"Marie! Get your lazy tail over here and play with us!"
Can't they see I clearly want to be by myself? Siblings...
"Marie! If you don't come out of there, I'm coming in!"
...
Hesitantly standing up onto her paws, a cat around the age of three moons stretched out her hind legs before padding away from her resting spot towards an opening in the dark shelter. The shelter itself was an average-sized cave, containing a few makeshift nests and several places where one could be concealed by shadows. The entrance of the cavern was a large gaping mouth, its jaws stretched wide as if it was hungrily awaiting a meal.
Searing bright light penetrated the young cat's vision, causing her to scowl in annoyance. Already she could feel the heat of the Sun's rays striking her stygian fur, warming her skin up to an unbearable level. To top it off, the stone ground underneath her felt like fire, but she remained in place, resisting the urge to jump around and avoid touching the floor.
"There you are! I thought you'd never come out."
The feline lifted her head and looked up to see a slightly taller brown tabby, his emerald eyes gleaming with relief and his ears perked to their full height. He had a soft smile gracing his features, and there was a few tufts of fur missing along his forearm and flank, probably due to the mock-fight he was previously in. The latter quietly sighed before moving past him, her blue eyes flicking back to the confused tom but only for a moment.
"I wasn't planning on coming outside anyway." She replied, turning around to continue walking away but a body soon blocked her path.
"Aww, come on, sis. We've been waiting hours for you to come and play with us!" Not a second later said body then revealed itself to be another cat, though this one was female as well. Her arrogant teal blue eyes and cocky smirk instantly got the shady cat to narrow her already narrow sapphire eyes irritatingly, but they hastily widened when she was suddenly squished under newfound weight.
"Louise, get off of me." She spat, wriggling under the black and white furred kit in an attempt to free herself.
The female shook her head. "Nope! Not until you say you will join us."
An infuriated growl erupted from the black furred kit, and she swung her head around so she can face the male cat. Help me please! She mouth desperately, her anger hidden behind desperation so that she wouldn't frighten the tom.
Green eyes gazed at blue ones apprehensively, the owner slowly moving his paws so that he tapped the shoulder of the other female kit with his tail gently. "Louise," He said. "Can you get off of Marie, please?"
"Why?" She retorted, shooting the timid male an icy glare. "I thought you said you wanted her to play with us too?"
"Alright! I'll play with you!" Marie shouted, unsheathing her thorn sharp claws and scraping the stone below her. "Just get off me!"
The patterned cat smiled, successful in getting her sister to give in to her demands. She lifted her weight off of the smaller she-cat, then turned around so that she could face her. "Now that wasn't so hard, now was it?"
The black feline glared at Louise, smacking the tip of her long tail onto the she-kit's nose, resulting in a yelp of surprise from her. Spinning around, she noticed her brother was not present in the spot he previously was standing, and curiosity as well as mischief began to express themselves in the smirk now gracing her features.
"So, Louise, we're playing Hide 'n' Seek?" She asked, letting her blue gaze stare at the white and black female behind her.
Louise smirked. "It seems apparent that you have caught onto our game."
"Well, alright then. Let's see if Vivian can remain hidden." The shady kit lifted her nose to the air to scent out any traces of the male's smell which she had become acquainted with, and not too long after she picked up a trail leading into the trees a few meters away. He went into the forest... Heh, foolish idea.
Trotting off in the direction her snout addressed her to go, Marie began to make her way to the entrance of the woodland, only stopping to gawk at the size of the enormous oak wood trees surrounding her. Every aspect of her field of vision was overwhelmed by the timber continuously growing around her, and to top it off the trees themselves were at least sixty seven feet high and sixty feet wide. Occupying the areas at ground level were many varieties of bushes, which included berry bushes, and thimbleberry shrubbery. Every so often there was a wild daisy or dandelion growing among the undergrowth, and once in a while the black feline heard a bird's call. The Sun's rays were now comfortably limited by the natural blockage that were the trees' branches, giving the young one a chance to cool off under the canopy.
Furthering into the woodland, she made sure her paw steps were as silent as she could get them to be, taking precautions as well as staying stealthy since there were organisms much larger and more dangerous than herself present in the woods. After a while the malkin heard rather loud, rapid paw steps growing louder as the commenced into advancing nearer.
