put his favorite perfume on | Elmbreeze

[Echolight]

Only hours ago had she told her family, only this morning had she accepted the reality of it all.
The fear that had flickered in Pollenfur's expression had put a wrench in her gut. How could she have been so careless? Especially after her aunts event exile.
Tap, tap, tap.
Her forepaw thrums against the ground as anxious thoughts throw her mind through the ringer.
She feels as though she is ready to be happy about it- or she had felt so as she slipped out of camp that night, but now as she waits for Elmbreeze, her veins suddenly feel icy with the fear of him rejecting her news, rejecting their children. It was a curious thing, to love someone how she did the Riverclan warrior, but to still be so afraid of the "maybe's."
Something withered snaps behind her, signaling her mates appearance.
She turns around, a little too fast, and almost slips.
"E-Elm! Hi…hi.." she greets, her tone out of place, stuttering almost as if she was out of breath.
Embarrassment flushes at her cheeks and she presses her lips together awkwardly. "Did you get here okay?" She prompts after a moment. Attempting to divert from her rocky greeting, she tries a hand at normalcy and moves to briefly press her nose affectionately against his temple.

@ELMBREEZE

"Speech."
​

[ WHAT A TIME ]​

 

[ELMBREEZE]

Elmbreeze had visited their spot a few times in recent days and this was the first time in those days Echolight appeared. It has been a disappointment not to see her sooner but he understood it wasn't wise for them to meet every night, much as his heart might have longed for it.

Stepping through the bushes, he perks up instantly upon seeing Echolight already waiting for him. They both almost stumble in their hurry to greet each other. As she presses her nose against his temple, he gives her an affectionate lick on her cheek. "Mhm, I got here well enough," He answered when they finally broke away. "It's getting colder and colder now we'll have to start meeting somewhere warmer!" He chuckles. When the laughter fades his eyes linger on Echolight. "Did you make it here okay? No trouble from any clanmates?"​

 

[Echolight]

A small smile is only subtle on Echolight's features as Elmbreeze gives his own affection gesture. She doesn't want to move away from him just yet, but when he makes the first step back she follows.
Validating his claim on the frost-bitten chill that had begun to move in, Echolight moves to his side where she can lovingly cuddle up to him- though her fur was probably warmer to him than his to her, she didn't really care, she missed him too damn much- especially with the mess she had found herself in.
No.. no, mess is the wrong word.
Instinctively, she brushes her tail against her stomach, her head slightly craned downwards as Elmbreeze went on with their usual chit-chat.
"Elmbreeze?" She almost whispers, the brief moment of relief from her anxiety over now.
Finally, she looks up to him, touching her nose to the base of his ear once to give her the courage to say what she was about to, her announcement causing a ball of ice to begin to form in her throat.
"My love… I'm pregnant."
Her eye is squeezed shut as she whispers the news into his ear, before drawing her head back to look at his reaction. She barely even notices the fact that she had begun to hold her breath.
"Speech."
​

[ WHAT A TIME ]​

 

[ELMBREEZE]

The young couple enjoy a few precious moments together huddled up close and simply enjoying each other's company. Elmbreeze would stay forever if he could but he knows he will have to return to his own clan in a few hours, lest anyone get suspicious and wonder where he was. After a while, she says his name and he feels her nose lightly touch the base of his ear. He turns to look at her curious about what she has to say.

"My love… I'm pregnant."

For a moment, Elmbreeze says nothing. In fact its not outwardly apparent he has even heard what she said other than the slight widening of his eyes. Echolight was pregnant. Pregnant with his kits. Elmbreeze felt as though the world were spinning and he was glad he was not standing up right now for he felt as though he would be wobbling otherwise. "That is unexpected news," Elmbreeze finally chokes out once he's gathered his thoughts. But he was quick to continue when he realises his words aren't exactly the most comforting or reassuring. "Whilst I didn't expect this, I am very happy too! I always wanted to be a father and whilst I didn't expect it would happen like this I am still excited." And for a few moments he really is excited. Excited by the prospect of becoming a father, of starting a family with Echolight, of seeing his children grow. But his elation quickly fades when the truth comes back to haunt him. "We are in two different clans..." He says with a heavy sigh. "What are we going to do?" ​

 

[Echolight]

Echolight can feel her eye creasing with worry when Elmbreeze pauses, she can feel her heart drop when he chokes out his uncertain response.
His quick save brings Echolight a small moment of ease, and she exhales.
The ease is quickly turned back to anxiety when the warrior speaks the truth she knew all too well.
"I know" she sighs, trying to maintain eye contact with her mate, but her paw shuffles anxiously against the frozen ground. "I… I just needed you to know before anything else. I don't… I don't know what to do. You know my dream would be for us to be together- without the cover of the night. Yet, with Sootstar…" she trails off when she catches herself about to ramble.
Inhale, exhale.
"Neither of us expected this, but… I need to know if you'll still be here, for everything. I don't want you to make a hasty decision either. Please, think on this, and let me know in three days, ok?" She says, her tone is pleading, and she sweeps her tail over her forepaws to conceal her anxious shuffling. "I love you, but I can't do this without knowing if you're fully in this with me" she concluded, biting her inner cheek as she awaited his reply.
"Speech."
​

[ WHAT A TIME ]​

 

[ELMBREEZE]

Although this is all hard for him to grasp, he imagines it is worse for Echolight. Elmbreeze is not the one to carry the kits and not deal with the questioning stares of clanmates wondering who the father was. She asks him to think about things and meet her in three days with a decision. At first, he wants to blurt out that of course he would stay, but Echolight is insistent he should not make a hasty decision.

"I will do as you ask," Elmbreeze nods after a moment. "I already know what my answer will be but I need time to think on how to handle things in RiverClan," He added in admittance. Elmbreeze had no qualms about leaving his clan if it meant he could be with Echolight and their kits but he knew it would still be difficult to bring matters up with his clanmates if at all. "Know this, Echo, I want all of this. I want you and I want our kits. I want us to be a family Sootstar and Cicadastar be damned."​