How about a contest?

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Well, I usually go to a large tree that has a den...We can both fit in their without getting squashed together..." Snowsong slightly flicked her tail toward the way that they could get to the tree. "If you don't mind, we could sleep there. Unless you want to sleep somewhere else." She waited for him to respond, and she was beginning to get lost in her thoughts.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Risingdawn heistated, considering. An idea had been nagging at the back of his mind, but it was getting a little late and he decided to be practical over romantic for a little while.

"Well -- I haven't really got anywhere in particular," he admitted, "though I did have something in mind -- but it wouldn't be quite the same during the day, I think, and it's not a place to sleep. I mean -- yeah. Your place sounds better. Just -- remind me to show you the cliff clearing sometime, okay?"

He turned to go in the direction Snowsong had indicated.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Sure." Snowsong slightly brightened, and she turned to head for the tree. She began to pad silently through the forest, weaving around shadows. She was hoping that nothing was around to ruin such a beautiful and wonderful night.

Snowsong eventually reached the tree. She would have gotten here sooner, but she wanted to wait for Risingdawn. When she reached the den, she prodded a curtain of moss that she had hung up. It shuddered for a second, and then collapsed silently.

Snowsong turned her gaze to the path that she had led Risingdawn on. She was ready to see him pop out from the bushes, which were beginning to shake faintly. "Here we are..." Her voice was barely a whisper, and her tone was calm, but somewhat brighter.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Wordlessly, Risingdawn trailed after the white she-cat, a ghost in the night though darker than Snowsong ahead of him. Dappled shadows spotted the night and then Snowsong had disappeared; he saw her tail disappearing in a circle of bushes nearby and hurried after her.

His head poked through just as the moss curtain folded inward; the ginger tom's breath caught as he looked at a place that was clearly often visited and cared-for, by virtue of the curtain alone. This must be one of the reasons he'd never seen Snowsong in more than passing.

"It's beautiful, Snowsong," he said quietly, weaving his way out of the twigs' embrace and touching his tail lightly against the warrior she-cat's flank. He prayed to himself that nothing could spoil tonight.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Thanks..." Snowsong was aware of Risingdawn's tail upon her flank, and she lightly grazed her tail over Risingdawn's shoulder. She then got her her paws, and she turned her gaze to his, causing them to dig into each other. "Should I go in first, or do you want to glance around alone in there for a couple of seconds?"

[♫.Starredmyst]

"Um --" Risingdawn looked a little disconcerted by the question. "It doesn't matter to me. I can look as well with you in there as not."

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Snowsong nodded, and she padded into the den. She glanced around, making sure nothing was going to interfere, and settled herself down on the right side of the moss bed. She managed to scoot another mouse-length to the right and give plenty of room for Risingdawn. She wasn't squished, and she made sure that their pelts wouldn't make full contact.

[♫.Starredmyst]

Risingdawn followed Snowsong into the den, carefully lying down in the space she'd left for him. His fur brushed hers, but only barely; Snowsong was clearly being careful to keep a polite distance between them. The tom recalled the fact that not all cats were so scrupulous, rather bitterly; he should have been appreciated the contrast, but somehow it made the latter case all the more reminiscent. He pushed the memory away with more than a little force.

He wanted to stay awake a little longer, but despite the cool of the nighttime forest the den was warming from their combined body heat, and he found himself nodding off.

"Maybe," the tom murmured to Snowsong beside him, collecting his thoughts with an effort, "maybe it would be better if you spent a little more time with the rest of the Clan. In the warrior's den. I can't ignore Silv forever, and she's too social for her own good..."

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Well..." Snowsong began, laying her head upon her paws and wrapping her tail around her body. She felt sleep nag at her eyelids, and she narrowed them sleepily to slits. "I don't exactly like socializing...Many seem to dislike me...I try to avoid conflicts and such..."

Snowsong's ears flicked slightly at the last of Risingdawn's statement. "Of course you can't...And I can believe that she's too sociable..." She closed her gaze, and she felt even sleepier. She managed to stay awake to speak before she dosed off. "She would likely go after us if we do this too much..."

[♫.Starredmyst]

For a moment Risingdawn was tempted to push the issue and tell Snowsong his opinion; if she got out more, he was certain she wouldn't be as disliked as she claimed. But the den was cozy and he really didn't feel like being shoved out of the den during for the sake of argument, so he just chuckled to himself.

"Trust me, she will," he yawned, and was asleep.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Without much of any thought or dream, her dose swiftly turned into a sleep after she let out a light 'Mm' to Risingdawn's final statement of the night. She curled up slightly, nearly turning into a cat ball.