Her soft, short fur began to bristle along the back of her neck as the sound came to a halt. She whipped her head left and right in an effort to locate the source, but she only was tackled by an unknown creature a few seconds later, and it took the female a minute to recognize the animal's scent.
Louise..
"Marie!" The other she-kit shouted blatantly, shoving her face in very close proximity with the black cat's. "Why did you leave me in the clearing? I've been looking for you! I thought you were attacked by one of those bears Ma tells us about!"
She sighed. "I only left you a few minutes ago, though."
Louise snarled. "Yeah, but still! You know we shouldn't leave each other alone like that. Especially with Vivian out here somewhere hiding."
"Maybe we wouldn't need to worry about finding him if you quit your yapping and get off me!"
The white cat's teal orbs shot down to her paws which were pinning her black sibling down into the ground, and she hastily released her hold and stood up. "Sorry about that..."
The latter smiled softly at her sister before gently placing her tail on her shoulder. "It's okay. Now come on, we need to find Vivian before mom gets home."
"She'll have our tails if she finds out that we let him wander off."
"Then let's hurry."
After a long while of searching through the dense shrubbery that was the forest, the two siblings finally located their brother hidden among a pile of dead leaves. Currently they were aspiring to convince the male that the game was over and that he won, but he remained to be stubborn and stayed within the shelter.
Wide, green orbs stared out at the two she-cats gazing hardly at him, their eyes of molten lava having different shades of blue to them. The white and black kit was pondering on ways to pass the time while she waited for her male sibling to listen to her, and the pure night colored cat was staring blankly at the brown tabby, her blue eyes never leaving his form.
Maybe.. If I somehow intimidate him by just staring.. He might submit and come out.
Continuing to stare, the she-kit watched as the cinnamon furred tom flick his gaze between her and the female beside her, every once in a while ducking in behind the foliate and returning with the same expression on his face. A little mixture of playfulness and apprehension. Growing impatient, the kit padded up to the tom and smacked his nose painfully with her tail, causing him to squeal and swipe his left paw in her direction.
"Vivian," Marie began, helping him back up onto his paws and stabilizing his balance. "I know you want to play with us, but we have to get going. Mom will be here soon, and you know what will happen when she finds us missing."
His eyes widened fractions at the thought of being punished by their mother, and swiftly he leaped from the pile of foliage and raced away into the trees back the way he originally came from. The older sibling noticed and began following him, leaving the middle cat to tag along behind the duo.
Sometimes I wonder whether they really care or not if mom shows up before they get home.. They get in trouble all the time anyway... Those two.
It was already turning over to the evening hour when the black cat was halfway through the wood, pale specks of future bright stars beginning to appear dotting the darkening sky. Long shadows were commencing to overlap each other along the ground, growing larger as time passed. A gentle breeze picked up when she reached a tall oak, causing her fur to fluff up slightly to avoid catching a chill.
Eventually Marie set her paws down on soft dirt, confirming that she reached the end of the dense timberland and arrived at her family's home. Waving to her from about a tree-length away with their tail stood a black and white cat, and a brown tabby standing next to her.
"Marie! Ma came home just before you got out of there! I think you're in trouble!" Said the she-kit standing barely on the tips of her paws from the energy she had, otherwise she would be floating. The male beside her sighed confusedly before turning away from the scene and padding into the shadows of the cave behind them.
The cat Louise addressed was gazing around at the scenery of their place of habitation, her blue eyes slightly widened in awe at the beauty the area held. Tall oaks sprouted from the deep green grass covering several parts of the ground, the others being made of stone and some of dirt. An average-sized mound of boulder stretched over a considerable amount of timber, and a small cave was nestled into the central lowermost of the hill, the temporary shelter of the family of felines. A few flowers grew in particular spots, variations of daisies to dandelions spread out over the clearing. Clouds glided across the sky overhead, offering the glade beautiful dim lighting.
Feeling a tap upon her shoulder, the now refocused cat turned her head a little to meet teal eyes glaring at her curiously. Seeing that her sibling's attention was now on her, the patterned white-furred malkin sat back on her haunches and licked her paw casually.
"Are you just going to stand there and stare off into space or are you going to see what Ma wants?" Louise questioned, eyeing the fellow female a glint in her orbs.
