"Hey, Nutmeg! Have the kits opened their eyes?" The voice sounded faint, but it grew stronger. The little she-kit forced herself to listen.
"Not yet, Jake." The answer came in a soft purr. "Emerald has been trying for quite some time, but her eyelids are refusing to obey. Personally, I think Princess will be the first."
That was her name! The she-kit recognized it from her mother's murmurs every night. She promised that they were safe, and she's look after them always. She said their names while nuzzling them!
Forcing her eyes to open, Princess saw the world for the first time. It seemed fuzzy and wet, but blinking made it sharp and clear. "Mama." She mewed. "Mama."
Nutmeg gasped. "Princess! You did it!"
"Look! Rusty is opening his eyes, too!" A ginger cat exclaimed.
"Emerald, Oak, and Autumn won't be far behind!" The brown tabby, Nutmeg, proclaimed. "I hope they all make it through the cold season ok. It won't be long now before new twolegs choose them. Will they be happy?"
"You were. And I was. Everyone is given new housefolk as kits. But you have good housefolk. They won't let cruel twolegs take them, only kind ones." The ginger tom mewed softly.
"You're right." Nutmeg sighed. "Rusty, Princess, this is your father Jake."
"Hi, Jake!" Rusty squeaked.
"Hi!" Princess echoed. She felt odd, laying in a nest of soft blankets.
"Would you like me to show you the den and the garden?" Jake asked softly,mad if guessing her discomfort. "You'll feel better when you've run around a bit."
"Oh, yes! I want to see where we live!" Princess squeaked, instantly energized.
"Where do you live?" Rusty asked curiously. "In here, with us?"
"No, Rusty. I live in another den. Perhaps one day, when you are older, I can take you there. But you are too little now. Besides, if you explore everything now, you'll have nothing to do tomorrow!" The tom purred, amused.
Leading the way, Jake hopped away from the basket of blankets and onto a soft, colorful stone. "This is where you'll sleep every night, until you're old enough to have dens of your own." He answered the unspoken question.
Princess watched Rusty scramble out of the basket, leaping onto the soft stone as if he had been born for it. The she-kit followed more carefully. "Look, there are little animals in the water!" She exclaimed as Jake led them to a strange thing sticking out of the wall. The water was full of blue stones, and golden fish swam to-and-fro in the crystal-clear water.
"Those are called fish." Her father explained. "The twolegs keep them as pets. Don't dab at them, or the twolegs will be very angry."
"Why? Surely fish are prey!" Rusty exclaimed, as if the urge to hunt had already sparked within his heart.
"No! We do not eat prey, Rusty. We eat only pellets. Prey is for the wild cats, but we have better lives than them." Jake exclaimed. "Do not hunt prey."
"What is the red wall?" Princess asked in awe. A bright red rectangle stood out on the pale green wall.
"That is called a door. The little flap at the bottom is how we go outside, and the twolegs push the whole door open to go outside. They are strong." Jake meowed, walking towards it. He slipped through a little cream-colored flap quite easily.
Unsure how to follow, Princess prodded the door. It flew open, and she almost believed that she had pushed it all the way! Then, she saw her father with one corner in his mouth. Amusement shone in his eyes.
Princess began to pad out through the opening, but Rusty was faster. He shoved past her, racing across the stone path until he reached a wall of wood. "What is behind the wall?" He mewed breathlessly, while Princess was still standing by the door.
"The thunderpath is right beyond." Jake admitted. "It is loud and smelly. But beyond that is the forest, where wild cats live. It is a dangerous place, so do not go beyond the fence." His tone was serious, for the first time.
"These smell nice!" Princess squeaked, staying away from the fence. Next to the door, two tall bushes with dark leaves and pink flowers stood. She shoved her way into one, hoping to breathe in the scent even more.
"Princess, get out of there!" Her father hissed, sounding worried.
"Why?" But the she-kit was only answered by thorns prodding her like claws. "Ouch! Get me out!" She cried, struggling. It seemed the bush went on forever and yet the rest of the garden smelled so close!
Strong teeth closed around her scruff and yanked her out of the flowering bush. Falling onto warm stone, Princess looked up to see her ginger father staring down at her. "Ouch." She repeated, confused.
"That is called a rose bush. They are pretty, but they have sharp thorns. It is time to go back inside, so that you can rest." Jake mewed kindly. The two kits followed him inside, paws itching to explore more.
Cold air blasted Princess's face as she stepped through the flap. Hurrying over to the basket for warmth, she noticed that Nutmeg appeared worried.
Hello! I don't own warriors. As you probably knew. And the action will come soon! This was just to get you introduced to all the characters.