[eltonn]

popcat storkie my beloved

[nr] claws
[nr] expression edit

cinnamon turkish van with birdcatcher spots

faunal magic

based on popcat ofc

[mystoxxiide]

PROMPT: “The most important smile they’ve ever seen.”
WC; 705
POV; alternating

--
“Oh.” The kit squeaked, looking down at the mangled mess of what used to be Cinnamon’s favourite necklace. Their paws and tail trembled as they took in what they’d just done. “Oh. Oh no. No no no no no.” The small cat began to look around in panic. Nobody else was in the nursery den except them. This was bad. This was really bad. They began to scrape the twine with its pieces of feathers and funny rocks into a pile, anxiously picking it up.

Cinnamon was going to be so angry. The kit looked from left to right once more, instinctually checking to see if any cat had witnessed their heinous deed. As a kit that had been abandoned at a young age by their colony, they had extreme trust issues and odd views of trust and relationships. Convinced they would be exiled if what they had done would be discovered, they turned and took off out the den to find a place to hide both themselves and the broken and stolen object.

When they finally found a place to hide, they sat as still and quiet as they could, ears straining for the noise of other cats approaching. A leaf twitched in the wind and they flinched hard, before settling still, doing their best but mostly failing to control their breathing.

--

Cinnamon entered the den with a mouse clamped in her jaws. “Look what I brought~” She cooed in her southern accent, tail flicking as she looked around the den. “Sweetheart?” The rosette tabby she-cat looked around with worry, lowering her head closer to the ground to search for the kit’s scent. They investigated the den for a bit, checking the entrance, exit and their nest before catching the kit’s scent and beginning to follow it. It led her to a bush behind the nursery’s outer wall, where she could hear soft sobs emanating from under the fronds and thick leaves. They used a paw to push the leaves aside curiously.

--

At the sound of approaching pawsteps, the kit began to cry, panicking. They flinched away when the white and orange paw appeared, prompting a worried twitch of the whiskers from Cinnie. “Why are you in there?” The she-cat asked gently, befuddled.

The kit could barely handle the pressure, still blubbering no matter how much the rosette tabby tried to soothe them. “I-I-I broke it!” They sobbed. “Please don’t kick me out, it was an accident, I swear!” Confused, Cinnie looked down to the kit’s feet to see the broken remains of her necklace. As soon as they put two and two together, she sighed gently, wrapping her tail around the kit and beginning to groom their forehead in an attempt to stop their crying. “Oh, sweetie.” She hummed.

The kit, face still rife with tears, looked up with animosity, preparing to see a face of annoyance or hatred glaring back at them. Instead, they saw a kind ginger muzzle that smiled gently at them. “What..?” They questioned softly, sniffling as their tears began to dissipate.

Cinnie didn’t know it at the time, but the smile that she directed at that kitten would later become known to them as the most important smile they’d ever seen. Why? Because it was the moment that Cinnie made them feel heard. Made them feel loved, made them feel special. The moment that they were reassured that it was all going to be okay.

“You’re not going to be exiled.” Cinnie told them, prompting a huge sigh of relief. She continued, “Everyone makes mistakes. Even big cats, not just lil’ kitties like you.”She continued talking, but the small kit was so overwhelmed with euphoria at the realisation that they would not be once more that they barely listened. “Though I don’t appreciate you trying to hide away instead of telling the truth… I understand the power of the feeling of fear.”

The kit, now much happier and energetic, was ready to return to the den. Despite this, they still expressed intense remorse for the accidental destruction of the necklace. So, to make ends meet, and because she really had loved that necklace, she suggested that she and they make a new one together. So they did.