AN: So, fun fact, this story is actually based on a roleplay on a forum called Rule of Three. The link to it is on my profile, so if any of y'all want to check it out, go right ahead!

It was early morning, and Skyflower yawned from her nest, stretching as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. The pale yellow sunlight filtered in, and she rose tiredly, not bothering to groom her fur, or at least make herself seem presentable and she stumbled out, narrowing her eyes to accommodate to the bright sunshine.

Leafdapple groaned from inside the den, following Skyflower out the den, but he groomed himself to at least look good. "So, rough night?" he asked, pressing against his mate.

"More like rough morning," she grumbled, her eyes still heavy from sleep. "I didn't get much sleep last night either." She blinked sleepily, her fur gathered in silver clumps.

"You didn't get sleep either? Thought I was the only one," he murmured, licking her cheek softly.

Skyflower felt herself heat up. "W-well, you weren't," she retorted, then closed her eyes against the brisk cold and shivered, her small frame shuddering.

He went on to groom her, trying to smooth the clumps of fur that annoyed him slightly. "So," he started, "What's our plan for today?" he asked, working hard to get her to look somewhat good.

"I dunno," she replied, feeling him groom her. "Yeah, thanks," she said. "I was too lazy to do that on my own- sorry," she added sheepishly. "I must look horrid."

"Love, you always look horrid," he joked, finishing up his grooming of her and sighing, leaning against her.

"Tch! True enough," Skyflower said, ignoring the way his comment stung her. "You're the pretty out of the two of us."

"You're the cuter one though," he said, nuzzling her neck softly, "And you're the more… level-headed one."

"Except wh-when y-you d-do that," She muttered, flushing slightly. "Then I- I pretty much st-start losing a-all of my a-apparent l-level-headedness."

Leafdapple let out a small purr, nipping her neck just a tiny bit. "Ah, you mean when I do this?" he teased.

"Th-that's e-e-even worse," She groaned, feeling like she was melting. "S-stop it, we're n-not a-alone..."

"So let's head into the forest where I can do this until we have to head back," he purred, continuing to nip her.

Skyflower let out a contented purr before saying, "Okay, okay, get off me now. We'd better get on with it then- I- I m-meant h-hunting! N-not th-the-!" she flustered, realizing what she had said and how it had come out.

Leafdapple let out a purr, "Oh sure, yeah, 'hunting.' Ok then, I'll love to do 'hunting,' he teased, licking her neck, combining it with a nip.

Skyflower stood there, feeling his head bump her jawline. "When you're finished," she said teasingly. "I'd like to get a move on, thank you very much."

"Oh don't worry, I'll be done showering you with my affection and love soon," he purred, sighing as he kept on nuzzling and nipping her.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her tail and yelped, feeling feline teeth take hold on it. She pulled away from Leafdapple, and came muzzle-to-muzzle with a smirking Jayspring. "You guys done, or should I just sit there at wait 'til you seem fit to join me?"

Skyflower whacked him lightly. "Wait until you get a mate and let's see what happens."

Leafdapple chuckled, "If he could even get a she-cat to like him," he joked, "I think we're good to go Jayspring. Lead the way."

Skyflower snorted; Jayspring rolled his eyes and he trooped into the forest, the two mates trailing behind him.

Skyflower glanced at Leafdapple. "You don't have to be so hard on him, even if it is the truth." She whispered the last part, glancing at Jayspring.

Leafdapple shrugged, "He knows I'm just teasing him, and he knows that," he said.

Skyflower looked worried. "Don't make him dislike you more- I swear, every moment I'm with him, he has to at least once complain about you." She sighed, glancing over at Jayspring.

"Oh? What does he say about me?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, "I can only imagine good things," he purred contently, nuzzling her.

Skyflower couldn't help but laugh. "That's about as likely as me growing wings and flying off into StarClan."

"Oh why must you say such things, surely he must be able to say some good things about me? Maybe on how strong and handsome I am?" he teased.

"Jayspring's not gay, if that's what you're indicating. The only cat who probably admires that- and I'm just being honest- is me," she replied, flushing a bit.

