[PRP] Date One (Fawndance/Tigersun)

[belloblossom]

Fawndance hadn't quite been sure what she was meant to prepare - surely she was the one that would have to instigate the first meeting, wouldn't she? She'd been spending the days leading up to it wondering what sort of things cats who were properly courting would typically do, but around the third day, she had a bit of a doubtful crisis - Tigersun was the LEADER of MountainClan, surely he would be unlike any other typical cat. Was she meant to treat him in a special way? No, she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable giving him extra attention as the leader - but she was interested in him, so wouldn't the extra attention make sense? Ugh, she just didn't know what he wanted from her!

By the final day, the fifth day, when she was to see him after she was done hunting and finished with any of her other warrior duties for the day, she had a bit of a plan in mind. Fawndance, despite liking Tigersun, really didn't know very much about him, when it came down to it. She didn't know what he had been like when he was younger - had he been a model Clan cat, or a troublemaker? What were his parents like? She wanted to learn more about him, to understand him in ways she just wasn't able to yet, and then maybe... maybe he would like to learn more about her, too, afterwards.

She spent the majority of the day out hunting relentlessly - but as "SunClan" would have it, she found very little prey, regardless of how much time she spent looking for it. When Fawndance finally returned to the camp, her legs trembled and had it been any other day, Fawndance would've slunk off to her nest and fallen asleep near immediately. As it was, she flopped to the ground, flanks heaving. She wasn't out of shape! But hunting for herself versus a whole Clan were two very different tasks. She didn't quite have the energy to go back out into the territory with Tigersun, where they may have been able to get some alone time together, but she wasn't about to push herself any more today. The last thing she wanted was to collapse on her way to the leader's den and spend their first time together in Fernfire's den.

Enough stalling, Fawn. She told herself. Get up and get moving.

Heaving herself to her paws, she licked her chest fur down, trying to pretty herself up a little before her meeting, and then she started towards Tigersun's den. She hadn't seen him anywhere else... was he waiting for her there? Gosh, she hoped so - it would be a long way back down the cliffside on her weary legs.

"Tigersun?" She called as she neared. "I'm here, are you...is this a good time?" @Nym

 

[Nym]

Tigersun shouldn't have sought advice, especially from Rainbowfish, of all cats. The days leading to the fifth had been full of plenty to fret and worry over, to which he was more than happy to do so if it meant the betterment of the clan. There was so much to do in the wake of a recovery from the drought, and while prey was slowly returning to the mountains it wouldn't be enough long-term. Discussions had begun about expanding the hunting perimeter and now he also had to keep an eye on the newly joining loners. He still had to figure out how he wanted to handle that, too-- really, there was a lot he had to find answers for, and fast.​

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So it had seemed perfectly reasonable to bring the issue of dating up to someone with direct experience. It really wasn't unseen by the clan how quickly Rainbowfish and Silverstreak had gone from strangers to mates, and they were reasonably happy (or so they successfully presented as). Why wouldn't Tigersun take the most obvious route to solve one of many problems, especially one that needed much attention, or else he risked absolutely crushing Fawndance in the process? He already felt terrible about how his obliviousness had wounded her and he honestly didn't trust himself not to stumble again. He was so... inexperienced, and while that in itself was embarrassing enough it also hurt someone in the process, and that was the furthest thing he wanted to do. ​

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It had all seemed so perfectly planned; approach Rainbowfish, get some advice, and show up to their first date a smarter cat for it. Perfect. Except, Rainbowfish hadn't the answers he had been looking for. In fact, the multi-colored cat had told Tigersun to follow his heart, and that left the tom even more confused in the end. What did that mean? He wasn't heartless, nor dumb-- obviously it meant to go with what the heart wanted, but when you lived your entire life writing off the idea of love and now it possibly was presented to you as an option in life... well, it wasn't that easy just to follow one's heart. He wasn't sure what he was even looking for!​

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And that left him where he was now, waiting patiently at the leader's den with a stoic expression locked onto an otherwise panicked cat's face. He had wanted to meet with Fawndance first, but the talk with Rainbowfish had gone longer than intended due to the other tom realizing the lost expression on Tigersun's face was only deepening and quickly trying to remedy the situation. It hadn't worked, and now there he sat, tail tip flicking as he pondered the previous conversation.​

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Follow the heart, huh? ​

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He jolted at the sound of a familiar voice, head snapping and eyes meeting Fawndance's. His shoulders relaxed visibly, grateful for the chance to stop his ruminating and focus on something--someone-- else, even if she was the source of the anxious roll in his chest.​

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"Fawndance," he rumbled in greeting, rising to break the distance. "Of course; this time is completely yours." ​

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He examined her, his eyes that of a concerned leader. He had seen her hard at work earlier, but not the extent of how winded she might be after. He had a theory, of course, but she hid the strain well. If he hadn't spotted her that evening he might never have known. "Do you need a moment to rest before our evening?"​

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@belloblossom​

 

[belloblossom]

Fawndance couldn't afford any uncertainty in her reply - she couldn't seem nervous in front of him, not when she'd been the one to initiate her confession and drive this into their current predicament. Besides, who wanted a mate who got nervous over the littlest things? She could feel mice in her stomach - the little pitter-patter of their feet - just when she found TIgersun's gaze upon her. He looked at her with such scrutiny and she felt herself flushing with embarrassment. She would make a point to groom herself better between patrols - maybe he preferred a smooth coat, without one whisker out of place. These meetings were a time for them to get to know each other, sure, but they were also a chance for her to prove how committed she was to her feelings, to him.

