Private birds of a feather [ chrysalisgaze ]

[swarmswirl]

Hauling herself up a tree was a newly learned skill. While the gorge often had cliff faces, and the fences of the twolegplace offered a different difficulty, scaling living trees was... something else entirely. Maybe if she knew they would be moving to a new territory flush with pines and firs, she would've practiced a bit more with the gnarled roots and branches they once had. Alas, after many moons, she thinks she's gotten the hang of it. And if she doesn't, it's of no issue - because she has plenty of friends and family to coach her along.

"So - urgh - how's it, being a mom?" Mid leap, Swarmswirl starts a conversation with her littermate, her claws notching into the next branch precariously. She recenters herself without difficulty, though it is evident in how she fluffs out her pelt how much of a momentary scare it was. Shaking out her fur, she looks back towards Chrysalisgaze, "Berrykit looks enough like you, I want to think they'll have your attitude, too..!" A tease, her nose wrinkling up as she speaks.

@Chrysalisgaze

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

She leaps up the tree with ease, unlike her sister, who still seems to struggle with the task. Not that Swarmswirl is bad at it, but for Chrysalisgaze it's like running through the forest, simple and natural.
"Oh, it's so great." she replies to her sister's question. "Exhausting, at times, of course, but most of the caretaking falls into dear Starlingtrail's paws. She seems to be a natural at it." While it is true that Chrysalisgaze enjoys being a mother to her children and a mate to their mother, taking care of said kittens is something that proves difficult to her. She can bring food and watch over them, but she struggles to answer their curious questions and keeping them in check when they have way too much energy. On the other paw, her mate seems to live for the task, Chrysalisgaze has rarely seen her happier than in the nursery, caring for their children.
Thinking about her new family brings Chrysalisgaze joy and makes her feel warm inside. Her children taking after their momma's fluffiness and their mom's curiosity, making her see so much of her family in them. "You know, Ducklingkit might take a bit after you as well! Always up to something, never stopping until he gets what he wants." she teases her sister.
Chrysalisgaze feels lucky, waiting for her sister to catch up to her on a higher branch. Her family is healthy and happy and she could not ask for anything more.

 

[swarmswirl]

Swarmswirl chuffs as her sister launches ahead of her with ease, tail twitching as she mutters, "Show off...!" It's not necessarily bad-natured in tone, perhaps even moreso humored if she bellowed it instead of her grumbles. Nonetheless, she follows to the best of her ability, landing beside the other with something closer to relative ease. Still, her claws arch into the bark of the branch, unwilling to loosen in case she wavers and falls.

"You two are as thick as thieves, I think," she comments afterwards. Her sister finding someone who wholeheartedly loves her... it's a dream for them both, surely, especially after only having one parent most of their lives. Swarmswirl keeps her hopes close to her chest, however, just as eager to be a good aunt as she is a good mother one day. "I have no doubts that your kits will be passionate little bugs as they grow up. Or... sprouts, or chicks," she teases with the change in names. They hadn't a naming theme between them until Chrysalisgaze grew up some, and come to think of it, the warrior isn't sure she wants to name any of her own after bugs, either.

"Maybe Hawkstar will let me mentor him, then," she offers, still in jest. "Two stubborn souls will surely amount to something worthwhile, yeah?"

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

Listening to her sister talk about the kittens Chrysalisgaze and Starlingtrail have makes her wonder if maybe Swarmswirl wishes to join the nursery soon as well. She has always been enamored by kits, Chrysalisgaze recalls, and now seeing their litter and how motherhood suits them, might make her want to experience it for herself.
"How about you?" she teases the subject. "Anyone caught your eye yet?"
She knows finding a mate can be difficult, she had been lucky that her childhood friendship with Starlingtrail developed into something more once she discovered herself at an older age. Chrysalisgaze cannot imagine trying to look for a mate now, though, she supposes, she wouldn't know how it is, since she's always had Starlingtrail by her side. She wonders how Swarmswirl feels, if she wants kittens with someone dear to her, or if she would prefer to raise some on her own - that is always an option, what with all the strange kit discoveries in the past moons. Either way, she thinks to herself, Swarmswirl would make a good mother, shall she choose to become one.