Marie blinked before responding. "What does she want?"
"Go find out."
A scowl grew upon her features at the blunt remark, resulting in the raven animal to turn and stalk away, ears flat against her head. Oh, how I wish she would give up her sassy attitude.
Not too long after, she arrived inside the den, seeing a shadow against the far wall to the left upon entry; a cat's shadow to be exact. Walking over to it, a being began to come into view, soon taking the appearance of a small gray tabby she-cat. The frame she owned was a bit little compared to her mate's, though she didn't mind it and neither did her kits. Her beautiful striped silver fur was slightly dull, and there were a few scars along her flank and her left ear was torn. Clearing her throat to catch her attention, the obsidian kit padded a few tail-lengths closer to stand directly behind her, eventually facing green eyes embedded in soft features.
"You needed something, Mom?"
The elder cat's expression didn't change. "I heard you two let your brother run off while I was gone." She started, narrowing her eyes a fraction.
The kit gulped. "Yeah, about that..."
"Yes?"
"Well..."
"Go on then, talk. I don't have all day, Marie." The tabby replied, shifting herself so she could arrange the carefully-made nests by the wall in a neat line, most likely due to the fact she gained a habit of tidying things when they were already ordered.
"Louise and Vivian were playing a game, and the invited me to join," The latter continued, watching her mother spruce up the small room in an almost robotic way. The kit always pondered why her mother behaved in such a way, maybe it is due to her past?
"I said no at first, but ultimately gave in to Louise's request and joined them. That ended up with Vivian going off and hiding somewhere in the forest."
"So you didn't go and find him immediately afterwards?"
"Well, I suggested we do, but Louise was complaining about something I forgot."
"Hm.." The adult feline stepped back and admired her work, gazing proudly at the neat and organized line of bedding bordering the edge of the wall, turning to her daughter a few moments after.
"So, he came home by himself?" She said, her tone causing the fur along Marie's spine to spike up.
"No! We went after him and brought him home!" The younger cat said rather loudly, silently cursing herself at her obviousness nervousness.
The silver female sat down and gazed at her offspring in a concerned manner, wrapping her striped tail over her soft paws before returning her attention back to the kit, whom was now sitting in front of her. "Marie, dear, is there a certain reason you are this quiet? Your siblings aren't like this."
The mentioned tilted her crown to the side, confusion written across her face. "Does it bother you? I could cha-"
"No, no need. I was simply asking."
"..Oh."
The mother smiled and stood up to her paws. "Come now, I brought home a decent meal for once. You must be hungry, yes?"
"I am."
"Good. Now, come along. Before Louise goes ahead and digs in before the remainder of us even gather around to eat."
Following after her one and only parent, the stygian kit emerged from the entrance and squinted her sapphire orbs to have them get used to the lack of light in the clearing, nightfall already spreading a dark blue blanket across the atmosphere above. Settled in the meadow not more or less than a tree-length away sat a female and male kit, their bright eyes wide with excitement at the thought of what their mother might have brought home this evening.
Padding up next to the tom, the raven rubbed her muzzle against his cheek in greeting, receiving a comforted purr from him, antecedently turning to place her tail-tip on the other's shoulder. "We're not in trouble this time, so there's no need to worry about anything."
The she-kit next to her sighed in relief, flopping onto her belly and now concentrating on a supposedly interesting blade of grass. "Thank goodness. I thought we were in for it."
"W-Well, we didn't do too much this time.. So there isn't a need to punish us.. Right?" A very uncertain Vivian whispered.
"Heh, Vivian, you are too cute!" Louise suddenly glomped the poor tom, rolling him over in the cool grass, laughing happily in the process. "Why, I sometimes wonder that if you ever get more bashful, you'll go and hide from us!"
Rolling her eyes, the black furred she-cat observed the two siblings playfully tussle in the clumps of natural turf, a grin stretching across her features while at it. I love these guys so much...
"Alright, my dears!" A voice sounded from behind a couple of bushes near the cavern, shadows enveloping the entire area so it was difficult to make out the she-cat materialize with a large brown rabbit in her jaws. "I have brought a special treat for the lot of you! Go ahead and dig in!"
