are we getting our own spin-off? [SILVERSMOKE]

[Johnnyflame]

MY WORLDS ON FIRE, HOW 'BOUT YOURS?
THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT AND I NEVER GET BORED."​

---

Johnny was buzzing with excitement, the kind that could only come from knowing you had a secret to share– and stars above was it a big one. So big in fact, that the bobtail had left Fireflyglows den nearly trembling as he tried to wrap his head around it. He was thrilled of course–how could he not be? But it was a big step in a still-fresh relationship, and he’d be a liar if he said there wasn’t a small part of him that wasn’t irrationally nervous. He’d never done this sort of thing before, after all, and there was always the possibility that Silversmoke wouldn’t be pleased, but…

Johnny still found himself making a beeline for the silver-spotted tomcat the moment he saw them returning to camp, eyes lit up as brightly as his smile. It was hard to let his worry ruin the happy little high he was riding when in his heart, he knew this was something he’d wanted for a long time. And to be able to have it with Silversmoke– to be able to give him that, too?– how could he not be excited for that?

”Sooo,” he began as he joined his mates side, snuggling into the thick fur as he looked up at him as innocently as possible. ”I sort of have something we need to talk about? Nothing– nothing bad, or anything, But it is important.” he added quickly, wanting to wipe the thought away before it had a chance to take root in the other.

”And since I wouldn’t exactly mind a bit of privacy, you should definitely follow me right now.” The bobtail smirked as he slipped past the larger tom, brushing up against their chest playfully before quickly bounding off to slip out of camp into the forest beyond. He didn’t intend to go far, just wanted enough distance between them and their clanmates for Silversmoke to process and react without having to worry about the eyes of the camp on him. Johnny had gotten a similar courtesy from Fireflyglow in the healers den, so it was only fair.

---

​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

A walk about the territory was, very likely, ill-advised by Fireflyglow - such exploration couldn't be helped, however. Camp duties were dull, resting off his paws entirely a nightmare. He didn't need to go far to be happy, he just needed to be able to see the sandy ravine in the distance and a few species of birds, anything to remind him of what he had to look forwards to when he was cleared for duty. As he returned to camp, Silversmoke kept his head low, hoping to stay out of sight of anyone who may have wanted to say something about his little adventure.

Then, something brushed against his side and a familiar voice snapped him out of it. He jumped, the fur on his tail poofing out as he stared down towards Johnnyflame. 'I didn't go anywhere! I was just-' The words caught in his mouth as he tried to explain himself, eyeing the tortie's mirth with a mixture of confusion and relief. 'Something important', Johnnyflame said, something important enough to transcend any questions or concerns, something important enough to make Silversmoke want to knead the earth for comfort. Even if it wasn't bad... what could be so important as to disrupt their usual routine and conversations?

"My time is yours," he mewed. Always. His heart fluttered at the sight of the bobtail's smirk, speculation running ripe in the tom's mind. It was easy to believe (almost too easy to believe given the work he'd put in to counter such opposition) that Johnnyflame may be giving up on his Twolegs, that he would be living in SkyClan full-time. Or, perhaps that Johnnyflame had caught a clanmate's eye, not that he could blame anyone for such a thing. On staggered pawsteps, he followed his mate, biting his tongue to prevent a premature question from escaping his maw. He saw the sight of them begin to bounce further and further away and, with a hefty chuckle, he moved faster until he caught up with Johnnyflame, bumping him with his hip.

"Making a poor... injured cat run around like this," he teased, voice hushed against the murmur of the wind through the trees. "I should tell Orangestar on you." Nothing bad but important. The phrasing made him offer an affectionate lick to the other's cheek before reclining onto his haunches, muzzle shut and eyes unblinking towards his beloved to let him know he had his Silversmoke's full attention.
​

 

[Johnnyflame]

MY WORLDS ON FIRE, HOW 'BOUT YOURS?
THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT AND I NEVER GET BORED."​

---

”Well, maybeif you hadn’t wasted all your energy sneaking in and out of camp this morning you’d be able to keep up a bit better, hmm?” he teased, not completely blind to what his mate had been up to. ”Perhaps I should tell Fireflyglow on you?” he challenged back playfully, heart fluttering when the other licked his cheek.

He wouldn’t of course. It was hard to truly fault the spotted cat for it when Johnny could understand the restlessness all too well. After all, hadn’t he been the one to try stumbling to Skyclan half out of it, just because he couldn’t stand to sit in his den alone? He was lucky he didn’t wander head first into the river and drown- had been lucky that a knight in shining, silver fur had shown up to bring him home safely.

”Just don’t overdo it.” he asked, knowing Silver would regret it if he ended up down longer just because he hadn’t let himself heal. Not to mention the extra herbs it’d take to fix, which were scarcer to come by given the cooling weather.

But now, the heart of the matter.

And it was here that Johnny realised he didn’t have a plan. That, true to form, he’d rushed in headfirst without thinking about exactly what to do- which was ironic because hadn’t he just been giving shit to fig and Silver for this just the week prior?

Well, he supposed it was a damn good thing he had a lot of experience making things up on the fly, because he hadn’t taken even a moment to consider how he was going to say this outside of just blurting it out.

”So, uh, about that ‘important thing’..” he began, moving to stand in front of the other so they could speak face to face. He was sure that some level of his nerves and excitement were bleeding through in the way he shifted his weight and flicked his bobbed tail, but he liked to think he was doing a good job at containing himself all things considered.

