Jayfeather crouched low, his ears perked alert. “Okay, I think everything’s clear,” he whispered behind him. A beautiful, fluffy, gray she-cat stepped out of the bracken, her amber eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She pressed against Jayfeather and purred deeply.

“Finally,” she sighed, breathing into his warm fur. “It seems like forever since we’ve had anytime together.”

“Alone, at least,” he corrected her warmly. He wrapped his tail around her and pulled her closer, inhaling her sweet aroma. “So, what do you want to do?” Cinderstep smiled wryly.

“Hmmm…I can think of a few things.” Jayfeather rolled his blue, sightless eyes.

“I was thinking something in the borders of the warrior code.” He smirked as the she-cat sighed in real disappointment. “Do you want to get something to eat, maybe?” He nodded pointedly at her growling stomach and chuckled. “Haven’t you even thought about your own personal comfort?”

Cinderstep growled lightly. “I’m not that hungry. And besides, the only personal comfort I’m concerned about is having you by my side.” She smiled and buried her face in his soft pelt, inhaling deeply. Jayfeather sighed. Having Cinderstep beside him was the best thing that he could ever imagine. Her sweet fragrance lingered in his nose for hours after he spent any amount of time with her. She was his personal blessing; the reason for everything.

He smiled as her stomach grumbled again. “Well, all the same, as your medicine cat, it is my job to take care of you.” He rose to his paws and flicked his tail seductively. “Come on, time to feed the warrior.” Cinderstep laughed and ran up beside him, tangling her tail with his. He breathed in her familiar scent and smiled. “Well, what are you in the mood for?”

She lifted her nose to the sky and inhaled. “I smell mouse and some vole.” Jayfeather touched his nose to her ear, taking her by surprise. She gasped at their sudden closeness, her heart pounding wildly.

“I asked what you wanted, not what you smell.” His breath caressed the fur around her ear, making her shiver with delight. He licked her cheek tenderly and breathed into her fur, “What do you want?”

“You…” Cinderstep whispered subconsciously, her body swaying dizzily. Jayfeather smiled to himself.

“Something that you can eat, thank you. We don’t want any cannibalism to occur here.” She snapped out of her trance, and looked at him apologetically. He licked her forehead. “I think I smell a raven around here, does that sound appetizing.”

“You know I’m horrible at hunting birds, Jayfeather.” He looked at her playfully, already sunken down into a hunter’s crouch.

“Who said anything about you hunting?” He waggled his hindquarters mischievously. Cinderstep watched him puzzled. What was he thinking? He knew that he couldn’t see; how could he hunt? Especially a bird, the toughest prey to catch, even for the best hunter.

A muffled squawking noise broke her train of thought. She whipped her head around to see Jayfeather trotting toward her, a large raven dangling from his jaws. Her heart fluttered with pleasure. She would never understand how he did it, but Jayfeather always seemed to mange to get what ever he wanted. Including her.

He dropped his catch at her feet and smiled in triumph. “Guess even I blind cat can learn new tricks, eh?” He flicked his ears happily.

She shook her head in disbelief. “You are unbelievable.”

“I know.” His velvety voice was wry and he wrapped his tail around her. “Now eat. It’s almost moonhigh, and we’ll need to get going if we want to make it.” Cinderstep blushed under her fur and crouched down to take a bite of the bird. It was delicious! She ate the prey fervently and only remembered that Jayfeather was sitting right beside her when the catch was half gone.

“Erm, want some?” she mumbled through her half-chewed food. He rolled his blind eyes and smiled.

“Just eat, Cinderstep. I ate before we left.” She smiled weakly and finished off the bird. Once she was done, she looked up at the handsome medicine cat feebly. He rose to his paws and padded over to her. “Ready to go?” he breathed into her fur. She leapt up a little too eagerly, and stopped abruptly and looked at him embarrassed. He laughed and licked her shoulder. “Come on, love. Let’s get going.”

She fell in step beside him, entwining his tail with hers. “Jayfeather, where exactly are you taking me, anyway?” Jayfeather flicked his ears dismissively and continued forward. She rolled her amber eyes and follow after, her pelt brushing against his.

Finally, the two cats arrived at a rocky slope. Cinderstep looked at him questioningly, but padded after him silently. Where ever he was taking her, she knew he was excited about it and didn’t want to put a damper on his good mood. They scrambled up the rocks, Jayfeather catching her when ever her footing faltered. She blushed and fumbled up to the top and gasped.

“I-it’s beautiful,” she breathed. Below her stretched a small pool of moonlight—or could that actually be water? The pond gleamed in the pale light of the half-moon. “Is…is this the Moonpool?” Jayfeather nodded and pressed into her fur.

“Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it; it’s so beautiful.” Her heart was fluttering.

“You’re right, it is beautiful.” Jayfeather’s voice was soft and passionate. Cinderstep glanced over at him and blushed. His blue eyes were fixed on her, glazed over with affection.