It's Been Awhile [Acro]

[:-Misa-:]

ooc// I hope you don't mind me starting a topic [Acro.] I just really wanna RP these guys together again and I want Tawny to see a different side of Falcon so that's why I'm bringing in his niece. 

---

It squirmed back and forth, full of life, unaware of the green eyes piercing from behind the bush, tracing it's every last movement.
It wouldn't be alive for very long.

Three...

    Two...

        One...

Now!

A bundle of white fur charged through the leaves of the brush, leaping outwards. 
Success!
Clamped in between Dovekit's paws lay the writhing orange tail of her uncle. 
Having been stricken Falconeye let out a dramatic gasp before stumbling sideways, falling onto his back 'dead'. His eyes clenched shut, and his body went limp as the mighty conqueror leaped atop her fallen opponent.

"Falconeye! Falconeye, did you see that! Did you see what I did!" 

"Of course I did, munchkin." A deep purr vibrated through the tom's whole body as he spoke each of his words, his eyes opening, only to meet eager green ones staring into his brown ones.

"Mom says I'll be able to be a brave warrior one day soon if I keep it up." Dovekit was now laying with her stomach against his, tail swishing back and forth, nose pressed right up to her uncle's, "I want to be the best warrior Leafclan has ever seen so I can make Hailcloud proud." 

"Well, Dovekit, from what I've seen I'm sure you'll make your father very proud."

Her eyes had never glowed brighter, and smile never been so genuine. 
They were filled with confidence and determination. 
It warmed Falconeye's heart. Everything about it reminded him of his sister, her mother, Riverpool.

Rolling off of his stomach Dovekit crouched down, rump up in the air waggling excitedly. She was quite the trip, but he loved her so. 
Grinning from ear the ear the ginger tom rolled onto his paws and narrowed his eyes at his niece, "Grrrr, I'm a big bad badger and I've come to eat your kits!" With each word he took an overly dramatized, lumbering step, trying to mimic that of the badger.

With a squeal the large white kit squealed, "No! I am Dovestar and I'm going to stop you!"  She leaped clumsily forward, landing on Falconeye's back and clung onto his back, "You will never hurt my clan!"







 
                

[[Acro.]]

ooc:// That's fine!! And this is perfect, because Tawnyfang doesn't know how to handle little things (I.e. kits)
-cracks fingers- Time to reawaken her muse.

Moving slowly but steadily, a plain brown tabby with a subtle limp padded quietly into camp, a mouse hanging from her jaws. Since the infection from the badger bite moons ago had left her hindleg a bit... damaged, Tawnyfang had needed to re-learn how to hunt properly. It had taken time, but she'd managed. After all, she was nothing if not a problem-solver. And since the whole mess with Silverstar, and then Leafclan's long recovery... the she-cat had had plenty of time to figure things out.

Most things, anyway.

After depositing her contribution to the kill pile, the warrior stepped away, intending to head back out into the territory, but a young voice and glimpse of a familiar pelt-on-fire stopped her in her tracks.

"Grrrr, I'm a big bad badger and I've come to eat your kits!"

She would know that voice anywhere, badger or not.

Tawnyfang watched from the edge of the clearing as Falconeye played with a young kit, resulting in the tiny creature pouncing upon his back. Her muzzle twitched into a smile, the tips of her ears burning inexplicably. Her pelt bristled, causing her cheeks to grow hot, as well, and within only moments the she-cat was a mess of heat and embarrassment. She looked away, struggling to set herself straight and fend off an incoming sneeze. The familiar itch in her nose subsided, thankfully, and she felt herself relaxing as she got a better hold on her emotions. They had... surprised her. She just... hadn't seen Falconeye in a while.

She hadn't been prepared, is all.

Clearing her throat quietly, Tawnyfang wondered if she ought to go over, or just continue on her way out of camp. The internal debate had her nervous all over again, her heartbeat becoming increasingly uncomfortable in her own ears as the struggle dragged on. Only moments had passed, but those brief moments had already disheveled the she-cat. Wonderful.

