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This is a book in my series, Songflight's Journey. |
This is a songfic, and the OA is Taylor Swift. It is based on the couple SongflightXTroutstream from Songflight's Journey.
Take a deep breath in the mirror
He didn't like it when I wore high heels
But I do
Songflight took in a deep breath as she stared into the puddle of water, her own reflection blinking back at her. Her green eyes were large and luminous in her small face, making her look almost kit-like in appearance. She smiled to herself, feeling the shimmering, dew-covered grass under her paws.
It was peaceful today, but she knew hard times were coming for WaterClan. And she would have to face them.
Bushtail had never liked it when she went out to fight; he had always been a little overprotective. But I do, Songflight reflected, squaring her shoulders. I can protect myself.
Turn the lock and put my headphones on
He always said he didn't get this song
But I do, I do
She got up, giving her silver fur one last lick. Time to go meet Troutstream.
Padding through the woods, Songflight admired the strong, sturdy tree trunks, now adorned with bright new leaves. Occasionally, a cherry tree would pop into view, laden with clusters of flowers in hues of pale rose and moonlit white. She paused to gaze at them, loving the way they rustled in the breeze, as if the individual bunches were passing on secrets quietly. Bushtail had looked at her like she was crazy when she'd put it that way, but somehow, she didn't see what the matter was with it.
Cherry trees were lovely.
Walked in, expecting you'd be late
But you got here early and you stand and wait
I walk to you
As she approached the clearing, she reminded herself that Troutstream probably wasn't there yet. There was no reason for him to be there early; Bushtail had often been hours late for their meetings. Of course, they had had to slip away from their Clans in the middle of the night, but still... she'd managed it all right. Why couldn't he?
Entering, the boughs of willows brushing her fur, a smile broke across her face as she saw a gray tabby waiting for her in the middle of the clearing, hiding something behind his back. He got here early. How sweet.
Feeling a thrill run down her back, Songflight walked slowly towards him.
You pull my chair out and help me in
And you don't know how nice that is
But I do
"I brought something for you," Troutstream said. He reached behind himself and pulled out a gorgeous clump of cherry blossoms, the petals falling off and drifting to the ground. One landed on his nose, and he sneezed.
She laughed, pure joy that came from being around him, and rubbed her cheek against his. "Thank you Troutstream." He would never understand how much it meant to her, that he had taken the time to notice her love of the delicate plants, climb a tree, and fetch her some fresh ones.
But she understood it. And she would store it away in her heart forever.
And you throw your head back laughing
Like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny cause
He never did
"... And then Hawkswoop fell over backwards," Songflight finished. Troutstream let out a hearty laugh, throwing his head back. It was so genuine and real it was almost kit-like, the way he was able to express happiness after all they had been through.
"You got it?" she asked, just to make sure.
He chuckled and licked her on the ear. "Of course! That was hilarious!"
She felt a tremor of ectasy pass through her as she leaned her head gently on his shoulder, enjoying the smooth feel of his waterproof pelt and the muscles beneath it. Bushtail never got that story. He asked me if I was betraying my Clanmates by making them sound weak.
But Songflight didn't want to think about Bushtail right now. These moments were too precious.
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does
Is break and burn and end
Slowly, as she and Troutstream talked, Songflight thought about everything she had gone through. Starting when she had met Bushtail at her first Gathering, she had been tossed into a whirlwind of heartbreak, that she had thought would never put her down. Love. All it had done for her was shatter, die, and end.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again
But now, watching her mate as he gestured wildly, love and adoration sparking his gaze whenever it met hers, she realized something. It was taking root in her heart and growing anew.
You said you never met one girl who
Had as many James Taylor records as you
But I do
"You know," Troutstream said. "I've never met another she-cat who listened to all my stories as raptly as you."
Songflight touched her nose briefly to his. "I love them," she said. "I hope that doesn't make me kit-like."
He let out a mreow of laughter. "Of course it doesn't. And besides," he added, leaning in closer, "the only thing kit-like about you is the fact that you're so adorable."
She blinked at him, her face flushing pleasantly. She had never been complimented like that, and yet Troutstream said it like the most natural thing in the world. "Thank you."
We tell stories and you don't know why
I'm coming off a little shy
But I do
The gray tabby grinned and nodded. "Remember that time we went off looking for catmint in the snowstorm?"
