Chapter 1: Soryn

His paw sank into the wet soil, aching pads relieved as he looked down from the crest of the hill. The warmth spread through his chest and into his paws making him certain.

We're finally here.

He looked back to the wave of cats calling out to him with joy, racing by him and down the ridge to their new home. He didn't even think he'd manage to bring them this far, they'd lost so many innocent kits on this journey. He ran down, springing from the ridge to follow them-

And landed on a tree. He glanced up at the cats following him, blurry and unclean but thin and starved. He grimaced around the kit in his mouth- how could a leader possibly do this to their own clan?

Never again.

He pressed through the bushes and bracken making his way towards the makeshift camp- these cats didn't deserve to die because one cat was selfish and cruel. He stalked as carefully as he could through the tunnel and-

Sank his claws into the wood of a tall tree and clambered into its uppermost branches. He walked out onto the most visible branch and glanced down at the sea of cats. They eyed him with admiration or fear or suspicion. Some cats perked up when his gaze fell on them and others averted their eyes. He blinked-

And was surrounded by cats made of stars. Many backing away from him, wide-eyed and cautious and others staring with hope or curiosity.

He jerked up and glanced at a blue and white molly who met his eyes before smiling.

"Yes," the molly purred. "You'll do just fine."

He tilted his head and opened his mouth to ask a question and-

His eyes opened.

Soryn groaned rolling on his back for a moment. He kept his paws in the air for a moment staring at the interlocking brambles crisscrossing on the ceiling. Fuzzy details of the dreams danced through his head as he tried to gather them into a semblance of sense.

He sighed, this was the third time this moon alone that he'd had the dream. The cat made of stars was new but the rest… who were the starved cats? And who was their leader? Why did these dreams keep coming?

"What are you trying to tell me Rayushu?" he muttered before finally rolling to his paws. He better get to his mother before she came stomping in demanding to know why he was still asleep. Soryn took a moment to groom himself and flatten down as many spaces of ruffled fur lest he get yowled at for looking scruffy.

He gave his coat a firm shake and stepped out of his warm nest. He studied the scattered hay bits before deciding he'd fix it later. Besides, if he cleaned the nest now he'd miss out on the feathers some of the duck farmers needed to get rid of. He glanced around at the various nests in his shared den and realized with a jolt he was the last one awake.

Soryn darted towards the tunnel and slid out past the present guards sitting at the opening. A brown furred molly sitting on the left and a stern-faced tortie on the right watching him with amusement as he shook the moss from his hind paws.

"Haha, late Ko?" purred the brown furred molly looking amused.

"Yeah I overslept," he responded. "Don't tell kina?"

"As long as she doesn't ask," agreed the tortie.

"Thanks Biketi, Kibara!" he called and sprinted out into the clearing.

Soryn smiled up at Ashara's Hearth near the slate wall, the flames flickered and danced in the daylight while cats curled around it. He trotted towards his siblings- thankfully, without their mother- sitting together with each other, eating and laughing loudly among each other. His youngest sister glanced up and purred loudly.

"Hey Soryn!" Ahasra called with a smile.

"Isisi," he responded, rubbing his cheek against hers.

She purred and let him sit on the right side of her to eat. Soryn grinned as he took a bite- sheep was his favorite. He glanced over his shoulder to the others around the Hearth- looks like the sheep were culled a few sunrises ago.

Perfect. Sheep for the next few sunrises, Soryn thinks to himself pleased. He scarfed down large mouthfuls eagerly, determined to what was left of the already scrawny carcass. He smiled a little when he noticed his siblings backing away from the kill, letting him eat as they cleaned the blood from their mouths. When Soryn started to feel full he stopped, remembering the stomach ache he'd gotten the last time.

"So what were you dreaming about?" asked Asha.

Soryn glanced up at his older sister whose eyes were twinkling with amusement.

"You were thrashing around like a squirrel with fleas," agreed his brother.

"It was that weird dream again," Soryn told them. "With the huge tree and crossing the river."

Hrahsi shrugged, "Maybe it's a Sight from Rayushu."

"Of what?" asked Soryn.

