Third Time's the Charm. (Closed)

For some she-cats, this was a reason to celebrate. Some she-cats would have desired nothing more than to be a mother, yet Dewshine felt unease. It pricked at her pelt and unnerved her, the thought of Goldeneye finding out made her jump. The idea of Silverfang.. or Jaystar... both of them were terrifying options too. Especially with the way Shadefang had turned out. Her pelt shuddered at the mention of the name. Now wasn't the time to think about him... she glanced towards her belly. At first she thought it was simply one too many fish, and at first glance that was probably what it looked like.

It embarrassed her, even though she knew it was nothing to be embarrassed about as she crept carefully out of camp and padded towards where Gingerstripe and her liked to meet. The warm glow of the sun felt good on her pelt, sleek and shiny as ever, but feeling a bit awkward with her slightly larger belly. Still, perhaps he wouldn't notice. The thought was both appealing and unnerving. How was he going to react when she told him? Would it be the final push he needed... or would it push him away? The idea of Gingerstripe dissappearing made her suppress a yowl of grief. He couldn't just dissappear. Not now!

She sat silently at their usual meeting place, her gaze turned towards one of the nearby beech trees, as if she expected someone to have followed her. Her mind racing with thoughts of what to tell him and how?

Ever since he'd met Dewshine, leaving her was unbearable. They'd only truly been together for a moon or so, with very sparse meetings, but he'd known for what seemed like eternity that he wanted to be together with her forever. Whether it was the grace of a StarClan he'd been sure had forgotten him, the sympathy of some other unknown power, or just plain luck, Gingerstripe the loner had somehow found a cat that made him want to live again. And after her offer last time they'd met, it seemed that there might be a way he could not only have a family, but a home again. When he lay under the stars the night after he'd left, feeling as lonely as he'd ever been without the she-cat he loved by his side, he'd vowed to himself that he'd left Dewshine for the last time. Next time they saw each other, either Jaystar would let him join RiverClan, or they would have to leave and live somewhere else. He had no desire to take her away from her home, but he knew that he didn't want to ever be without her again. ShadowClan had rejected him, and ThunderClan as well. Maybe, the third time would be the charm, and a leader he'd never met would have judgement unclouded enough to see that Gingerstripe wasn't the cold-blooded murderer others made him out to be.

When he finally reached the clearing they usually met at, his already breakneck pace increased until he saw her. Her slim silver form seemed slightly different this time, but he didn't think anything of it- only of how happy he was to see her again. The flame-orange tabby tom ran over to her, gently nuzzling her neck, overjoyed to be in her presence once more. However had he gained this amazing she-cat's love? He felt at home when he sat next to her, his pelt rubbing against hers. "Dewshine," he murmured as he looked deeply into her eyes. "I've decided... I want to be with you. I want to join RiverClan, if Jaystar will let me. We shouldn't have to be apart ever again." Even as he spoke, however, he noticed something strained deep within her gaze that normally wasn't there. Gingerstripe drew back slightly, alarmed. Was she in pain? Was she okay? "Dewshine, what's wrong?"

The moment she saw his flame orange pelt coming towards her, Dewshine felt her own wariness and worry seemed to vanish. As he spoke, she smiled and padded up to him with a soft purr. The worries of her news lessened... surely... surely Jaystar would let him into the clan. Still, what if the clan rejected them simply because of Shadefang's deeds? She felt as if her other clan mates all shared the same mind... for better or for worse. Her ears flicked back in unease and she ducked her head for a moment, but then looked up at Gingerstripe. Her blue eyes pleading, happy but wary of his potential rejection as well. She hadn't thought about it much... but what if he didn't want kits? It pained her to think of. That he might not want the kits growing in her belly, a paw raised instinctively to pull her body closer to his. The soft vision of tiny ginger and silver cats in her mind as she forced the words.

"I would love that... and they would love it too." She purred, forcing herself to calm down. He wouldn't reject them. They had a bond that was stronger than that. One that meant if she needed to... she would leave RiverClan behind. There was no way she would let her kits grow up in a clan so filled with hate that it couldn't forgive. She blinked and looked up at him meaningfully as she pulled back only enough for him to see her properly. "... We're having kits, Gingerstripe." She confessed, with a smile. The thoughts of what they could look like in her mind. A gentle ginger kit with his mother's blue eyes... perhaps a soft grey kit with his father's green eyes and her personality... playing in the snow of leaf-bare, hunting with her and Gingerstripe... hopefully becoming good and noble warriors. No matter what they looked like, she would raise them to be respectable and good cats.

Kits.

Gingerstripe's green eyes widened as she spoke the word, looking down at her slightly distended form and then back up at her face, realizing what it meant. He was a father again. He'd already been one before, and failed disastrously... being forced to leave his two kits, being rejected by even them. But now, he could have a family with two parents that loved each other and their kits, and maybe this time he could stay with them... He wouldn't fail them this time.

After taking what seemed like an eternity to process the fact, a giant smile slowly crept up his face. His kits, their kits. "I... you... Dewshine, that's amazing!" His forest-green eyes glittered with happiness as they looked into Dewshine's blue eyes... his mate. She was carrying his kits. Visions of a happy family, a ginger tabby and soft silver surrounded by tiny versions of themselves, danced in front of his eyes as he realized what this meant. "I promise... Dewshine, I promise that I will be a good father to them. I won't leave you to raise them alone, no matter what happens. Even if RiverClan won't accept me, I'll still love you, and our kits. StarClan, our kits..." The words still filled him with euphoria. "Jaystar has to accept me now. He can't let these amazing kits be raised with only one parent!" His expression grew slightly more solemn as he remembered why he'd come. He stood up, thin from the moons of solitude, but a steely determination flickering in his green eyes. For the third time... he would try to have a home. "Are you ready, love? Do you think... do you think Jaystar will accept me- accept us? Even if he doesn't, we still have to try. For our kits."

Dewshine's silver pelt relaxed as she smiled at Gingerstripe's reaction. That was one she had been hoping for as she stepped forward to nuzzle and press her pelt to his in an encouraging manner.
"Even if he doesn't... we wouldn't have to stay here." She murmured, her gaze lifted towards the horizon on the other side of the beech copse. One far away... where the sun set and illuminated a world they had never seen before. "We could leave... and go where no clan cats have been. Start a clan of our own perhaps." She mused softly, but turned her blue eyes to him, filled with hope. There would be things she would miss in RiverClan, so she hoped it wouldn't come to that as she stood.

"I suppose... It's... time." Her voice faltered warily. Uncertain of the path that lay ahead of them now. This was a dangerous time, a dangerous risk, but it was one they had to take. They were taking it together though, and that was what mattered. Her smile returned as she strode forward with confidence down towards the direction of camp. Willingly leading Gingerstripe towards where fate could decide their future.