I was happy in my soundless world.

In the first few moments of my life, my world was small, but everything in it was big. It only consisted of the camp and nursery and all of the cats in it, but my family was the most important of them. I had two littermates; two sisters who would always play with me and let out little vibrations of delight. Our mother and father had watched us fondly, assuming that we would grow up to be excellent warriors.

They seemed to be worry about me more than my sisters, though. They concealed it well, but I could feel it in the way they handled and nuzzled me. Always that glint of the eye...

But I didn't care then. They loved me. They have me words of encouragement, yet I thought it was a game and had always let out a purr just to make the same loving vibrations in my throat.

One day, when I just less than a moon old, the brown and white medicine cat (whom I had christened Brown-white) had walked over to me and stopped at a careful distance with my mother close by. I could see Brown-white move his mouth. Oh! It was the game my parents and siblings always played!

I had purred, hoping that we were playing the same delightful game. However, the response was quite the contrary of what I was expecting. Instead of smiling and nodding, he gave a small sigh, which puzzled and disappointed me and made me whine. What did I do wrong? Did I lose the game?

After that, Brown-white had flicked his tail, beckoning me to his side. Excited, I had bounced over, hoping that this was a second chance to play.

Now that I know, I don't think that's why he called me.

My snowy-white mother and Brown-white exchanged mouth-signals. After a moment, my mother had a flash of anger across her amber gaze, but it only lasted a moment. Then she had hung her head and swerved her ears back in sorrow and loss.

One of my sisters, whom I had named Whitey, nuzzled Mother's leg to comfort her. Our other sister, who was identical to us, bore her kitten-blue gaze into the ground. (I call her White.)

What have I done wrong? Was that game really that important?

I leaned against Mother's other leg, letting out a series of even more bemused and alarmed mews. Mother, mother?

Brown-white simply looked uncomfortable and sad. I knew you knew. And I'm sorry.

After that scene, my kin and Clan started to act slightly different around me. Some cats would be huddled over to mouth softly, as if I could interpret what they said all the way from here. One cat looked disdainfully in my direction. Some played with my littermates and I more often; they would let me win more than before. Others would just not have any contact to me just like any other day.

On the other paw, Brown-white shook his head slightly and my mother was more protective around my sisters and I than usual. My father, a black and white tom, always played vibration games with me. Or, at least that's what I thought they were. My sisters would act curious around me, moving their mouths and tilting their heads.

How do they come up with these games? I had thought in response to all of this and inclined my head too I wondered if I looked as silly as they all did.

Thank you all so much. Like seriously. Thank you! I never believed that my old story would have been so popular, but it happened. You guys are amazing. :3