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What’s out there?
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Cricketkit yawned widely and blinked her baby blue eyes and looked around the nursery. This was thus far her entire world and she couldn’t yet imagine what was beyond the entrance of the den. It was too bright out there to even consider going over there to look. Not yet while her eyes were still getting used to seeing. Although things were certainly a lot easier to decipher now. Yet she still didn’t have the words to describe most things. It didn’t matter, she would learn. She was learning every single day and it was so exciting!

Speaking of exciting, the little brown torbie’s eyes finally fell on the shadowy shape of her brother. As per usual, he was near the wall of the nursery. It always seemed that Beetlekit was as far to the edge of the den or the nest as he possibly could be. Not like Cricketkit at all. She liked to be in the centre of things. It was the warmest and softest place after all. She didn’t understand Beetlekit’s preference but it mattered not. He was him and she was her and that was how things were. As she watched, the little she-kit noticed the ball of moss her brother was patting at. Play? Her blue eyes grew wide at the idea and a smile lit her face. Play time! Eagerly Cricketkit pulled herself to her little paws and she tottered her way awkwardly toward Beetlekit, climbing over hills of rushes, moss and feathers.

The brown torbie fell as she finally reached Beetlekit. Her paws weren’t yet used to walking and the uneven ground of the Nursery with its various linings to keep it soft and warm made keeping her balance even more difficult. Yet, those very linings also ensured that she was never hurt when she did fall. The little kit simply grinned at her brother and mewed in wordless excitement before rolling onto her side and reaching a paw out to him in a batting gesture. He was playing and she wanted to join even though she didn’t have the words to ask yet.

Roly poly, topsy turvey, bumble paws

❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 𓆣 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Beetlekit’s head lifted when the rustle of tiny paws came closer. His whiskers twitched as Cricketkit tumbled into view. Legs, fluff and bright eyes. For a heartbeat he froze one paw hovering protectively over the moss ball like it was something fragile.

Then her grin reached him that seemed full of eager, soundless laughter. Some of the stillness melted off his shoulders, and he blinked a bit shyly at her. "Hi..." He breathed, grinning. His stubby tail gave a small, uncertain wiggle. "...Pla' too?"

He carefully and deliberaly nosed the moss ball toward her. It rolled only a little before stopping near her outstretched paw. Beetlekit watched her to see what she might do with it. he took a few hesitant and wobbly steps towards her. His ears tipped forward, a rare flicker of invitation in his shy expression.

What’s out there?
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Cricketkit grinned back at her brother, full of excitement. ”Yuh!” she chirped back, waving her paws. As the moss ball rolled just barely beyond her reach, the brown tortoiseshell squirmed a little closer and tapped at it with the tip of her paw. The ball rolled in a perfectly unaimed direction and Cricketkit rolled over, paws scrabbling as she tried to get up to chase it and bat it toward Beetlekit like she had hoped it would.

When the little she-cat’s paws finally got a purchase underneath her, Cricketkit shot toward the ball of moss, tiny tail stuck straight up and bushed out in her excitement before she promptly toppled tail over head. The now-scruffy torbie wasn’t yet co-ordinated enough to run properly, much less over the uneven ground of the nursery and she wound up flopped on the lining giggling and reaching for the moss ball which she had rolled passed, finally managing to swipe it toward Beetlekit.

Roly poly, topsy turvey, bumble paws

❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 𓆣 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Beetlekit let out a tiny, breathy laugh when Cricketkit toppled, all smiles. Her enthusiasm was hard not to get swept into. When she finally managed to bat the moss ball back toward him, it came rolling faster than he expected.

He backed up a step but his paws tangled under him. " Ah!" The moss ball bumped his chest, and he tipped sideways with a soft thud. By the time he righted himself it was already wobbling toward the nursery entrance. Beetlekit blinked then hurried after it on his unsteady little legs.

"Wa - wait…" He squeaked. He stumbled after it, paws slipping and nearly bowled himself straight out of the nursery. Beetlekit skidded to a stop right at the edge of the entrance.

He peered out cautiously… and saw someone there. The big tom's shape was stretched out. Watching. Beetlekit froze instantly, paws glued to the ground. The moss ball sat a fox length away but he didn’t dare step forward.

What’s out there?
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Cricketkit giggled as Beetlekit fell over too. Amused that she wasn’t the only clumsy kit around. As she saw Beetlekit chasing after the mossball, excitement thrilled through the brown torbie scrabbled to her paws to chase after him in the most ungainly fashion possible. She really hadn’t the control over her little limbs yet to be running, but her enthusiasm had her constantly trying, ignoring the falls as she went.

The little kit hadn’t expected her brother to stop and promptly fell head over tail beside him as she tried to stop herself. ”Whya stahp?” she mewed in confusion. Words were difficult for Cricketkit so far. They felt funny in her mouth so she tended to avoid it for now. Even so, sometimes words were needed and this was one of those moments. The brown torbie looked out beyond the entrance of the den. She hadn’t ever left the Nursery before. Rarely had she even come to the entrance either and it took a while for her vision to adjust to the brightness of the world beyond.

