The Start of a Family Tree

Murkystrike had entrusted Night to one of the other queens. Even though the kit was still napping, Murkystrike hoped that she wouldn't get into too much trouble while she was gone, but there was something she wanted to speak to Mistyfalcon about. Finally, her eyes found his familiar pelt on the other side of camp and she walked over to him, purring as she bumped her head to his shoulder before stepping back and meeting his eyes with her own. "Mistyfalcon, would you walk with me? There's something I'd like to talk to you about." There was a sense of nervous anticipation to her words, and her paws kneaded the ground anxiously. What would he think? How would he react? They had seemed to be on the same wavelength in regards to Night, perhaps it would be the same case here. If not.... Well, they still had Night, and each other.

Mistyfalcon had watched as Murkystrike got Night settled into the nursery with one of the other queens, but didn't intrude any further. The queens would handle a lost, tired kit far better than he could, and Mistyfalcon wasn't naïve enough to think otherwise. And besides that, he was a stranger to the kit, whereas Murkystrike had found her and kept her company most of the day. Mistyfalcon had no intention of overstepping, and the scrap of fur probably just wanted to rest, anyways.

Murkystrike padded over from the direction of the nursery, and he curled his tail around her, a purr rumbling in his chest before she stepped back and met his eyes. She spoke, and seemed... nervous?

"Of course, Murkystrike." Mistyfalcon stood, "What's on your mind?" And why are you nervous? was on the tip of his tongue, but he figured that that was probably what he'd find out soon enough.

Mistyfalcon seemed happy to see her, and she purred in return briefly as he wrapped his tail around her. He agreed and stood readily, and she relaxed a little bit. As they made their way out of the camp together, Murkystrike glanced over to him. Once they were out of listening distance from camp, the warrior sat and turned towards him. With a quick glance around and scent of the air, she ensured that no one had followed them. She took a deep breath before meeting the tom's eyes. "Mistyfalcon... I think that you got where I was going with Night. She's so little, and precious, and... I would like to adopt her, if she'll have me. You would be part of this too, if you wanted. Is that okay?" Her paws kneaded the ground restlessly. This wasn't her only question... But it was a good start.

Mistyfalcon followed Murkystrike out of camp, falling into step beside her as they made their way into the territory. His whiskers twitched as she scented the air before turning to him and sitting. If Rosepaw had been following them, he was sure they would have heard her cackling with glee by now. All Mistyfalcon could pick up on was the distant chirp of crickets, and there was no scent on the breeze of a nearby clanmate, they hadn't been followed as far as he could tell. The dark tom sat next to Murkystrike, listening quietly as she spoke about Night, the kit she had found.

"I had a feeling that you were headed that direction with her." It had seemed clear enough, with how Murkystrike had wrapped a tail protectively around the shivering kit and how she'd been sneaking glances at her as they'd spoken with Flintstar and Rookfire. He had given little thought to playing a larger role beyond supporting Murkystrike, in truth. In hindsight her question made sense. Taking on a kit... "You know you have my support, Murkystrike. If Night wants a relationship with both of us, it's up to her. If she wants us to take her in I wouldn't be opposed to it." He found himself saying. He'd told his mate they'd take care of the kit and had meant it in more of a general sense of the clan not turning away a kit in need, but he could tell that Murkystrike had grown fond of her rather quickly. And watching even that brief interaction between them, Mistyfalcon had found himself, what, exactly? It wasn't something he quite knew how to put a name to.

Mistyfalcon voiced his support, but Murkystrike couldn't shake that he didn't fully grasp what she was getting at. She smiled a little bit, the corners of her maw turning up slightly. Perhaps he would realize more with a little more time. For now... There was something else she wanted to ask him about. "Thank you, Misty... I appreciate it. More than you could know." She pressed the top of her head under his chin briefly before continuing hesitantly. "Misty... How do you feel... About kits?" She paused, trying to stop her paws from trembling. "I guess... Let me clarify. If things go well, with Night... How would you feel about... About having... Kits of our own?..." Her voice softened with each word, the final ones barely above a whisper. She was hesitant to look at his face and gauge his reaction, but she needed to. Her pale green eyes rose to meet his as she held her breath.

Mistyfalcon rested his chin against the top of Murkystrike's head. That had become something almost automatic between them recently, and Mistyfalcon relaxed at the familiar touch. He would've been content to remain sitting like this but Murkystrike... Had other ideas, apparently. A tattered ear twitched in her direction as she spoke once more, asking him how he felt about kits. Before Mistyfalcon could think to form a reply, she went on... Clarifying...

Mistyfalcon hardly heard the end of her words, either because her voice had dropped or because his heartbeat was roaring in his ears. Maybe both.

...Right, she was waiting for an answer.