"Oh but wouldn't it be fun to think about it?" he said, sighing a tiny bit. "But you're right, what has he been saying about me?"

"Well, he's been saying how you're not worth it." Her eyes searched him. "He's been saying a lot of things- I think he's jealous, to be honest."

"Well, I can't blame him. If he ended up with you, I'd be jealous too," Leafdapple said, looking at Jayspring, "But despite our differences, I like to think of him as a friendly rival more than anything.

"Oh, Jayspring and I, it wouldn't have worked out anyway. Believe me, there was a time where I think… it doesn't matter," she ended abruptly. "It just didn't work out."

"Mmm, I couldn't see it happening either, not just because I'm your mate, it just doesn't sit well for me." He pawed the ground a tiny bit.

"It doesn't… well, of course it doesn't." Skyflower sighed uneasily. "When I did feel that way- it made me uncomfortable. Unlike you. When I figured I liked you, it made me uncomfortable, but in a right sense, if you understand what I'm saying."

"So, I made you uncomfortable, but you could handle it, but Jayfeather made you uncomfortable, but you couldn't handle it?" Leafdapple summarized.

"No, it's more like liking Jayspring made me uncomfortable, because I've always viewed him as a brother. I couldn't handle my emotions towards you though, which is why I always turn into a stuttering idiot whenever you should bless me with your presence."

"Well, that makes me quite happy," he purred, nipping her neck slightly. "I'm quite happy knowing that I make you feel like that."

"Well, it concerns me that I don't make you feel that way. Either that or you just can control your feelings better," Skyflower replied, eyes averted to the ground.

"Oh I can control my emotions better, unlike you I am not ticklish in the neck, the one spot that can make me lose control is there."

"Well, isn't that everyone's weakness?" Skyflower murmured, shrugging slightly, her shoulder bumping him.

"Well, some are less resistant and some are. I know for sure Branchfall doesn't like anyone except Shellheart, whose dead so-" he said, "Not to sound rude or anything.

"It's not rude," Skyflower replied. "I suppose I'm not the very resistant type, am I?"

"Seeing how you moan every time I nip or nuzzle you I'd like to agree with you."

"Dude, the only reason i do that is because it's you who's doing it." Her tail tip twitched.

"Oh why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," he purred, nipping her on the neck a bit more often.

Skyflower flicked him as Jayspring pulled to a stop. "I smell robin; I'm going this way. Do what you want here, but you better not pull a move on her, Leafdapple." With that, Jayspring crouched and slinked away, following the scent of robin.

Leafdapple rolled his eyes, "Because I can't love my own mate," he sighed, twining his tail with Skyflowers. "Well, have fun."

"Bye, Jayspring!" Skyflower called before flicking her tail at Jayspring. "Hey. Be nice. He's just being Jayspring again. Remember what happened last time he caught us doing… um…"

"Yeah, and I didn't really mind, he was just watching us and you caught him," he purred, still nuzzling and nipping her.

"'Watching' is a weak word. "Stalking" is a better one. And I got super pissed at him for him being worried about my well being." She sighed again, more uneasily. "That isn't usually me…"

"Well, we were kind of about to, y'know, that," he said, pulling away from her slowly.

"Correction- you were going to do that to me, while I was just going along with it, not really knowing what you were trying to pull off," Skyflower stated. "At least, that's probably how it appeared to Jayspring."

"Well, we were going to do it, let's get that fact right. Jayspring was stalking us, and you yelled at him, why would he possibly hate me?" he asked sarcastically, shaking his head.

Skyflower played along, tapping her chin with her tail. "Gee, Leafdapple, I don't know. It can't possibly be because we were going to do that."

"No way, maybe he's jealous?" he asked again, sitting on his haunches while he thought about it.

"M-m-a-y-b-e," Skyflower sang out, stretching out the word so it was longer than it was suppose to me. "Maaaayyybeeee!"

Leafdapple let out a laugh, "Well, look who's being sarcastic," he purred, knocking her down lightly with a paw.

