The sound of your wails were quiet as you snuggled your kit close to you. She was wrapped around your left leg, holding it so tightly you didn't know if she'd ever let go. You didn't blame her. She was probably traumatized from being taken away from her mother. You could definitely empathize.
There was a slight shuffling sound behind you as black fur came into view. It was Levi moving in next to you, silently. You had forgotten he was there for a few moments, having been caught up with your daughter. Your (h/c) kit looked up at him and her eyes widened. Although she was surprised there was another cat here, she didn't shrink away and hide behind you. She stood her ground and stared right into his narrowed eyes.
"So, what are we going to name her?" Levi asked, never breaking eye contact. Was he testing her? Hopefully not, she was too young for it. Maybe you were just paranoid..
You snapped away from your thoughts and looked over at Levi. You had an idea for her already, "How about... Adira?" In some language, it meant strong. You didn't remember what language, but you knew your interpretation of the name was close to its actual meaning.
Levi blinked slowly and turned his head towards you. He nodded, not making any objections towards the name. Your daughter looked up at you just as you faced down towards her, "Adira? That's my name now?" She seemed excited, but at the same time you could tell she was wondering what it meant.
The sound of a door opening made you l turn to stare right at the fence. "We should get going." Levi said, standing up and turning towards the sidewalk behind you. You understood that it was dangerous to stay here, and you got up and followed. Adira, not needing to be carried, did the same and stayed close to you. It was still dark outside and you knew the three of you would have to find somewhere to sleep.
In the distance, there was a tree in someone's backyard about four houses down. Perfect. Levi seemed to notice it as well, and he picked up the pace. Adira followed closely behind you as you all came upon the tree rather quickly. The only obstacle now was the hop the fence and hope there weren't any animals awaiting your arrival.
Judging by the smell you highly doubted that there were any, but being careful didn't usually get anyone in trouble. Levi hopped the fence first, sitting there for a few seconds before signaling with his tail that it was all clear. Not realizing you had been holding your breath, you sighed in relief and picked up Adira.
The small kit didn't squirm or try to get away, knowing she wasn't yet strong enough to climb the fence by herself. Once the three of you dropped down on the other side, you immediately began to climb the tree.
It was high enough from which you wouldn't be spotted right away, but low enough that you didn't fear climbing it. Adira curled up as you held her scruff, and you followed Levi closely as you climbed.
Soon enough, you all reached the second the lowest branch. You placed Adira down gently near the base and curled up around her. When you realized Levi wasn't joining you, you rested your head down, "Are you going to keep watch?" The male sat down and looked back at you for a second, nodding, "Mhm."
You sighed. There was no need to keep watch. You guys were safe. Closing your eyes, you let out one last remark before you fell into a deep slumber, "Make sure you get some rest.." Levi turned his gaze back towards the house, his eyes resting intently on the windows.
Within what felt like just a few moments, you were awake once again. The air was cool and moist, and as you opened your eyes you could only see the branch you were resting on. You were alone.
You sat up in the fog as the branch gave way to emptiness. The strange thing was, though, that you could still stand. You weren't falling, which made you feel a little scared. What worried you more was that you couldn't see either Adira or Levi. Just fog, fog, and more fog.
You opened your mouth and inhaled the air, searching for any scent. You couldn't scent your mate or daughter, but there was indeed the smell of a cat. You shut your mouth tightly when you realized how familiar they smelled, and you tried to move towards the general direction it was coming from.
Surprise seeped throughout your body as you realized you were frozen in place, form which slowly gave way to fear. You tried to call out instead, but to your dismay you couldn't. After what seemed like hours of just standing there, something, or someone, began to walk into view. They stopped a few feet in front of you, and you examined them.
It was a well-built, white-furred cat from which seemed to stare right through your soul. The tom didn't move a muscle, but his gaze reminded you so much of Levi that it spooked you. It was hard, unreadable. He had eyes that almost looked red, it struck you that he was an albino.
Almost like... your oldest kit! Except he was older and looked like he had seen everything. He wasn't the playful jumpy kit you remembered. He wasn't the nervous child who questioned everything. In a way, it was good that he looked more assertive and strong, but what worried you was how he got that way. His eyes showed a hint of pain and longing.
You closed your eyes and felt yourself move towards him. Yes! When you opened them again, though, your son had turned and was walking away. You let out a yowl to call him back, but he ignored you and kept walking. You were now getting dragged away from him, and you turned to see who it was.
There was bark. Your eyes were wide as you felt the cold night air chill your bones. You felt Adira sleeping soundly next to you, and you let out a sigh of relief. It was only a dream. You wanted to tell yourself that, but it had felt so real. Yet it didn't make you feel closer to your son, it made you feel more distant. It made you feel like it was the last time you'd ever see him.
You shook your thoughts away and looked to where Levi was supposed to be, only to see hat he wasn't there. You were taken off guard, but you were able to control your panic. You looked over and below the branch you rested on, scanning the fence and the yard for your beloved Levi.
To your surprise, he was sitting at the base of the tree talking to a light blonde tom...
