[ti]Private[/ti]Homecoming || private

[Dofferz!]

Starclan, moons had passed since Finchtongue had set foot in this area. On these lands. Even the oblivious hairball of a feline wasn't quite sure where he had been, except he had to be because his roleplayer needed to sketch up some miraculous story of how a simple outing in search of the precious, green material he knew and loved turned into.. the vanishing of Mistclan's most.. unintelligent.. warrior. Indeed, but now, that wasn't the thought in his head as the bicoloured tom crossed through the lands he had called home, feeling the familiar crunch of frosted grass underneath his paws. He had missed most of the warm seasons and all of leaf-fall. Leaf-bare was returning full steam ahead, and if he wasn't careful, the weather would likely revert the river back into its frozen state of ice. Finchtongue had not forgotten the time when his, well, tongue, had been mercilessly stuck to the frozen surface of the river that led to and guarded Mistclan's camp. Familiar faces awaited behind the sheet of water, and unfamiliar faces too. There were bound to be new cats. New kittens, perhaps. Starclan, Finchtongue prayed to Grass and Mosses that his mother was still there. And his mate. His children.. dear, how he had managed to reproduce was still a mystery. But his family was important to him as moss. If it wasn't, why had he named Mosskit Mosskit?

The thought bounced in his head as the fluffy tom passed the twoleg farm, imitating the sound of the weird animals that lived there. Especially the albino moss things that went baaaaa. Fluffy and puffy like clouds. Soft and curious brown eyes moved from that to the stretch of familiar lands. His paw pads tingled in excitement! Would Mistclan remember? Surely his family couldn't forget him! And yet.. what if Meteorfall(spark) had moved on without him? It was possible, right..? He had left her to raise their children alone. Whether was intentional or not was to be determined in his later mesh of a story should it ever arise, but.. oh, what was he getting so down and out about?? Finchtongue wouldn't think those sorts of thoughts! He knew Meteorfall loved him because he loved her. And that's the way it worked... right?

GnawingOnIce

[GnawingOnIce]

The gray furred queen licked her pawpads clean of the remains of her lunch. She was nearly content with where she stood. Meteorfall has begun to better herself after having confessed to Flametail. She discovered that there wasn’t a reason she should take out her anger on her children or on her Clanmates. But she still wouldn’t allow them to murmur about her.

Of course, she wasn’t entirely better. She was still snappy from time to time and more sass filled her attitude than normal. She smiled to herself, thinking of the remarks she had made. Her smile faltered as a new scent wafted to her.

She frowned, tasting at the air. She stood almost in a hurry, glancing around at her Clanmates before letting her gaze linger at the waterfall. The scent was familiar but at the same time not. It carried the tang of twoleg place and the sweetness of the fields. It was Finchtongue.

But it couldn’t be! He was supposed to be gone forever, absent from her life. She trotted to the middle of the cave, staring, waiting for him to come into her sights.

[Dofferz!]

The trail was familiar underfoot, and it didn't even take long for Finchtongue to retrace his steps back to the waterfall where the cave was located behind. His friends were located behind. Where his family was located behind. His past. His memories. All the ones that weren't burned in the fire or shaken in the earthquake. Ones not tampered and manipulated by the Sad Forest. The shadowy place. It had been a while since Finchtongue had even slept and visited his friend Rosespark. Perhaps it was because he had left Mistclan for that short while. Did they have to be in clan lands in order for the ability of his gooey friend to enter him and help him become strong and quick? Maybe so. Starclan, his mind was running. Certainly faster then be was currently walking. Allowing his scent to drift on the breeze as the wind blew from behind him, pushing his scent towards the cave. The cave where everybody and everything waited.

And then, at last! There it was. There was the place where it all happened. Revolved. The familiar roar of the waterfall was familiar on his ears, sounding like music. Beautiful music with a familiar rhythm. He missed it. It tugged at him. It drew him In closer like a magnet. Like a moth to a light. He was home. Mist dappled his pelt as e grew close, reflecting the light and slicking his already silly hair. It was cold, but felt good for his throat was parched, but he wouldn't drink yet. He had much more important things at paw!

Such as meeting Meteorfall face to face as he finally slipped into camp. For the first time in moons he felt like time hadn't passed. Like a blink of an eye ago he had vanished. Like he had never been gone and away. And there she was in the middle of the camp, looking at him. Waiting for him. Meteorfall.

[GnawingOnIce]

Then, he was there. Staring right back at her, his red and black fur blowing with the breeze. She let out a choked gasp, disbelief flooding her senses. It was him! He was back!

She paused.

He was back. Flames burst from the crack in her chest. Her muzzle wrinkled into a snarl.

“Finchtongue!” She shouted. The fiery queen started forward, hackles raised, to her former mate. “Where have you been?”

[Dofferz!]

Oh dear. Finchtongue wasn't quite sure if he had expected this type of reaction from the abandoned mother, but all the same.. shaking my head, Finchtongue. You done goofed this time. Her aggression was somewhat frightening. Finchtongue would blink, eyes furrowing some in confusion as he was met with a snarl. Hackles raised. He had been expecting something happy.. but this wasn't right. But at least he knew she was still here, right? Meteorfall was alive. And so he would try to force back a small frown as best as he could and speak through happy words. Happy words didn't include fighting! Although with the woman's rage, and the fact that her anger was fully justified, well.. happy words were fruitless in a sense. Maybe.

