[FIN] Future Sight (Branchtail/Nutpelt)

[belloblossom]

Branchtail wasn't keen to admit it, but as of late, he'd really been feeling his moons. He had been avoiding the thoughts of retirement as long as he could, going on patrols frequently, checking in with his kits - though now they were grown and, he suspected, due to have their own litters soon enough. He had first felt the tingle of old age when all of his children found their mates. He'd hoped that they would've had kittens by now - he and Nutpelt certainly didn't wait this long, but in hindsight, TreeClan had been so much smaller in comparison. Now, there seemed to be cats weighing down the branches of the trees around them. Now, he wished to put off his retirement in hopes that he could appear a strong grandfather to any new kittens in the family.

Moons passed and when the breeze caused the branches to sway, Branchtail found himself swaying uncertainly. Was that the wood creaking or his own bones? Some days it was hard to tell. The idea of retirement, of being the first elder of TreeClan, was embarrassing too. He'd made such a point to leave the elders of MountainClan behind because, well, one they wanted to be left behind, didn't they? But also, they would only slow down the Clan. Branchtail didn't want to slow down TreeClan, not when he worked so hard to see it flourish into what it was today.

This was a discussion to be had with Nutpelt, he decided. Nutpelt had a good head on her shoulders - he wouldn't have chosen her as his mate otherwise. She waswise and intelligent - and really hot. The idea of how sad it would be, if they only had three kits in their lifetimes passed his mind, but he didn't have the faintest clue to if she was even interested in another litter. Besides, how would he participate in the kits' lives if he was in the elders den? A deep sigh wheezed its way out of his chest - had his breathing always sounded this frail? Oh SunClan, what a bothersome thing aging was.


Raising his head from his busy work (he'd been intently grooming his pelt on the ground) he perked his ears as the dusk patrol came back in on the branches above. He hadn't been able to find Nutpelt when he'd searched earlier, so he suspected she'd been on this patrol. Unsheathing his claws, he hustled up the closest tree to see if he could find his mate any easier.

"Nutpelt?" He called. Oh, how was he even going to begin proposing the matter of his retirement... or the notion of a second litter first, to her? @PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

The orange she-cat had, in fact, been out on the dusk patrol. Since the kits were grown and out of the nest, and had long since proven themselves capable warriors, she had finally found the energy to return wholeheartedly to her duties. Stretching legs and catching prey for the clan. It had made her feel young again. Yet she had started to pine once more for the little mewls of kits as they fed at her side. Nutpelt had seen many kits come and grow in the clan, so it wasn't necessarily quiet. But...

She was starting to miss it. The first go round, she'd been surprised Branchtail had wanted kits as much as her. Now she wondered if he'd be keen on another litter.

Ears twitched and she paused on the branch, swinging her head around. "Branchtail? What is it?" His questioning tone for her had her momentarily worried, and she would slowly turn around and approach him on the branch. A quick affectionate lick was offered to his cheek.

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Branchtail's rumbling purr came out in droves, like a flock of birds taking flight, as he saw his mate. He came to meet her on the branch, careful paws to ensure that he was steady on them, before tipping his head down and swiping his tongue over Nutpelt's cheek and down to her shoulder.

"I missed you! Is that not reason enough to ask after you?" He replied. "Truly, I wished to speak with you. Nothing of a stressful matter," He paused. "Nothing of a dangerous or concerning matter." He amended, because who was he to say what was stress-inducing or not. He certainly had his complaints with his aging body that caused himself much worry to think of it.

He swished his tail in the direction of the fresh kill pile on the ground.
"Before all that, however, you've just come home. You should eat. Then we can chat, once our bellies are full." His whiskers flicked up in amusement as he added. "I'll have you know I waited to eat for all this time for you to return back to the Nest. So let's both go eat, before I get so hungry as to start eating cats left and right." He added, starting to make the careful turn to return the way he came and make a sliding, clawing way down a trunk to the forest floor. @PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

A mrrow of amusement rumbled forth as she accepted the little lick, and then proceeded to swipe her own tongue over his ears momentarily. "Oh?" She had wanted to speak with him, too. Perhaps this was a way of SunClan showing her that they might share the same thoughts. A dip to her head, and Nutpelt would follow him. "Oh you did, did you?" she mrrowed again at his last comment, waiting all this time for her before he would eat. While she had told him before it wasn't necessary, she often found him waiting for them to both be in the camp to eat together. Therefore, she wound up doing it as well.

Following him down the tree with a little less clawing, and a little more grace, Nutpelt dropped to the forest floor with a light thump. She picked up her pace and overtook Branchtail, flicking his shoulder with the tip of her tail as she flashed him a playful look. Her paws carried her to the prey pile first, and she picked herself a sizeable thrush, before finding their favorite spot to sit and eat. Paws tucked under her, she would wait for Branchtail to settle before putting a front paw on the thrush and starting to pluck some of the feathers.

"So, what did you need to speak with me about?"

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Always so sly, so sassy, so perfect. Branchtail admired Nutpelt for her consistency over the moons. Thinking back on his younger seasoned self, however, he was grateful for his personal changes. His blubbery with Palestorm was never something he would forget (or, he suspected, be allowed to forget if he tried.) He'd changed for the better, over time and he was proud of the cat he'd grown into, even if growing any older now only added to the aches in his joints. He wasn't surprised when Nutpelt overtook him in his gait and he strained himself to hurry after her. He didn't want to get left behind.