Skyflower cried out as she fell, then bounced right back up, glaring at Leafdapple before whacking him none-too-lightly. "I'm not being sarcastic, buddy. I don't know whether Jayspring views me as a friend or not- but it doesn't matter, because I have a mate already…"

Leafdapple blocked the whack as he let out a chuckle. "Well, of course it does, if he doesn't view you as a friend, you have to let him down. It's as simple as that," he told her.

"I don't know, honestly, if he does or doesn't view me as a friend; although I honestly doubt it. Our relationship was always more of a brotherly-sisterly kind of bond, you know? It wasn't like ours. It never really…" Skyflower searched for the word. "... clicked."

"Ah, so basically, you're more comfortable with him being a close friend more than anything. I see now," he said, tapping the ground next to him, an invitation for her to lay next to him.

Skyflower, oblivious as can be, didn't notice. "Mhm! I don't even think it would've worked- if- if we even tried, it would have been really awkward, you know?" Skyflower sighed. "To be honest, I don't expect you to."

"Ah, I can just imagine, don't worry, it'll be fine, I hope," he said, sighing heavily.

"You hope?" Skyflower asked. "Is- is everything okay, Leafdapple? You don't sound so good. Do you want to see Blizzardfur, or…"

"N-nah, it's fine. I- I can prom…" he muttered, sighing heavily as his head thumped the ground.

"Leafdapple? Leafdapple!" Skyflower cried, falling next to him, shaking him with her paws, while looking over him wildly. "No- not any wounds- it must be from dehydration then," she said, exhaling slightly. "I guess I should go get some moss." She stood up and turned, about to fetch some.

Leafdapple let out a tiny snicker as she stood, trying to quiet himself quickly.

Skyflower rushed to get some wet moss, and when she did, she hurried back, dropping the moss on her side as she turned his body upwards, facing the sky. She grabbed the moss with her teeth, leaning over him and squeezing droplets in.

Leafdapple held in snickers, still not moving to the best of his ability.

"Ahh, come on," Skyflower said, dropping the moss at her side. "Screw it. That's it." She bent down and picked him up by the scruff and began dragging him into the warrior's den. She set him as far as she could away from the sun once they were in there. She used the damp moss to dab at his forehead tenderly, watching and waiting.

Leafdapple twitched his tail a little. "G-get the moss off my head please, I'm not sick with a fever." He shifted around a little.

"Shhh, don't talk, and fine," Skyflower soothed, then shoved the moss into his mouth. "There! Now you can't talk. Go to sleep, you're suffering from dehydration, so shut up."

"I literally just drank water like, sunrise." He shifted more, taking the moss out his mouth.

"Exactly," Skyflower said triumphantly. "Anyway, you passed out, which meant you're low on energy. So you need to get some rest and regain all the energy that you've lost. Besides, I'm here to make sure you do."

He sighed, "Fine, fine, MOM. I'm fine, seriously." He threw the moss away, "For real."

"You sure? You kind of jus-" Slowly, it began to dawn on Skyflower. "So that's what all those weird noises you were making for. You were laughing at me."

"Nooo?" he dragged out the word, "I would never!"

Skyflower's mouth tightened. "I guess you really think that that was funny, then," Skyflower said, before breaking in a small, tight smile. "Well played."

"I know, it was easy, I'm sorry," he said, stretching himself slightly.

"Easy, huh." Skyflower's tight smile stretched out wider. "So easy, huh." She looked everywhere except him, that odd smile still on her lips. "Because I'm that gullible, right."

Leafdapple gulped, "N-no, o-of course n-not!" he said, "Please don't hurt me.."

"Oh, I won't hurt you." Skyflower stood up, still smiling. "Okay, well, Mommy's going to go out and take a break. Don't kill yourself, because I'm sure Mommy won't be there to help you if you did." Skyflower slid out, her small frame shaking slightly.