It took several moments for Cricketkit to work out what Beetlekit was looking at and when she did notice the tom, she simply tilted her head. She blinked steadily as she watched the cat get up and slowly move toward them, keeping low. Admiration swelled in the little kit’s heart, although she hardly knew the word. Simply she felt drawn to this cat, and that she wanted to be like him. His movements seemed so smooth to her. So quiet and precise. Imagine if she had such control over her own paws! Cricketkit looked down at her paws and grinned. She had no clue who this was, but she wanted to be like him!

When the little torbie looked back up again she noticed the previously forgotten ball of moss rolling back toward herself and Beetlekit. Once more a bundle of excitement, Cricketkit’s short kitten tail shot up and she squeaked in delight as she bounced toward the moss in an ungainly fashion. She attempted to jump on it and knock it toward Beetlekit. Missing her jump, Cricketkit simply managed to knock the mossball away from all three cats while she lay on the ground, having fallen once again, giggling and grinning at the two cats near her.

Roly poly, topsy turvey, bumble paws

❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 𓆣 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Beetlekit flinched when the moss ball suddenly came rolling back toward him. His breath hitched, a tiny sound caught in his throat. Coldstar’s scent edged the air now, sharper and colder than the nursery’s warm milk scent.

He couldn’t move. His little body stayed hunched at the threshold frozen as though even breathing too loudly might draw unwanted attention. The only thing that moved was the faint tremor of his stubby tail.

Then Cricketkit tumbled into him. Beetlekit startled as she bowled over beside him, her confusion tugging his gaze away from the shape outside. When she asked why he’d stopped he could only shake his head a little. His throat seemed to tight for words.

As Cricketkit bounded forward and the ball was moving, Beetlekit watched her chase it as if nothing scary had happened at all. Her ease didn’t erase the tension in him only softened the edges.

Then...bravely, he took a breath and a step followed. His paws still wobbled, but he inched forward into the strip of light beyond the nursery entrance, eyes flicking quickly between the moss ball, Cricketkit… and Coldstar.

Beetlekit swallowed hard. Then, in his small voice mewed. "... S’kay, Crik-rikkit...I'L' get."

He tottered toward the moss ball keeping his body angled so he could still see the tom out of the corner of his eye. He reached the ball and gently nudged it back toward his sister.

What’s out there?
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Beetlekit’s state of fear made no sense to Cricketkit. Their mother wouldn’t keep them anywhere near danger, let alone let them play around like this if it wasn’t safe. Besides! What was there to fear? The big cat? He seemed friendly enough to the little torbie. Especially with how he had nudged the moss ball back to them. A mean thing like a fox wouldn’t do that! Not that Cricketkit had ever paid much heed to any warnings her mother may have given. Life was fun, the world was exciting, if a bit too bright or large at times.

”Go Beet’kit!” Cricketkit chirped enthusiastically. As much as she loved chasing things around, and had a tendency to hog the play items, she did actually enjoy seeing her littermate play too. She just needed to work on including him a bit more. The little brown torbie watched her brother gleefully until she felt a paw poking her. Working with the nudging, she got to her paws and grinned at the older cat. ”Hmmm,” she hummed in response to his words. Cricketkit had no clue what he was trying to say. How could she get ahead of herself? And what was focus? Still she found herself wanting to know, to understand. ”Wha’ foe~cuss?” the little kit pulled faces as she tried the new word and stared wide-eyed at the tom.

Whatever reply might have been given would be completely missed by Cricketkit as noticed the raggedy moss ball rolling back toward her. She immediately scampered toward it, little tail sticking up straight and fluffed out in excitement. She was wobbly and stumbled as she went, but her determination was clear and the little torbie soon caught the ball and gnawed on it for a moment, growling in kitten savagery before swiping it somewhat toward Coldstar.

Roly poly, topsy turvey, bumble paws

❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ 𓆣 ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Beetlekit watched Cricketkit bounce toward the moss ball again. Every so often his gaze flicked toward Coldstar as if checking the tom was still there… and still not doing anything frightening.

When Cricketkit chomped on the moss ball with her tiny, ferocious growl, Beetlekit blinked wide eyed and a little impressed. His sister always seemed so brave. But then she sent the moss ball rolling… toward the big tom.

Beetlekit let out a tiny squeak. "Crik'kitkit - !" His warning trailed off into a soft whimper as the moss ball bumped to a stop near Coldstar’s paws. His sister didn't seem worried at all!

Beetlekit swallowed and inched forward, his whiskers trembling. Coldstar hadn’t hissed or snapped. He’d nudged Cricketkit up so gently...He lifted his paw with some hesitation and whispered without quite looking up,

"C'n… I… um… get it…?" His stub tail - even smaller than the one he inherited from Coldstar - quivered but he didn’t run.