Walt marched amongst the bushes as he did almost everyday now. These days in a new forest were becoming dull and repetitive already. He and the other Bloodclan cats already knew the forest by heart after vigorous tasks Tiny gave them for the reason of learning the forest.
The only excitement he had was when Runningwish and her friend Cheetahstep came to their camp. He hadn't had a chance to actually talk to any lake-clan cats since they arrived here. Walt had to admit he was glad the both of them showed up.
He remembered what they looked like: a golden and black-spotted she-cat, and a brown she-cat with a golden paw. Walt paused in his patroling. Runningwish was her name, she caught his attention early on.
He had done his best not to stare too long at her, it was bad enough he tackled her by mistake. Her eyes were also charming, they were the second thing he noticed about her after her brown pelt.
There was another thing about her that Walt could feel, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He sighed softly and continued his walk again. It might just have been his mind getting too excited about a foreign she-cat.
His ear twitched at a nearby noise and his mind's thoughts were erased. Someone was nearby, but he couldn't fully recognize the scent. Walt approached the source, but stayed hidden.
He was surprised to see the she-cat who had been on his mind. Runningwish was looking around her, as if every bush, leaf and root was something to be in awe of. He was curious, the forest couldn't be so amazing to her since she lived here her whole life.
Walt took the moment to step out and see what she was doing.
"Hello, Runningwish." A voice called out nearby. Mapleshade nearly jumped out of Runningwish's body, but she controled herself and turned to face Walt.
"Hello..." She replied with hesitation. 'His name is Walt...' A voice rung out in her mind. Mapleshade froze, her tail curling with unease. The owner of that voice was an easy puzzle, but Mapleshade was unexperienced in an event such as that.
".. Walt." She finally finished. The duo eyed each other, as if Walt knew something about the she-cat was off and Mapleshade tried not to give him a reason to believe so. Mapleshade started to move away.
"Well it was good to see you again. You uh.." She paused for words to come to her as she lurked away slowly. ".. look like you're doing well..." Mapleshade forced out and ran off. Walt watched Runningwish disappear into the bushes all around them. He sighed and turned back toward the Bloodclan camp.
When he arrived there he spotted Sam, Gouge, and Squid together in the small center of the camp. Sam was trying to talk to Gouge, who was doing her best to ignore the hopeless romantic, and Squid was tearing apart some fresh-kill.
Walt approached.
"Walt, what 'ave you been doin'? Tiny puttin' you on watch?"  Gouge asked when she spotted him. Walt laid down, not too far from Squid, who was still devouring her meal.
"It would seem Tiny would rather utilize all of you while I'm just a guard of the camp." Walt informed her, confirming her suspicions and more. Gouge sighed, her purple eyes only resting on him for a few more moments before looking away to Sam who was trying to get her attention.
Walt watched them both. He had always been amused by the two when they were together. Sam was always doing his best to impress the she-cat for a chance to be her mate. His eyeless scarred socket was a sick reminder to them all what Gouge had done to him, but it also filled Walt with a sense of wonder.
Gouge was always known for being one of the most ruthless she-cats back home, and when Sam arrived she didn't hesitate to put him in his place. Walt remembered that day. He was still new to Bloodclan, another unimpressive number amongst the city cat refugees.
He was smaller then, thinner and his strength wasn't honed yet, but Sam had been worse off. When Sam arrived he came within the clan demanding a fight. He was raggedy like most of them, skinny and untrustful, but he shared a reason with all of them for daring to join: survival.
Gouge had been in the clan longer than any of them, even longer than Tim. Sam spotted her watching him from the top of a trashcan, the disgusting filth of the broken concrete slabs and dirt with small plants desperately trying to make it through the crossfire stood rigid and uneven.
The walls around them were concrete slabs of rock, cut and shaped into smaller squares as a common two-leg design. Sam had called out to her to come down, he called for her to leave her perch because she wasn't a bird or something he called a "Queen".
Gouge did drop down, her fur bristling and her eyes growing ice around them as her face bore through Sam, but he refused to let her look completely through him. A ring was made around the two and Tiny watched from afar. Walt always wondered why he allowed the battle to happen, maybe he knew how it would change the two of them.
They ended up fighting and the ending was the only thing he could remember in the fight. It was how Gouge proved her dominance in the clan and how Sam was given a punishment for challenging her.
In front of everyone, Gouge tore out the tom's eye and Sam was forced to yield to her. It was a miracle Sam was saved, but everyone had been glad he survived. Strangely though after that day, Sam had always been pursuing Gouge's love and it only confused the clan.
Walt sighed as the flash back washed away. He looked onward as Sam spoke to Gouge. Walt paused and frowned slowly. He had always wondered if he would find a mate. It seemed everyone in their group had someone to behold.
Tim had a mate and son in Bloodclan, Tiny had Smear and Goddess, Gouge and Sam were timed to be together, Taz and Squid were also destined as far as Walt was concerned. Christopher also had a mate, but he had over four kits at home waiting for him to return to them when this campaign was over.
Walt shook himself in his head. He would find someone eventually. He even wondered if his future mate would be from these lake-clans.