Leafdapple let out a whine, "Oh no…" he sighed, staying in the nest, "I'm scared now…"

Skyflower ignored him, walking out into the morning sunlight. I could use a break from him, it's like my emotions and my worries are nothing but a toy to him, she thought irritably, kicking the dirt. It's like he can pick me up and use me as he pleases. What in the name of StarClan does he think I am? She kicked the dirt again, causing a fume to spray up before she slipped into the woods, not to find prey, but just to come there and think.

Leafdapple groaned, kicked the nest, muttering some not-so-nice words about himself under his breath, laying his head down, regretting his whole act.

She found a great, big pine tree and sat against it, leaning into his hard, solid bark. "I don't know what I am anymore," she said, talking to no one in particular. "Am I just a worry head who cares just a bit too much? Just a little too much, so much it becomes funny to tease and to make fun of and to use?" Skyflower sighed. "And I ran off again. How very mature of me."

Leafdapple groaned as he got up from the nest, kicking the dirt, blinding himself accidentally. He groaned, muttering something under his breath again.

Skyflower put her head onto the forest floor and breathed it all in- pines, prey scents, water. I wonder how prey feels when we strike. Fear? Shock? Skyflower shook her head, dirt flying as she did. Did it feel used? Pathetic? I wonder…

Leafdapple groaned, walking out of camp, tracking down Skyflower, apologies ready. Apology number one… no, too sappy, number two? No, makes me sound more like a cunt than I already am, Starclan, this is hard…

Skyflower heard rustling. She sprang up, her eyes widening, before leaping away, into a cluster of ferns and other various plants that were thick enough to keep her body covered. Who is it?

Leafdapple tracked her scent to his current location, "Skyflower? Uh, i-it's me, I want to apologize…" he murmured.

Well. That's even worse than an intruder, she thought dryly, slowly standing up from the ferns, wiping her face so it was blank, blank as the sky. "Uh-huh, and here I am." She flicked her tail. "Tah-dah."

"Well, I'm sorry then. Guess you don't want to hear it." He turned around, "I'm a terrible cat, and an even worse mate, I admit it."

"Oh, no, I want an explanation, please." Skyflower said, her tail throughly lashing. "You're not a terrible cat, you're not a bad mate, I just want to know why you did that, please."

"Because… I thought we could have fun and tease each other without any… repercussions, that we would think that it's just teasing and we could be…" he trailed off.

Skyflower stood frozen, before lowering her head, falling to the ground in a dusty heap, her small body curled up, and was shuddering very slightly.

"Skyflower?!" Leafdapple called, running beside her and nudging her slightly.

"Do you see, Leafdapple?" she whispered, her voice muffled. "Look at me. Getting mad at the littlest of things." She angrily flicked her tail, her muzzle still hidden. "Just storming off like the immature cat I am. Over a little thing. I can't believe myself sometimes."

He sighed, cuddling up next to her. "It's fine, I do that myself sometimes. Usually when I get angry or upset, after I either beat up or destroy something, I head out here to dwell on my thoughts," he said softly.

"But still!" Her claws unsheathed suddenly, and she flexed them before sheathing them again. "I don't get why I have to get angry over that- it was just a harmless joke…" she choked.

He sighed, lifting up her head with his paw. "Look at me, it's fine to be upset. Hell, if I was in your paws, I'd be just about ready to explode, it's alright to be upset. Especially when you have a reason."

Skyflower cloudy blue eyes didn't meet his, just stared at his paw, before finally flicking up to his brown ones. "B-but-" she began, about to protest.

"Hey, you don't have a reason not to be mad. I'm not getting upset, I just wanted to apologize, because my actions were worthy of you being upset," he said firmly.

"O-o-okay," Skyflower said reluctantly, and with a sigh dropped her head into his chest. "I guess I forgive you then. Although you don't need my forgiveness, as you did nothing wrong." She mumbled the last part.

Leafdapple sighed, cuddling closer to Skyflower. "Yeah yeah, I did nothing wrong. Sure, and I have one hundred lives and will rule the three Clans in the forest."

Skyflower let out a small giggle at that and wiggled closer. "And you'd be a fine leader," she teased, flicking him with her tail. "And then you'd make one whole Clan and name it LeafdappleClan."

