acontritemess | Little birds have to jump out of the nest if they're going to fly

Little birds have to jump out of the nest if they're going to fly

[She didn't actually get nervous until they'd passed Ohio. The next step marked the furthest from home she'd ever been. She trusted Freya, at least somewhat, but home wasn't a place, a concept really was what it was. Home was her family, and she was leaving it on the other side of the country. It was terrifying, but she was equally excited, since she was seeing things she'd never had a chance to see before.

The country changed as they made their way across it, and as they neared the mountainous and wide-open country of Montana, she was in awe. It was just like every postcard she'd ever seen, and she was having a hard time thinking it was real.]

....it's so beautiful...

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[All is going as planned. David slips from Freya and Cat's room and then backtracks before cutting through the kitchen and walking out the back door. He doesn't go this way often which is possibly why he hopes it'll work. He's distracted, unable to get Cat out of his head.

He pauses at the open window looking at the five dogs inside who'd sensed that he was coming. His finger lightly presses to his lips to indicate them to be silent as he slips through the open window. Once inside he begins to strip and then remembering his offer he slips on a pair of sweat pants. He wonders if she'd come or if she's no longer interested now that he's acted like an idiot.

He hears footsteps outside the room and raises to head towards the door. It isn't Cat. Two young boys jump on top of David sending the ranger to the ground, where his dogs then took the cue to pile on top of him.]

David!David! [The voices rang out in chorus.]

What are you two doing here! Get off me!

[He raises himself up and then circles his arm around Peter.] Let me down!

No. [David's voice is firm though the moment he is standing with Peter tightly secure beneath his arm James jumps up and latches to his other arm. He tries to swing the seven year old off but it doesn't work. He slowly makes his way towards the door, his dogs at his heels.]

I said we'd hang out tomorrow.

[Each word is followed by a grunt of effort as both boys fight with all their strength against him and as soon as he steps out of his room he looks down the hall and see's Cat.

Oh she came... oh.. David looks down at his nephews in dismay. This just isn't his night.]

[Her eyebrows raise at the spectacle and she lifts a hand to her mouth to cover her smile. Letting the boys know they were amusing was only going to encourage them.]

I...thought Rebecca said you guys were sleeping next to us.

Hey, it's you. Didn't you go to bed? [James squirms in David's grasp.] We're having a sleepover with David!

[Cat can't help the quiet giggle.]

This...isn't really how sleepovers work...

[David has to force his gaze away from Cat which takes far more effort than he's used too.]

You also need to be invited.

[His muscles flex as he continues to dangle James from his arm.] But this is fun! Yeah FUN!

[David drops Peter to the ground who quickly scrambles up to latch onto David's side.]

Come on guys. Go to bed.

Guys...you're being really rude. [She darts her gaze back to David for a moment, her look clearly saying 'back me up on what I'm about to say, okay?'] And David did invite you fishing tomorrow, after he works all day, which is really nice of him, so maybe you should do what he says and go to bed before you change his mind.

What? [Peter looks up to David.] You're still taking us tomorrow, right?

Yeah, right?

[David grimaces.]

I don't know guys. I told you to sleep in your room and you're not there. I'll be to tired to do anything after work tomorrow.

What?! That's not fair!

Not fair!!

To any of us. I was looking forward to fishing, so why do you want to ruin it for everyone?

[Peter makes a disappointed sound.]

Fine. [He looks at his little brother.] Come on, James.

But! But!

Come on. This isn't fun anymore.

Okay...

Night, David...

Yeah, night...

[And Peter plods off down the hall, his little brother in tow. After they round the corner, Cat looks back to David, noticing now he's not wearing a shirt...and is suddenly very aware she's in Tinkerbell pants...]

So...they're a handful...

Yeah.

[David is just happy to see them release him and leave. He exhales a slow breath before turning to see all five of his dogs standing at the doorway to the room.]

Go back inside.

[The dogs turn reluctantly and move back into the room. David turns back towards Cat trying not to be awkward.]

Want to step inside for a bit? I can already tell that they are happy to see you.

Edited 2016-05-11 02:37 (UTC)

[She nods.] Yeah. That's...sort of why I came.

[She smiles and steps closer.]

If you're not ready for bed, I mean. [She continues to smile, though. His dogs are happy to see me. Right, at least that's what Freya would say.]

[David looks down at his lack of shirt and sweatpants and then over at Cat in her tinker bell sweatpants. They were cute and fit her. He quickly realizes that he's staring at her hips and looks back up at her face; he's being perfectly normal.]

No, I was just going to start a dog pile.

[She smiles before waving her into the room with the dogs.]

We'll put you on top.

[She laughs more easily now that they're in the room.]

Aww, that's so sweet of you.

[And she just laughs again.]

You...have a really nice family.

[David takes a seat on the couch and to his surprise only Singer pads over to sit with him. The other four dogs where at Cat's side trying to beg for her attention; Steve is winning.]

I like them... [He smirks.]...sometimes.

[He loves his family and wouldn't trade them for the world.]

What's your family like?

[She follows suit, joining David on the sofa and looks to the dogs.]

I have two hands, so you guys have to take turns.

[And that is precisely what she begins to do as she looks to David, smiling.]

That's the cool thing about family, though. You don't have to like each other all the time. The bond's...you know, stronger than that.

[She smiles fondly just thinking about her siblings, every one of them.]

A lot different from yours, and that doesn't even count living in a city.

Tell me about them.

