an answer [?]

[taillow]

Bravebird - WindClan Warrior
She/her | 45 moons | Beefed Up T3, One with the Warren

It was well past the time that Bravebird should've been asleep. As she lay in her nest in the warrior's den her blue eyes remained opened and peering out at the entrance. The conversation with her mother was still bouncing around in her mind as she thought about the answers given. Part of her was nervous - mainly because she didn't really know how to word her question. But the other part was calm and collected. This was for the good of the Clan, after all. Which made it easy in the end to follow through.

After a beat or two she got to her paws and shook the scraps of moss from her fur. Blue eyes surveyed the dark warrior's den around her and she glanced towards where a familiar russet pelt was sleeping. Weaving her way through sleeping Clanmates - and careful to not wake any of them - Brave nudged him with a paw lightly. "Hey, Hawkfur..." she whispered, hoping he was a light sleeper like she was. She didn't want to whisper too loud and risk drawing attention. "I was thinking about going to look at the stars - want to come with?"

[ @Mica SO IT BEGINS ]

[Mica]

Hawkfur
WindClan
he/him | 49 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes ]
Purrks: Flock Together T3
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[Bravebird - @taillow ]
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Hawkfur jerked awake when he felt a paw touch him, ready to snarl at the tom who invaded his dreams to just leave him alone, but the warmth of the den was not the same chill of the Dark Forest, and the familiar scents of his clanmates drove away the fear and anger. He was awake. Really awake. And the thing that had awoken him... Hawkfur looked up at the silhouette of Bravebird, starlight framing her pale face. Hawkfur, sleepily, pushed himself to a sitting position. "H-hey-" he whispered, rubbing a paw over his face to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "Uh--uh yeah, yeah absolutely." He replied to her inquiry, something warm blooming in his chest. Stargazing... like he had taken her out to do not too long ago.

The warrior followed Bravebird on silent paws out into the night, the last remnants of sleep and dreams falling away like cobwebs.

[taillow]

Bravebird - WindClan Warrior
She/her | 45 moons | Beefed Up T3, One with the Warren

Leading the way out from the warrior's den and up towards the spot above camp that Hawkfur had first showed her, Bravebird slowed and eventually took a seat. Her face turned up towards the sky. All of the stars were out tonight, and she smiled softly at the sight. She wondered if Whisperbreeze was up there, and if he was watching. Did he also approve, like her mom did? Did he think she was making the right decision?

"It's consistent," she murmured once Hawkfur had joined her, eyes still turned upward. "Every night... the spirits of StarClan watch us. They never dim, they never disappear." Most of this was just to herself, just some of her thoughts tumbling out without much depth to them. After a moment or two she looked back at Hawkfur with a smile. It was kind of surreal to think about - he had just been a Clanmate one day, before she had found him during the rather aggressive windstorm out on the moors, tucked away under some shrubbery. They'd had a conversation then about his apprentice, Lotuspaw. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then - their expedition into the tunnels, their race along the moorland, their talks out on this very ledge. Outside of Fallownose and Crowtooth, Hawkfur was the closest friend that Bravebird had. Hopefully he took her proposition well.

"So, uh, I've been thinking about a couple things lately." ...Yeah this was just going to be awkward and Brave had finally accepted the fact that she would just have to stumble her way through it. "About WindClan's future and what's next and how best to prepare for everything. How to ensure that our Clan continues to thrive, even after I, and all the rest of the warriors, are long gone..." She paused thoughtfully and glanced around again, letting her gaze slip from watching Hawkfur. Should she just go straight in and ask? Should she try to get his opinion on the subject first? This all felt so strange considering she and Hawkfur were just friends. But then again her mother and father had done it well enough... so maybe it would work out...

[ @Mica ]

[Mica]

Hawkfur
WindClan
he/him | 49 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes ]
Purrks: Flock Together T3
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[Bravebird - @taillow ]
· · ────────────── · ·
For once, Hawkfur wasn't contemplating what his conversation partner's angle was with talking to him. He wasn't considering his responses, he wasn't sifting through their past interactions and observations trying to figure out why they would approach him in the first place. He actually felt comfortable relaxing, letting his large form sprawl out, feathery tail swishing behind him.

He smiled slightly as Bravebird began mentioning the stars above, and their long lost ancestors. Hawkfur's blue gaze flit from burning speck to burning speck, imagining their thoughts on the clan today. He was brought out of his thoughts by Bravebird pushing forward, talking about the future and thriving, even after she was gone. After everyone was gone. Hawkfur's smile was replaced with a curious frown. When she trailed off, the tom cleared his throat. "Er, sorry, but I don't think I'm getting what you're insinuating?" She seemed to hesitate, glancing around as if finding the words to piece together what she wanted to say. His smile returned, softer and understanding. "Take your time, I'm not going anywhere."

[taillow]

BRAVEBIRD
she/her | windclan fury | 45 moons | active purrks

...Of course he didn't get what she was trying to ask by not asking, because Bravebird knew herself she was beating around the bush about it. For all her claims to be strong and confident, this was turning her into a squirming kitten who felt awkward and out of place. Outside of all of that, this was Hawkfur, not some stranger. They were friends, close friends even. This should be easy and not at all awkward but here she was turning it into the hardest, most awkward question in the history of all questions.