"Have... kits?" He managed to pick his jaw off the ground after a moment, wide-eyed stare flicking to Murkystrike's. He was sure his expression resembled that of a deer caught in the gaze of a monster more than anything else at the moment. Her question had come out of left field, at least to him, and that much was probably obvious. Stars-cursed she-cat was probably enjoying surprisingly him like this.

"It's n- not... Something I'd thought about," Clearly, frogbrain. And why would he have? Brighteye had made her stance clear from the start, and Mistyfalcon had been perfectly happy to respect her wishes. He'd figured the topic wouldn't have come up at all with Murkystrike. Foolish of him, he supposed, to think two she-cats would have similar views when they were practically opposites in every other way. Especially foolish when Brighteye was dead and gone. His mind went back to how Murkystrike had handled Night...

Babbling fool, indeed. He was an idiot. Truly. Thank the stars that Rosethorn wasn't here to witness this. Mistyfalcon could have swore his burning ears picked up the faint sound of her and Moonshine laughing, but when he lifted his head, nobody was there.

"I don't know... I don't know the first thing about kits." He admitted. Aside from sort of showing Emberleap the hunter's crouch once and gruffly herding a pair of kits away from the camp entrance, Mistyfalcon had very little idea of what went on in the nursery. And for quite a while the nursery had been mostly empty before...

Mistyfalcon shifted, paws absent-mindedly kneading the ground before a thought occurred to him and he froze. "You're not...?" He might actually faint if she was expecting kits, much less his. He'd do most things Murkystrike asked of him without hesitation but the idea of kits of his own... It was just a little bit terrifying.

Still... As little as he knew and as off-guard as this conversation had caught him, Mistyfalcon could practically feel Murkystrike's apprehension rolling off of her. The reason for her nervousness earlier made a bit more sense, and Mistyfalcon definitely couldn't blame her for the nerves when his own reaction hadn't been anything less. "Murkystrike..." He began hesitantly, not at all sure of how she would react, "I won't say 'no' but I... need to think." And like that, he was suddenly floundering for words again as he risked a glance at Murkystrike, blue eyes meeting green.

Mistyfalcon's reaction was about what she had expected, at first. Her heart leapt into her throat as he choked out the start of his response. If she was honest, it wasn't something she had thought about, until recently. Like... Meeting and getting to know Night recently. For many moons, she hadn't even thought that she would have a mate, let alone Mistyfalcon, to even have kits with. A longer silence stretched before he spoke again, and Murkystrike nodded slightly. Neither did she... Night wasn't quite a newborn, but she was still young. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous, about caring for Night and potentially kits of her own. The tom shifted, and as the cool breeze ruffled the fur where he had just been Murkystrike shivered. Suddenly he froze, and the she-cat brought her eyes to his as he choked out a question. Quickly, she shook her head. "No, I'm not. At least, I don't think? No, nothing has changed. I'm certain of it." She tried to reassure him even as her own terror rose. She didn't think she was... What if she was? The thought made her heart beat faster, just as Mistyfalcon's reaction had. Perhaps she should have stayed quiet about it.... Waited for a while, or maybe forever....

Her ears tilted forward when he spoke up again, and her throat went dry. The hesitance in his voice told her most of what she needed to know, and for a few heartbeats she could only nod slightly. Looking away from his face towards the ground, her heart sinking with her stomach at his response, she nodded again. "I... I understand. Take as... Long as you need. I've given you whatever time you've needed before, this will be no different." She murmured softly, glancing back up at him. Their eyes met for a moment before she looked away again, finding the ground. It felt like the whole forest was spinning suddenly. Perhaps she was more tired than she thought she was.

He couldn't help the sense of relief when Murkystrike confirmed she wasn't expecting kits. He would've done anything for her, he would've done his best to raise them, but knowing that wasn't the case for the moment eased something in his chest. Mistyfalcon wasn't sure he'd be father material, and it would be unfair for some unsuspecting kits to suffer the consequences if his doubts were proven correct.

Mistyfalcon flinched slightly at Murkystrike's quiet words, tattered ears flicking back at the reminder of Murkystrike's seemingly limitless patience for him. Yet another thing that always seemed to catch him by surprise.

Much like this conversation had. Guilt prickled at his fur at his mate's reaction to his last words, tail twitching with uncertainty. His response had stung, he could tell, and Mistyfalcon was mentally kicking himself for the expression that had crossed Murkystrike's face.

"Murky..." He began quietly, paws shifting uncomfortably. If she let him, he'd move to rest his chin against the top of her head again, silently wrestling with what to say. Words had never been his forte, and he had never been one to filter what he said. On the other paw, admitting his doubts to someone else was never something he'd done before. Usually he would wait until he was sure of what he wanted to say before approaching a topic. Until a few moments ago, parenthood hadn't even been a topic at the back of his mind, and Mistyfalcon thought he liked the idea of it, especially with Murkystrike by his side but... It scared him, too. He wasn't used to unpredictable things, and kits were very high on the list of unpredictable things.