Pausing their fun, the two siblings accompanied by a third raced towards the older cat and practically yanked the prey from her jaws, already tearing into the imperceptibly warm flesh, swallowing gradually hefty amounts of food. The giver laughed lightly at her son and daughters' appetite, subsequently joining them in the center of the expanse. The moon rose higher aerial as the meal commenced, leading into small talk and the occasional scolding of disgraceful habits. Stars began to twinkle in the inky blue sky, offering a little light to add on to the much brighter celestial body's gift.
"..We'll be going somewhere tomorrow afternoon." The mother was saying, searching the kits' expression to verify that she had their attention. "So wake up early so we can go catch a bite to eat, and following that we can head out to our desired destination."
"Mother, where exactly will we be going?"
"It's a surprise, darling. You'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Ma! Please tell us! I'm too curious, and I need to know!" Louise exclaimed, standing up on her paws and bushing out her short fur.
The silver tabby sighed and slowly shook her head no. Getting back upright as well, the she-cat grabbed the leftovers and swiftly buried them where she usually buries the meals the family does not finish. Turning around, she smiled and flicked her tail so the young ones could come within closer proximity.
"Louise, you can wait. As for the other thing I need to address, I believe it is bedtime for all of you." Her expression softened a little when she noticed the kits disappointed faces. "Now, don't be sad. There's tomorrow that you should be ecstatic about. Come on, to bed with you bunch."
The youths trailed after their creator and into the shelter not too far away from the eating area, promptly climbing into their nests and curling up into miniature balls of fur similar to the mother's form. Yawning, the kits closed their lids, sealing orbs dull from tiredness. The older malkin in the bed beside them watched them sleep peacefully with a wistful smile, which soon widened when she saw blue orbs staring at her from the shadows.
"Marie, please go to sleep. We have a long way to go tomorrow."
"I just wanted to say..." A rather long yawn interrupted her. "...Goodnight.."
The mother smiled and leaned down to tenderly rasp her tongue over the kit's face, purring as she did so. "Goodnight, Marie."
The black kit grinned sleepily, closing her eyes moments later to begin her slumber. "Goodnight, Mom..."
Thanks for reading! ^u^
Can't they see I clearly want to be by myself? Siblings...
"Marie! If you don't come out of there, I'm coming in!"
...
Hesitantly standing up onto her paws, a cat around the age of three moons stretched out her hind legs before padding away from her resting spot towards an opening in the dark shelter. The shelter itself was an average-sized cave, containing a few makeshift nests and several places where one could be concealed by shadows. The entrance of the cavern was a large gaping mouth, its jaws stretched wide as if it was hungrily awaiting a meal.
Searing bright light penetrated the young cat's vision, causing her to scowl in annoyance. Already she could feel the heat of the Sun's rays striking her stygian fur, warming her skin up to an unbearable level. To top it off, the stone ground underneath her felt like fire, but she remained in place, resisting the urge to jump around and avoid touching the floor.
"There you are! I thought you'd never come out."
The feline lifted her head and looked up to see a slightly taller brown tabby, his emerald eyes gleaming with relief and his ears perked to their full height. He had a soft smile gracing his features, and there was a few tufts of fur missing along his forearm and flank, probably due to the mock-fight he was previously in. The latter quietly sighed before moving past him, her blue eyes flicking back to the confused tom but only for a moment.
"I wasn't planning on coming outside anyway." She replied, turning around to continue walking away but a body soon blocked her path.
"Aww, come on, sis. We've been waiting hours for you to come and play with us!" Not a second later said body then revealed itself to be another cat, though this one was female as well. Her arrogant teal blue eyes and cocky smirk instantly got the shady cat to narrow her already narrow sapphire eyes irritatingly, but they hastily widened when she was suddenly squished under newfound weight.
"Louise, get off of me." She spat, wriggling under the black and white furred kit in an attempt to free herself.
The female shook her head. "Nope! Not until you say you will join us."
An infuriated growl erupted from the black furred kit, and she swung her head around so she can face the male cat. Help me please! She mouth desperately, her anger hidden behind desperation so that she wouldn't frighten the tom.
Green eyes gazed at blue ones apprehensively, the owner slowly moving his paws so that he tapped the shoulder of the other female kit with his tail gently. "Louise," He said. "Can you get off of Marie, please?"
