(Art by me)

    Warmth. Soft fur. Love.

Those were the thing he felt as the tomkit wiggled in his nest. He felt his mother's soft furry tail cradle him and the other warm body next to him.

Brother.

He knew it was his brother, he was there since the start. The cat who slept next to him, the cat who would sometimes roll over him, the cat who still be there when mother wasn't there.

When he opened his eyes, she looked like what he had felt for weeks.

Long, soft fur, the smell of milk coming from her. Familiarity swam in his mind as he heard her soft voice when his ears finally began to open.

"Hello, Mothkit, I see you opened your eyes. You had me worried for a moment," she greeted. The kit smiled, his small, fluffy, light brown body curled next to a larger, fully white one. A gray mask ran across his face, with his ear being the same color.

"Do you know who I am?"

Mothkit blinked his baby blue eyes, his small white paws shuffling as he tried to find his voice. He had never spoke before, what could he say? After a moment, the siemese molly gave a small giggle, her piercing blue eyes shining.

"My name is Laurelswoop, this is your brother, Milkweedkit." Laurelswoop gestured to the other, who wiggled, softly snoring. His small ears were open, pointing upwards.

"Mothkit opened his eyes?" asked a voice. The two looked to the den entry, seeing a large cinnamon and white tomcat enter into the Nursery, splashes of brown and ginger on him, bold, yet dull amber eyes staring at them.

Mothkit let out a small squeak of fear, curling up against his mother. Laurelswoop curled her tail around him, gently shushing him. "Yes, just now."

The tomcat grimaced, seeing the small tomkit. "Blue... like yours," he muttered, "but his patterning is like... his."

Laurelswoop narrowed her eyes. "Hickorylight, there is no sense in getting angry at something he doesn't have control over."

Mothkit didn't speak, too scared to even squeak. Hickorylight was four times the size of him, and muscles rippled under his fur as he stared at him. Milkweedkit wiggled closer to his brother, feeling his uneasiness.

"... I would have split that dung beetle's head open if Ra hadn't of protected him. Now all we have is one mistake that looks just like him and one that seems fairly okayish. I should take Owlblight away from-"

"You will do no such thing. How dare you speak of your sons that way. They are your sons as they are every bit of mine. What has happened can never be erased, yes, but shouldn't dwell some much in the past of it. You will not harm Houndhowl, nor his mate; or else Ra will strike you down. If I can put it aside, I suspect you can do it too."

The air suddenly shifted and became more tense. Hickorylight's hackles rose and his fur bristled, Mothkit helplessly staring at them as they locked eyes. Laurelswoop didn't back down, her eyes narrowing as they pierced through the other cat's gaze.

After many heartbeats, Hickorylight turned, taking slow steps as he left. In the entrance he froze, before looking over, giving a final look to the small family and left without a second word.

Slowly, the air lost it's overwhelming tension, as Laurelswoop cradled her kits close to her belly. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, don't pay him any attention. He's just angry."

Mothkit looked up, blue eyes round with worried. He took a small breath. What could he even say about what happened? His long ears went down, small paws nervously shuffling on the ground.

"Papa... doesn't like us?"

Laurelswoop's eyes widen, shaking her head. "No! No, no, no, no, no, honey, he does like you it's just-- he is very stressed at the moment. He is the Pharoah, he has very big and important jobs to do, and they are just getting to him. He-- he loves you, he's just in a bad mind set right now."

Milkweedkit slowly stood up, making the two look at him. Slowly his eyes opened, shiny blue eyes matching their mother's.

"Milkweedkit! Oh, honey, hello, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" she muttered, suddenly seeing his ears were now fully perked up. The white coated tomkit looked to him, before giving a smile.

"Nuh uh, it's fine. You finally open your eyes, and your ears are up too. Congrats baby brother!" Milkweedkit teased, jumping onto his brother, knocking him over.

Mothkit let out a small squeak of fear, being rolled over. Their mother gave a small chuckle, "Now now, toms, why don't you play, outside the nest?"

Milkweedkit smiled, looking out to the vacant Nursery den. "Laurelswoop is the only Petal in the tribe right now, so it's just us two," he explained. Mothkit slowly got up and off the ground, following his brother. Laurelswoop had chosen a nest near the side of the wall, where warm beams of sunlight gently filtered through the bramble roofing,

The den was spacious, or at least for now it was. When they grow up, Mothkit imaged it would be a more cramped, not to mention future Seedlings that would be born into the tribe.

Milkweedkit came to the center of the den, picking up a small ball of moss. "Icepaw made this for us after he went to train as an Ibis, saying him and Morningpaw loved to play catch with it. Me and Laurelswoop would toss it back and forth, but now you can play too! If you want to play, that is.... do you?"

Mothkit saw the small look of pleading on his brother's face, something in him telling him to say 'yes'. He didn't pay it any attention, giving a nod, making Milkweedkit smile brightly. A small warm feeling stirred in his chest, a small sense of pride as he saw his brother smile. To know he was the one who made him happy.

"Okay! Back up and I'll throw it to you!" Milkweedkit squeaked, taking the mossball, which was nearly the size of him, and tossed it up for his brother to catch. Mothkit reached up, able to hook his small paws around it, small claws gripping onto him.

He was pushed down onto his haunches, holding the mossball as he tried to steady himself. He took the soft ball into his mouth, taking it and tossing it back to his brother, who jumped up and caught it.

The two giggled as they threw it between them, sometimes falling over as they caught it, but brushed themselves off and went back to playing.

Laurelswoop smiled at her kits, a look of pride on her masked face as watched them. They were her sons, they were Houndhowl's sons, but no matter what Hickorylight would say, they were his too.

She just hoped he knew that before her plan fell into action.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Finished - Jan. 9th, 2021

Finally finished with chapter 1, just to give everyone a small taste as to what is happening.

Also, anyone want to see a baby Moth?

I'm working on a baby Milkweed too.

There he is!