(murdered but thanks for changing it ily)

When he first saw Sagepaw...now wait, Sagebristle now, he had half-assumed she'd make some snarky comment, and he'd have to remind her that he too was one of the loyal guards now, having done just as well as she did in their final assessments. Frankly, he was surprised with the sudden announcement, that the two of them were the top of their class. He had never expected that, considering how difficult his first few weeks of training had been, but now? He fought and hunted like it was natural, finally growing into his large paws, and of course, the two of them finally graduating into somewhat of a well-oiled machine.

Still, the congratulations came as a surprise. He blinked at her, before breaking out into a huge grin, both proud and gracious at the same time. "Congratulations to you too," he laughed, "I can't believe it to be honest. We're actually warriors, I mean...even more than that isn't it? Isn't that crazy? I can't believe we got the best of class, you know?" He still had the bright energy of his apprentice self, even if his voice was lower and he was plenty bigger these days.

He chuckled to himself. "Though I guess you probably knew this was going to happen," he teased, "you were always chasing after this spot anyway."

Moonblight rolled his eyes at her words. "Yeah yeah," he snorted, amusement radiating from his cheeky grin, "rich coming from miss 'I can't knock anyone over because I'm actually tiny' back in the day. Glad you overcame that, though you know, it's not a sin to be nicer to me right?" His teasing was one of fondness, after all. Their relationship had all been quips and insults for half of their life now, it wasn't surprising that it hadn't changed at all, even after their promotion.

He gave her a serious nod as she seemed to struggle with a compliment. His whiskers twitched as she finally managed to speak it to fruition. "Likewise," he replied, wide-eyed and trying to hold the moment as something solemn and serious for a moment before the smile crept back into his face. He was certain that had they been assigned with other trainees, surely Sagebristle would've murdered one or vice versa. As much as he had absolutely hated the arrangement at the beginning, he had to admit, they worked like a well-oiled machine these days.

"So how did your final individual assessment actually go?" he asked curiously, "obviously well since we're both here, but you know, some of the other apprentices didn't pass, and they say everyone has a different task you know?"

He snorted. "Yeah? I'd like to see you try," he replied mischievously, smiling with his teeth, "you know I'll always be a paw ahead of you when it comes to wrestling." Sure, he could admit that Sagepaw could out-hunt him anytime, but fighting? Now that was something he prided himself in, and after all, he had taught the other cat plenty of moves too. He was certain if they were really serious about it, he'd surely beat her in a fight, and Moonblight always did enjoy ruffling Sagebristle's feathers.

The speckled tom rolled his eyes at her little boast. "Yeah yeah," he laughed, "god, I'd like to see you try." He didn't doubt that Sagebristle was an excellent warrior, he had watched her train and practically grew up with her, but he had his own pride, and he'd never let his training partner boss him around, even if she had some fancy new title to call her own. As easy-going as he was, Moonblight wasn't a pushover and he wasn't going to let anyone tell him what to do. "I think you have to prove that first, and anyway, I don't think that's how it works you know. I can't imagine she put you there just to boss other cats around."

He stuck his tongue out at her. "Make me," he grinned, bumping her shoulder back with a playful grin, before listening to her confession. Oh? Moonblight blinked at her, before shaking his head. "I doubt that's true," he spoke. As much as he hated to admit it, Sagebristle always had a drive about her. Surely Aspenstar could see the ambition she had. "You've always been so motivated and determined, don't you think that's probably the reason why she chose you? Because she probably sees some potential or something? You're ambitious, you're determined, you work hard...that's good enough reason to choose you right?"

He grinned, finding Sagebristle's smile infectious. He rarely got to see it, and frankly, it made him happy to see her laugh and grin rather than as she was back then, always angry and biting to the rest of the world. "Yeah, you do get angry," he shrugged, "but I mean, they're not expecting you to be anyone other than yourself, just like I doubt they'll expect me to be anything like you either, right? Does it really matter, you know?"

There were things he knew he couldn't change about himself, and there were things about Sagebristle that had once annoyed him as a kit, but he had grown to understand...even like, though he'd never admit it. Seeing her look so...unsure made him uncomfortable; Sagebristle was always the certain one, and he was the one with his doubts. It was almost strange to see things in reverse.

His eyes softened as she spoke and he gave her a smile. As much as they had a contentious sort of relationship their whole life, she was one of his best friends. It was ironic really, how they had disliked each other so much at the beginning and now thanks to their little training-partner situation and well, everything else, they ended up being friends, even more so–

Oh okay. That was a little too much. He wasn't some schoolboy kit having some crush on a fellow den mate or anything. They were friends. Yep, just friends. His expression didn't change the slightest, only giving her a smug grin. "I'm glad I won you over," he teased, "knew you'd eventually fall for my charms." It was always easier to deflect than to address any real thing.

He laughed at her response. Moonblight had expected that much, after all. Sagebristle was never one to be mushy, and even the fact that she had admitted to her own fears, her own anxieties, was a new experience for them both. He appreciated it. He liked the fact that she trusted him enough. Perhaps if he had been in a different mood, he'd give her attitude, a little defiance too, but today, he simply chuckled before bumping her shoulder once more with a shining glow to his eyes.

"Good night then," he hummed, "I'll see you tomorrow."