"I just... Do you think I'd make a good father?" Murkystrike would be able to hear the doubt and uncertainty in his voice, he was sure. It was as close as Mistyfalcon had gotten to outright admitting just how unsure he was of the idea, but if anyone would understand what he was getting at, Mistyfalcon thought it would be this she-cat with more patience than the stars.

Mistyfalcon flinched, and Murkystrike winced. Had she said the wrong thing? His tail was twitching incessantly, and Murkystrike was fighting against her ear's natural instinct to flatten against her head. He said her name softly, and after a moment of hesitation she slowly rose her gaze back up to meet his. He moved to place his chin on top of her head, and she moved in closer, pressing into the comfortable touch lightly. Even just that small gesture allowed her to relax a little. Even if he didn't give an answer, or even if the answer was no, they would still have each other. She had been asking more to feel out what the answer would be, hadn't she? She wasn't pregnant, and she wasn't totally set on having kits after all, it had just been something she had thought about and wanted to talk to her mate about. So why, then, had his hesitation and initial response stung so badly? The silence stretched for a while, but Murkystrike was content to dwell in her own thoughts for the time being. As Mistyfalcon started to speak again, she pulled her head out from under his chin, raising her eyes to meet his again, but she held the eye contact this time. Doubt and uncertainty seemed to drip from his voice, and Murkystrike leaned forward to brush her cheek against his.

"I do. You're supportive, and you would never let them down or abandon them." Murkystrike turned to press her body against his gently. "Kits... I don't know a lot about kits either. And if I'm being honest, I'm terrified of the thought of having my own to care for. I'm scared that I'd let them down, or let you down. I... I hadn't even thought of kits before meeting Night." She confessed quietly. "I'm scared of messing up, and hurting her. I don't know what I'm doing, at all." If Mistyfalcon was trusting her enough to reveal his inner emotions, then she would trust him enough to do the same.

Murkystrike didn't pull away, for which Mistyfalcon was grateful. Maybe he hadn't mucked this up too badly, then. She pulled away to speak, and Mistyfalcon felt some of the tightness in his chest ease at his mate's words. She'd always been the confident one, the one sure of herself and him. Her words were more of a reflection of what he saw in Murkystrike than what Mistyfalcon saw in himself, truthfully.

Murkystrike admitted her own fears, and Mistyfalcon found it strangely comforting that he wasn't the only one with doubts. "Yeah that's... exactly what I'm afraid of." He muttered, gently pressing against her side in return. "I would do anything for you, for whatever family we might have, and I know you would do the same." It went without question, really. Murkystrike was all those things she'd claimed about him and more. He just... wasn't sure he could match those expectations, let alone blow past them like Murkystrike did.

A low purr rumbled in Murkystrike's chest as Mistyfalcon admitted sharing her fear. "I think every cat fears that. At least, rational ones do. There's a lot that's unknown, being in the marshes. It's not easy.... But we have each other." She nuzzled his cheek with her nose as he leaned into her in return. "I know you would, and that's why I think you would be a great father - but only when you're ready." She finished, licking his cheek once. "I meant what I said, take as long as you need to give me an answer, either way. I love you, Misty." Pale green eyes met blue as she gazed at her mate. The initial hurt she had felt had faded with their discussion, the sting having faded as they shared their fears and insecurities with each other.

"That's true." He agreed. The marsh was full of unknowns, as was the rest of the forest. That was life for them. As Murkystrike said, they had each other. "And there's no-one I'd rather have at my side." His earlier fear and anxiety had faded with her words, leaving behind very different emotions in their place.

"I love you too, Murkystrike." The words slipped from him without thought or hesitation in response, the doubt from earlier vanishing as Mistyfalcon curled his tail around Murkystrike gently.

Purring, Murkystrike tucked her head back under Mistyfalcon's chin. "The same goes for me, my love." She murmured, her voice rumbling with her purr. Her mate curled his tail around her, and she was content to sit there in undisturbed silence for a little bit longer. Leaning her head closer in to him as night fell and a chilly wind began to rustle their fur, Murkystrike then yawned. Blinking at the unexpectedness, she supposed she was tired. It had been an eventful day, and Night was probably waiting for her. Lifting her head again, she smiled sleepily at Mistyfalcon. "I almost forgot how tired I was, with all the excitement and everything. I think I'm going to go get some rest for now. Would you care to join me for a bit? I know you just got up. If not, maybe we can meet at moon-high to eat together?" She proposed, twining her tail with his.

Murkystrike rested her head beneath his chin again, and Mistyfalcon was content with the silence that enveloped them. He didn't really feel like moving, especially not with Murkystrike's warm presence against his side. Half-lidded eyes watched as the moon rose beyond the trees, wind ruffling the fur across his back.

At his mate's yawn, Mistyfalcon glanced down at her, whiskers twitching. "You've had a long day." He meowed, "I'll join you until moonhigh patrol" He stood, stretching briefly before turning towards camp.