something urgent to tell Ashstar." She concluded. "And the last part is over there- that's the way to dirt place," she scrunched her nose up. "And I'm assuming you already know the entrance, seeing as you're in here!" Finished with the tour, Maplefur turned her attention back to Apurva. "Timberpaw? So you've already got a friend then- that's great! I don't really know Timberpaw- honestly I don't really know any of the apprentices- but he seems like a nice cat." The molly nodded, turning to see if Timberpaw was in the clearing. "He might be out training right now- oh! Since you're joining, you'll be an apprentice too! I wonder what your new name will be?" She tilted her head, trying to think up something and failing. "I was already named Maple before joining, so they didn't need to change my name all that much- just add on 'paw' and I was set!"

Apurva blinked, a tiny bit overwhelmed by all the different dens and scents and all that, but she simply nodded, following whenever Maplefur pointed. The molly's paws ached with cold and tired, and again, she yawned. She nodded again, laughter dancing in her green orbs. “Yeah! Timberpaw caught me trespassing, or rather, I caught him while trespassing.” she corrected herself sheepishly, scuffling her large paws in mild embarrassment.

“And yes, he seems nice.” so far all the cats she'd met had been nice enough, though only ones she'd actually talked to, there were several who'd seemed less than friendly, but she shrugged, not realizing that her name would change once she was fully a Clan cat. She was very curious as to what it would be, and couldn't help but thinking that it would be strange, not having her current name, or even a part of it like Maplefur had.

She looked up at the friendly calico molly that had been ever so kind to her. “I hope it's nothing silly.” she replied, dipping her head. “Well, I think I'll go sleep for a bit.” she added, dipping her head in a temporary farewell to Maplefur, then indicated with a slight motion of her tail that Maplefur should rest, too.
Apurva turned about and padded sleepily into the apprentices' den, her eyes half closed.

@Lonestar23
Apurva padded into the den Maplefur had told her was the apprentices' den. There were several nests, along with a few cats similar in age to herself. She looked around, her green hues bright as she scanned the unfamiliar den for the familiar brown tabby pelt of Timberpaw, but there was too much, and she knew she wouldn't have seen him even if he was in there, so he could be and she just didn't notice, or he wasn't there. She shook her head then padded to the back and side of the den, plopping herself down in a comfortable moss and bracken lined nest. It was warm in here, and freezing cold leaf-bare outside. She wished she could've slept, but she just felt too ruffled and overwhelmed to sleep, she instead the calico molly started to lick out the matted areas of her pelt, including a few clumps of dried blood, since she hadn't the chance to wash her fur since the battle, and her fur was quite disgusting. She didn't look up till she'd groomed a good part of her pelt, and she thought she'd recognized Timberpaw's scent. She blinked. I hope he's okay. I wonder if he fought in the battle, too? she twitched her nose, trying to tell whether or not it was actually him. “Timberpaw?” she asked, looking around, her orbs wide as she looked around, her gaze flicking from one corner of the den to the next, and then to the entrance. She blinked. Perhaps I'm just imagining things. She thought, flicking her tail dismissively, looking down for a moment, then back up.

Originally Posted by Lonestar23 (Post 93488) Timberpaw padded into the Apprentices' Den, the brown tom close to exhausted. He half collapsed onto the ground, feeling his tired limbs calm as soon as he did so. With a sigh of relief, his ears suddenly pricked up as he heard his name. Who's calling me? He thought with a slightly annoyed twitch of his tail; he had just settled down, after all. The annoyance changed to surprise and relief as he saw Apurva laying there as well. He slowly got to his paws, his tail twitching with anticipation and excitement as he padded over towards her, green hues snapping with pleasure. "Apurva! Or...do you have a Clan name now?" He asked, feeling a twinge of regret as he realized he hadn't seen her in a while. How could he not have caught up with his friend? He was beginning to grow annoyed with himself and his tail began to twitch in an irritated manner. He hated feeling lousy, but he felt lower then anything else at that moment. He wished he had worked harder to keep up with her. "Are- are you okay? How are you feeling, tired, or..." Timberpaw asked anxiously, looking his friend over. He could feel another sting of regret as he spotted the bloody areas on her pelt. Had she been fighting in the battle, for a Clan? A Clan that wasn't her own? Why would she risk that? Unless...unless maybe she's joining ThunderClan! That must be why she's in here! Timberpaw thought with a sharp jolt of delight, and he began to purr a little at the thought, despite feeling guilty. "Would you...would you like some help cl-cleaning up?" He mewed, stumbling a little over the words as his green hues glanced over her slightly matted and bloody calico pelt again.

