Username: xem
Cat Name: Mala
Gender: dfab
Rank: kit
Clan: xAge: 6 moons
Prompt:As a young kit, Mala’s life was full of complications and fears. Her body often wracked with stress, her muscles tensing, her small body beginning to quiver. Her mother struggled to care for her and her small brother. Her mothers own body was often frail, bones revealed through her pelt. Mala herself was quite skinny and weak, her mother not producing quite enough milk for herself and her brother. They were always on the move, through rotten places smelling of death, and the choking smells of smoke. Even once they escaped the place of odd structures and creatures, the forest wasn’t any better. Odd sounds and smells often filled the air, and they were always surrounded by things that wanted to eat them.
At times when Mala found herself starving and cold, she laid close to her mother and brother, and looked up towards the sky. Her vision would be filled with bright blue and soft whites, the smoke in the sky moving effortlessly, these smoke clouds not carrying any hint of worry or stress. She wished she could fly with them, soar above the trees without a care in the world.
And at night, she once again turned her head up to the sky. Sometimes the smoke clouds were visible in the night, but the small bright lights in the sky were brighter. They shone like stars of hope, holding their place, none daring to burn out before the other. Her muscles would relax, her small body forgetting the cold as she watched in awe. Even when it was time to rest, she knew the clouds and stars would look back down on her to keep her safe, even in the darkest of times. Even when her young brother was taken by a fox, and her mother appeared to be on death's edge, she prayed to the stars, to the clouds, that she would be okay. That her mother would be okay. She spoke often to her mother about the clouds and stars in the sky, and it wasn’t long after that she began joining Mala in her sky watching as well. It seemed even her own mother became relaxed by watching the beautiful sky. As a bright star shone in the sky one night, Mala was convinced it was her young brother, looking down on her.
One evening, Mala and her mother came across a hole in the thorn bushes along a mountain top. Her mother had developed a limp, and struggled across the vast terrain of the mountains. Mala didn’t quite understand why they were traversing up such a large amount of land, especially when her mother wasn’t doing so well. Mala also noticed many scents of cats along the way, and became nervous. The sky was darkening, and her mother suddenly began pushing young Mala towards the opening in the thorn bush. “Come now Mala, you are to be here, with these cats.” She said softly. Mala frowned, becoming confused and worried as she was pushed along. “Mother, this is a strange place, I shouldn’t dare-” But her mother continued to nudge her through the hole. “You stay here now, my young. They will take care of you here. You will be safe, and have a full belly. I am not welcome here, and I am only a burden. I love you, my sweet, look for me in the stars. I’ll always be with you.” She said in her most motherly voice, giving her kit one last nudge through the barrier as the young Mala tumbled into the clearing. “Mother..” She whispered softly in protest, fear filling her as she saw the strange cats around her. The cats seemed to acknowledge the kit, but didn’t move at all. As young Mala studied them, she realized what they were doing. They were all laying in the moonlight, some cats snuggled up to each other, their heads cast upward, looking at the sky. The stars. The beauty. The relief and hope that was above them, the very sight that caused any sign of stress or anger to leave them immediately.
Mala moved into the crowd slowly, setting herself down beside an older she-cat. The old cat purred softly, pulling the kit closer to her to absorb her warmth. Mala began to relax, moving her head up to view the stars above her. This is where she belonged. And from now on, whenever she was stressed or anxious, she would do as the others did, and look up towards the sky.
Later that night, before she fell asleep, she was sure that she saw a new star, shining more brightly than the rest. Comfort filled her all at once, at a sight that brought emotion to her eyes. Mother.
