Preparing} For H E A R T B R E A K [Ripplepaw]

[xradx]

Ripplepaw wasn't sure he believed her, but he wasn't going to argue. He did really want to be her friend. "Okay," he said at last. He still didn't think it would ever be the same now that he knew how she felt. But they could work it out. Maybe. "Let's go back to camp." That was something friends did, they walked back to camp together after a rough day. And this had certainly been a rough day. So he slowly padded toward camp, the feelings of guilt and darkness and dread still not totally vanished from his stomach. He let his eyes meet Gingerpaw's, and the depth of them shocked him. He couldn't read her emotions, but he could guess they were probably somewhat the same as his.

[bleh =p Bad post.]

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Gingerpaw nodded, a true faint smile beginning to play at her lips. She padded beside Ripplepaw, soon aware that both their gazes had met their depths. She inwardly flinched at the similarity of their emotions, so she sharply averted her gaze from his to in front of the both of them. "I'm glad we can still be friends. We could still have some fun and share tongues like any group of apprentice companions." She attempted to sound optimistic, and half of her voice assisted her while the other half betrayed her by showing the faint hint of the pain she had felt when she yowled at Ripplepaw to remain friends.

[xradx]

Ripplepaw nodded as if to say that he agreed, but he didn't really. He truley didn't believe that they could just be friends now, but he didn't want to hurt her anymore. Not after he had just rejected her love. His eyes flickered around to absorb the forest sites. The forest had always felt so safe, so right. Now nothing felt right. It just felt empty, as if behind every tree or stone was another surprise, waiting to jump out at him and hang over his head until th guilt became to much to bear. That was the worst, he decided, the guilt. That nagging inside of him that kept telling him everything was his fault. That had lead her on, that he never should have been so nice. And once more he found himself wanting to hide in a corner or disappear.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Gingerpaw somehow discovered the guilt that Ripplepaw was feeling, or so she only hypothesized. "Ripplepaw, are you alright..? You don't need to feel guilty. Life's just full of ups and downs." She was feeling slightly better by padding back to camp beside Ripplepaw, and so there was a spark or so more of optimistic in her tone.

(( That was crappy. ))

[xradx]

Ripplepaw shook his head, "No, I'm fine. I promise." Though secretly he was trying to convince himself more than Gingerpaw. It really wasn't anybody's fault. Gingerpaw couldn't help who she loved, and Ripplepaw couldn't help is she loved him. It was just one of those cruel facts of life that messed up relationships. Although maybe Gingerpaw was right. Maybe things didn't have to change between them. He would just have to wait and see what happened. After all, what else could he really do?

[.&&. Snowsong.]

"Alright, if you insist. But, if you need any advice or comfort, I'm here, as a friend, to help cheer you up." Her drooping tail somewhat ascended, and she was attempting to act as cheerful as she was capable of at the moment. Perhaps she could demolish all of Ripplepaw's guilt, and they could be friends without anything attempting to tear them apart on the interior.

(( Crappy AGAIN... ))

[xradx]

Ripplepaw let his lips curl into a smile. It was hard to doubt their friendship when Gingerpaw was so... friendly. "Thanks Gingerpaw, you really are a great friend." He suddenly felt hopeful. As if he was on the high part of a roller coaster of emotions. Looking back on the past few minutes they had spent together it was not hard to imagine. He didn't think it would be an exaggeration to say that this day had changed his life forever.

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Gingerpaw allowed a more cheerful smile to play at her lips, and then she closed her gaze as she slightly cocked her head to the side. "I'm glad we could be just friends without problems." She felt more cheerful and much better now; perhaps there was truly hope of recovering from this day.

(( * Crappy post.
** Shall we skip to the day Ripplepaw finally realizes that he loves Gingerpaw, and then he confesses it to her? They could be hooked up, but they won't go any further, if you'd like. ))

[xradx]

Ripplepaw felt all his guilt and darker emotions lifting, as if the sun was re-emerging after a rainstorm. Everything felt better, everything felt, well, normal. In that moment it was easier to forget what had just happened; the secret Gingerpaw had told him. Life was good again. "I'm glad too." And he was glad. It was funny how just moments ago he had felt surrounded by the greatest despair, and now everything felt right again. Oh, what a difference a few minutes could make.

[ooc; That's fine with me, as long as you don't mind that I'm going to be a lazy bum and not do any decent role-playing over the weekend]

[.&&. Snowsong.]

Gingerpaw couldn't help but allow a bright, warm smile to play at her lips. Everything felt better now, as if a mammoth load had been hurled off her chest. "Come on, let's go back to Camp and have some fun, or do our training or duties." She slightly flicked her tail and slight bliss and faint excitement, and then began to pad slightly swifter toward Camp. "Don't let me leave you behind!" she playfully shouted over her shoulder blade.

(( Haha, I don't mind. Shall we end the thread now? ))

[xradx]

Ripplepaw laughed playfully, a sparkle in his eye giving away his much-changed mood. "Oh, you can't beat me that easy," he said, running after Gingerpaw. It didn't take him long to catch up with his surprisingly fast legs. Being friends with Gingerpaw didn't seem so hard now, it seemed normal. Just like it had before. It was almost as if she had never told him anything...

[yeah, I think this is a good place to end it.]