Weeks passed. Audrey and Edna took great joy in looking after the kittens. Gordon enjoyed eating and sleeping more than anything else, but was extremely playful if his stomach was full and he was well rested. He was a very large kitten, probably due to his lazy nature. Waffle was a polar opposite to Gordon in that respect. He was a ball of energy, rarely staying in one spot, rarely more than a streak of gray. He was also incredibly inquisitive, always getting into things he probably shouldn't have. Mr. Blik preferred being alone over being with his brother or owner. A bit of a bully, he was rarely seen without Audrey, but when she wasn't around, he stole the opportunity to act like king of the household. He enjoyed picking on Waffle for his goofy and somewhat dim-witted disposition, causing many fights between the two brothers. This usually lead to Gordon trying to break it up, and eventually to Audrey scolding both Blik and Waffle if she walked in on the squabble. Audrey figured it had something to do with his size; Blik was always considerably smaller than his siblings, and was probably trying to make up for it by acting big. After a while, Edna noticed that the kittens were often getting lost in the mansion. She suggested that perhaps Audrey should give them a tour.

Audrey led her three children through the many rooms of the Cramdilly mansion. Gordon was genuinely interested in everything; Waffle kept touching everything he could reach, which caused several mishaps, including the death of a potted plant; Mr. Blik was merely bored, although he took great delight in the fact that almost every room and hallway had a photograph of him, and pointed out every one he saw with glee.

"This is the pet room," Audrey said as she led the kittens into a room. "This is where Edna keeps all of her pets, like birds and fish."

"Hold on," Blik interrupted. "ALL of her pets? Then what are we! We aren't kept locked in here!"

"Edna doesn't consider us her pets, really," Audrey said. "These animals here... they don't talk. Well, the bird over there can, but he just repeats what others say... he doesn't know what it means. We, on the other hand, can express our feelings with speech, we have free will... we don't act purely on instinct... we're her companions, not her pets."

Waffle opened his mouth to tell his mother that he didn't quite understand what she said, but was immediately distracted by a tank in a corner of the room. He ran over to it and watched the green and blue creatures inside in fascination. "Mom!" he called. "Mommy, what are these things? They're really cool!"

"Those are newts, dear," Audrey responded.

"What are their names?"

"I don't think they have names."

"Can I name one and call it my own?" Waffle begged. "Please? They're really neat! I want one!"

Audrey smiled. "I don't see why not."

"Don't understand what's so neat about a bunch of stupid lizards..." Blik muttered, but Waffle didn't hear. He was too busy trying to decide which newt he wanted.

"Lessee... I want... that one!" Waffle exclaimed, pointing to a green newt. "I'm gonna call him Gomez!"

"GOMEZ!" Blik scoffed, earning him a swift elbow and a "hush" from Gordon. Waffle sat watching his pet for several minutes, until Hovis walked in.

"There you four are..." he said.

"Hey, it's the guy who does everything for us!" Waffle shouted and waved. "Hi!"

"My name is Hovis," he replied dryly, resisting the urge to tell this disrespectful fur ball that he was for much more than doing everything for a bunch of animals. "Edna would like to see you in the kitchen. She says she has a treat for you all."

Audrey licked her lips. "I think I know what this is about... come on, boys, you're going to love this!" She went off for the kitchen, her sons following closely behind.

In the kitchen, Edna was holding a half-full bottle of brown, fizzy liquid. The bottle said "Burpo's" on the side. On the counter were four cups of the stuff, one filled more than the other three. Audrey gave the smaller cups to the boys and took the bigger one for herself. Gordon, always eager to consume anything he could, downed the cup in one long sip, dribbling the drink down his front. Mr. Blik took a hesitant sip, decided he enjoyed the taste, and he too finished in one gulp. Waffle didn't drink it, he just stared at the glass. "Edna... what is this stuff?"

"Whatever it is, I want more," Blik said, licking his lips.