Leafdapple rolled his eyes and gave her a lick on her neck, purring intensely. "Well, as soon as I make LeafdappleClan I'm making you the deputy, you're lucky you're under the reign of such an accomplished leader like myself~"

Skyflower shuddered, a small groan escaping from her lips. "Th-the whole Clan would be, hence why you would name the Clan after yourself," she joked.

"Exactly my love, exactly," he purred, nudging her slightly. "Everyone would worship me, I would be amazing."

"Especially me-e-e-e~" Skyflower replied, giggling slightly, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks.

"Aww, is Skyflower feeling a bit… flustered?" he purred in her ear, giving it a tiny nip.

Skyflower's ears flicked. "I always am in your company, I usually almost am never flustered when I'm not with you. The thing is, I'm always in your company. So…"

"Well, that answers my question then, glad to hear it," he said softly, nuzzling her for a tiny bit.

"Q-question?" Skyflower asked, stumbling over her words. "Wh-what question?"

"Oh nothing~" he teased, pressing more against her.

"Aww, Leafdapple, t-tell me!" she pleaded, looking up at him with big blue eyes. "Pleeease? I won't judge. Probably."

"Exactly, probably, therefore, shall not tell my one and only love," he teased further, standing up with his tongue sticking out.

"Okay, fine, I promise not to judge," she retorted, popping back up from the ground. "Come on, Leafdapple!"

"Hmm… lets see, how about, nothing but snuggle time until sundown if you want the answer?" he offered.

Skyflower flushed heatedly at the very thought. "F-f-f-fine… but you had promise too you'll tell me!"

"Good, and the question is…" he said slowly, not finishing the sentence.

Skyflower rolled her eyes. "Oh, come here, you. You want snuggle time? Fine."

Leafdapple walked to her and whispered in her ear, "How flustered are you when you're around me?"

Skyflower felt his whisper and heard it, and as if to answer, she blushed from her ear tip to her tail tip. "Is very, very much a good amount?" she whispered back. "Whenever I'm with you, I feel as if every nerve in my body is on fire…"

"Well, that's simply divine," he murmured in her ear, licking his lips as he nudged her slightly.

"I- it is?" she stuttered, feeling his hot breath flutter in her ear, making her shiver slightly. "D-d-divine?"

"Absolutely," he purred huskily, nipping her neck.

Skyflower let out a long, quiet moan, her head tilting back slightly. "I- I sh-should be asking y-you that a-as well," she murmured contently.

"Oh? How flustered am I when I'm with you? Lets just say, a lot, plus even more emotions," he purred.

Skyflower took that in slowly. "What other… emotions?" she asked hesitantly, her tail swaying lazily.

"Oh you should definitely know what I'm talking about," he purred, nudging her flank a tiny bit.

"What are you talking about?" Skyflower looked at him curiously. "I can't read your min- oh." Skyflower, if possible, flushed even more.

"Yeah, exactly, now, how shall we do this?" he purred, half joking and half… something. Hard to pinpoint exactly.

"D-d-do wh-what?" Skyflower replied quietly, guessing but wanting to know if she had guessed right.

"Oh, you know exactly what I'm talking about," he purred huskily, licking her torso a tiny bit.

Skyflower felt the small lick and let out a gasp, half surprise, and half… something. "Leafdapple, you're n-not saying that you want to-"

"Oh I think I am Skyflower, I think I am," he replied huskily.

"Y-you want it?" Skyflower's blue eyes gazed into his. "R-right n-now?"

"Yeah, I do," he huskily purred.

"O-o-h," Skyflower stuttered, a bit nervously before leaning closer and lowering herself so only he could hear. "I- I d-don't kn-know how t-to do i-it," she whispered.

He let out a chuckle, "Oh come on, you know, we can take it nice and slow…" he whispered back.

"F-fine," Skyflower purred, nuzzling into him. "I- I'm all yours, then, I guess."

"Good," he said, pushing her down to the ground, tucked safely behind the cover of the bushes.