A Reunion [Closed]

His stay in Windclan had been brief, just long enough for his wounds to heal enough. And the stay with Sharptooth not much longer either. But long enough for her to bear his kits. Starlord could not believe he had become a father once more. The knowledge still reeled in his head, not quite connecting with reality. Dewkit, Galia, and Ara were all quickly taken to Thunderclan. While he had not interacted with the cats of that clan, he knew of their willingness to care for rogue kits like their own. Something that was a reassurance to him as losing his offspring once more twisted within his chest. For the lack of nowhere else to go, the loner found his paws carrying him back to Riverclan territory. Maybe if he skirted the edge of the river he would catch sight of Goldeneye, her kits, or maybe even his own kits. The odds were that he would merely be chased away as he had been throughout many different territories before.

There was still a pain that roared at the top of his head from the badger attack. But Starlord's wounds had begun to heal up fairly well. Fur had already started to regrow over the massive clawmarks that had started to fade into scars. The tom found it easy to ignore at the prospect of seeing his kin. Blue eyes scanned just over the horizon. And finally, he saw here. A she-cat, an apprentice. Her coat was reminiscent of his, while her frame was that of a Riverclan cat. Could it be? Tasting the air, Starlord determined there couldn't be many other clan cats around. Perhaps it was just a reckless hope but he broke cover almost immediately as he trotted towards his daughter. His mind struggled for a moment to try to remember her clanname, "Lionkit?"

Lionpaw had strayed away from the patrol she had been with to hunt. The apprentice eager to prove herself knowing her history. The ginger she cat stopped in her tracks when she heard movement and what was her kit name behind her and she turned her bright blue eyes meet with the sight of a tom cat before her that her mother once described his looks."its...um Lionpaw now"She mewed blinking.

"Lionpaw." He muttered softly, a smile coming over his face. Starlord has been longing for something he hadn't even realized budded up within the confines of his chest. At that moment he realized truly how much he longed to see Goldeneye, her kits, his own offspring, and even Littlestream. It meant being back with Riverclan, with the only true kin he had known. And yet, he couldn't stay, not even for them. But by some miracle, his daughter stood at his paws. An apprentice now, no less. Could it have been that long already? Were Sparkpaw, Berrypaw, Ivypaw, and Galepaw already warriors? Longing to ask about them nearly overwhelmed him as he stared at the young she-cat, thinking about both his created family and the one that shared his blood. Their split had been dictated by the cruel Jaystar. At the brief memory of the silver leader, the ginger loner's tail lashed with aggravation. But he pushed it aside.

"How is Strom? And Aros? And Littlestream? It's been so long. You're so big now. I can't believe it. If Rocket could see this..." Starlord's voice went from excitement to exasperation, to something distant, remembering. His blue eyes shone with a great deal of emotion. It took him a moment to refocus on the Riverclan apprentice before him and his voice, while still alight with the usual candor, was soft as he remembered something, "I'm Starlord. I'm your father." He'd forgotten that she hadn't known him by more than his scent, maybe a story or two from the kit's mother. Jaystar had prevented them from anything more than the first day together. The jovial nature that usually danced playfully behind his gaze was replaced with a bittersweet sorrow. This was his kit. Actually his kit. And... he was back in Riverclan territory.

Lionpaw or better known or named by her father as Princess blinked for a moment as the tom before her said her name. She could see the many emotion and for a moment she didn't understand for a moment why. She closed her eyes for a moment before she opened her blue eyes"...Strom...Aros....you mean Minkpaw and Copperpaw they are doing fine and so is mom...she's been with another warrior but she seems happier"She mewed in thought quiet for a moment."who's rocket"She mewed distant for a moment. "And how do you know about me and my brothers"She mewed slightly gaurded if only for a moment. Though that came to a halt when she heard his response and she had to blink"my...father..."She fell quiet for a moment relaxing as she recalled a memory of her mother telling her about thwir father who he was and the names he had given them and why he had to leave and couldn't stay so they wouldn't be made with him. As she recalled this her ears pricked curiously her eyes softened into big round pupils"What are you doing here after so long?"She asked curious now her tail flicking.

