Prologue
The sound was only so faint. Compared to a quiet hawk, everything was silent for me. Talons gripped my diaphram as the giant bird soared into the sky, me in its sharp clutches. I wailed for help, and my mother came. Her claws scratched the hawk's talons, but the creature shook her to the ground. My wails became louder and more desperate, but to the cats down below, they only grew fainter and more distant.
I could not hear myself as I mewled for help, but only a soft buzzing filled my tiny ears.
The hawk's grip slipped up, and I felt myself tumbling to the ground, white tail streaming out behind me. I fell with a 'thud', and the hawk didn't bother to search for me. Instead, it flew off quietly. Of course, everything happened quietly for me.
But then I saw two cats I recognized. I tried to call out for help, but, alas, I was too weak. The two cats turned around after awhile, not even spotting me, and headed back to camp with their tails drooping and their heads bent in sorrow.
S'alright, I told myself in my mind. Eventual' come' back fur' meh'. I hardly understood what I was thinking, but I understood it enough to haul myself to my tiny paws and edge my way toward a random, lucky, abandoned Twoleg den. I pushed myself through the flap and saw several cats, eyes narrowed to slits, looking at me. The black she-cat said something, and I cocked my head to the side.
"Ya' welc' ta' st'," it sounded like. Perhaps she was saying, "You're welcome to stay." I hoped that was what she was actually saying as more and more cats crowded around me, smiles on their face.
A white tabby she-cat picked me up by my scruff and settled me down on a soft substance, where her other kits were sucking.
"G' on'," she mewed quietly. She was probably talking much louder than I thought, but, oh, well...
I began to suckle as well, my paws kneading her soft belly. It felt good to feel like I belonged again. But they didn't know I was deaf, not yet.
My name is Snowkit.