"Who knows," remarked Asha. "You know what they say; akieh yo masa"

"If it is a Sight, I'd tell those cats in your dreams to give me a straight answer," claimed Ahasra.

"I never remember to ask," Soryn said. "I always feel like I just… belong. Like it's right and I only know I'm not actually there when I wake up."

"Annoying," his sister decided. "You missed Adihikko."

"I know," Soryn frowned. "Where'd he decide?"

"The Rising Moon,"Isaria informed. "The Dancing Stars have been… distant and there's no point in going as far as the Running Clouds when he intends to come home."

"Mmm," hummed Soryn. "I'll send him a care-package to say sorry for missing him."

"The terrible trio finally broken apart," said Hrahsi with a purr. "Maybe the kingdom will quiet down without you three causing chaos with every step."

"We don't cause chaos," Ahasra said as she stretched beside him. "We went on adventures and the chaos found us."

"That's a long winded way of saying you let the entire duck flock into the clearing,"Isaria said idly while licking her paw.

Ahasra huffed as Soryn defended them with, "How were we supposed to know that the fencing was loose on that specific spot?"

"The sign," deadpanned Asha, making Hrahsi cackle.

"The duck incident was an outlier and should not be counted," claimed Ahasra.

"Certainly," chuckledIsaria and she walked around to the molly who was lounging in the sunlight and began grooming her pelt. Ahasra purred softly as her big sister licked between her ears. As their mother was still nowhere to be seen and the sun was high above them, washing them in a comfortable heat, Soryn joined them. Grooming his sisters and being groomed in turn, this morning had become wonderful. Just as Asha and Hrahsi gave in and joined in with Crossing Tongues, the clearing began quieting.

Soryn glanced up and their mother was striding towards them with purposeful steps, golden eyes glinting in the bright sunlight.

He jolted to his paws with the rest of his siblings, licking any stray strands into a sense of order. Ahasra didn't bother sitting up, merely narrowing her eyes as her ears flattened.

"Ahasra," Hrasi hissed. "Sit up."

"Why?" said Ahasra, rolling onto her back. "She'll just tell me to lie down again. Why chase birds when you can raise eggs?"

Soryn stifled a sigh at the bitter tone in his sister's voice. Their mother really messed up this time.

"Orayeyasi kokina," greetedIsaria, cutting off the argument before it could develop any further.

Their mother nodded at her in greeting, not a hair of her charred brown coat out of place as usual. She sat wrapping her tail primly around her paws, keeping her head raised high.

The perfect queen, Soryn muses to himself as he greets their mother.

Ahasra glanced up at her with a blank expression when their mother's gaze landed on her expectedly.

"Hey kokin," she said with a flick of her ear. True to her word, Ahasra remained lounging on her back.

Their mother curled her lip at her behavior but didn't comment on it instead turning to the rest of them.

"Did you eat well?" she asked.

"Yes," they said back as expected.

"Good. Here are your duties for the day-Isaria, you will attend a kingdom history lesson with Ahiti; Asha you need to gather reports from the Guard Captains, Hrahsi you will handle the fringe farmers; Soryn the local ones and Ahasra you will attend to Hanasio."

"The Moon brat?" Ahasra said, ears flattening with disgust.

"Ahasra," their mother said warningly.

"He's 2 full cycles older than me," Ahasra said flatly. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just make it work."

Ahasra growled, "Fine."

Their mother nodded firmly, "That will be all then, you may go."

"Orayereli," they all coursed as one.

Their mother stalked off leaving them by the remains of the sheep corpse with each other. Ahasra finally rolled to her paws.

"Entertain Hanasio?" she said, with her whiskers twitching with disbelief. "He's old enough to secretly be our father!"

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Hrahsi suggested. "I've heard that he's pretty calm."

"You don't understand," Ahasra said, shaking her head. "This is just Akire giving me another babysitter. There's no other reason for him to hang out with a baby. We've only just gotten permission to enter the underground farms for flame's sake."

The rest of them winced, glancing between each other. She wasn't wrong, it did seem like their mother had once again decided to treat Ahasra like she'd just learned to walk.

"She's just worried about you,"Isaria said.

