"If you taught us how to hunt we could help you." Lightning pouted, his short tail flicking as his brother and sister dug into the rabbit they were sharing. Ash chuckled.
"You can't jump far enough yet. Food won't let you stand on top of it to hunt, Lightning." The golden kit huffed.
"That's cause my legs hurt from walking all the time. I bet I could jump far enough if we rested for a bit." The young tom finally took a bite of the freshkill in front of him. Ash purred and looked to the sky. It was just passed sunhigh on their fifth day without Root. The kits had started getting more energy again as they continue their journey. Grooming his thick chest fur and tail the tom thought about their destination. He had picked to go towards the sunset in search of the lake but he wasn't sure if it was the right direction. Soot spoke up drawing Ash's attention to him.
"Are you going to eat?" He stared up at him with his amber eyes. The kits had eaten quite a bit, but there was still some left while they swiped their tongues over their jaws.
"Of course. I wait for you to finish eating first." He states, crouching and taking a mouthful.
"Why? You're bigger so you have to eat more." The gray kit was obviously concerned. Ash wraps his tail around the kit comfortingly as he finishes the last couple bites.
"Your bellies are smaller so you get hungry faster. And you're growing so you need more food." He states. The tom gives the kit's head a lick and stands up. "Let's get moving again."
Ignoring the quiet protests of his company Ash begins walking.
"I'm so sleepy though!" Drizzle complains as she pads beside his side.
"I am too! Can't we stop for the day?" Lightning chimes in. "Please, Ash? We've been walking for days! One rest won't hurt." He continues. The tip of Ash's tail flicks against his will and his ears flatten as he holds back a groan. The kits saw the show of irritation and continue, Soot putting his voice into it as well.
"Cmon Ash, you could probably rest your paws too. Pretty please?" At that all three kits began begging at once, their mewls blending together. Ash let's out an audible groan. They wouldn't be trying this with their mother. The tom stopped and thought it over, the kits tripping over themselves around him.
They have been traveling with nighttime being almost their only rest for days. And it's not like the lake is going to move just because they wait a day. As the tom was considering his options the aching in his paws increased. If his paws were hurting this much he could only imagine what the kits were feeling.
"Alright" he meowed, making his way to a thick bush. "We'll stop but you better rest." He gave a pointed look to the kits before crawling under the branches. Their cheers filled the space as he laid in the small area. The three stumbled over and climbed over the tom trying to find a spot to lay that they liked. Drizzle settled for right on top of him while Soot curled up against his stomach and Lightning tucked himself into Ash's chest fur.
Purring, the dusty tom wrapped his tail around them and laid his head down. He closed his eyes as the aching in his paws faded.
"Do you think birds wanna be cats?" Drizzle asked almost hopping beside Ash as they walk. Before Ash could respond her brother answered.
"Of course they do!" Lightning puffed his chest out. "Who wouldn't?"
"I think it would be cool to fly. Maybe it would be better to be an owl. Or a hawk." Drizzle responded.
"Don't be mouse-brained! Just because we can't fly doesn't mean we aren't better." the golden tom mewed. Ash gently cuffed the kit's ear.
"Don't say mouse-brained, Lightning. It's rude. Other cats can have different opinions." Ash meowed sternly. Drizzle and Soot held back chuckles as Lightning flattened his ears in embarrassment. "Apologize to your sister."
"She's not even upset!" the kit protested.
"She could be, how do you know she's not?"
"Uh, because she's my sister? I know her." The earthen tom stopped and looked at the kit with a pointed look. Lightning stared back at Ash's blue eyes with his own green, his black tail tip stood up defiantly. The two kits on the side looked between the bickering cats curiously. Ash sighed after the kit showed no sign of changing his mind.
"Not everybody is your sister though, Lightning. What if we find more cats? You might hurt somebody." he mewed, wrapping his thick tail around the kit.
"You say everybody can have their own opinion but I'm not allowed to show mine ever." the kit shot back moving away from the older tom's tail. Soot and Drizzle looked at each other, they weren't expecting this.
"Of course you can" Ash responded incredulously. "You just have to be respectful about it. Just don't call other cats names, that's all I'm trying to explain." the small kit huffed and looked away. Ash blinked and began walking again. He flicked his tail to show the kits to follow and they continued in silence.
"Are you okay?" Soot whispered to Lightning that night after they settled down and Ash fell asleep. The kits were all snuggled together separated from the adult tom a few mouselengths. The tensions from the small argument had not faded.
"Yeah" the other tom muttered.
"He didn't mean to upset you." Drizzle mewed, trying to comfort her brother. Lightning huffed.
"I don't understand why he made such a big deal about it. We were just talking." He stated. "He always tries to make me be quiet and not go against anything. I want to understand why something is how it is before I go along with it." The kit buried his muzzle under his black paws. The other two glanced at each other and Drizzle licked Lightening's shoulder quietly. They weren't sure how to comfort their brother. The kit and Ash have bickered before but it had not been like this, and someone else was there to intervene when tensions got too high. Unable to decide what would help the kits snuggled closer and closed their eyes. Things would be okay in the morning probably.
A/N Chapter 2! just some little interactions for our characters, they still have a long way to go. A bit later than hoped but still there. I hope you guys enjoyed! Till next chapter!