Not Exactly to Code (Apprentice x Leader) [Bacon]

Birchwing smelled of the forest, and there was a faint, stony trace of something else on him, but it was hard to pinpoint. "I had to, love." He sighed, rubbing his cheek against Lavenderstar's. "And now I'm going to explain why."

The she-cat squirmed and whined, still fast asleep, she woke and she pinned her ears, smelling her mate and she let her ears drooped, "Not out again?" She murmured.

Even though he slept restlessly, it wasn't until the next day that Birchwing finally descended from the disused leader's den, trotting into the nursery and gently nuzzling Lavenderstar before she had a good look at his face.

The she-cat sighed softly as she walked back out, laying down and she watched the kits, her ears flicking off and on.

Birchwing didn't even reply, but after she left, he was clearly having a hard time sleeping, thrashing in the nest in his sleep and tearing it to shreds with his claws.

Her ears drooped as she watched him and she bit her lip softly, "Yeah... Sure... I have to watch the kits anyway" She murmured, turning to leave.

"Can we talk about it later...?" Birchwing grunted, having already flopped into her old nest.

The she-cat frowned, turning and following her mate, "Not much of an answer, love" She mewed as she walked into her den, her ears still back.

Panting a few times before he could answer, Birchwing replied with a generic "Hiking," padding to the leader's den so he could fall asleep in a nest.

Lavenderstar was outside and she spotted her mate immediately, her ears flattened and she looked worried, "Where have you been all day" She asked as she walked toward the tom.

A few hours later Birchwing returned, somehow looking drained and exhausted.

Lavenderstar twitched and murmured as she slept, the kits staying curled up at her stomach as they slept as well.

Birchwing left the camp alone after looking around to make sure the coast was clear, noting that a thick fog seemed to wrap around him almost immediately as he left the camp.

Lavenderstar squirmed and whined softly when she felt him move, but ended up staying asleep, kneading her nest softly.

The next morning, Birchwing carefully scooted out from under Lavenderstar, trying not to wake her up and then trotting out of the den.

She lashed her tail softly and purred, stayed cuddled to her mate as she purred out a "Goodnight" before dozing off along side him.

Before too long, Birchwing purred "Goodnight" and was soon fast asleep.

She purred and licked at his chin softly, enjoying having her beloved back after so long and such a stressful time.

"But of course." Replied the Tom, laying his head atop hers when she rested on his forepaws.

"As long as you're here this time" She mewed and stretched softly, laying her head over his paws.

"If it means we get more of these little cuties, it's going to be really hard for you to stop me." Birchwing admitted, teasingly grooming the inside of her ear a few times before moving to her head.

"You're probably gonna get me as soon as my next heat starts huh" She teased softly.

Birchwing purred, nuzzling Lavenderstar's cheek lovingly and watching their kits suckle hungrily from their mother.

"Still a jerk" She mewed playfully, her tail lashing and she stayed laid out on her side, huffing softly as the kits somehow began suckling from her again, having crawled back to her.

"You know you loved it," Birchwing panted in reply, smiling in return. After all, he thought, the image of his face drenched with her juices should be payback enough for Lavenderstar.