"Why?" She retorted, shooting the timid male an icy glare. "I thought you said you wanted her to play with us too?"
"Alright! I'll play with you!" Marie shouted, unsheathing her thorn sharp claws and scraping the stone below her. "Just get off me!"
The patterned cat smiled, successful in getting her sister to give in to her demands. She lifted her weight off of the smaller she-cat, then turned around so that she could face her. "Now that wasn't so hard, now was it?"
The black feline glared at Louise, smacking the tip of her long tail onto the she-kit's nose, resulting in a yelp of surprise from her. Spinning around, she noticed her brother was not present in the spot he previously was standing, and curiosity as well as mischief began to express themselves in the smirk now gracing her features.
"So, Louise, we're playing Hide 'n' Seek?" She asked, letting her blue gaze stare at the white and black female behind her.
Louise smirked. "It seems apparent that you have caught onto our game."
"Well, alright then. Let's see if Vivian can remain hidden." The shady kit lifted her nose to the air to scent out any traces of the male's smell which she had become acquainted with, and not too long after she picked up a trail leading into the trees a few meters away. He went into the forest... Heh, foolish idea.
Trotting off in the direction her snout addressed her to go, Marie began to make her way to the entrance of the woodland, only stopping to gawk at the size of the enormous oak wood trees surrounding her. Every aspect of her field of vision was overwhelmed by the timber continuously growing around her, and to top it off the trees themselves were at least sixty seven feet high and sixty feet wide. Occupying the areas at ground level were many varieties of bushes, which included berry bushes, and thimbleberry shrubbery. Every so often there was a wild daisy or dandelion growing among the undergrowth, and once in a while the black feline heard a bird's call. The Sun's rays were now comfortably limited by the natural blockage that were the trees' branches, giving the young one a chance to cool off under the canopy.
Furthering into the woodland, she made sure her paw steps were as silent as she could get them to be, taking precautions as well as staying stealthy since there were organisms much larger and more dangerous than herself present in the woods. After a while the malkin heard rather loud, rapid paw steps growing louder as the commenced into advancing nearer.
Her soft, short fur began to bristle along the back of her neck as the sound came to a halt. She whipped her head left and right in an effort to locate the source, but she only was tackled by an unknown creature a few seconds later, and it took the female a minute to recognize the animal's scent.
Louise..
"Marie!" The other she-kit shouted blatantly, shoving her face in very close proximity with the black cat's. "Why did you leave me in the clearing? I've been looking for you! I thought you were attacked by one of those bears Ma tells us about!"
She sighed. "I only left you a few minutes ago, though."
Louise snarled. "Yeah, but still! You know we shouldn't leave each other alone like that. Especially with Vivian out here somewhere hiding."
"Maybe we wouldn't need to worry about finding him if you quit your yapping and get off me!"
The white cat's teal orbs shot down to her paws which were pinning her black sibling down into the ground, and she hastily released her hold and stood up. "Sorry about that..."
The latter smiled softly at her sister before gently placing her tail on her shoulder. "It's okay. Now come on, we need to find Vivian before mom gets home."
"She'll have our tails if she finds out that we let him wander off."
"Then let's hurry."
After a long while of searching through the dense shrubbery that was the forest, the two siblings finally located their brother hidden among a pile of dead leaves. Currently they were aspiring to convince the male that the game was over and that he won, but he remained to be stubborn and stayed within the shelter.
Wide, green orbs stared out at the two she-cats gazing hardly at him, their eyes of molten lava having different shades of blue to them. The white and black kit was pondering on ways to pass the time while she waited for her male sibling to listen to her, and the pure night colored cat was staring blankly at the brown tabby, her blue eyes never leaving his form.
Maybe.. If I somehow intimidate him by just staring.. He might submit and come out.
Continuing to stare, the she-kit watched as the cinnamon furred tom flick his gaze between her and the female beside her, every once in a while ducking in behind the foliate and returning with the same expression on his face. A little mixture of playfulness and apprehension. Growing impatient, the kit padded up to the tom and smacked his nose painfully with her tail, causing him to squeal and swipe his left paw in her direction.
