[Milestone1] Who's This Guy / First Thoughts of Warmth

“Morning,” a feminine voice rumbled. “We’ll be late if you don’t keep up a bit, dear.”

The little sire broke away from the bit of rubbish he had been sniffing to catch up with his mother, but was quickly distracted again. The sky was quickly cooling to shades of dusk above the pair, which had shadows swiftly stretching to engulf them in cool darkness. He purred as he slipped into the shadow of a metal monster,

“I’m looking for my Shade, mama!” he mewled, “They could be hiding in this monster’s belly!” 

Morning’s tiny legs scrabbled as he squeezed himself underneath the belly of the beast. Underneath the pavement was cooler and damp, and the air was bright with the smell of rust. Strands of cobweb and lichen tickled his nose as he crawled on his own belly, calling out for his supposedly hiding Shade.

In the shadow of the monster, Morning squealed with delight when he spied a tiny, curled feline form. Nearly the same size, if a bit smaller. He crept up to what was surely his Shade waiting for him…

“Little Morning, I’ve already told you; your Shade hasn’t even formed yet–” his mother called from outside. He felt her paw swipe at his tail as she crouched down to gather him. 

The swiping went suddenly still, and his mother’s chastising tone fell deadly silent. 

“Who’s that?” she bristled and tensed.

Morning took the opportunity to wriggle away from her and settle by the curled kitten. His nose crinkled in confusion looking at them; their fur was white with little yellow spots. Scruffy and thin, with their ears and face pocked with scaley, hairless patches. Their eyes were swollen and sour-smelling, a fact previously masked by the rusty smell of the monster itself. They looked nothing like him! They were ugly!

The light beneath the belly grew a little darker as his mother crawled beneath the monster herself. His usually chastising mother now drew a soft, hushed tone. “Move aside, dear. Who is this kitten? Who’s kitten is this?”

“He smells like nobody,” Morning stuck his tongue out in boredom as his mother curled around them both, “And I’m sleepy. I wanna goooooo hoomee.” 

“No, son. He smells like city cats…” she turned from him and ran her nose down the little sire’s pelt. They were nearly still, except for a faint rising of their chest. “I don’t recognise the specific cat, the scent is too faint. No rightful dam would leave their kitten that long, …unless they didn’t plan on coming back at all.”

Morning watched his mother lap at the stranger kit’s swollen face. “Terrible dams everywhere these days. It’s not your fault, little one. I’m here now.”

—

Cold… it’s so cold… 

“Mama! Are you coming?!” I need to play!” a stranger squealed nearby.

The little white-and-yellow sire felt his ears prick slightly at this unfamiliar noise.  A voice… who’s voice? He could not remember anything but the cold in his bones, and the ache of his hungry belly.He tried to open his eyes, but could barely manage the slightest width. Where… who..? Even this much stung furiously and everything was fuzzy…His skin ached and he shut his eyes again.

It’s so cold– He struggled to form even the one thought, until suddenly something thick and soft enveloped him. Hairs tickled his nose and he scrunched in response. Deep, powerful rumbling shook his skin as a warm, wet tongue lapped against his fur. 

A second, more feminine voice sounded around him, “Morning, you can play inside. I can’t watch you both. What did I tell you about needs and wants?” 

“I want to play outside–” the squealing voice groaned, cut off by the larger one “And he needs to warm up. Be grateful you aren’t sick like him and can play at all.”

He listened to the conversation only partially, everything came in little pieces he didn’t quite understand. A smaller body loudly shuffled over and flumped beside him, adding their tiny warmth in turn. 

A tired groan was followed by trotting pawsteps, muttering as they tucked into the larger cat’s fur. “Its sunny out now! I sleeped earlier, why’s he still sleeping? He should get up and play with me, Mama.” 

“Hush, Morning. He needs to sleep to get better, and he can’t play with you if he’s sick, now can he?” the little voice grumbled an agreement, their body pressed against his. The sick kitten sighed despite the exchange, grateful for these strangers and their warm bodies against his.

Before he felt the exhaustion drift him away again… he heard the other kitten mumble, “Wass’is name, anyway”

A pause from the larger dam.

“Like you said dear, it’s Sunny. Now huddle close to me…”