So many questions, and rightfully so. He had vowed to be the father Zeus never had, to care for the she-cat who bore his kits, unlike his own sire. And yet, Jaystar had severed any ties between them and for any hope that they would be able to grow together as kin. While his love for Littlestream had never existed, he cared for the Riverclan warrior in a whole other way. Deeping care for their offspring only increased that feeling that lined his gut. Starlord was relieved to hear that they all were doing well, and was exceptionally happy to hear Littlestream had found a tom to care for her genuinely as she deserved. He couldn't have ever been that cat for her even if he worked his pads raw. But there was still time to be a decent father to his kits. Starting here and then also with the ones that now resided within Thunderclan.

He took a step forward, forgetting she had asked about Rocket and abandoning any thoughts of the reservations she might have about meeting her father for the first time. Starlord reached forward and pressed his nose into her shoulder, closing any gap in space between them. Against the frigid breeze that threatened to penetrate his short-furred coat, she was a beacon of warmth. It was not just a physical warmth but one that came from the genuine love of a father for his kit. He'd never known such a feeling except for the moment he watched them first suckle at Littlestream's stomach, no matter how brief the encounter had been. How strange was it that he was now a father? That he was standing here with his already well-grown daughter? A proud purr rumbled in his chest as he stepped back.

"I've wanted to come back for so long, Princess," There was a flicker of a frown on his expression, "but Jaystar has forbidden me from Riverclan territory. Away from you." And them. His desire to see Gold's kits was left off silently. The loner's eyes lit up as he remembered something else as well. Dipping down slightly, he revealed the massive scars from the badger's claws that had torn across the top of his skull, "I also tussled with a badger, which made getting back take a little longer than intended as well."

She watched as he stepped towards her after she spoke and was quiet for a moment her ears lowered some unsure what he was going to do until she felt the space between them become nothing as he pressed his nose into her shoulder and she relaxed closing her eyes for a moment she did the same or at least as best as the petite she cat could her nose pressed into the fur of her father for a momentS. She then opened her eyes quietly as he stepped back hearing his purr and the pride in it which warmed the little she cat. She looked up at him as he spoke her name he gave her at birth and she smiled some only for it to vanish briefly"well just because grandpa forbid you from the territory doesn't mean I and my brothers could still visit you"She me we'd her tail lifting slight at the idea her blue eyes sparkled happily"I want to visit you ever since mom spoke about you"She mewed happily but fell quiet blinking as she seen the wound. "Ooo wow are you okay? " She asked her blue eyes round with worry.

She was so perfect. His firstborn daughter. The smile across his maw grew, only faltering when she spoke of his offspring and them all seeing each other. Jaystar wouldn't allow it. Even if the rest of Riverclan had proven to be accepting in many ways the silver tabby was unrelenting in his desire to separate Starlord from his kin. Although he wanted to encourage his children to come to visit him, what would Jaystar do in pursuit of his goal to split them apart? It was an unappealing thought, one that darkened his gaze as he looked down at the ground next to Lionpaw's ginger paws. Ginger like his own. A soft side escaped the sides of his maw as he wondered once more how Aros and Strom were. Did they still carry the similar coating, now sleeked back with age and silken with the addition of fish to their diets?

"I wish it were that simple, my dear. Jaystar would never stand for such a thing. You're just too precious to too many cats in Riverclan. Although, I'd love to see all of you together. I'm sure you're the finest apprentices that your fishbreathed grandfather has ever seen!" Starlord chuckled at his own slight jab at the leader. The thought of seeing them all was tempting, almost unbearably so. And seeing Littlestream would be great too. His tail flickered in thought for a moment before he finally spoke. When he did, his voice was low, "I won't stray far, Princess. And in a few sunsets I will be by the river rocks. If your mother allows it... I will meet you all there at nightfall."