Apurva started in surprise. She was a bit mad at herself for not recognizing his scent more quickly, but then realized that it'd been very long day, or past couple days...? She'd lost count. She shook her head. “No, I'm still Apurva.” her voice held a small twinge of regret. She couldn't wait until she officially became a cat of ThunderClan. She knew it'd be hard work, and very risky, but it seemed safer for the most part than being a loner. Here, she would have friends to watch her back, and she could watch theirs. The calico yawned, then her eyes widened very slightly. “I'm okay, just a few cuts is all.” she replied, studying his pelt carefully with gentle green eyes. “Are you alright, though?” she took careful note that Timberpaw looked very nearly exhausted, and she was rather sorry for disturbing him, but it was good to see him again, as she hadn't seen nor heard from him since shortly before the battle. She was quite glad to see that he was alive. She looked down, feeling her fur become uncomfortably warm, and she gave her chest fur a few embarrassed licks. She wasn't quite sure how to answer that question, or even if she wanted to, but she didn't want to seem rude, so Apurva glanced back up, taking great care to avoid Timberpaw's gaze as she did so. “Oh, well... um... s-sure I suppose... Thanks....” the almost ragged looking calico mumbled quietly and uncertainly, blinking, still a bit surprised. She looked at her pelt, and, without waiting for his reply, returned to grooming her dirty pelt, though she looked up every few moments, still careful to avoid his green hues. She paused for a moment, slightly zoned out. That was awfully nice of him.... I feel kinda bad for not really deserving it.... She didn't really feel like she deserved it, and had been a bit tempted to refuse him and say she didn't deserve it, but deep down, she knew that it didn't matter. He wanted to help her, and it would only be harder if she refused, so she stuck with her choice, determination glittering like stars in her leafy hues.

Originally Posted by Lonestar23 (Post 93652) Timberpaw breathed another sigh of relief, and his green hues grew softer. "I'm glad." Because I have no idea what I would do if something happened to you. He thought, not speaking the words aloud feeling slightly embarrassed. As far as he knew, that would have been a friendly thing to say...he didn't think much of it. Timberpaw understood the concept of a crush perfectly, although he was...confused as to whether he was able to have that emotion or not. He had never thought of himself as able to deal with the rapid rush of emotions, although perhaps...maybe this was the right thing to be doing. "Oh! Oh, I'm fine...I'm just a little tired is all, worn out from the battle and everything...quite the experience for me, I- I was hoping you wouldn't be too hurt," Timberpaw mewed with a nervous expression. He kept his green hues locked on her own, a little worried as her expression changed. This is a nice thing to do, right? Oh dear, did I embarrass her...she looks kind of nervous...Timberpaw thought, suddenly realizing that the calico she cat had broken his eye contact. "Okay, um...I guess I'll just...uh..." He muttered, trying to find a spot where he could help her. The tom shifted around to beside her, and gently began to clean her matted pelt, unsure of whether to avoid the bloody patches or not. His green hues were focused on his current work, his expression unreadable and green hues emotionless at the moment, although he could feel a flurry of emotions rushing inside him. Was that anxiety? Fear? What was he afraid of? Timberpaw wasn't sure, and he was beginning to grow worried. Both because of Apurva's original, somewhat nervous reaction and now because she had actually agreed, and this was new for him...but it's no different then sharing tongues. And that's a normal clan thing, so I shouldn't be nervous. Nothing to worry about. This is harmless. He thought, the tip of his tail moving nervously back and forth as he did so. He could feel his heartbeat racing, pounding against his ribcage like a trapped bird, making his pelt heat up as it did so.

Apurva blinked, hoping she'd said the right thing. looked at the tom out of the corner of her eyes, a strange warmth that made her feel uncomuncomfortable spreading like spiderwebs under her skin. She shifted so that her pelt didn't quite brush his as he sat down beside her. She turned away for a few seconds, teasing a tangle out of her medium lengthed pelt. Why do I feel this way? Why should I? She knew what if felt like to crush on somebody, but she also knew that it often ended with one cat left brokenhearted. She didn't wish that upon either of them, or anyone else who may like him. She stared at her paws, pausing from grooming her pelt. While the strong, rhythmic strokes of his tongue felt good, they also made her feel uncomfortably warm, and there was an odd fluttering feeling in her chest. She shook her head, then continued to groom out her fur with the help of Timberpaw. “Well, at least you don't look hurt.” she meowed faintly, fainter than she would've liked, but she didn't care much. She was indeed very glad he seemed unharmed, as she wasn't sure she would ever have been able to live with herself if he'd been harmed, or even killed in the battle, sure. He probably bore a few wounds, but he didn't seem badly hurt. She blinked, her expression unreadable and slightly unfocused, as she'd zoned out a bit, and was sort of staring off into space. As soon as Apurva realized that she was doing it, the calico corrected herself quickly. She was beginning to develope the habit of zoning out, and she wasn't so sure it was the best of habit. She felt the heat in her fur again, and looked up, still careful not to meet his gaze, as she wasn't sure she wanted to yet. Somehow, she knew this shouldn't be much different than having her brother groom her fur, but yet, it was. She wasn't sure how to explain it, it just... was. She wasn't quite sure what to do at this point, then she remembered something she'd been planning on doing, and wondered if it should wait until after she got a Clan name. Well, if I wait, I get to tell him that my name isn't Apurva. “What do you think my new name will be?” she murmured under her breath, then continued grooming a bloody patch of her fur.