Before her brain had given her body any semblance of permission, Tawnyfang found herself quietly padding over to the tom and kit, her smile small but sincere as she approached. A few tail-lengths away, she softly cleared her throat and called over... or, she would have, if she had thought of something to say. Instead, she was left, stranded, standing in the middle of camp, wondering where her usually reliable mind had flown off to. Her ears ignited with intense heat, the flames spreading quickly to her cheeks, her throat, her chest... and, instead of speaking...

She just sneezed.

[:-Misa-:]

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Falconeye's voice deepened as he roared with a shake of his pelt, the small white kit clinging onto it giggling and squealing. "You must bow down to the all mighty badger lord!" As he reared up onto his hind legs Dovekit slid backwards, landing on her butt with a plop. Her eyes were clenched shut in laughter.
She was too adorable.
Turning to look at the little ball of fluff, warmth flooded through the large warrior. He was no longer Falconeye- conceited, loyal warrior of Leafclan. Nor was he Falconeye- temperamental, viscous boundary defender.

No.

He was Falconeye- loving uncle, and caretaker to his sister's kits. There was no way anyone would lay a single claw on them. There was no way they'd make the same stupid mistakes as him and his litter mates. No, not at all. Each of them would live to see their warrior ceremony if it took each individual hair getting torn from his fiery pelt, and every inch of skin being engraved with battle wounds. 

He'd give it all up for them.

"Come on kiddo, get up." The words could be taken as demanding but they were all but that. As he went behind Dovekit and nosed her upward there was nothing but warmth in his voice masking a faint purr. 

"but I don't wannaaaaa. Uncle Falconeye can I have another ride on your back!"

'Don't give in.'
'Don't give in.'
'You're not gonna give in.'

...

Within five seconds the white kitten was back on his back. It was impossible to resist those pleading big green eyes. She was just like her mother. Speaking of which she should probably be getting her daughter to sleep about now. Despite seemingly having a lot of energy the exhaustion was beginning to shine clear. 
A warm smile on his face Falconeye turned to make his way towards the nursery, but that's when he heard it.

He heard a sneeze.

You would've thought it was impossible for the smile on his face to get any bigger then it was, but life has a funny way of proving these things wrong. It'd been a while since he had heard that, being so wrapped up since the battle. Granted he did feel guilty. Tawnyfang had undeniably taken a piece of him as the closest genuine friend he had ever had outside his own kin. Even through the roughest of times the two always managed to somehow put a smile on each others faces.

Falconeye turned his head in the direction of the sound and his eyes befell upon her. Apparently she had noticed him as well, for she was looking at him as well. The smile on his face morphed into a cocky, lopsided grin, and he turned away from the nursery, covering the small distance between the two, green eyes and a white head poking over the top of his, "Hey there stranger."


ooc// sorry that's so long haha ^^ 

[[Acro.]]

ooc:// Don't apologize! It is totally adorable D:

"Hey there, stranger."

And, of course, Falconeye always knew exactly what to say.

Tawnyfang couldn't help the smile that lit up her face, and though her ears tried to lower themselves in shyness, she did well to keep them forward. "Hello," she returned, hazel eyes moving away from the tom's and onto the second pair he seemed to be sprouting between his ears. The she-cat tilted her head curiously to one side, tail curling with question. "Um... I think you..." What could she say to the kit? Or to Falconeye, about the kit? Her ears burned--she had never done well with... tiny cats. She liked them--loved them, actually--but they never seemed to really... care for her. She always made it... awkward. "Um... you've got... something, just there," she commented to Falconeye, nodding up toward his small companion. "You might want to have it looked at."

After all, it could be a serious condition.

Tawnyfang wanted to say so much more to the tom--ask how he had been, talk about what he'd been up to, ask about his sister, discuss their Clan, the changes... but she felt she couldn't with such young ears listening in. What were kits allowed to hear and what were they not supposed to know? Tawnyfang didn't know any of that sort of thing, so she was, again, left standing unsure of what to say.

[:-Misa-:]

"Um... You've got... something, just there."