"Yeah," she said, shivering involuntarily. He wrapped his tail around her, like a reflex, and she allowed herself to melt against him. "That was awful, but we did it. We saved the others."
He nodded. "Together."
Songflight remained quiet for a moment, tensing slightly. This had always been the moment when Bushtail had pulled away, saying he needed to return to TreeClan. But Troutstream didn't do anything, just gave her a puzzled glance. "Are you okay?"
"FIne," she mewed softly, her whiskers quivering. He was here to stay. If only she could convince herself of that, and not hesitate.
And you throw your head back laughing
Like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny cause
He never did
To change the subject, Songflight told another joke, this one about Hawkswoop's snoring(she'd make it up to him later), and Troutstream laughed once more, effortlessly, as if he was an endless supply of good-naturedness, as if he couldn't help being the kind, friendly tom he was. It was heartwarming. No cat could resist loosening up around him.
Songflight smiled. Finally, someone who appreciated her, and everything about her. Someone whose mind wasn't always on other things, who never seemed to give her all of him. Troutstream gave him her all, she knew. And the least she could do was reciprocate the same in return.
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does
Is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again
Tucking her tail around herself, Songflight thought, And here I was, wrapped in a cocoon of my own misery, when Troutstream was right here all along. How could she have thought that love, once broken, could never return? Healing had come. It had been painful and slow, but it had come, when she thought it never could.
"And it's all thanks to you," she murmured, not loud enough for Troutstream to hear, though the words were intended for him, and all he had done for her. More then he would ever know.
Because now, like the leaves and flowers that came up out of the ground in new-leaf, her heart was mending, restarting, and learning to love once more, come what may.
And we walked down the block to my car
And I almost brought him up
But you start to talk about the movies
That your family watches every single Christmas
And I want to talk about that
And for the first time
What's past is past
"You know you can tell me anything, right Songflight? I'll listen."
"Yes, I do," she replied, thinking how kind it was of him to offer. Should she tell him about Bushtail? If there was one tom in the world who would understand, it was Troutstream. But before she could decide, he continued speaking.
"You know the odd thing? Bluewater and I used to have this odd tradition of playing a game with mouse tails when we had each had a mouse. I thought we'd drop it when we were apprentices, but we didn't. I thought we would drop it when we were warriors, but we didn't. And for sure, I thought that now that she's leader and I'm deputy, it was gone for good."
Songflight pushed her thoughts about Bushtail away into the reccesses of her memories. Those times were gone, past. Troutstream, here and now, was her future. "And?"
"I was sure it did for a while. But yesterday, she walked up to me, snagged my mouse tail, and ran all over the camp like a little kit." He purred at the memory, and she grinned, enjoying just the mere thought of him being happy.
Sweeping her tail around the ground, she said, "Tell me more."
And you throw your head back laughing
Like a little kid
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny cause
He never did
I've been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does
Is break and burn and end
"Okay. So this one time, Bluewater was fishing, and she didn't know anyone was around. She hooked a large carp out of the water, an admittedly nice catch. But get this. Instead of eating it, she began dancing with it! She twirled it around and around, till she fell down with a splash in the water. Good, sensible Bluewater, dancing with a fish." This time, both of them burst out laughing, Troutstream looking as adorably like a little kit as always. Songflight wondered if it would be considered irreverant to be laughing about Bluestar's misfortunes like this, but she didn't care. This was too perfect to ruin.
"Did she catch you?"
He grinned mischeviously. "Yeah. I laughed so hard I rolled down the hill and almost fell in the river myself. She chased me around for about an hour."
Giggling, Songflight flicked her tail against his shoulder. "You kind of deserved it."
Letting out a blissful sigh, she thought, Now this is what love should feel like. True happiness. It turned out that she was stronger then she thought. That love was stronger then she thought. That it didn't just get destroyed, it built you up. Towards the sky.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again
Leaning in close to Troutstream, she took in his blue eyes, letting them wrap around her like a cloak with their warmth. "I never want this to end," she whispered. "I love you."
He smiled, his breath hot on her face. "I love you too."
And this is what love is like when it begins again, she thought.
But on a Wednesday in a cafe
I watched it begin again