A/n I don't know why I wrote this, but i liked it. So enjoy!
Crookshanks had only loved one person in the entirety of his life. He had spent the first ten years of his life on the streets. He had left Mama when he was too big for her to care for. He had known that he should love Mama. She had raised and cared for him for as long as his memory went back. However, he didn't. There was something inside him that told him Mama was temporary. He knew that he would have to find his own place in the world. His own family in whatever form that took. Those conflicting thoughts, knowing he should have loved Mama, and the instinct that he could not, kept him from living more than in the moment.
It wasn't until a day, no different than any other, he found the one person he would love more than anything else. His Kitten. She had fur that puffed around her head like a bird's house, smelled for yummy things, and bright brown eyes that shined in love for him. He knew he was not perfect. Many a human turned their nose up at his smooshed face and twisted back legs. He was far larger than the other cats, and showed nothing but contempt on his face, yet she loved him from the moment she saw him. Crookshanks loved her too. His Kitten carried him in her arms and spoke soothing words as he hissed and thrashed trying to kill the Not-rat. Humans had taught him that not one of their kind is to be trusted, especially Humans who hide. His Kitten was the only exception. She was nothing but light and hope and loyalty. He did not want the Not-rat to harm his Kitten.
He had attempted time and time again to catch the Not-rat and let his blood run in protection of his Kitten. In the end he ended up hurting her, by isolating her from her litter mates. He tried to tell them as best he could the dangers of the Not-Rat, but they didn't understand. He had driven himself into a rage at the sheer ignorance of them. Surely his Kitten recognized his attempts to protect her, but no, even she did not understand. He left the castle walls, dejected. What did he expect from kittens? His Kitten was special and smart and wonderful, but she was still a kitten. He was the one who needed to protect her from the Not-rat.
That was how he met Not-dog. Not-dog had been sculking around the castle, hiding in the trees, being a human no different from the Not-rat. Crookshanks watched Not-dog, trying to find a weakness, it would be far harder to protect his Kitten from Not-dog verses Not-rat, but he would die protecting his Kitten if need be. He knew there was no other purpose to his life, but to care for his Kitten. The knowledge of needing to leave Mama, the dislike of humans, it all brought him where he needed to be, with his Kitten.
Hello. Not-dog had seen him and spoke in an animal way, but not quite right. Crookshanks had scoffed, disgusted that no one seemed to notice Not-dog and Not-rat as what they truly were, liars.
Not-dog speaks to Crookshanks. He eyed the creature, narrowing his senses. Not-dog did not smell of distrust and fear like Not-rat did. He wasn't all bad. He smelled a little like his Kitten. A loyalty so strong it could be picked up by senses no human possessed.
Not-Dog? He laughed, a bark crackling through the trees. I Padfoot. He moved closer to Crookshanks, head down, curious and appearing harmless. Does Crookshanks live in castle?
The big Den? My Kitten lives there. I protect her and her littermates. Crookshanks hissed in warning when Not-dog moved closer. I will kill any put my Kitten in danger.
I want a rat. The seriousness and hatred in Not-dog's tone, surprised Crookshanks. I won't harm your Kitten.
Not-rat? Like you Not-dog? Crookshanks felt his tail twitch, maybe he had an ally in Not-dog.
Yes, hiding. I want him. I need him. Kill him. Not-dog growled and howled words Crookshanks did not know. What he did know was that Not-dog was good, at least good enough to help kill the Not-rat. He would not turn away help, since he was not having any luck killing Not-rat himself.
The rest of the year passed by with attempt after attempt failing. Quickly Crookshanks was growling frustrated. Not-rat was still there putting his Kitten in danger. Not-dog was growing even more angry as time flew by, Crookshanks was attached to Not-dog. Not like his Kitten, but enough that he wanted to help him.
The year came to a head, when the Not-rat had faked his death and hid among the greens of the large human. Crookshanks had his teeth buried deep into Not-rat's back, happily taking him to his Kitten, hoping she'd finally understand the danger. The relief of having Not-rat gone from her was important to him. Instead Crookshanks ran from Not-dog knowing he'd kill Not-rat and his Kitten would always see him as a bad protector. They ran into a human his Kitten respected, she figured out the truth, and revealed Not-rat as exactly what he was.
Crookshanks basked in the love and praise from his Kitten and her littermates. The Not-dog was hidden away, for reasons the Crookshanks didn't care to grasp. As long as his Kitten was safe, and the Not-rat was gone that was all that mattered. The humans dancing around like bees without a hive meant nothing to him. Crookshanks sat happily on his Kitten's lap watching the excitement of her littermates, with the knowledge that he protected his Kitten, and he would continue to do so. The Not-dog had sworen to help as well, once he was free of the lies of others trapping him. Not-dog would be a good addition to his Kitten.