Timberpaw looked up at her and managed a smile, his expression fairly friendly at the moment as he did so. It was rather- hard to tell quite what emotions the brown tom was feeling at the moment. His green hues were guarded, something he had given up on doing a while ago, and he looked almost ready to give up in frustration. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I uh, feel a lot better, um...you?" He asked awkwardly, returning his attention to her pelt. He continued to clean it, his thoughts far off for, her and everything else at the moment, and he appeared to be somewhat...unfocused, perhaps would be the right word for it. Unfocused and strangely enough, he even seemed a little off. Maybe if was just the fact that he was imagining the battle again, or maybe it was the harsh realization that he wasn't sure what he was feeling that brought him back, his green hues snapping upwards sharply and his expression changing into one of confusion rather than friendliness as his expression usually portrayed. He looked to be in some far off world as his green hues trailed away from her again, and he signed a little. Was it so unusual for him to be uncomfortable? True; he had never been that good in social situations, flirting when things got too uncomfortable or personal, but this was Apirva. He could trust her...at least, that was what he believed. He wasn't quite sure whether he was ready to examine the possibility that he could actually like Apirva. As in, having a crush on her...but perhaps that was what it was. It would explain the weirdness and the sudden rush that this new and strange emotion gave him. Was this so confusing after all? Or was Timberpaw just trying to avoid the truth, trying to keep them both safe from the mystery and heartbreak that came along with having a crush? Besides, I don't stand a chance. She deserves somebody who can take care of her and give her the attention she deserves. I'm just not good at that. Timberpaw thought with a sigh and a dejected flick of his tail. More than anything, he wanted to talk to her and tell her how he felt, but...these emotions were too new. It was too early for him to be sure, and it wouldn't be long before he would find out whether it was real or not. He heard her quiet mutter and that sent his own mind to thinking. Yeah...probably something pretty, like her...it's just a fact, not like I personally have noticed it... Timberpaw thought, embarrassment causing his pelt to heat up at an uncomfortable rate. He could hardly believe his own thoughts right now...was this what having a crush was? Having her on his mind all the time, barely able to look at her without his pelt getting set on fire?

Apurva looked at Timberpaw, then away again. He seemed very unfocused and uncomfortable to her, and she wondered why, but knew that it was his own decision to tell her or not, and she pushed the question to the back of her mind, forgetting about it for the time being. Hadn't Maplefur said they gave her the name Maplepaw? But, her name's Maplefur. I wonder why..... It's got to be so confusing, having your name change multiple times.... She thought, her thoughts now drifting to a random topic. “Y-yeah.... I'm okay....” she said, not quite paying attention. She'd never felt this way towards anyone, but she wasn't quite sure she liked the way it felt. It made her uncomfortable and her pelt feel hot, and she didn't like that part. She couldn't quite understand why she felt this way. But she felt for certain that she could trust Timberpaw, if she couldn't, then she wasn't sure who she could trust. Maybe she could trust Blade, and Maplefur, and this Fria, but she was still a bit uncertain about all three of them. She looked up again, the far off look vanishing from her leafy green hues, being replaced by a slightly uncertain and nervous expression. She saw that the friendliness was gone is his eyes, and confusion replacing it. She realized that he was probably as confused at her. But, what was he confused about? She looked down again, shifting nervously, then quickly started to lick out her fur, though she wondered if she should clean his pelt to make it feel more even? No, then they'd be crossing their heads, and that'd be real tricky, plus, she didn't really want to ask him if she could, so she dismissed the whole idea. Everything that was going on at the moment, it was just so... overwhelming. Recovering from battle, joining the Clan, finding the time to sneak away to the TwolegPlace to check on Blade, and this new, strange feeling with Timberpaw. She glanced at Timberpaw, but remained silent, deep in her own thoughts. She looked up uncertainly, wondering if she should say something to make this moment a bit less uncomfortable. She looked up, studying the den's roof, then peering at the snow that fell don't softly outside the entrance. Whenever one landed, she picked a new one and repeated it again, over and over again. After several long moments, she looked back at him, her eyes half closed from tiredness. She looked down at her pelt, which was pretty much clean now, so there was no point in cleaning it anymore. She looked down, then nudged him timidly with her muzzle. “I'm clean now.” she said quietly, her ears back nervously.