"hello there! oh... you must be lost. come on and follow me"
through the thick snow, you can just about make out the few patches of orange and brown of the cat in front of you; you’re not quite sure how whoever they are can see you, but they must be used to this weather by now. you sit up slowly from the curled up position you had originally put yourself in to protect yourself from the cold, shivering the moment the cold fully claws at your body.
“do not worry, i will take you somewhere safe and get you warmed right up, alright?”
it’s the same voice again. it sounds gentle, and welcoming, and like someone you could probably trust for at least a little bit. so you follow them with careful, unsteady steps through the thick blanket of white that has coated the ground, curious as to how the figure in front of you appears to not struggle at all in such harsh weather.
there wasn’t really much for you to see throughout the short journey; everything was covered in snow, and the heavy snowfall didn’t help much. the cat led you down into a cave, through a somewhat small entrance. it was a bit of a squeeze, but the difference in temperature between the outside and the inside was worth it. inside, there were a few more cats, all seemingly perfectly fine with being in a cave and not in a warm home like they should be. why would they choose to live here, without a warm fire to lay by on days like this? you shook your head slightly, then looked around to try find the stranger that led you here.
she was sitting a few tail-lengths away from you, smiling gently as she waited patiently for you. maybe a reaction like yours was somewhat frequent here. now that you could see her properly, you could make out that although she was thinner than you, she had a few better built muscles. they were covered by slightly thicker fur than your own, and it was no wonder that you could only see the patches on her back while outdoors, as her fur was almost completely white (without taking into account the flakes of snow that had settled on her).
“please do not be afraid, i am lily that roars like tiger, but you’re fine to just call me lily.” she paused for a bit, letting you take in what she had said, “i am this tribe’s healer, and it is my job to make sure everyone here is safe and healthy, especially during leaf-bare.”
lily stood up, and beckoned with her head for you to follow her as she ventured further into the cave. to the right, it appeared to be a lot brighter than the semi-clearing. there stood a large twisted tree, climbing up the walls of the cave and up into a hole in the ceiling. although its leaves blocked some of the sunlight, and there overall wasn’t much today due to the falling snow, some light filtered down through the leaves and onto the ground below.
“this is where our apprentices live, right here in this tree. all of our younger, newer apprentices live towards the bottom of the tree to keep them safe; not all of them know how to climb very well, or even at all. the older apprentices that are ready to be turned into hunters and fighters live towards the top of the tree. it allows our younger tribe members to live close to each other, while also giving them the space they need if they so wish to have some alone time.” you could see a tail or two hanging out of the holes in the tree, as some cats rested in their beds. it felt bizarre learning that some cats lived here in this cave, sleeping inside a tree, on leaves and moss and whatever else their beds were made of.
some quiet chattering brought you through to a cave behind the tree a small gathering of cats sat around in a circle, some old and some young, as one of the older cats appeared to be sharing a story. although at first the smaller cave looked dark, on the inside there were a few spots where gaps in the ceiling allowed a bit of light through, and the light from the hole by the tree still illuminated this part of the cave.
“our elders live in this part of the cave; it’s further away from the main social spot in the centre than any other part we could find. the apprentices are a bit loud sometimes, but elders love telling stories to them and to the kits. if you wish to stay and listen to them talking about their lives, feel free to stay, otherwise i can bring you to the other side to my den and see if there’s any herbs i can give you.”
you walked past a few smaller tunnels, which you assumed were where the ‘hunters’ and ‘fighters’ lived, and maybe any other cat that lived here. you still didn’t quite understand why they’d willingly choose to stay here, but it was beginning to make a bit more space; everyone seemed really close, and they all looked out for each other. it would be quite nice to have others that cared.
over in lily’s den, there was a small stream of water, and a few beds made of moss. the whole place smelled of herbs and flowers right from when you first entered, and it was soothing. as she led you over to one of the beds to lay down and warm up, you already felt your legs beginning to give in and sleep take over. maybe this place really was safe, and the cats here could really be trusted. as darkness filled your vision, you heard lily speak again.
“rest up young one, and warm up. i’ll stay here with you”
