Clouds and Grebes [c]

Cloudkit had only been born a few sunrises ago. I'm cold! she complained to her mother. Trying to warmup she pressed deeper into Grebedance's pelt. Cloudkit was awake and shivering. She tried to fall back asleep but failed. The moon was still shining in the night sky. She wanted to play with her denmates but none of them were awake.

The birth of her daughter had brought nothing but immense surprise, truly having no idea she was expecting until the day she lay in the medicine den confused, quickly being brought to the nursery where Cloudkit had been born. Sometimes it became hard to recognise where her body ended and her pelt began, it being merely a detachable extension of herself, something that served to hide her pregnancy incredibly well. She had a vague idea on who the father may be; but didn't bother with the inclusion of him in their lives, figuring it for the best.

A soft voice piped up about being cold, accompanied with a wriggle into her thick fur. Grebedance felt the kit shivering and swooped her tail in around her, nestling Cloudkit in what she could only hope was a comfortable warmth. There was an undeniable level of sleepiness present in the queen, something she pushed aside as she purred softly to her daughter, swiping her tongue over her head, in between her ears. "You're restless tonight, my little cloud. Would you like to hear a story?"