”I’ve been feeling a bit off for the last few days- not being able to eat in the mornings and such- and today I almost got sick in camp. Had to go see Fireflyglow and was expecting to be sent home for a few days to recover but..”

There was a small smile on his lips even though his gaze had been anywhere but on Silversmoke while he explained all this, but he didn’t hesitate to meet their gaze when he spoke the next part, needing to see what lay there when the words hit and registered. What would he see in the depths of blue and green staring back at him?

”We’re having kits, Silversmoke.”

---

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[SILVERSMOKE]

The important thing, the thing of utmost importance, the one that Silversmoke had predicted... and immediately gotten wrong. The lighthearted smile he had shown faded into a frown as Johnnyflame began to explain himself. He hadn't noticed anything wrong with him, perhaps he should've, at the thought, his ears swiveled backward. His tail began to lash, his fur bristling at Johnnyflame's plight. To have been cast away from Fireflyglow's den was to have been denied a cure for his sickness - but why did the Daylight Warrior seem so happy about it? Was he trying to avoid worrying the tom? An uninjured paw moved forward to press atop the other's. "We can see him as many times as we need to, his grief shouldn't overshadow his du—"

We're having kits, Silversmoke.

He stared blankly, twisting his head like a hound observing a tennis ball. Silversmoke wanted to process the information and express something, but all he could feel was emotions welling up within him. He wanted to be happy, he was sure that little staccato jump within his chest was akin to it, but the circumstances placed before him didn't feel real. I am going to be a father. Countless moons had been spent in the forest and countless more moons he would spend with Johnnyflame, but as SkyClan would never leave the pine forest, he thought they may have been static forever - comfortable, but unmoving all the same.

This was change. Glorious, glorious change, but he did not know what it meant, what he would have to do to be the cat his own father wasn't. He swallowed a lump in his throat, speaking through the sensation of hot ash that had welled up within it. "You... you mean you're pregnant?" Of course that was what the tortoiseshell meant, but even that word felt surreal. "I... I didn't think..." That it would happen so soon? That it could happen at all? That it would happen as the seasons shifted to leafbare? His whiskers quivered, staring down at Johnnyflame's flank.

Then, the dam broke and all the worries that had threatened to overspill flooded into sweet nothingness. A chuckle escaped him and he drifted forward, touching his nose to Johnnyflame's, tilting his head so that the tops of their craniums could meet too. Each shaky breath was pushed past his purrs, hoping they would speak for him when his tongue felt like useless flesh. He shifted his neck as he felt his limbs grow weak beneath him, letting his cheek brush against Johnny's neck and collar (a reminder of a later question he would pose when his euphoria had left... if it ever could). What did anyone say when they were told such things? The tom said the first thing that came to mind, the most truthful thing, though not as succint as he believed the tortie deserved. "I... I am glad."
​

 

[Johnnyflame]

MY WORLDS ON FIRE, HOW 'BOUT YOURS?
THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT AND I NEVER GET BORED."​

---

”You… you mean you're pregnant?”

The word felt strange to Johnnyflame as well. He’d associated a lot of words with himself in the past, but never had the word ‘pregnant’ been one of them despite knowing it was a logical step in the direction of starting a family- which was very much an idea he’d entertained before. He supposed it had a little to do with the fact the pregnancy was something typically associated with shecats, but mostly, he just hadn’t really thought about it. Johnny was a warrior, meant to climb and fight and train. He was most alive and in his element racing through the treetops or sparring with a clanmate- not cooped up in the nursery being soft and gentle and nurturing.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t do this or that he didn’t want to. It just meant he would always be more warrior than queen, never quite as at home there as someone like Butterflytuft.

”Me neither.” he admitted with a nervous flick of his ear. He knew it was soon. And he wasn’t naive enough to ignore the potential consequences of that. He’d seen it fail for Figfeather and Fantastream, for Bananasplash and Chysaliswing, and he couldn’t help but wonder if it would be too much for Silversmoke too.

But he hoped not, because stars would he make a good father.

Johnny had already decided that their kits would be perfect. How could they not with a sire as strong, and smart and dedicated as Silversmoke? And if they ended up with even a modicum of Johnnys charm, or tenacity, or people skills, they’d be some of the best warriors Skyclan could ever be graced with. He was already finding himself eager to meet them, to present them to the clan.

He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until Silver let out a soft chuckle and brought their heads together, a rattling purr making room for Johnny to let out a breathy little laugh of his own, relieved. Silver wanted this, and they were going to be just fine figuring this out together.

”Yeah?” he asked, smiling, soft, hopeful. Unable to help the excited tremble in his paws or the adoration he gazed up at the other with. ”Me to. I’m..” So fucking lucky to be yours. ”I know it’s soon for kits, but I’m so happy, Silver. They’re gonna be so perfect..”

He couldn’t imagine it any other way.

As Silversmoke shifted to press their face against him, Johnny let his tongue rasp through the others fur affectionately. ”Fireflyglow said everything looks good so far, but from what he can tell it’s gonna the litters a decent size. Three or four of them at least. “ And maybe that should have been a point of worry to the first time parent-to-be as well, but there was nothing short of pride sparkling away in his eyes as he said it, a massive grin threatening to break out at the idea of being able to give his mate the big, loving family he deserved.

And yeah, maybe it would be new and a little scary until they got the hang of it, but every bit of it would be worth it for the family they’d raise together.

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