~~~
Goosekit couldn't believe his ears. His mouth gaped open, in awe and in disbelief.
"F-Father?" He echoed, looking into the other tom's eyes.
Soot didn't answer but instead wrapped him in a hug. They stayed there a while on the fence hugging. Suddenly they heard laughing from below and looked down.
"Finally, you realized," Burn said. "I knew all along and couldn't wait to introduce you two. Thought you'd see it sooner."
Soot gave him a glare but he ignored it. The russet tabby slunked back into the trash can, chuckling.
"So," Soot said, turning back to Goosekit. "You have a coyote friend? Were you the one I saw earlier being carried by the thin dog?"
Goosekit nodded, then laughed. "She's not as thin as you." Soot huffed.
"That's true," he admitted. "What happened to her?"
"She, erm... kinda went crazy. I had to hide; I was a bit spooked, no lie." He sighed and looked at his paws. He thought about the spotted coyote mother he had. "But...I love her."
"PFFFFFFFT!" Soot burst into laughter. "You LOVE her?! What does that make you, a wolf?? HA! Never heard anything better than that!"
Goosekit gave him a disapproving glare. "Platonically, Soot. I love her like a mother."
"I didn't mate a coyote!"
"SOOT,"
"Ok, ok, sorry."
Goosekit nodded and continued. "She protected me in the woods, shared her den, caught me food and showed me water, and most of all... she learned my language."
Soot stared at him. Goosekit couldn't tell if he was trying not to yell or trying not to laugh.
"I'm serious," he said finally. Soot blinked.
"I don't - a coyote knows cat language? That's a price." Was all he said. Then he turned and hopped down. "Come on, let's go to bed..." He paused. "...son."
Goosekit purred softly and followed him into the trash can. They fell asleep with Burn and thought about their family.
~~~
Two moons later...
~~~
Goose scaled the buildings again and again. He kept from one roof to another, keeping his eyes on the pigeon. He leapt at it in midair, grabbing its wings and holding it close. He gave it a bite to the neck before landing and dropping it.
"Hey, good job!" Soot said, tail curling. "I'm proud of you. You finally learned to catch a bird from its height."
"Thanks," Goose replied. Compliments from his feather always reminded him of his past. About a moon or two ago he was called Goosekit, a lost clan kit. But now he was Goose, six moons old and being trained by his rogue father in Two-leg place.
At night he dreamed of Cocoa, who he hadn't seen once since the day he found Soot. He always felt bad but got over it quickly.
This was his new life. He had rogue blood and accepted it. He learned the way of the outsider, hunting away from the clans and living among the weird Two-legs and coping with their silly habits.
He picked the pigeon back up and hopped down the building, hooking his paws between the cracks in the bricks and using windowsills and poles to help him. He smiled at Burn on the way down, who was on a dumpster, cleaning his reddish fur.
He dropped the bird in the alleyway and bent to pluck its feathers. He picked them off one by one, letting them fly away in the wind.
Soot soon appeared by his side, helping pick the feathers.
"Could I ask you something Goose?" He asked.
"You just did!" Goose joked. "But yes, you may ask me again."
Soot chuckled.
"Do you miss your mother?"
"Which one?"
"Er...both."
Goose sighed. "Yes."
"Which one?"
"Both." He laughed. "I miss them both. I want to see Littleminnow again but she didn't like me. I was weak and I didn't obey her orders... she likes Silverkit's kindness, Troutkit's bravery, and Cloverkit's fighting spirit.
" I had nothing until Cocoa came along. She honestly saved my life. Without her I wouldn't have met you, or seen Burn ever again."
Soot nodded. "Maybe soon, we will both return. We can surprise her as a double package!" He laughed.
Goose laughed as well. He did want to visit his mother and siblings. By now they must've all become apprentices...he wondered who chose quester and who chose guardian.
They finished stripping the bird and Soot padded off.
"Aren't you hungry?" Goose asked.
"You earned it," Soot replied with a smile.
Goose nodded and began to eat.
He was happy with this life.
He learned to hunt and forage, how to find water. He practiced fighting with dogs, rats, raccoons, and the occasional kittypet or loner.
He picked ticks off of Burn and helped Soot eat right. Now, all three of them were as healthy as a cat should be.
He finished his pigeon, tossing the bones behind him towards the dumpster.
"I do miss my mothers. But I love to live here with you both, father and uncle,"
They looked up and grinned. He grinned back.
But even as he truly meant that, a part of him yearned to see the others again.
And he promised to himself he would. He would see them both...
...and soon.
~~~
To be continued...
~~~
YOU ARE READING
Book One: Dog Borne
Fanfiction"It trotted off warily, leaving the kit in the nest, but if Goosekit learned anything in his time, it was that new adventure awaited if you didn't listen - which was a terrible moral but he decided it was an exciting one to live by." Goosekit had...
