I don't remember too much of Bengali's lore in Ruins, as I've had multiple iterations of it since- that said, I will try to keep him recognisable, but I'm taking liberties. This chapter is shorter, and for that I do apologise, but I wanted to avoid too much exposition.

Also to be noted: I cannot write children. I tried.

The arrival of WilyCat and WilyCub was heralded only by the sound of their scampering, their kitten claws scraping against the polished stone floors, and a couple of giggles as they tried to sneak up on him- more specifically, as WilyCat tried to sneak up on him.

Bengali sighed internally.

Glancing up, he could see a small, bemused smile playing on his mother's features while she tried not to snicker about her grandson's less than optimal stealth tactics. She would probably get upset if he didn't play along as well.

"Playing is how cubs learn," and, "It doesn't hurt to let them have fun."

He thought it was also important to nudge them a little, in the right direction. Telling them he heard their giggles wouldn't put them put too much, would it?

Anyway, he didn't understand their fascination with sneaking up on him.

Another giggle, and Bengali straightened and looked up, making a show of scanning his surroundings but evidently missing WilyCub's mop of blond mane that poked out from the doorway and WilyCat's various patches that weren't camouflaged. He heard them both gasp and inhale sharply, holding their breath now they realised their mistake.

"Did you hear something, Mother?" he asked.

"Nope." she answered, not even glancing up from her etchings she was working on. "Must have been the wind, little one."

Bengali nodded, as though that was a reasonable explanation- the things he did for cubs- and turned back to examining the blue-prints spread out on his workbench, weighted down by his hammer on one corner, tongs on another, a chisel on the third, and a small lump of raw ore on the fourth and final.

He should invest in some paperweights. He added that to his mental list of things to requisition.

WilyCat crept closer, apparently encouraged that Bengali had definitely not seen or heard him. He was quieter and more careful this time, but he was a cub and only had so much finesse.

His twin was breathing shallowly, but audibly.

Finally, after a few more moments, WilyCat reached him. Bengali whipped around when he felt a small tug on his clothes, feigning a startled jump. "WilyCat!" he exclaimed, resting a hand over his heart. "You gave me a heart attack! When did you get in here?"

The two couldn't contain it. They both started giggling, although WilyCat beamed with pride and lifted his arms, indicating he wanted to be picked up.

After a close inspection of his fur, Bengali acquiesced.

What? Cubs could get into all sorts of things, and he didn't want to get dirtied.

"I got-uh, Unc-le Gali." he said proudly. "I sc-ared you."

"Yup." Bengali agreed.

"Look at m-y tooooth," WilyCat opened his mouth wide, poking at one. It wiggled and wobbled. With his paw still in his mouth, he added, "Iths loosh."

Bengali gave him a smile. "That's very nice, WilyCat."

"So... Bengali."

"Yes, Tygra?" Bengali continued to stare up at the starry night sky.

Tygra shifted, turning his head to look at him, and lifted a paw to gesture vaguely. "You and Pumyra..."

"What about us?" he asked warily. What he really meant was, This again?

At some point or another In the last couple of years, all of them had expressed concern about their relationship- but they didn't really understand.

Pumyra understood him better than anyone, and he her. She had died, and been resurrected as nothing but a vengeful vestige of the cat she'd been. He had been infected with a malevolent spirit that had hid itself so well he hadn't even realised it was there until it was gone.

That was neither of their faults. The experience had brought them together.

Lion-O, Tygra, and Cheetara had some difficulties separating the Pumyra of now, with the Pumyra that had betrayed them. They were always wary around her, if not distrustful.

Bengali liked to think the last four years had improved things.

"How are things between the two of you?" Tygra asked, adding, "Honestly."

"They're just fine. Why are you asking?"

Tygra shrugged. "WilyCat and WilyCub seem to think she's going to have a cub too."

Bengali snorted, a little amused by that. "Did you tell them it was Auntie Pumilee in the purple?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, we're not having one. She's not comfortable with cubs."

Tygra studied him for a moment, searching for something to suggest anything, Bengali supposed. "Is that... what you want?"

"I want to be with her. Having a cub has never been one of my priorities."

This was, apparently, the correct answer.

Tygra nodded, and changed the topic. Bengali puzzled over that bit of conversation until he was sufficiently distracted by their mother arriving.

Once she did, they both climbed to their feet and helped her set out the food on the small dining table arranged near the reservoir, idly talking and eating. It made her happy to have time to catch up with Tygra, who she'd never gotten to properly know as her son because of their father, but now had the opportunity to.

It also made her happy to see the two of them together, even if Bengali found it unbearably awkward at times- for twenty-two years, he'd had no idea he and Prince Tygra were related at all. The idea of having a brother, or sister, had never appealed to him, and even four years later it was still a strange concept.

He hardly thought of Tygra as his brother, let alone twin brother.

Tygra was Tygra, and Tygra's brother was Lion-O.

For the most part, Tygra seemed glad to have this time, and the two did most of the conversing with one another. They often mentioned him in their topics, trying to include him, but for the most part, Bengali was content to listen to them talk.

"- are precious," Balia smiled widely and affectionately. "They like to sneak up on Bengali."

"Is that what they were talking about yesterday?" Tygra asked, a bemused, lopsided grin on his features.

Bengali took another bite of his food. For a few moments, they were all quiet while they ate. "Dinner is wonderful as always, Mother." 'As always' was a bit of a white lie. Foods fell into two categories with his mother: foods she could cook well and foods she could not cook.

The foods she could not cook were numerous, and those that she could were selective.

"Yes, it's delicious." Tygra agreed quickly.

Their mother smiled, pleased. "I'm glad the two of you are enjoying it."

Just as Bengali thought the weirdness of his day was behind him (ha, as if), he found Pumyra pacing- not quite angrily, but her movements were quick and sharp.

Oh boy...

Pumyra's head snapped up as he approached.

"Should I be scared?" he asked in jest. "You seem tense."

Ever the reticent, and bad at articulating to the point she'd given up on it, Pumyra grasped his paw and yanked him behind her into the room.

Bengali exclaimed a little at the abruptness.

She let his paw go once they entered and she'd all but used the momentum to sling him onto the edge of the bed. And then, she tucked herself on his lap like a bride, and buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"O-oh, okay. Um. What's this about, Pumyra?" he asked again, wrapping his arms around her.

And then, he heard the purring, and felt the vibrations of her chest as she rumbled softly.

Bengali never did figure out what that impromptu, and slightly terrifying, cuddle session was about.