 

[swarmswirl]

"What about you?" Chrysalisgaze asks, and Swarmswirl shifts her gaze away, a partial sigh leaving her lips. It's true, to a degree - she'd like to be a parent, absolutely. But with the constant chaos they're surviving through, she's not sure it'll ever be her calling. She much prefers being on the workforce as a warrior, after all. The job of a caretaker is undoubtedly a needed one, but not one she thinks she could do with ease. She would much rather be in her own sister's position - a doting mother, but with the ability to provide.

That's all neglecting, too, the lack of a partner. (And yet, a pale gaze and mottled mask flits to her mind's eye for a moment.)

"No," she mutters, a shrug shaking her shoulders. "Who knows - maybe the new daylighters will bring in someone nice..." Swarmswirl speaks as if she's only doing so to hear her own voice, rather than putting any sincerity into her tone. "It's fine," she's quick to add. "You've given me plenty of kin to foster and love!"

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

Chrysalisgaze's lips curl upward in a hidden smile. She has noticed the way her sister's eyes linger on a certain warrior a moment too long, how she smiles when mentioning them, her eyes full of energy. Was Chrysalisgaze the same way before she got together with Starlingtrail? She chuckles to herself, because the answer is problably yes.
She decides not to press the topic further though - Swarmswirl will be ready when she is, she doesn't need Chrysalisgaze influencing her decisions.
"Make sure to enjoy them while they're little!" she smiles at the mention of her children. "Soon they will be apprentice-aged, ready to spread their wings!" Chrysalisgaze wasn't ready for her children to grow up anytime soon, but she knew the day was coming when she would have to give them up to their new mentors, trusting them to grow up without her or Starlingtrail.
Until then, she can still enjoy her little bundles of joy, curious and full of joy. She wishes she could stay in these early moons with them, keeping them close to her forever.

 

[swarmswirl]

She's glad that her sister doesn't press. She imagines their father might, ever the tom eager to see his children happy. Chrysalisgaze knows when to stop, even when her own curiosity begs to win her over. Swarmswirl finds her smile again, as jesting over the other's brood is easy and fun. The dark furred molly says to, "Enjoy them while they're little!" and Swarmswirl feigns a shocked gasp, following it with a sharp, "You're to tell me that they'll grow up? Now, when did you give them permission to do that?"

Still laughing, she stands again, readying herself to leap long-ways towards another branch, this one held by another tree. She lands easier this time, though her tail flicks rapidly to help keep her balance. Turning back towards Chrysalisgaze, she continues to shine her grin, "I'll have to show them the proper way to climb trees, then," she boasts, as if she wasn't the one struggling a few minutes before. "After all - you always have taken it slowly. More boring, even...!" Swarmswirl continues to jest.

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

Chrysalisgaze doesn't mind the remarks made by her sister - she knows its all in good spirit. And honestly, Swarmswirl might say she takes things slowly, but to her it meant thinking them through before leaping, taking all things into consideration. Was one approach better than the other? Chrysalisgaze believes that her children would benefit learning from different views, choosing what fits them the best.
"If one of my kits gets to learn from you, I will be more than happy with that choice. You are a damn good warrior." she smiles at Swarmswirl. "I know whatever choice Hawkstar makes will be the right one, but I would definitely feel less worried if you were the one looking after my child."
And then she leaps from one branch to another and another in swift motions, flexing her muscles. "Who's slow now?" she flicks an ear at Swarmswirl, grinning as they climb higher and higher. Oh Chrysalisgaze missed being able to just run around with her sister, stretching her legs and catching up. Almost nothing could beat spending time with Swarmswirl, catching up and gossiping with her.