She'd already picked out her prey of choice and hustled over to her favorite eating spot by the time he'd arrived at the fresh kill pile. He reached for a jay, it's bright colors standing out prominently among the darker colors of birds or squirrels on the pile. Clutching it in his jaws, he made his way over quickly to Nutpelt, his sides heaving as he finally sat next to her and put his prey down. How could that little still managed to have winded him?

"Oh SunClan, I'm getting old." He breathed, catching his breath, before looking over to Nutpelt. He watched her silently for a moment and then said it again. "I'm getting old, Nutpelt. That's what I wanted to speak to you about."

"I'm embarrassed to admit it, but tree-walking is becoming harder for me. Getting up into trees is fine, but my balance isn't what it used to be." He sighed. "I'm worried about what fate might befall me if I well, fall, from a great height." He turned his head from Nutpelt to gaze at the Elder's Den, unused and empty. Apprentices were still made to clean it to prevent any spiders from moving in, or from it becoming stale-scented there, but it was hard to imagine himself moving in there alone, but he would never ask Nutpelt to give up her life as a warrior to retire with him. "I've been thinking I might retire to the elder's den. If I can't patrol safely and I can't hunt for the Clan, can I really call myself a warrior anymore?" His mew was quiet and resigned, defeated even.

Branchtail returned his gaze to Nutpelt, his expression a mixture of grief and hope.
"However, there's been something more pressing on my mind, than my retirement. I daresay I've got a season or two left in me, especially if our all-knowing medicine cat might be able to slide me some herbs to strengthen my spirits," SunClan help him, how was he going to word this? "I'd like to be a father again, before I retire." He told Nutpelt. "We did so well with our first litter, but I didn't want to rush you into having anymore kits. I always assumed you'd tell me if you wanted to have any others, but..." He stood and moved to sit next to her, curling his tail over her back and abandoning his meal altogether. "I won't push you to have another litter if you don't want another one, but I think it could be nice to have another go, before I succumb to my fate as an old tomcat." He mewed with a sheepish chuckle. @PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

As he approached and settled down, a little bit of muffled laughter came from between her teeth as she plucked feathers. Old, he had said. He was older than her, but not by many moons. And they certainly weren't as old as Sunseer or most of the elders she remembered back in the mountain.

Then he repeated himself, and she realized he wasn't joking. Green eyes met green, their shades almost the exact same color. A feather would fall from her mouth as she watched him quietly. Her prey momentarily forgotten. While he had changed since the mountain, as had she, Nutpelt never quite... Expected such a somber tone and talk. Even when they had to have a conversation when she realized she was with kits, he wasn't this stoic or serious. He had been ecstatic.

Nutpelt let the silence hang as long as he wanted, ruminating on his words. When their eyes met again, and she opened her mouth to speak, she was beat to the punch. A slow blink was given in response at first, and as Branchtail moved closer and let the silence creep in again after a little chuckle, she continued to stare up at him blankly.

At the touch of his tail on her, a shiver would run down Nutpelt's body, and her eyes would close. After a few breaths, when they reopened, they were full of emotion. Love, adoration, excitement. A smile split her face and she would lean in and give him several ferocious licks across his shoulder, his cheek, and even up over his ear.

"It seems we have both been thinking about the same thing." A purr rumbled deep within her chest. "Not about our age, though now I'm realizing how much of an old bitty I am," she would laugh, before rubbing her cheek along his. "But about kits... I was so restless and ready to get back to warrior duties that I don't think I cherished them as much as I could have. And now... I am missing the thought of kits tumbling about my paws, and tumbling all over you."

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Branchtail leaned his head towards Nutpelt, his purrs growing in volume as she groomed his fur and smiled in turn. Well, some part of this certainly seemed to gain her interest. Soon enough, she told him and found his whiskers twitching in delight.

"I imagine we'd have to tumble over one another, to get another litter in the works, though I can't believe that to be a trial to undergo. You're still as beautiful, if not more so - even, than when we traveled down the mountain together." He licked her cheek. "We've certainly regained our weight since then and while I'd say your fur is prettier than mine... I may hurt my own feelings, as I spend so much of my time grooming my pelt into a glossy splendor." He laughed.

Shifting his weight, he lay his tail over Nutpelt's back.
"Depending on how soon you want these kits... I don't have any plans after I finish this meal." He said casually, so not to attract the attention of their Clanmates. "I know you just went out, but it's been a bit since we've been out on a stroll just the two of us. If anyone asks, who's to say we weren't going on a hunting patrol, hm?" He suggested. @PeterPan_da144

 

[PeterPan_da144]

Nutpelt couldn't help the rolling of her eyes and playful mrrow of laughter at his words. He was always so cheeky! Cheeky and good with his words at the same time. She would give him a bit of a side eye as she plucked away at her prey again, allowing silence to fall. Though her whiskers twitched in amusement, and her eyes gleamed playfully. She would take a few mouthfuls before she would finally respond to him.

"I would love to take a stroll, just the two of us," she purred, flicking his flank back with her tail as she gave him a knowing look.

@belloblossom