Redeemed
Petal stood up on his hind legs and looked out over the grass that was slowly turning yellow in the fading spring. Crocus and Pansy were bounding through the meadow and running into anything and everything in their path. Well, Crocus was bounding, Pansy was more so lazily flopping after him, halfheartedly trying to keep up. Daffodil was still sleeping at the burrow but Petal knew he had to get Crocus out and about first thing after he woke up or the little kit wreaked havoc on everything he touched. That one was a handful, Petal chuckled to himself.

He finally caught up to pansy, who had eventually given up on following her brother and was laying happily in a pile of soft grass. “Tire yourself out, little one?” Pansy nodded up at her Papa and closed her eyes, turning her head into the sun. What a lazy little thing, petal gazed down at her with affection. She was definitely not a mover like her brother. Speaking of which… where had he gotten off to? Petal, tucked some soft grass around Pansy’s little body and gave her a kiss on the head before wandering off in the direction he had last seen Crocus.

“Crocus? Where are you kitto?” Petal swiveled his ears and finally heard the distinct sound of little feet crashing through the grass. He hopped nearer and found Crocus engaged in a fierce battle with a piece of grass wrapped around his leg. Petal tried to contain his laughter and instead stopped a bit away from the intense fight. “Do you need any help there son?”

Crocus grinned up and panted at him. “No way Papa, I got this!” He then proceeded to roll around and around like he was battling something much more intimidating than a piece of grass. Finally the little kit wrestled the grass of his leg and binkied up high, victorious. “Didja see that? Didja? That mean piece of grass thought it could defeat me?? HA! I am Crocus! Defeater of grass!” Petal shook his head good naturedly and patted Crocus on the back.

“I did see it, well done. Why don’t you tell me all about it while we hop back to your sleepy sister.” Petal and Crocus started on their way, Crocus bouncing all over the place theatrically regaling his Papa with his grass adventures, and Petal nodding and smiling and half listening, half keeping that always watchful parent eye on their surroundings.

When they finally made it back to Pansy, Crocus almost stepped right on top of her. Petal scooped the little boy up before he could cause any damage and held him wiggling and squirming over his shoulder. “Papa can we go to the woods? Can we? Can we? CAN WE?” Petal shook his head as he gently scooped Pansy into the crook of his other arm. She stayed firmly asleep.

“Not yet, Crocus, maybe when you’re older.” Petal nodded sympathetically all the way back to the burrow as he listened to Crocus complain about how he was DEFINITELY old enough.

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