SHUYIN

[amaterasu]

"Moving your paws!" Brokensoul explained, "Do you do that with your Clanmates too? They probably think you've got a seed as a brain! You're a warrior, but don't be so scared all the time! Especially in your own territory!"

[J I N G O]

Sparrowsong tried to stop her paws from moving. But as soon as she did, she felt her tail tip fidgeting. "Sorry..." she mewed after a while of silence as she had tried to concentrate on keeping herself still. "I just get... nervous.. around everybody." she mewed, then gasped a little. She never told anyone how nervous she was! She just let them assume what they wanted.

[amaterasu]

"Well you have nothing to be nervous about. Especially around your own clanmates. If anything, I guess you have reason here. If someone found you talking to me. Or I guess I could attack you, though I'm not going to. Or some of my clanmates come around."
He let his thoughts wander as to what would happen if his clanmates actually did come and find him. He was already late as it was.
"Ugh, I guess I should get going. Keep in mind what I said."
He then turned and bounded away.

[J I N G O]

Sparrowsong nodded and padded away. "Good-bye."

**Next nnighhttt**

Sparrowsong was making her nightly walk around the ThunderClan territory, as if the night before had never really happened. It wasn't until she got near the ShadowClan border that she remembered Brokensoul. She also remembered what he said about her acting like a kit. She found herself standing at the edge of the border, looking at the ground doing the same thing, shuffling her paws.

[amaterasu]

"You again?" came a voice, "What do you think you're doing?"
Out of the brambles stepped Brokensoul. He had traded Tigerfire duties for the night. He was on patrol while Tigerfire guarded the camp. Why had he traded? Brokensoul didn't want to admit it, but he wanted to know if Sparrowsong would show up again. It felt kind of stupid, but he was excited when he saw the ThunderClan cat. It was interesting to talk to someone who wasn't from ShadowClan. Besides, his clan had been so tense lately because of Larkstar and RiverClan.

[J I N G O]

Sparrowsong jumped when she heard the somewhat familiar voice of Brokensoul. "I'm just walking. I'm still on ThunderClan's side of the border.." she tried to defend herself. She hadn't really been walking, she'd stopped, but that was her main goal here! Taking a walk! She had just stopped to think, it wasn't like she was planning on crossing the border! She felt panic rise up in her at being caught the second night in a row.

[amaterasu]

"No!" Brokensoul mewed at once, "I didn't mean what are you doing here! I meant what are you doing with your paws! You're moving them again, just like I told you not to do!"
Not that the ThunderClan cat had any reason to listen to him. But he had realized that too late. he thought everyone should listen to him.

[J I N G O]

"Oh!" Sparrowsong realized with a jolt. She looked down at her paws for a moment, which were working at the ground, tearing up grass and dirt. She looked up at Brokensoul apologetically, and mewed pitifully "Sorry.." and stopped her paws from moving. "It's just a force of habit." she mewed, trying not to look like the pitiful kit that she felt like.

[amaterasu]

"Don't apologize. Just don't do it. I'm trying to help you be a real warrior." Brokensoul responded. He turned his head away and looked at the sky. He had actually rushed his patrol to come wait for Sparrowsong. For some reason, he was helping this ThunderClan cat. Why? That's something he normally wouldn't even think about doing.

[J I N G O]

"Yeah, I know..." Sparrowsong murmured, her ears feeling hot with embarassment. Why was a ShadowClan cat even trying to fix her crazy problem anyways? Why would he even care? "So... you're out on another patrol?" she asked, trying to take away the awkwardness of her failureness away from the conversation.

[amaterasu]

Brokensoul was taken aback by the sudden question. He forgot that he had even told her that yesterday!
"Uh, yeah, another Border Patrol." he answered awkwardly. She didn't need to know that he originally wasn't scheduled for this patrol. It was his little secret...that Tigerfire and probably most of the Clan knew. Don't judge.
"Why are you taking walks every night?" he asked just to change the subject.

[J I N G O]

Sparrowsong shrugged. "I like night time. It's pretty. I don't have to do any duties. I can think easier." she mewed. Once again, she found herself telling this cat things about her that only her sister had ever even been allowed to know. Why was she telling this ShadowClan cat anything about her? Why was she still speaking to him? But rather than feeling like she should walk away, she felt like she should stay and talk to him for the rest of the night.

[amaterasu]

Brokensoul shook his head and mewed, "Yeah, I guess so, but it's lonely."
Feeling comfortable, he laid down next to the bramble pushes, as if he intended to stay for a while. His dark tabby tail flicked over his paws, protecting them from the cold. Even in newleaf, the nights were cold.
He didn't know why he was staying here talking to Sparrowsong. He just was.

[J I N G O]

"Yeah, it can get pretty lonely. I'm used to that though. Besides. The past two nights haven't been lonely." Sparrowsong said, sitting down on her side of the border. She almost started digging her paws in the ground again, but remembered that Brokensoul would scold her if she did. She forced herself to refrain.

[amaterasu]

Brokensoul laughed at what the shecat said.
"Really now? Well what will you do when I don't have patrol duty anymore?" he asked. Surely she wouldn't really care. She'd find something to do anyway, right? Yeah, of course she would! Poor Brokensoul wouldn't though...