Hm..?
That's when he felt it- a stubby paw trying to place itself on his head. 'Really, Dovekit. Now, of all times.' Sighing, Falconeye's ears fell out to the sides, a partially unamused look on his face, "Dovekit, sweetie, what are you doing?"

"I wanted to see the pretty warrior too!"

A deep purr rumbled inside the large warriors throat, "Dovekit, this pretty she-cat is Tawnyfang. She's a good friend of Riverpool and I." So that's how it was gonna go, because why not. Use a young kitten's nature to an upper hand to passively flirt. That's Falconeye for you, "Tawnyfang, this little scamp up here is Dovekit. She's my sister's daughter." It was a bit odd, in that single statement he had declared that the kit was not his own, but regardless his eyes still glowed. They glowed with a fatherly pride, because to a degree she was his daughter.

"So tell me Tawnyfang, how have you been as of late? It's been quite a while, hasn't it. Your leg heal alright?" It was honestly frightening what that wound had done to her at first as he had witnessed it first hand. 
He wasn't sure if he could ever forget it.

[[Acro.]]

ooc:// Haaaah too perfect <3

'Dovekit.'

What a lovely name.

"I wanted to see the pretty warrior too!" came the tiny voice of the tiny creature. Tawnyfang's eyes widened slightly and her whiskers twitched, the tips of her ears growing warm. She was about to laugh it off--silly little kit--but Falconeye's voice came first.

"Dovekit, this pretty she-cat is Tawnyfang. She's a good friend of Riverpool and I."

Tawnyfang, the 'pretty she-cat' in question, felt her thoughts evaporate in the following moments, the warmth in her ears spreading rapidly down into her cheeks and all across her skin. Any concentration she could muster after being so caught off-guard went into not sneezing, a habit she had been working on and mildly improving in the past few moons. She nodded dumbly as Falconeye officially introduced her to Dovekit, smiling and trying not to seem as flustered as she was. The tabby took in the scene before her, the image of Falconeye looking so... so as he did, with that affection and devotion in his eyes for the tiny creature, and she burned it into her mind. She had seen the tom in a lot of ways, but she had never seen him like this. Tawnyfang offered the young kit a polite "Hello" before Falconeye went on, sparing her another moment from speaking.

Another moment to collect herself.

"So tell me Tawnyfang, how have you been as of late? It's been quite a while, hasn't it. Your leg heal alright?"

The she-cat glanced over her shoulder, giving her left hindleg a thoughtful once-over before looking back to Falconeye with a smile. There were scars beneath her fur, but at least she still had a leg to carry them on. "My leg is fine. It's not perfect, but you won't hear me complain as long as I get to keep it." She let out a quiet laugh, as though to prove she had no ill-will or self-pity toward her damaged limb. Honestly, it could have been much worse, as Falconeye was likely aware. "I've actually been... well, I've been really well. With everything quieting down after Silverstar..." She threw a glance toward the kit and then toward Falconeye--a 'does she know?' look. "I feel... good. And what about you? And Riverpool? Busy keeping this little thing out of trouble?"

[:-Misa-:]

"I feel... good. And what about you? And Riverpool? Busy keeping this little thing out of trouble?"

"I do not need-" Umph. The little squeaks of protest were cut off as Dovekit slid backwards landing on her stomach on Falconeye's spine. Her legs were spread out to the each side, resembling a piece of road kill. 

"Dovekit, how about you go get some prey from the fresh kill pile, hm?" Lowering himself down closer to the ground, she jumped off happily and romped across the clearing. The amount of energy that little ball of fluff had was absolutely ridiculous, and the fact she never seemed to gas out was rather impressive in all honesty. 'Was I like that when I was younger?' Huh... that was quite unfortunate for his mother if so. 'Actually, I might have been worse.'

...

'Yeah I was definitely worse.'