"Me too... this stuff's great!" Gordon said, the brown liquid staining his white fur.

Edna couldn't help but chuckle. "It's root beer."

Waffle frowned. "Beer? I thought only adults could have beer..."

"No, no, it's not alcoholic at all," Audrey said with a smile. "It's just soda. Dang good soda, if you ask me."

"Agreed," Blik said. He gazed up at Edna, a pleading look in his eyes. "Can I have some more, Edna? Please?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Blik, but you really shouldn't have too much. It's not very healthy, it's just a nice treat. Maybe before bed I'll get you some more." Edna then placed the bottle in the fridge. Edna, Audrey, Gordon, and Waffle all walked out of the kitchen, Waffle happily drinking his root beer. Mr. Blik remained in the kitchen, staring at the fridge. He wanted more of that soda... no, needed it. He just had to have at least one more sip! He reached up for the fridge handle... unfortunately, he was too short to grab it. But Blik wasn't about to give up easily. He jumped with everything he had, and managed to grab the handle. With a grin, he shook it a bit, and the fridge door swung open. Blik dropped to the floor and stared up at his prize. The root beer bottle was on the top shelf, farther out of reach than the door handle was. Blik jumped a couple times, but it was no use. The bottle remained out of his grasp. Taking a look around the room, Blik noticed a stool. Perfect! It took a lot of effort, but the kitten dragged the stool over to the open refrigerator. He climbed onto the stool, so close to getting that delicious bottle. As he reached for it, the stool wobbled, and Blik stopped to regain his balance. Once the stool stopped shaking, he again reached for the root beer, his mouth watering...

"So this is where I'm from?" Meanwhile, in the living room, Gordon was flipping through a book about Scotland with his mother.

"Distantly, but yes," Audrey replied. "Your father's parents were from Scotland, owned by a member of a clan known as the Highland Quid Clan. They came here with their owner, and later gave birth to him. So he never actually saw the country, but his parents did."

"So I'm Scottish..." Gordon said. "Hey, don't they talk in an accent? I see that on TV a lot." This last comment was more a thought to himself than anything else. He looked over at his brother, Waffle, who was having fun batting a jingle ball across the room. "Aye, laddie!" Gordon shouted at him in the most exaggerated accent he could muster. "How are ye doing, lad?"

"Why are you talking funny?" Waffle asked, and continued after a bit of thought, "Isn't that how the guys on TV in the plaid skirts talk?"

"It's a Scottish accent, laddie," Gordon replied. "Mom says we're Scottish!"

"Not quite-" Audrey started, but decided against it. Gordon was having fun with this little game; why ruin it for him? Gordon returned to the book.

"Hey, look, recipes!" Gordon pointed out as he flipped through the pages. "Can we try one, mom, please?"

"Of course. You go into the kitchen and pick a recipe. I'll be right out."

Gordon skipped into the kitchen giddily, clutching the book to his chest. As Audrey grunted and rose from her place on the floor, the sounds of glass shattering, a splash, and a loud bang were heard from the kitchen. "GORDON!" Audrey shouted. "Gordon, what did you break!"

"It wasn't me," Gordon replied. He hadn't even made it to the the kitchen yet. The cats ran for the kitchen to see just what had happened. A dazed Mr. Blik was lying in a puddle of root beer, surrounded by the broken remains of a glass bottle. A fallen stool was next to him. Audrey went over to Blik, a stern look on her face. While Gordon and Waffle found the sight rather funny, Audrey was less than amused. "Mr. Blik! Tell me what happened. Now."

Blik rose to his feet. He kept his eyes on the floor as he told the story. "I really wanted more root beer, but I couldn't reach the bottle... so I found that stool, and I tried using it to reach... I grabbed the bottle, but the stool fell..."

Audrey gave Blik a little swat to the back of his head. "Didn't Edna tell you to wait until before bed!"

