Nectar protects a Fawn in the Wind (Open after Rush posts)

It had been less than a moon since Heathershade's death, and Nectarlep was already adopting a kit that wasn't hers. It almost seemed unfaithful or betraying in some kind, but he knew this was what his mate would have wanted. When he had seen Fawnkit, parentless and needing a family, he had known in his heart that he should father her. Now she was old enough to talk and walk, and he felt that it was time to let her out of the nursery. Smiling, he licked her fur straight and stood up, shaking some of the dust off of his pelt. Purring softly, he placed his tail on her flank and starting leading the she-kit out of the nursery.
"Fawnkit, how would you like to go out into camp today?" he asked her gently, smiling in a reassuring way. The way he bent down to be at level with her was almost natural for him. It reminded him so much of how he had been with his other kits, who were his actual offspring. But just because she reminded him of his passed mate and wasn't truly his kin didn't mean he would treat her differently. None of this was her fault, so there was no need to bring it up with her until needed. Now he could just focus on being a father again.

Fawnkit looked up at her father and tilted her head. Her eyes lightened up at the suggestion. "That sounds good!" she purred softly. She let her father lead her out of the nursery. Her eyes widened at the large outside world. She was so small compared to everything. She looked up at Nectarleap with a curious expression. "Can you teach me what everything is?" she asked him softly.

Twistedtail had hated Heatherstripe ever since her eyes first looked at her, a barely furred blind newborn. She had reminded her of everyone she had lost in her life. She had Heatherstripe's snaking stripes, Rippedsky's build, even the way she cocked her head when she was confused was reminiscent of her step-father Sprucethorn. But most of all she made her think of Shadewillow. The Shadowclan tom she couldn't stop loving, and ended up with two kits, including Heatherstripe. Worst of all was when she heard he had mated with some Shadowclan she-cat and had kits. Kits and a mate he loved more than her. And then he ran away. No matter what angle Twistedtail looked at her daughter, she always felt a deep hatred for her. This was what she got from all her misery. From being lost in the woods, losing her step-mother, losing her best friend to Skyclan, losing both of her loves, and she got this... mess. It didn't help that the better sibling, Echopaw, died of a uncurable sickness some moons back.

But now that Heatherstripe was dead, all she felt was... regret. Regret she couldn't have saved her kit from the dog that also nearly took her own life before Heatherstripe rescued her. Regret that she didn't give her nearly the same respect as her sister. Regret that she wasn't a better mother.

And when Twistedtail saw Heatherstripe's former mate Nectarleap leading his adopted daughter out of the nursery, her heart broke. She deserved to give him an apology. She sat next to Nectarleap and watched Fawnkit explore. "She reminds me of Echopaw, so full of energy right up until she died. You are lucky to be the father of such a good kit." She took a breath and hoped she wouldn't say the wrong thing. "Nectarleap, I'm sorry that I was so rash to you and... Heatherstripe. You were right. She was a good and honorable warrior, I just failed to see that. And now... I just wanted to tell you this, because you're the only living connection to Heatherstripe I have." As she spoke she watched Fawnkit, gleams of affection in her leaf green eyes. "Also, will you have any trouble raising her? I mean, it must be hard to take care of a kit all on your own. I remember when I was a kit, even with two cats watching over me, I still managed to run away and get lost. I didn't even find out who my real mother was until I was almost a warrior!" she purred softly at the end, before quieting and waiting patiently for Nectarleap to speak.

OOC: Sorry for the late reply. I didn't realize people had posted.

Nectarleap felt his heart fill with joy as the little she-kit reacted to world outside the nursery. Her surprise, curiousity, and slight bit of what seemed to be shyness was readable on her face. It was the most precious thing that a cat could ever hope for. "Of course I can. I will tell you whatever you need to know."
His focus was taken off of Fawnkit by the voice of another cat, and looking beside him he realized it was Twistedtail. For a few moments, rage filled him and he ws just barely able to resist adding to her scars, and wasn't able to contain a small growl. Not only did seeing his mate's mother make him remember his grief again, but also how much she had hated her daughter, who in his opinion had been the most lovable cat in the world. She had hated Heathershade when she had been alive, so why would she feel different after she had died? But he kept quiet and heard her out. Somehow, something inside of him broke. He couldn't help but let out a small sob, and his face looked sad and pained. Though it was nice to hear that at least the scarred she-cat had more respect for his dead mate now, it was hard for him to remember her knowing that he wouldn't see her again for a long time. But as she started speaking about his adopted daughter, he pulled himself together and replied.
"Thank you, Twistedtail. It's nice to know you see your daughter the same way I saw her now, even if it is too late. I hope she is doing well in StarClan," Nectarleap said first, a sad smile crossing his face. "And thank you for the offer. Just, I'm not trying to be rude or anything, I just don't trust you to be a mother figure to her. It isn't that I am mad or think you are a bad cat, it is just too soon after Heathershade. But feel free to help out."
Turning back to Fawnkit, he continued. "So, what do you want to do first?"

Fawnkit had been pouncing on almost everything nearby to see what each object felt like. She looked up as another cat approached. She sensed her father change to an angry mood then to a sad one. She tilted her head at Nectarleap's strange behavior but didn't think much of it. As the she-cat with the twisted tail began to talk to her father, she started to look around the camp.

He tiny tail swung around as her eyes took in all the sights of. She began to follow a tiny bug, sometimes prodding it with her paw, until she heard her dad ask her what she wanted to do. She looked back with a shy smile. She ran as fast as her small legs could. Fawnkit slipped, tumbled, and crashed her small body to her father's. She got up slowly, a bit embarrassed by her mess-up.

She tilted her head cutely as if deep in thought. The she-kit then sprung up and declared, "I want to be the best hunter!" She then pounced on Nectarleap's tail as if trying to prove a point. Fawnkit suddenly walked up to the older she-cat and asked, "Hello! Can you teach me how to hunt?"

Nectarleap couldn't help but let out a purr of amusement as Fawnkit came basically somersaulting over to him. Kits were hilarious. When she crashed into him, he was surprised by how she almost knocked him off balance, even if she was too tiny to do so. He smiled as she cocked her head, looking like she was taking his simple question extremely seriously. When she finally answered, she was cuter than he thought was possible. Scratch his earlier thought. Though all kits were hilarious, his adopted daughter was extremely hilarious. When she pounced on his tail, he purred before answering.
"Well, you certainly will become an amazing hunter, I can tell you that," the warrior purred, his tail twitching. He looked at Twistedtail with a partly amused, partly apologetic look. "Fawnkit, kits aren't allowed to hunt. But I am sure Twistedtail can give you some tips for when you become an apprentice. How about I go get you some prey, so you can have a taste of what you will someday catch?"