"I'm glad to hear you've been doing well, I was worried about you." Falconeye moved his attention away from his niece and gave his full attention to Tawnyfang, "I kept meaning to check up on you, but things got real hectic. Right before the battle Riverpool had her litter, and while things have been settling down I've been spending a lot of time with Riverpool..." 
Silence.
A few moments passed, and his eyes had drifted down to the ground, "She's been having a bit of a rough time." Sighing the tom lifted his head back up, and using his head gestured towards Dovekit who was now picking at a tiny mouse, "Being a single mother and all. I don't know if you were familiar with Hailcloud, he died in the Talonclan attack a bit back. He's the father of the kits, and that little fur ball over this resembles him near identically; only one out of the litter might I add. So that's where she's at, I think she really wants to get out of the nursery soon. Get her mind off everything."

[[Acro.]]

"I'm glad to hear you've been doing well, I was worried about you."

Tawnyfang smiled, momentarily looking away once all of Falconeye's focus was aimed at her. She pretended to watch Dovekit by the freshkill, while truly she was just trying to keep herself composed. Something about that day... her mind had just not been with her. Seeing the tom had... scattered her.

"Because you missed him," cooed a quiet voice in the back of her head. Her hazel eyes widened, her tail twitching uneasily, and she thanked the stars that Falconeye had moved on after his pause and was still talking. The tabby exhaled quietly, bringing her attention back to the tom fully as soon as she picked up on his changed tone, regarding Riverpool. Concern pooled in her eyes, and she trained her ears forward.

"I don't know if you were familiar with Hailcloud, he died in the Talonclan attack a bit back."

Yes. Yes, she remembered. Tawnyfang nodded, her chest aching with the memory. She hadn't gone to the battle against TalonClan, but... she had heard about Hailcloud soon after.

"So that's where she's at, I think she really wants to get out of the nursery soon. Get her mind off everything."

Tawnyfang lowered her ears, moving to take a step toward the tom but pulling back halfway through. She didn't know how to be comforting--didn't even know if that's what she was supposed to be doing. Instead, she just put on a gentle smile and said the first things she could thing of. "She'll be okay--if there's any she-cat I know who could handle something like this, it's your sister." Riverpool had always come across as quite... resilient. Capable, competent. Like she could pull through anything.

Tawnyfang admired her.

"How old is Dovekit, now?" she asked with a curious tilt of her head, nodding toward the tiny bundle just across the way. "Will she be--oh! The question was going to be, "will she be an apprentice soon?" but Tawnyfang had just remembered something she absolutely wanted to share with the tom. "I have a new apprentice," she chirped with a grin, her eyes lighting with nervous excitement. "Cloudpaw." 'I don't think she likes me much,' she added to herself, hiding this insecurity behind her smile.

[:-Misa-:]

Ooc: sorry for the delay ;-; [Acro.]

"She'll be okay--if there's any she-cat I know who could handle something like this, it's your sister."

She was right, he wasn't going to deny it. In their lifetime she'd been through so much, and he had been the reason for a bit of her pain and agony.
Late apprenticeship.
Being forced to watch as their sister bled to death atop her. 
Needless to say their relationship was anything but bumps in the road, and he could only hope Dovekit could grow up without much of that. Rather then saying anything the tom's mouth remained shut. Falconeye's line of sight remained drifting on the white ball of fluff.

Hm? Oh... Tawnyfang had continued speaking as the tom zoned out, so blinking a few times he tried to zoom back into the conversation. 
Old... Dovekit... When... be... 
Pride prevented him from asking her to repeat her words, so instead he tried to sew the phrases together. Something about Dovekit's age, perhaps? That seemed most logical, "Ah, she's about 6 moons roughly, I'd like to say." Before Falconeye could even consider the possibility what he had answered was complete mouse dung though, the pretty warrior continued on rather excitedly. 

Ok. That. Was adorable. 

It was a kit-like excitement when speaking about becoming an apprentice, or an apprentice getting ready for their warrior assessment. Nervous, yet unable to contain perhaps the pride and sense of importance behind it, "Woah there Tawnyfang, did my ears hear me right?" Moving his attention back solely to Tawnyfang he circled her and flicked his tail over her back, "The wonderful Tawnyfang got an apprentice before me?" There was mock hurt in his expression before laughing, "I'm proud of you. Congratulations!"