[David lightly pets Singer's head before Hunter moves over to his side and demands the attention of his free hand. He apparently doesn't want to wait for one of Cat's hands to be free.]

We have time.

Um, well, let's see. [She's absent-mindedly petting the dogs like it's nothing. She clearly doesn't mind their constant presence.]

Some of us have gone our separate ways. I guess that's what families do, though, right? My big brother, Toby, mated recently. He used to play football. They both live with our parents in New York. We...were separated from our parents for a long time. We just reunited with them, actually. Uh, Chase, he's a little younger than Toby, moved to Ohio and found a mate there. I don't really know what he does anymore. He doesn't talk to us much.

[And she looks sad about that.]

My oldest sister, Emma, lives at home too. She's like...the perfect mom? She cooks, cleans, sews, she has really good fashion sense too! She likes decorating. Um, Lyla and Kevin are twins. Lyla lives at home too, and... [She laughs.] She really likes to talk. A lot, and she has an opinion on everything. Kevin's...way more laid back than Lyla. He can be lazy, but...he's cool, you know? He claimed territory in Minnesota, and he works at a comic book store. [She pauses, frowning.] I have a weird definition of cool.

Sounds like an amazing family.

[He just smiles at her, watching as she lights up when she talks about her family. He doesn't remember meeting anyone more beautiful and when she's talking about something she loves? It's like the beauty becomes blinding. He imagines that she is the light of her family, just as Rebecca is for them.

There is always that one person who keeps people together, even if no one else realizes it.]

And I agree, that family's are always bonded. My older sister is in Canada with her mate and kids. Joy is the next oldest and she's out looking for a mate but when we need each other we're family.

You're lucky.

[David squints slightly.]

But you didn't mention much about your parents. How long were you separated? [He grimaces slightly.] Unless you don't want to talk about it.

[She smiles again, glad to know he agrees.] Exactly. Family's always important, no matter what.

[She swallows at his question, looking down at the dogs instead.]

...twenty years. I was six when we were taken away from them. I didn't know for a long time who did it, even. I know things about my mom and dad. Toby made sure none of us grew up not knowing them, but...stories aren't the same, you know?

Ah, yeah I know.

[His smile becomes more wistful though he doesn't lose the glint of humor in his gaze.] It's sort of the same with my dad. I wasn't that young when he was killed but I only really have a handful of memories and then stories to go on now. It'd be a little strange if I were to suddenly meet him again.

[At least he thinks so.]

So I can understand. It's good that you were able to see them again. [She'd been 6.] You'll at least have a chance to get to know them.

Ah, I guess that's why you're older and haven't left to go look for a mate? [David realizes he slipped into his park ranger mentality and quickly scolds himself.] Not that you have to or that you plan to... [Oh god someone stop him.] I just mean most girls leave in their late teens and early twenties. Not that it's the same for everyone.

[He's just going to pet the dog now.]

[She frowns. She doesn't feel anyone should know what it's like to never know your parents, but he seems to deal with it well. So does she, and she can appreciate the positive attitude.

She laughs at his awkward stumbling, though. Not in a mean way, but amused. He's really cute when he's awkward.] Yeah, that's why. Toby was there too, when we were taken. It sort of make him really over-protective. Confession? I'm surprised he even...let...me...oh no.

[A hand slaps over her mouth.] ...oh no. I was supposed to call and let him know we made it okay...

[David blinks upon seeing her surprise. From what she's told him, she's more likely to call Toby than her father to check in and if this is the first time she's been away from home, he can guess what sort of worry Toby might be feeling. He'd felt that way when Stephanie first left.]

There isn't anything we can do about it now. There isn't any signal in the house but I can take you and Freya into town with me tomorrow morning. You just need to get up early. You guys can wander while I do paper work and you can call your brother.

[He flashes a reassuring smile.]

Deal?

[She flashes him a relieved smile.] Deal. [And adds after a brief pause.] Thanks, David. He...worries a lot more than he should. With reason, but...things aren't bad like they were before.

[But she saw the wounds Toby came home with over the years. He always stayed away long enough to heal, but the wounds she saw weren't on his body.]

So, tell me what park rangers do. [She smiles sheepishly.] I really only have cartoons for reference, and I sort of have this feeling they didn't do research.

No problem.

[He smiles at her and stares before realizing that she had asked him a question. He shakes his head trying to remember what it is he does every single day.]

Oh, I guess it depends on the cartoon if it's right or not... sometimes it's boring stuff like paper work but I also mark trails, tag bears, keep track of migration patterns, find anyone if they go missing or walk into protected parts of the forest.

[Cat smiles as he talks about what he does. Marking trails meant he got to explore the forest regularly to see which parts were safe and which parts weren't. He also helped keep track of wildlife populations and help people?

He sounded like a forest superhero. It also sounded like a lot of fun and her smiles grows as he continues.]

That...sounds awesome...

[David sometimes thinks of himself as a forest superhero. Except that sounds really lame so he isn't about to say that outloud.

His eyebrow rose curiously as Singer jumps up on the couch next to him and lays down with her head in his lap.]

You really think so?

[Cat nods, still smiling as she pulls her knees to her chest as she sits on the sofa.]

You take care of humans and animals, and you make sure that they can both enjoy the forest without bothering each other. You save people who get lost. You're...like a forest superhero.

[David laughs, he can't stop himself and Singer looks up at him slightly disgruntled.]

I guess so.

[He isn't the only one who thinks like that.]

Does that mean I've impressed you?

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