HELLO, DADDY. [p]

[Koisplash]

(Private to Hawkstar.)

It, amazingly, didn't take that long to run through RockClan territory and into camp when you had one goal dead set in mind, as Koisplash found out. Within what seemed like mere seconds, she was standing, panting, before the entrance to Hawkstar's--her father's--den.
She hesitated. Was this really a smart idea? Why did he need to know, anyway? She could just leave, right now, and carry the secret of her parentage to her grave. No one other than Harrowingpride knew, and no one other than her had to know.
But she couldn't turn back. She had to know if he had any idea about this before it was too late to find out.
Koisplash took a deep breath, and stepped forward into the den.
"Hawkstar?" she called. She wasn't ready to call him "Father". She probably never would be. "I'm here to talk to you."

[Hawktalon]

Hawkstar had been enjoying a nice mouse. Prey was running well again in Rockclan. About time too, that greenleaf was finally coming. Another week or so and the prey would be running a plenty more than it was even now.

He was just finishing up when the scent of Treeclan hit him. This scent was familiar, as he had spent a lot of time with it recently. The scent was followed by the cat itself, Koisplash. Hawkstar's first thought was how did she get by the Rockclan guard? Koisplash was a clever cat though, he decided he shouldn't be surprised.

Hawkstar stared at the tortoiseshell who called out his name. He blinked and replied "I'm here. Didn't we talk about being careful crossing the border? You seem to have failed with flying colors, Koisplash." Hawkstar got up and stretched and cocked his ears to listen to what she had to say. It must be important if she was coming all the way over here. Had Fireclan attacked them?

[Koisplash]

Maybe it was just the exhaustion from having run so far catching up to her, but Koisplash had to exercise quite the amount of self-restraint to keep herself from snapping at Hawkstar. Right now, she had news for him. If it was news, anyway.
Wait...how exactly was she going to phrase this?
She took another deep breath, staring straight at him. It was hard to look at him in the eye without flinching, but she did it. "Someone came to me with very interesting news," she said in a voice of forced calm. "Apparently, you knew Oakspirit. My mother. You knew her well enough to have a kit with her. A daughter, who is standing in front of you right now. Are you aware of that?"
There. She had said it. Now she had passed the news on. She had come all the way here just to say that one statement. Koisplash didn't know whether to feel proud or stupid.

[Hawktalon]

Hawkstar stared at the she-cat a long time. Probably too long, the tension and awkwardness was thick in the air and it made him very uncomfortable. In truth he had no idea that Koissplash was his daughter, he didn't even know Oakspirit had kits. Of course he knew it was possibly that she could of had kits from him but Koisplash was a seasoned warrior now. How could she, and him, just be finding this out.

"No," he replied, although his voice cracked when he did. He cleared his throat and continued. "I had no idea. Who told you this? How can this cat be so sure?"

[Koisplash]

So Hawkstar hadn't known, after all. Koisplash couldn't help but feel a twisted sort of pleasure at seeing his expression. At least she wasn't the only one so shocked by this.
"Harrowingpride told me," she replied coolly. "She said Oakspirit had told her so personally and made her promise to keep it a secret. She only told me because she thought I had to know."
And she was right, Koisplash thought. I did have to know. But if it meant knowing this...this tom in front of me is my father, I think I might've been better off ignorant.

[Hawktalon]

Hawkstar nodded repeatedly and kept nodding, mostly because he was lost in thought and wanted to do something to keep active and help him think. This news was startling, the sad part was this wasn't the first time he had discovered illegitimate children. Save for one of them, none of them really liked him except for Birdshadow and Tearblossom, and Tearblossom was dead now.

He wondered if Koisplash was the same. She had no reason to like him, but she had no real reason to hate him either. He wouldn't like being kidnapped either but it was necessary to ally the two clans. Hawkstar didn't think Koisplash held petty grudges like that. Or did she? He didn't know. He didn't know his daughter at all.

Hawkstar cleared his throat again, wishing the weight of the tension would just fall away. "Well, Koisplash, this is long overdue if I really am your father. I am quite proud of you. Deputy of Treeclan...one step away from being a leader, like your dad." he added bracingly.

[Koisplash]

(I just realized you posted that on Father's Day. xD)

Well, at least Hawkstar wasn't denying it or rejecting her. She knew that there were worse fathers than him. But that didn't stop it from feeling any less uncomfortable. Given Hawkstar's reputation, he most likely had more kits in other Clans as well.
Wonderful, Koisplash thought wryly. I have half-siblings I didn't even know existed up until now.
"Thanks," was all she mumbled in response. Now what? The news had been delivered. He knew now. Should she leave? Was there any point in staying?
She probably was supposed to leave by now. Of course, tons more questions bounced around her head--had he actually known her mother at all other than just a...fling? Did he know she had died? Did he care that she had died? Hawkstar was inscrutable to her, and Koisplash was sure that all because of this revelation, her perception of him from then on would be forever colored by it.
"I guess I have to go now," Koisplash finally said, turning around. "I just...thought you ought to know. That's all. Good night, Hawkstar."
Hawkstar. That's all she'd be able to call him, and she doubted she'd ever call him anything other than that in the future.

[Hawktalon]

Hawkstar watched her begin to leave with a heavy heart. Was she disappointed in him? It was possible. Even though Hawkstar was a leader he knew Koisplash would rather have had a normal father in Treeclan rather than him.

Hawkstar certainly wasn't disappointed in his daughter. She was so much like her mother it made his heart hurt. He was proud of her and proud of what she had become. He was glad he had come to him and not attacked him like a certain other daughter he had. She had a much better sense of maturity; probably achieved through her leadership-like role. Hawkstar allowed himself a smile

"Koisplash," he said to her before she could leave "If you ever need anything...I'm here." he said with a smile, although, there was a sadness behind it.

[Koisplash]

Koisplash hadn't taken more than three steps when she heard Hawkstar's voice again from behind her. She gritted her teeth, biting back an unnecessarily nasty response. If she was a human, she would probably be blinking back tears by now.
She wasn't disappointed in him, far from it. But she wasn't proud of him, either. She didn't know him enough, and that was probably the worst part of this entire matter: she barely knew anything about her own father, the tom she hadn't even known existed until now.
Koisplash exhaled. She had to give him an answer. "I know," she replied quietly. That was all she could bring herself to say.
And with that, she departed into the night.