"I do not wish to delay our evening plans." She replied with a smile. "That said, I would not be opposed to sitting for a while, perhaps higher in the ravine? Somewhere with a view." Her eyes flickered behind him, to his den, and then back to the bright eyes of the tomcat she wished so badly to impress. "Unless you think we have plenty of a good view from your den." She suggested. At the very least, she was certain that she'd have a good view of Tigersun within his den. However, while the image of them sitting together in such close proximity made her heart race, she wondered if such advances were too early in their meetings. Fawndance may be eager, but she wouldn't let that make her stupid. Her love confession had already caught Tigersun off guard. She didn't want to spook him away by being too obvious or pushy... if she could help herself.

Shoving back the feeling of ants crawling through her legs as they started to go numb underneath her, she inclined her head towards Tigersun and purred.
"I'll let you be the judge of the best spot to rest, as you grew up here." She decided. "Lead the way." @Nym

 

[Nym]

Delaying their plans was the furthest of his concerns, really. It was a date, wasn't it? It could happen anywhere, as far as he was concerned. But was that incorrect of him? He had gotten into this situation due to his lack of knowledge on the matter, leaving Fawndance uncertain and, briefly, worried he was blatantly disregarding her. What did he even think he knew about dating? Not enough, clearly.​

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He was grateful she relented before it became a battle of wills, though. His eyes also turned to his den and he squinted in thought. The den meant she could rest now, but she had also requested the ravine, which meant that's where she wanted to be, right? Or was this another thing he couldn't read between the lines of? His heart flickered as an anxious rush washed through him, freezing his blood and leaving his mouth parched. He hadn't forgotten his previous mistakes, and now it made him increasingly more concerned with each passing moment.​

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He just wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself...​

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Her purr cut through his thoughts and snapped him back to reality, where the dirt seeped between his paws and the setting sun cast a chill down his spine. It was a pleasant sound, soothing the tension collecting in his chest until he managed to feel his shoulders lower. The ravine was nice, but his den was right there, and he wanted her as comfortable as possible until she properly rested.​

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"Then come inside," he rumbled lowly, nodding towards her as he slunk into the darkness of his den. It was clean and smelled faintly of lavender-- a gift from another clan member who had heard of his insomniac nights lately. He waited patiently for her, his tail curled tightly around his bottom legs.​

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Now they were together, alone, which accounted for a date in a way, right? His tail tip twitched and his mouth parched once more. SunClan be damned-- he was a grown man; why was he so nervous?​

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"You mention my upbringing, but I have never asked about yours. Where did you grow up?"​

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@belloblossom ​

 

[belloblossom]

Fawndance watched Tigersun carefully, nodding along as he did, when he invited her into his den. Her nose twitched at the lavender scent - How fancy. Fawndance reflected briefly - and then settled into a comfortable position, tucking her front paws under her belly and wrapping her tail around her back legs. A cozy little loaf was she, though as Tigersun voiced his inquiry about her kithood, she felt a prickle of discomfort along her spine. Her kithood wasn't extremely unpleasant, per say, but she didn't regard it as anything worth discussing, not really. Still, if it was something Tigersun wanted to know enough that he asked, she'd be honest with him. Fawndance only ever wanted for them to be honest with one another.

"I grew up everywhere, more or less. I can't remember having one territory, my mother took me with her as she travelled, but she was simply following the prey, I think. There may have been a pond, at one point? And then, a river? We never strayed into the Twolegplace, my mom had some standards and for this I was grateful. I heard about some single mothers leaving their kits at the entrance of Twoleg dens to grow up to be kittypets." Fawndance shook her head. "I wouldn't have known any better, but I'm still relieved that's not what she had in mind for me. She wanted to me to be capable and independent, as she was, not some lazy kittypet eating slop from a Twoleg." Fawndance trailed off for a brief moment. How honest did she really need to be? Would Tigersun think less of her at this next part? She steadied herself. She was being honest with them - this was a chance for them to connect. So she continued on with the tale of her past.

"I imagine that's why she left me shortly after I proved I could hunt on my own. I learned quickly, though in hindsight, I wish I would've stalled out. Maybe she wouldn't have left so soon... or maybe she still would've and I'd be even worse off." She shrugged, an attempt at nonchalance. "It was early leaf-fall when she left and while I could hunt in green leaf and leaf-fall, I think I would've starved, if it hadn't been for Maple." Fawndance smiled at the memory of the amber-coated she-cat.

"Maple is another loner and she's the kindest heart I've ever known in another cat. She saw me, alone and cold and settled in with me. I thought she was trying to steal my shelter at first - luckily my kitten claws didn't do much to actually wound her, I was more obnoxious in my attempt to protect the territory I claimed as mine, than anything dangerous." Fawndance glanced over to Tigersun with a wry smile. "I wasn't as persistent as I am now, so when she returned later with prey in her jaws, I had little complaints about her staying from then on. She stayed with me through the winter and then took off, only to return regularly for the next few moons. I won't say that she replaced my mother as my maternal figurehead, but I care for Maple very deeply."

Fawndance's gaze turned out towards the exit of Tigersun's den, her eyes distant.
"I wonder what she's up to now. I struck out on my own a year or two ago, having told her I was going adventuring up the mountain for my purpose." She turned her gaze back to Tigersun. "I suppose I was lucky enough to find it..." She mewed, blinking slowly at him. "You and MountainClan both. To be independent is fine, but I much prefer knowing I have a home to return to, than not knowing where I'm meant to sleep in the evening."

Shifting her position such that she was pivoted to look more directly over to Tigersun.
"Speaking of, your den seems awfully large for just one cat. Do you ever get lonely in here?" She blinked at him again, her voice taking on an emotion that she couldn't quite place. Flirty? Was she flirting? "I'm happy to provide company, should you ever want it." She mewed. @Nym