His reassurance that he wasn't going anywhere sparked... something. It was unknown and foreign to her, and Bravebird decided to ignore it. She lifted her blue gaze back up to him and offered a soft smile. What was the worst he could do, say no? It would suck, yeah, but she could pick herself back up and maybe find another willing tom. Even though part of her wanted it to be him - because he was a loyal warrior with a good head on his shoulders.

"I was thinking about... well, my future, and my family, and... providing to the Clan in other ways than just being a loyal warrior. And, well... I was wondering if you would be open to the idea of... having kits with me?" Bravebird offered a sheepish smile- the uncharacteristic shyness feeling strange to her. "You're a good friend, and this isn't me, you know, asking you to be my mate or anything, because 'bleh' who would want that, you know? But I think... I want to provide WindClan with future warriors who can continue to serve long after I'm gone. And, well, you're a good friend. A good warrior, with a good head on your shoulders." At this she offered a grin, her tail tapping the ground nervously behind her.

[ Hawkfur - @Mica ]

[Mica]

Hawkfur
WindClan
he/him | 49 moons
[Russet tabby with tuxedo markings and sky blue eyes ]
Purrks: Flock Together T3
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[Bravebird - @taillow ]
· · ────────────── · ·
Hawkfur blinked slowly as Bravebird's words settled over the ridge, alighting on his ears like little birds and digging their tiny talons into the soft flesh. It took him an embarrassingly long time to respond, merely staring at Bravebird with the blank look of someone who had checked out many moons ago.

"Kits..." He mewed absently, blinking a few more times as his brain desperately scrambled to keep up.

Then it hit him. Hawkfur jerked up, azure eyes wide as he stared at Bravebird. She... she was asking him to have kits with her. As the surprise wore off, joy--unbridled, intense joy--took its place. Hawkfur's face lit up, a great big beaming grin stretching across his muzzle. Kits! With Bravebird!

His joy banked a little when she grimaced at the thought of being mates, Hawkfur's heart twinging painfully. Oh. Of course. Of course she wouldn't want to be mates with him. Why would she? She was incredible, stunning, like a blazing star that shot across the sky to great horizons. He was just.... Hawkfur. But even her words couldn't douse the flame of delight that had overtaken him.

Hawkfur had always wanted to be a father. His own father was bottom of the barrel, pretty much, and he wanted to prove to the world and himself that he could be better. He loved kits; he loved their energy and the endless love that poured from their hearts. Hawkfur had always wanted to have kits with a she-cat who loved him, but if Bravebird was willing to settle for him, he would settle for this. Not that he was really settling at all.

Hawkfur, chest rising and falling rapidly, nodded. He couldn't appear too eager, otherwise she might get weirded out. "I am honored you chose me for this." Okay, good start Hawkfur. Keep it simple. "I won't let you down." Let her down?? How?? Hawkfur flinched, mentally berating himself. "Er, I mean--I'll do my best? To be uh... worthy?" No no no you are only making it worse! Hawkfur gave her a long-suffering look, completely ruining his attempts to be suave and cool by looking like a drowned rat. "I'm so sorry, I'm just--really surprised--" a breathy chuckle. "--but my answer is yes."

He paused, mouth partially open. "Actually... I have a question. Will I be known as their father? Will I be able to be a part of their lives?" That was incredibly important to him. The most important part of this, in fact. He wouldn't do this unless those kits knew they were his, and he was allowed to be the proudest, most adoring father WindClan had ever seen.

[taillow]

BRAVEBIRD
she/her | windclan fury | 45 moons

At first, with the way he echoed the words 'kits', Bravebird was almost certain Hawkfur was going to reject the idea. After that she knew he'd explain that he actually liked Vixenstare instead and wanted to have kits with her and the mere thought made the lilac warrior angry for some reason. She kept a tight lid on her expression though as she watched the vacant expression morph into one of... joy? The warrior blinked, confused, before a smile of her own started to grow to match his. Relief flooded through her as he accepted.

"Good, I'm glad. I know it's probably the last thing that the Clan expects of me but... I just feel it's the right thing, you know?" Bravebird was sure there would be a lot of cats that were shocked by this, but she had already made a promise to herself that she wouldn't let it bring her down. There were plenty of queens that could watch them after their birth, but that was a decision she'd make when the time came.

His other question was met with a quick nod. "Of course. I wouldn't deprive them of that knowledge. My mother and father were friends, after all, and his identity was never kept from me." And as far as she had been aware, there hadn't really been any issues. Perhaps that's why it had worked so well - they were just friends, and hadn't ruined it by incorporating the silly idea of 'love'. She had hopes that it would work this way between her and Hawkfur, too.

Looking back up towards the moon and stars, Bravebird let herself smile again. "I know between myself, and you, and the rest of WindClan, they'll grow up into noble and formidable warriors that'll serve WindClan, long after you and I have given our last breaths..."

[ Hawkfur - @Mica ]