"It stopped being cute two moons ago," Ahasra responded with a scowl.

"Hang in there Ahasra," Soryn told her with a gentle lick to her cheek. "I've seen Aniya giving you her personal attention- you might be getting assigned!"

"Really?" she perked up instantly, eyes immediately becoming bright with excitement.

"I have seen her arguing with kokina recently,"Isaria said with a very slow nod. "It makes sense."

"Ashara's blessed flames!" she cried with joy. "Finally!"

"Tough it out Ahasra," encouraged Asha. "You'll be a Little Fang soon enough."

Soryn purred at his little sister's happiness. She would make an amazing Guardian. He just hoped their mother made the effort to make amends before it was too late. They all said their goodbyes and parted ways. Soryn trotted towards the far side of the clearing towards the farm tunnels.

He slid into the tunnel closest to the clearing entrances taking in the musky smell of dirt flowing into his nose. The walk wasn't long and the tunnel quickly began sloping upwards. Soryn wiggled his way out into the local clearings. He took stock of the five cats already gathered inside one of the fences talking happily surrounded by chickens. He grinned, at least his job was easy.

As he approached, two cats walked further into the field- likely to do a quick check around the perimeter of the fencing to check for chickens trying to dig under or any of the roosters fighting. The remaining three cats stayed talking with each other, occasionally gesturing towards the far end of the fences several tails away.

"Orayeyi!" he called while walking over.

The cats looked over and perked up, smiling.

"Orayeyasi eko," greeted a black and white molly.

"Oh come on Aneha," he said with a chuckle. "Why so formal?"

"It's only polite eko," Aneha responded purring. She leaned down and nosed his cheek.

"Collecting reports?"

"Yup," Soryn nodded. "How have the animals been?"

"Fine mostly," the brown tom said. "The hens are laying well and the hawks seem to have mostly moved away."

"And the ducks?"

"They've been alright- the recent drought has been affecting the pond levels though."

Soryn hummed. "I'll speak to kokina about that- we may have to move the ducks out to the bigger river."

"Won't that risk them swimming off?"

"We'll send a few Little Fangs to keep them in one area."

"Thank you."

"No worries Ayassi, it's my job. Suihiha? Any issues?"

"Yes, a small one," agreed the ginger tom. "The far end of the chicken fence has a small hole in it. Too small for the hens or the roosters to get out but the chicks have been getting out when we move them to that side for the night."

"Oh," Soryn said, the tip of his tail dancing a bit as he considered the problem. "...I'll speak to Basu so he can repair the hole. For now, do you mind staying out here with the chicks until daylight?"

"I've been doing it for a few sunrises now," nodded Suihiha.

"A few sunrises? Why didn't you speak to Basu or even Xibo?"

"You're much nicer than Basu," Suihiha admitted, ducking his head. "He grumbles everytime we need something repaired."

"Oh?" said Soryn, narrowing his eyes. "I'll speak to Basu about that- in the future, feel free to talk to me or even Ahasra. Rayushu knows that she's desperate for something paws on."

"Of course," agreed Suihiha, straightening back up. "Thank you Ko."

Soryn purred, "I'm happy to help!" and set off for the farms near the stream. If the drought was that serious, he should talk to the duck farmers to get a better picture.

"Orayeyi Nakori, Hrahsio," he greeted the new guards by the heir's den. They meowed quiet greetings of their own as he trotted by them and into the den. He reached the opening where the nests were and stretched, yawning as he extended his claws before wobbling in.

He glanced around at his siblings all piled together sleeping in various positions. Isaria of course near perfectly just curled up in a little ball- Hrahsi in contradiction toIsaria, laid on his back and stretched out his legs and arms splayed out. Asha had her head on his chest and Ahasra was curled close to her, snuggled into the corner of Hrahsi and Asha's neck.

Soryn chuckled to himself- why did they even bother to create nests?

He stepped as carefully as he could, picking his way around them before laying down next to his littlest sister. Ahasra opened her eyes blearily and smiled upon seeing him. She buried her face in his chest fur, purring. He rested his head on top of hers with a sigh and laid down trying to ignore the new prickle in his pelt.