Wegie (Original)

Chapter 1

"Sannindi, we need to go back homenow!" a black tuxedo tom-kitten said, his amber eyes wide withworry.

The calico-tabby, whohad one blue eye and one yellow, stopped playing in the flowers andlooked up. "But Erikson, I'm having so much fun!"

Erikson swished histail, "Come on, your mother will be worried!"

"Fine!" Sannindireplied. She trotted out of the clump of flowers and awaythrough the forest until she reached a large bush. Squeezingunderneath it, she met her brothers.

"Haukr," shegreeted the honey-eyed tabby and to her hazel-eyed black and whitebrother she said, "Eng."

"Where were you?"Eng hissed, "Mother will be back soon!"

Haukr snorted, "Shewas probably playing with that imaginary friend again!"

"Erikson isn'timaginary!" Sannindi replied, "I know he's real!"

Rolling his eyes, Haukrobviously did not believe her. Eng only stared at her with aglare.

"Oh whatever,"Sannindi said and seated herself by them.

They were not waitinglong before their mother returned to them. The beautifully darktortoiseshell had white markings only on her feet, underbelly,throat, and lower muzzle. Her fire-colored eyes burned with apassion as she looked over her kittens.

"How was your day?"Vigr asked her little ones.

"Great!" Sannindiwas first to reply.

Nodding, Vigr purred. Then she asked, "And my toms?"

Flexing his claws,Haukr said, "I snapped a twig today."

Rolling his eyes, Engsnorted, "A little one."

"Bigger thanyesterday!" Haukr replied.

Purring loudly, Vigrpulled her tail around the kittens. She licked each atop theirheads, between their ears, and then she laid down.

"Mother, you didn'tbring us food," Eng meowed with great disappointment.

Sighing, his motherreplied, "I know; I caught a crow, but then a fox came and I didnot have the energy to fight it."

"That's okay,Mother," Haukr told her, "we'll just have to nurse again."

"You're a littleold," Vigr told them, "going on two moons and whatnot."

Sitting silently, thekittens looked to their mother with round eyes, pleading forsomething to fill their bellies.

Vigr closed her eyes,"Fine. You can nurse. We have a long journey ahead ofus anyway."

Haukr and Eng werequickly at their mother's side, suckling. Sannindi was morehesitant, "What journey?" She asked it just before allowingherself to follow her brothers' lead.

Vigr explained, "We'regoing to the Goddess Pool. Have you noticed how little nighthas been? Soon it won't happen at all, but just for one day. That day, we gather and-," she paused to hiss at Haukr,"Watch your claws, son!" and then continued, "-and confess ourwoes to Goddess."

Eng paused to say,"Meow, right?" They had been told the story before.

"Correct," Vigrsaid, "and then the high priestess will claim the priestesses tobe, who will be traded for her own kittens."

Silence sat aroundthem. Vigr was looking at her daughter, but it took Sannindi amoment to feel the hot gaze.

"What?" she finallyasked, rolling her tongue over her muzzle to gather all the milk.