[Milestone1] Stray's Kithood

The first memory he had was of a tongue dragging over his wet fur, the sound of rain outside as their shelter barely managed to withstand the storm.

Such things were… common, for him.

He had been too young and little to follow his mother on much more than wobbling legs, so she’d often left him in whatever nook they’d found the night before while she scavenged for what food she could find.

Those days were long.

And boring.

Seriously, he wanted to play! Or do something other than sit around and hide!

But she was insistent.

So he obediently stayed tucked away, watching the world roll by. Watching the two-legged creatures, humans as his mother called them, stroll by his hiding place without a care in the world while their cars, as he was told the weird creatures were, rolled by on the paths for them.

As he got a little older, he was allowed to follow after his mother on her excursions, climbing into dumpsters and trash cans alongside her to look for what food there might be to find.

It also meant a little bit more freedom to explore when she wasn’t hovering over him.

Which was how he found himself creeping to the edge of the alley. He could see an abandoned piece of human food on the other side of the car path, something that smelled distinctly fishy and tasty.

All he had to do was run across and grab it, and he’d be back before his mom even noticed!

The kit’s tiny bobtail twitched with excitement, crouching low until the closest car hurtled by.

Then he took off running as fast as his short legs could carry him.

“Creek! No!” His mother’s yowl hardly registered, gaze fixed on the food ahead. Just a bit farther!

Teeth closed in his scruff, ripping him back. He screeched in surprise, only to fall silent as a car hurtled by a moment later, right where he would’ve been if he hadn’t been stopped.

The kit’s eyes went wide, paws curling protectively closer to his body as his body was buffeted by the wind.

His mother finished the crossing, dropping him to the ground with a quiet growl as she circled in front of him with a glare. “What were you thinking!?” she snarled, tail lashing behind her.

“I-I-”

“You could’ve been killed, Creek! You cannot just run off!” She softened as he pressed his body into the ground, sighing as she bowed her head to lick at his ears. “There, there, you’re alright.” She sighed again. “Now you know better,” she added softly. “You have to be certain you can make it across without the cars getting too close.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry, Mama…”

“It’s okay.” She turned, nodding at the food. “Get your prize and let’s get out of sight,” she added softly.

He nodded, darting for his prize and following his mother into a nearby park, where they could hide in the bushes from too-curious humans.

That was how a lot of his kithood was spent. Following her, trying to figure out the world… She was strict with him, but…

Well, she just wanted him to be safe.

He nuzzled close to her, letting out a soft purr. She smiled, tail wrapping around his small form as she kept watch.