"Vivian," Marie began, helping him back up onto his paws and stabilizing his balance. "I know you want to play with us, but we have to get going. Mom will be here soon, and you know what will happen when she finds us missing."
His eyes widened fractions at the thought of being punished by their mother, and swiftly he leaped from the pile of foliage and raced away into the trees back the way he originally came from. The older sibling noticed and began following him, leaving the middle cat to tag along behind the duo.
Sometimes I wonder whether they really care or not if mom shows up before they get home.. They get in trouble all the time anyway... Those two.
It was already turning over to the evening hour when the black cat was halfway through the wood, pale specks of future bright stars beginning to appear dotting the darkening sky. Long shadows were commencing to overlap each other along the ground, growing larger as time passed. A gentle breeze picked up when she reached a tall oak, causing her fur to fluff up slightly to avoid catching a chill.
Eventually Marie set her paws down on soft dirt, confirming that she reached the end of the dense timberland and arrived at her family's home. Waving to her from about a tree-length away with their tail stood a black and white cat, and a brown tabby standing next to her.
"Marie! Ma came home just before you got out of there! I think you're in trouble!" Said the she-kit standing barely on the tips of her paws from the energy she had, otherwise she would be floating. The male beside her sighed confusedly before turning away from the scene and padding into the shadows of the cave behind them.
The cat Louise addressed was gazing around at the scenery of their place of habitation, her blue eyes slightly widened in awe at the beauty the area held. Tall oaks sprouted from the deep green grass covering several parts of the ground, the others being made of stone and some of dirt. An average-sized mound of boulder stretched over a considerable amount of timber, and a small cave was nestled into the central lowermost of the hill, the temporary shelter of the family of felines. A few flowers grew in particular spots, variations of daisies to dandelions spread out over the clearing. Clouds glided across the sky overhead, offering the glade beautiful dim lighting.
Feeling a tap upon her shoulder, the now refocused cat turned her head a little to meet teal eyes glaring at her curiously. Seeing that her sibling's attention was now on her, the patterned white-furred malkin sat back on her haunches and licked her paw casually.
"Are you just going to stand there and stare off into space or are you going to see what Ma wants?" Louise questioned, eyeing the fellow female a glint in her orbs.
Marie blinked before responding. "What does she want?"
"Go find out."
A scowl grew upon her features at the blunt remark, resulting in the raven animal to turn and stalk away, ears flat against her head. Oh, how I wish she would give up her sassy attitude.
Not too long after, she arrived inside the den, seeing a shadow against the far wall to the left upon entry; a cat's shadow to be exact. Walking over to it, a being began to come into view, soon taking the appearance of a small gray tabby she-cat. The frame she owned was a bit little compared to her mate's, though she didn't mind it and neither did her kits. Her beautiful striped silver fur was slightly dull, and there were a few scars along her flank and her left ear was torn. Clearing her throat to catch her attention, the obsidian kit padded a few tail-lengths closer to stand directly behind her, eventually facing green eyes embedded in soft features.
"You needed something, Mom?"
The elder cat's expression didn't change. "I heard you two let your brother run off while I was gone." She started, narrowing her eyes a fraction.
The kit gulped. "Yeah, about that..."
"Yes?"
"Well..."
"Go on then, talk. I don't have all day, Marie." The tabby replied, shifting herself so she could arrange the carefully-made nests by the wall in a neat line, most likely due to the fact she gained a habit of tidying things when they were already ordered.
"Louise and Vivian were playing a game, and the invited me to join," The latter continued, watching her mother spruce up the small room in an almost robotic way. The kit always pondered why her mother behaved in such a way, maybe it is due to her past?
"I said no at first, but ultimately gave in to Louise's request and joined them. That ended up with Vivian going off and hiding somewhere in the forest."
"So you didn't go and find him immediately afterwards?"
"Well, I suggested we do, but Louise was complaining about something I forgot."
"Hm.." The adult feline stepped back and admired her work, gazing proudly at the neat and organized line of bedding bordering the edge of the wall, turning to her daughter a few moments after.
"So, he came home by himself?" She said, her tone causing the fur along Marie's spine to spike up.
"No! We went after him and brought him home!" The younger cat said rather loudly, silently cursing herself at her obviousness nervousness.
