warm.

2 moons before JadeClan

Heather slowly stepped out of their carrier, stretching and yawning. The trip from the pet shop had been pretty long, but they’d managed to sleep through most of it. Their eyes glanced left and right as they took in the sight of their new home. There were a lot of strange objects that they’d never seen before, like a big metal box with a rack inside, and a glowing dome on the ceiling that emitted a warm, amber light. The scent of this place was also quite alien; the only familiar smell that they could identify was that of another cat. The cat who’d been brought here alongside them.

Her name was Ghost, and she was quite a bit older than Heather. They’d been placed in opposite ends of the pet shop, so Heather didn’t know her scent very well. They’d probably only seen her once or twice before today. What they could discern about her, however, was that the shop was not her first home. She had the faint scent of another place, though Heather could not figure out what that other place was. Maybe it was another Twoleg house, maybe it was a barn? It was anyone’s guess.

Ghost emerged from her carrier and began to sniff Heather curiously. Her blue eyes were alert, but not hostile. Heather returned the gesture, and eventually the two began sharing tongues. Their Twoleg owner made some excited noises as they continued to groom each other. Heather felt their body relax at the sensation of Ghost’s licking. They were happy to know that the cat they’d be sharing a home with was friendly.

The two gradually got to know each other during their daily routines. Heather learned that Ghost was rather adept at climbing; she always made it to the top of the carpeted cat-tree before Heather even climbed up halfway. 

They told her all about their littermates, the most notable of which was Juneau; Heather’s brother who was a jumpy ball of energy. Ghost enjoyed the silly little stories, but always went quiet whenever Heather asked her about her own family. They decided not to press on it.

Shortly after they both came home, a third pet was introduced to the household; a Pomsky named Pepper. Their Twoleg owner had set up a separate room for Pepper to prevent conflict between him and the cats, until it was certain that everyone was comfortable with each other. While Ghost preferred to avoid him, Heather often snuck into his room and played with him.

Heather didn’t know what it was about Pepper that had caught their interest. They’d been told that cats and dogs were enemies by nature; yet they couldn’t help but melt every time they looked into Pepper’s big, adorable brown eyes. Their face lit up at the sound of his shrill little barks and yips. Unlike most dogs, he was smaller than both Heather and Ghost.

He was still a young puppy, barely half a year old, but Heather was already certain that he’d keep his cute looks for the rest of his life.

Almost every day, Heather took at least one nap in Pepper’s room. It helped them get used to his scent, and it was comforting to be so close to the little pup. One day in particular was different, though. It was utterly unforgettable.

Heather was sitting on the couch, while the Twolegs were using a machine which they called a “TV.” Heather wasn’t sure how the TV worked or what it was for, but they enjoyed the ambient noise that it produced. They were half-asleep, swishing their fluffy tail back and forth. They were unable to understand the Twoleg chatter in the room, but they could sense that it was peaceful and jovial.

Pepper then jumped up on the couch and snuggled up to Heather, causing them to smile. They loved Pepper’s cuddles; he was just like a little pillow. They returned the affection like usual until something unexpected happened.

Pepper licked Heather’s neck.

In an instant, Heather was a small kitten again, nuzzling up to their mother’s belly. Their little body was all warm and their breath smelled of fresh milk. They felt their mother grooming them, her gentle licks on the neck feeling like pure bliss. They let out a bunch of tiny, content purrs, feeling safer than ever.

Some time would pass, and their mother was gone for some reason. They missed her, but at least they still had their littermates.

Until all of them, too, started to disappear, being carried off by Twolegs never to be seen again. It was a scary thought.

And then Heather was the only one left. 

Their siblings had been adopted when they were all younger, but Heather was already past their adolescence by this point, still waiting. 

They watched through the windows of their enclosure, now populated by just them and a few cats that they didn’t know well. They finally understood that being taken by Twolegs was not a fate to be afraid of. It was the opposite, being passed over and left behind, which was what they should have dreaded all along. And now that was their reality.

They curled into a ball, unable to stop the tears from coming. They had never felt so alone before.

They desperately tried to cling on to whatever traces of their family’s scents still lingered in the air. They shut their eyes tightly, breathing in everything they could.

Until a tiny paw touched their back.

They opened their eyes, finding themself back in the living room, with Pepper by their side.