"Did you find anything?"Bright padded up beside him, accompanied by Orange. When they spotted Defence, they froze.
"D-Defence?"Pepper stammered.
"Pepper, Orange, Bright,"Defence greeted, though his eyes were still wide as an owl's,"What are you doing here?"
He stared at them, willing his littermates not to tell their father. Bright read the desperation in his gaze. Orange did not.
"Rush abandoned us!"he wailed.
"Orange!"he scolded.
Orange flattened his ginger ears in shame.
"What?"Defence gasped,"Oh, poor you," His eyes softened,"I'll tell you what, you can all live with me, and I'll feed and shelter you, but, nothing comes for free. You will do all the moss and bedding. I'll teach you how to hunt and fight until you're able to fend for yourselves,"
Pepper's own surprise was reflected in his sibling's eyes.
"We-we...yes!"he exclaimed. His brother shot him a smug look.
"Follow me," The three followed Defence through the forest into a marshland of pine trees.
Bright shuddered as mud plastered her pelt,"Eww!"she and Orange meowed at the same time. Pepper relished in the wetness; in was warmer than snow and more satisfying to walk on. Though it was dark, the shadows seemed welcoming, not in an omonious way. Eventually, they reached a hollow pine with moss in it. "Now what yo do about your beds..."Defence muttered, "Ah-ha! You three sleep in my nest while I collect bedding,"
"I thought we were meant to be gathering moss,"Bright meowed.
"You're tired and hungry; I'll get you the moss and food,"
Pepper shrugged. The three of them settled under the hollow tree, and sleep finally overwhelmed him.
                          ☆☆☆

Moments seemed to pass before Pepper was awoken by his father.
"Toad!"he exclaimed when his eyes had opened.
"That's right. Get up!"Defence meowed as he nudged Bright.
"Wah? Oh! Food!"Bright purred.
"Can we?"Orange asked cautiously, as if unable to believe it.
"Go on,"Defence urged. The littermates tucked into the toad, though Bright and Orange's faces screwed up in disgust.
"Mm..."Pepper sighed,"Yum..."
Way better than half-frozen mice!
"Where are we going to sleep?" Orange questioned when the prey was gone.
Pepper thought he saw Defence's battle-scarred tail twitch. "Look outside,"
It was still snowing outside, and cold crept into his bones. He sneezed. Though the blizzard had mostly cleared, it still took a while to circle the pine. When they were three quarters of the way round, they found a natural bush lined with with dead ferns and thistles. There was a strange green light coming from it. Pepper ducked inside to see three nests of moss glowing in the snow.
He purred,"Come on!"
Exchanging curious glances, his littermates crept in after him.
Bright sighed, as if unable to believe that the three warm nests were their's. Orange let out a content purr, and kneaded the smallest nest with his paws. In the warmth, it was easy to forget that there was a blizzard outside.
"Come,"Defence meowed from the outside, patiently. In a line, the three headed over to their father.
"Let me teach you how to hunt,"he continued,"Oh, don't worry; I won't go too hard on you,"
Pepper shrugged,"Alright, then,"
"Crouch,"Defence ordered. The three of them obeyed. "Orange, lower your tail without letting it touch the ground. Bright, a bit lower and Pepper...try amd steady your breathing," Once the instuctioms were followed, they each had a perfect crouch.
"How do-"Pepper broke off as Defence divided into the bushes. There was a quite shriek and he emerged with a baby thrush.
"Cool! When do we eat?"Orange asked.
"Not now,"responded Defence,"I'll bury it outside the hollow tree so that when there's almost no prey at all later in winter, we won't starve,"
Pepper nodded. That's a good idea... life is good...