"I'm sorry, mom..." Blik still wouldn't look up at his mother. Audrey sighed. "Hovis?" she called. "Hovis, could you come here, please?"

Hovis appeared at the doorway almost immediately. "I heard the crash. What-?" After taking a look at the opened fridge, the puddle on the floor, and the black kitten dripping with soda, the butler realized just what the crash was. "...I'll get a mop," he said, trying to resist the urge to scream about these kittens breaking everything they touched. He then walked off to get the mop and bucket. Blik then noticed that Waffle and Gordon were there, trying their hardest not to laugh. Waffle failed first; Gordon not long after.

"What do you sacks of fleas find so funny!" Blik snapped at his brothers, who were on the floor doubled over in laughter.

"Aye, isn't it obvious, lad?" Gordon said with a final chuckle, wiping a tear from his eye. Waffle was still on the floor, unable to speak. "Just look at yourself! Dripping in root beer... it was even funnier when you were on the floor..."

Blik didn't really pay much attention to a word Gordon said. He was trying to figure out something else about Gordon's speech. "What in the world is up with the fake accent?"

"Mom was telling me earlier... our grandparents on our dad's side were Scottish. So that means we're Scottish, right? And don't the Scottish talk like this?"

"It's not your real voice!" Blik snapped. "Wait... dad?" He looked over at Audrey, who was rolling her eyes and grinning at her children's conversation. She went rigid as Blik looked at her. "We never even heard about our dad before. Where is he, anyway?"

Audrey was silent for a few seconds before finally speaking. "He... your father died. Before you boys were even born."

"What's 'died'?" Waffle asked.

Audrey's words stumbled as she tried to explain to her sons. "Dying... it's... it's like... dying is pretty much... it's like going to sleep and never waking up," she finally decided on. It was the best idea she could think of.

"Why would someone want to do that?" Waffle asked. "It sounds pretty boring to me."

"I don't know, Gordon seems to like the idea," Blik cracked. Gordon glared at him.

Audrey ignored this little bicker. "People don't die because they want to, Waffle. It happens if someone gets too sick or hurt. Your father got really sick... he didn't live in a house, and the cold made him sick. Everyone dies eventually."

Waffle's eyes widened. "Even me? My brothers? Hovis? Edna? Even... even you, mom?"

Audrey nodded. Waffle was on the verge of tears. Noticing this, Audrey draped an arm around him. "It's all right... that won't happen for a very long time. Don't worry. It'll be OK..." Hovis then walked into the kitchen, mop and bucket in his hands. "Would you four mind going into another room so I can clean up?"

Audrey nodded. "Come on, guys. Let's leave Hovis to his work." The cats went back into the living room. Waffle seemed to have stopped worrying about his mother's talk about death. He returned to playing with his ball, zipping back and forth and giggling. Gordon was back to reading the book about Scotland. Mr. Blik just sat and sulked, annoyed that he had received a scolding. After a while, the clock began to chime. Audrey looked up at it. "Eight o' clock... time for three kittens to go to bed." Waffle and Gordon went willingly, but Blik wouldn't move. He continued his little grudge against his mom. Audrey had to pick him up in her mouth and carry him up the stairs herself. He squirmed the whole way up.

Edna was sitting in her bed with a book when her bedroom door creaked open. She looked up and saw her four cats walking in. Well, three, really- Blik was being carried, and he wasn't too happy about it. Audrey went over to her basket and dropped Blik into it, and then climbed in herself. Gordon plopped himself at Edna's feet and was asleep almost instantly. Edna felt a tug on her sleeve. Waffle climbed up the sleeve and onto Edna's shoulder, and then made a leap for Edna's head. He made himself comfortable and curled up to sleep. She decided to let him stay there, at least until she wanted to lay down. She continued to read her book. An hour later, Edna became tired. She removed Waffle from her head and placed him next to her. He didn't put up much of a fight; the kitten was out cold. Edna slid under the sheets, careful not to kick Gordon, and drifted into dreams.