Like Father, Like...?

Falconfang rose from his slumber, early as usual. Another empty dream, another... longing, he guessed. It was too early to assign any duties, since no cat was up yet, but the newly-appointed deputy needed someone to talk to. Slowly moving over any sleeping warriors, he found himself next to the sleeping from of his mate, Minteyes. Hoping she wouldn't mind the early intrusion to her dream-state, he gently prodded her with his paw. "Minteyes?" he mewed quietly, hoping he wouldn't wake anyone else. A thought of what he wanted to discuss was filling his mind, the reason for his empty dreams becoming clearer.

Sorry it took so long

IC- Minteyes rolled over to face her mate. "What is it Falconfang?" The she-cat pushed herself to her paws and licked his cheek.

"Can we talk outside?" he asked softly, a touch of nervousness in his mew. To be honest, Falconfang didn't know exactly what to say, but he was hoping it would just appear on his tongue as he started. Hopefully... This was probably a delicate subject.

Still groggy, she nodded and got up. Moving outside behind her mate. "What is it?"

The two of them sat alone near the edge of camp. For a few moments, only the wind broke the silence as Falconfang attempted to form the words he wanted to say. "I've been watching the kits play a lot," he began slowly, turning to look at his mate. "I... I want to have kits." There: he said it. The statement hung in the air, unmoved by the wind. He truly didn't know if Minteyes was as interested in having kits now as he was, but he had to mention it. "I think we'd have great kits."

The she-cat's stomach churned as the silence sat around them. She starred at the ground waiting for his words. Once began to speak she looked up at him. She caught a few after 'kits', in honesty she had been thinking about having some of her too. Now that she had an apprentice she didn't want to not be able to train him, she didn't want to let him down. "I want kits too.." she trailed off, "but with Twistedpaw and his training just starting. I don't want to let him down." She felt bad that she was telling her mate that she was ultimately choosing her apprentice and his training over the possibly of kits.

Falconfang nodded slowly, forcing himself to make eye contact with Minteyes. He understood how much work it took to train an apprentice and how much his mate wanted to show she was a good mentor with her first apprentice, but the deputy couldn't keep a bit of disappointment from his eyes. He could accept the wait, though it wasn't something he'd particularly enjoy. "I understand," he mewed softly, gently nuzzling Minteyes, though his movements were a bit subdued.

"There are enough kits around her to keep us content until Twistedpaw is a warrior, which will be soon. He has a lot of potential." She licked Falconfang's cheek and purred as he nuzzled her. "The wait will be worth it."

"Yes, you're right. Windclan is growing quite a lot," he nodded softly, though his eyes were still a bit distant. Sure, there were a lot of kits... but they weren't theirs. Maybe he ought to go see the kits again... at least it was something. "I'm gonna go see the kits then. Thanks for listening." He returned her lick, then gave her a soft smile before heading back to their den. It was a bit too early to wake anybody, anyway.

She could tell he wouldn't enjoy the wait, but if Minteyes was able to train Twistedpaw quickly and well the time would fly. She wanted to make sure she was a good mentor before mother. The clan came first and she knew that. The more warriors there are when she is a queen the less guilty she'll feel about not doing anything. Minteyes quickly followed suit of her mate and went back to sleep for a while.