Milky, dawn light filtered through the leafy cover of the warriors' den. Viperstrike shifted restlessly in his nest, blinking drowsily. He glanced around, his heavy eyes resting on the black and white pelt he knew to be Swallowfang's. The mottled warrior nearly groaned aloud as he was reminded of the last disastrous moment he had shared with the prickly she-cat. Despite the unsuccessful hunting trip, he still wished to win her over.

Repositioning himself so he could wash mottled pelt, Viperstrike silently considered why he was at all interested in her... Swallowfang was well-known for her short temper and rude way of doing... Everything. She was beautiful, of course... But her negative attitude detracted from that.

Viperstrike stopped licking himself abruptly, his tongue sticking halfway out. He didn't have any idea as to why he was interested in her. He honestly did not know. Shutting his muzzle and refocusing his gaze on her, her flank slowly falling and rising as she slept, he felt something stir in his stomach. Twitching his ears uncomfortably, he looked away and felt his stomach gradually settle. He then redirected his gaze to the skies above the reinforced den, seeing only blue skies as he silently prayed to StarClan.

Viperstrike knew other toms had their eye on Swallowfang. He knew they were much more impressive than him. He did not know why he liked her so, but he knew that he did indeed. He prayed that StarClan would make him stronger... That when Swallowfang made her choice clear, he could recover quickly and move on.

Swallowfang awoke with a start. One moment she had been sleeping peacefully, dreaming of a comfortable, warm spot on Sunningrocks and the fresh scent of mouse, and the next she had been thrust into wakefulness with a new found throbbing in her right side. The warrior let out a hiss and jerked upright in her nest, enraged that she had been so interrupted, and her blazing yellow eyes caught the sight of a younger tom warrior. So he had been the one who'd woken her up, she realized as she calmed down, her dark fur still prickling with irritation. "Kick someone else in your sleep next time, you stupid furball!" The younger cat let out a mumbled apology, too sleepy and confused with shock to even realize what he had done. Swallowfang shook her head, letting out a slight mumble, then moved to get to her paws. She was awake now, and there was no way she would be able to get back to sleep after that rude awakening.

She also had planned on taking Rookpaw out earlier than usual today. Her apprentice's rotten attitude had been getting on her nerves more than usual recently, so she sought to fix the problem by working him even harder than she already had been. She knew that Rookpaw wouldn't take it kindly, and that he would be even more of a struggle to deal with because of it, but sooner or later, she was sure that she could break the attitude out of him. ThunderClan had no room for arrogant toms such as Rookpaw, and if he wished to prove he belonged despite not being Clan-born, then he would have to prove it through hard work and a personality adjustment, Swallowfang decided.

She took a moment to glance around the darkness of the warriors' den, curious if any of the other cats were awake yet. After only a few seconds of inspection she spotted Viperstrike awake and grooming himself. He had been the warrior she'd run into the previous day, and the odd encounter had slipped her mind until she laid eyes on him now. The fact that he was awake wasn't unusual, but the glimpse she caught of him staring at her was. It was almost enough to make Swallowfang snap again, and her hackles certainly raised at the sight, but she hadn't the will to start up anything so early in the morning, so she only sniffed at the sight of him, and turned to head toward the entrance of the den.

On the way there, she spotted a more familiar face, the one of her friend Flameclaw. He appeared to be awake as well, so Swallowfang paused by his nest, looking down at the golden-furred tom before nudging him with her paw. "Oy, Flameclaw. Care to tell me why that tom over there is eying me like a piece of fresh-kill? And while you're at it, why don't you tell me what you're doing grooming when you could be out on patrol?" She smirked as she finished, not bothering to glance in Viperstrike's direction even when she clearly mentioned him. She had spoken loud enough for the rest of the den to hear, but she didn't particularly care who heard what she said. It was all in good fun for her, and she was sure that Flameclaw would play along.

How about now? Isn't she just lovely?

A tiny, sarcastic voice inside of the mottled warrior's head whispered. Viperstrike flattened his ears at the look Swallowfang gave him, beginning to wonder why in the name of StarClan he was always so nice to everyone when most everyone seemed to have an attitude when it came to him. Because that's your nature, mousebrain, whispered the voice again. Great, now I'm having conversations with myself in my mind. The young warrior shook his head, watching as Swallowfang and Flameclaw talked at the den entrance. Rising to his paws, Viperstrike shook his pelt and gave himself a few, quick licks to smooth his near-bristling fur.

"Getting an early start, I see." He meowed evenly to Swallowfang as he exited the den. Dipping his head to Flameclaw, he couldn't help but notice a glint in his eyes that he most certainly knew to be more than admiring.

"Didn't your mothers teach you its rude to talk about someone as if they're not around?" He inquired dryly, tired of always being so courteous, as he made his way to the pitifully small heap of fresh-kill. Viperstrike kept his eyes on Flameclaw as he passed, but he could see Swallowfang out of the corner of his eye... She was so much more pleasurable when she was asleep.

[[K so technically I don't own Flameclaw anymore, but I AIN'T EVEN MAD]]

Well.

Somebody was in a good mood this morning.

Most cats would probably be highly offended by Swallowfang's vicious response to what had been gentle teasing, but Flameclaw knew better by now than to take her animosity to heart. After all, a Swallowfang without the hot-headed snipe simply wasn't a Swallowfang at all. Flameclaw flicked the moss away carelessly, quirking one eyebrow at his friend as her fur spiked up like a hedgehog's. She was feeling especially prickly today, though he thought it might be wiser - and safer - not to comment on it. He winced, slightly, as she whirled around and directed her ire at the other tom on the receiving end of her annoyance. Poor old Viperstrike. Swallowfang would eat him for breakfast.

Wondering whether it was now safe to speak without risking the loss of a body part, Flameclaw unfurled his great limbs and stretched, the thick muscles on his legs flexing and relaxing. Even after moons of knowing one another, there was still the distinct concern that he might wake up one day with porcupine quills for a nest or mousebile in his breakfast, all courtesy of Swallowfang. Sometimes, he supposed, it seemed like it would be much safer to befriend a hungry badger than a cross Swallowfang.

"Not that I wouldn't like to see you carry out that threat, but as you've already so kindly pointed out, I'm late for patrol," Flameclaw yawned, rubbing one ear absent-mindedly. He took a few steps towards the den entrance, paused, and glanced over at Swallowfang. "Now, you can either come with me, or verbally abuse the next poor soul to wake up," he said, wondering why he was risking another tongue-lashing with his wry comment. Before he could get too badly shouted at, he trotted out into the open, blinking at the bright morning sunshine.