The silver female sat down and gazed at her offspring in a concerned manner, wrapping her striped tail over her soft paws before returning her attention back to the kit, whom was now sitting in front of her. "Marie, dear, is there a certain reason you are this quiet? Your siblings aren't like this."
The mentioned tilted her crown to the side, confusion written across her face. "Does it bother you? I could cha-"
"No, no need. I was simply asking."
"..Oh."
The mother smiled and stood up to her paws. "Come now, I brought home a decent meal for once. You must be hungry, yes?"
"I am."
"Good. Now, come along. Before Louise goes ahead and digs in before the remainder of us even gather around to eat."
Following after her one and only parent, the stygian kit emerged from the entrance and squinted her sapphire orbs to have them get used to the lack of light in the clearing, nightfall already spreading a dark blue blanket across the atmosphere above. Settled in the meadow not more or less than a tree-length away sat a female and male kit, their bright eyes wide with excitement at the thought of what their mother might have brought home this evening.
Padding up next to the tom, the raven rubbed her muzzle against his cheek in greeting, receiving a comforted purr from him, antecedently turning to place her tail-tip on the other's shoulder. "We're not in trouble this time, so there's no need to worry about anything."
The she-kit next to her sighed in relief, flopping onto her belly and now concentrating on a supposedly interesting blade of grass. "Thank goodness. I thought we were in for it."
"W-Well, we didn't do too much this time.. So there isn't a need to punish us.. Right?" A very uncertain Vivian whispered.
"Heh, Vivian, you are too cute!" Louise suddenly glomped the poor tom, rolling him over in the cool grass, laughing happily in the process. "Why, I sometimes wonder that if you ever get more bashful, you'll go and hide from us!"
Rolling her eyes, the black furred she-cat observed the two siblings playfully tussle in the clumps of natural turf, a grin stretching across her features while at it. I love these guys so much...
"Alright, my dears!" A voice sounded from behind a couple of bushes near the cavern, shadows enveloping the entire area so it was difficult to make out the she-cat materialize with a large brown rabbit in her jaws. "I have brought a special treat for the lot of you! Go ahead and dig in!"
Pausing their fun, the two siblings accompanied by a third raced towards the older cat and practically yanked the prey from her jaws, already tearing into the imperceptibly warm flesh, swallowing gradually hefty amounts of food. The giver laughed lightly at her son and daughters' appetite, subsequently joining them in the center of the expanse. The moon rose higher aerial as the meal commenced, leading into small talk and the occasional scolding of disgraceful habits. Stars began to twinkle in the inky blue sky, offering a little light to add on to the much brighter celestial body's gift.
"..We'll be going somewhere tomorrow afternoon." The mother was saying, searching the kits' expression to verify that she had their attention. "So wake up early so we can go catch a bite to eat, and following that we can head out to our desired destination."
"Mother, where exactly will we be going?"
"It's a surprise, darling. You'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"Ma! Please tell us! I'm too curious, and I need to know!" Louise exclaimed, standing up on her paws and bushing out her short fur.
The silver tabby sighed and slowly shook her head no. Getting back upright as well, the she-cat grabbed the leftovers and swiftly buried them where she usually buries the meals the family does not finish. Turning around, she smiled and flicked her tail so the young ones could come within closer proximity.
"Louise, you can wait. As for the other thing I need to address, I believe it is bedtime for all of you." Her expression softened a little when she noticed the kits disappointed faces. "Now, don't be sad. There's tomorrow that you should be ecstatic about. Come on, to bed with you bunch."
The youths trailed after their creator and into the shelter not too far away from the eating area, promptly climbing into their nests and curling up into miniature balls of fur similar to the mother's form. Yawning, the kits closed their lids, sealing orbs dull from tiredness. The older malkin in the bed beside them watched them sleep peacefully with a wistful smile, which soon widened when she saw blue orbs staring at her from the shadows.
"Marie, please go to sleep. We have a long way to go tomorrow."
"I just wanted to say..." A rather long yawn interrupted her. "...Goodnight.."
The mother smiled and leaned down to tenderly rasp her tongue over the kit's face, purring as she did so. "Goodnight, Marie."
The black kit grinned sleepily, closing her eyes moments later to begin her slumber. "Goodnight, Mom..."
Thanks for reading! ^u^