"I was out exploring!" his paws tingled. He had always liked exploring. Just like they had when they were kittens in Twolegplace! "And I saw this reeeeallly cool tree that was all old and knotted," it really WAS a cool tree. "-but I fell asleep and woke up and realized that I forgot which way I went so I picked a direction!" classic in a sense. At least he had a one in four (eight?) shot of picking the right way. "And I think it was the wrong way." but alas, he hadn't won that chance of lucky success. He simply hadn't been paying much attention to his surroundings besides that pretty, old tree. "But I think I'm back now!"

[GnawingOnIce]

Meteorfall halted her steps when she was about a tail-length away from him, allowing him to explain himself. She could feel the Clan around her raise themselves to their paws in case they needed to interfere.

The she-cat had her claws unsheathed and her tail lashing back and forth throughout his entire explanation. Meteorfall knew Finchtongue was dumb for a fully grown cat, and his explanation only made her anger simmer down a tiny bit.

She reeled one of her forepaws back, ready to strike at the tom’s face, when another cat barreled into her. She stumbled, then turned to face who exactly had stopped her.

Cloverwing, their daughter, had come to the rescue. “Meteorfall,” She began, “I will not allow you to attack my father when his reason for having gone missing is justified.”

Meteorfall growled, glaring at her daughter. She glanced at Finchtongue, then back at Cloverwing, before stalking to the warrior’s den. She needed some time to herself.

Cloverwing turned to her father. “I’m sorry about Meteorfall, she hasn’t exactly been at her best ever since you left. Are you all right?”

((OOC: Hope it’s okay that I threw Clover in there! Didn’t want to hurt Finch))

[Dofferz!]

//you're all good!!

While Finchtongue hadn't been expecting the most problem free welcome back (that was a lie. He actually pretty much was expecting everything to be happily ever after in a sense. Like a Disney movie. If he even knew what Disney was.), but when they grey and white speckled femme's eyes flashed with unextinguished flame and as she raised her paw with claws extended and ready to slice at his fur and face, he was shocked. To say the least. Somewhat horrified. This wasn't the type of reaction he had been expecting. This wasn't a good, old.. perfect Welcome Home. His mate didn't even say a thing else. The only thing keeping the father from becoming a scratching post was the well timing of his daughter. Speaking words so.. adult like.

He was speechless, really. His enthusiasm dwindled. Even his tail drooped as he watched the mother turning tail, leaving him and Clover alone. He had really messed up this time. He was smart enough to know that. But he was being addressed right now. The bicolor would shake his head to clear it some, eyes regaining a new bit of twinkle as he looked at their daughter; all grown up, she was! Was she old enough to be a warrior yet? Had he really missed her apprenticeship...?

He blinked. And then he opened his mouth to speak, words stumbling. Sputtered. Confused. He was all right, but his mind hardly grasped hold of her questioning of that. "She.. why's she angry..? Why isn't she happy? I thought she'd be happy! I'm back! I'm happy, and I thought she would be too- I didn't mean to.. I'm real sorry! I'm sorr- you're so big. You got so big! I- I'm back though. Isn't that good?" his words were flying everywhere as fast as his mood kept swapping between solemn to proud to so confused. Why was this so confusing to him?

[GnawingOnIce]

Cloverwing’s eyes softened as her father stumbled for words. Sympathy clouded her hazel eyes and made tears want to spill over.

She took a breath. “Meteorfall was destroyed when you left. She thought you had gone forever and abandoned her without a second thought. She’s angry and confused, I’m sure, about how she feels right now. She’ll come around, though, I promise.”

A smile tilted the corners of her mouth upward afterwards. “Yes, I am bigger now. I’m Cloverwing, and even though Meteorfall may not be happy you’re back, I certainly am.” She purred, pressing her neck against Finchtongue’s in a comforting embrace.

[Dofferz!]

Had he really hurt her that bad? If he had known that this would of been the response and falling of a simple little walk turned wrong, Finchtongue would never leave camp again. Never let his paws stray from familiar lands of his Mistclan home. "I didn't know.." he whispered softly, soft brown eyes staring devastated not at his daughter, but rather where Meteorfall had disappeared. "Didn't mean to.." he had to see her! Maybe she would need time alone to think, but that thought wouldn't cross his mind. And it only escaped his lips as he would set forth in him a new determination; puffing out his chest and allowing the fur along his spine to prickle with adrenaline—unable to sit still.

But he would cease as Clover spoke again. Cloverwing! "Cloverwing!" the name rolled off his tongue, smooth like silk. "Cloverwing!" he repeated, swinging his head back to embrace her, offering a happy lick to her ear, purring loudly to the point that he was certain his rumble could be heard from Mothclan. No, to Starclan. He was so happy she was happy to see him. That he had his family here and they loved him still. Loved him even though he had vanished.

"What about Mosskit? And Silverkit and Cinderkit?" Cinderkit will be returning too I swear I just gotta find a good spot okay. "And Nightfur?" was his mother still here? Starclan, he prayed.. "And Frostkit and Ashkit and Firekit and Minnowkit and Icekit?"

[GnawingOnIce]

A smile lit up Cloverwing's face as her father said her name in rejoice. She purred along with him then pulled away, still grinning. Her smile faltered as he asked about the rest of her siblings, his mother and his siblings, too. She glanced toward the ground.

"Well. Silverkit is here, his name is Silverspot now. Mosskit and Cinderkit are.. not here. Nightfur isn't here, either. Ashleaf and Icetooth are still around, though. They've missed you, too." She stuttered at some points during her sentence, unsure if she could bear seeing Finchtongue's eyes cloud over and water again.