Chapter Text
Vecna was gone. They were all alive even. Some were mortally wounded, but alive nonetheless. Now the Wheeler parents are sending him to a relative from nowhere fucking U.K.
He was always uncomfortable with Uncle Randy, now he had to spend a summer there to “fix” his attitude, which was utter bullshit. The party agreed until he came home he was allowed ownership of the big shared sweater. It was Will’s at first and then they just all started stealing it mostly by accident.
He was snapped out of his thoughts as the plane landed, he groaned to himself as he exited, finding his uncle waiting for him at the gate, sneering at him. God, he forgot how much he hated the man who shared parents with his father.
Mike walked over to the man who looked too much like Ted Wheeler for him to be comfortable with. “Hey. How have you been?” He asked in a polite manner.
“Fine. Lets go get your luggage and go home. Get you settled in..” He spoke calmly in the way an angered mother does when covering up her anger until she could yell at you in private.
Mike nodded. They quickly retrieve his luggage heading to the quiet suburban neighborhood he'd be staying in. He did note the woods that sat at the edge of the backyards of his prison for the summer. They seemed like a great place to get away.
“Alright, stay in your room, and if you're going to leave the house, stay out of the public. I don't want anyone knowing you're staying with me.” Randy said gruffly.
Mike nodded. “Would it be ok if I explore the woods that go beyond the backyard..?”
“Fine just don't let anyone fucking see you.”
Mike nodded, heading to his designated room. He was pretty jet lagged so he decided he could nap for a bit before exploring the enticing woods.
He doesn't know how he got here but now he’s here on the forest floor with a stab wound in his side. All he can remember is Randy standing over him with a big ass knife, just his luck, another person has attempted to murder him.
Mike puts pressure on the wound putting an arm over his eyes, he is fairly certain he has at least got a minor concussion, the whole party got a lot of knowledge on them because of how many times Steve has gotten them during all the monster fighting. He sits there for a minute before he hears tiny voices near him. “What's that..?” sounds male but he could be mistaken.
“Not sure Lionkit,” a more feminine voice responds.
The third voice sounded more concerned, kinda like when someone is blocked by a crowd while trying to see something. “What, What are you two looking at?”
So there were only three of them, he shifts his arm so he can see what poor things have come across him in this state. It was three kittens. He has always been able to understand cats for some reason, it was never useful so he really just never acknowledged it. Though he has had some very intense conversations with Dustin’s cats, it was just kind of a staple in his weird life so he doesn't really care, he's more confused on why they were out here in the first place, and why they were named what they are. “You know it's rude to talk about someone before introducing yourself.”
A golden kitten with tabby markings and amber eyes, and a smaller fully black kitten with green eyes bristle at him speaking to them. The last one however stared into the distance with glazed over eyes, smelling the air. “Hollykit, Lionkit, what are you seeing?”
The silver gray almost blue kit huffed and walked over to him and sniffed him trying to identify what he is, “What are you. You aren't a cat.”
“Uh, I'm a human, I don't know what you might call us.” Mike said as he pushed himself up to sit so he could address them easier.
“Jaykit get away from it, it looks like a twoleg, Mom and Dad told us to stay away from those!” Hollykit said trying to
“A twoleg?” Mike questioned, “I mean we do walk on two legs, so that isn't exactly incorrect.”
That statement only made Hollykit and Lionkit bristle and back away from him more. Hollykit goes to say something, probably another attempt to get Jaykit away from Mike again, but before she can all four of them hear a growl from behind Mike. Mike whipped around faced with a red fox, “Uh oh..” Mike didn't think just scooped up the kittens to their distress they didn't try and escape considering the fox.
Mike weaved through the forest letting his instincts take over. He puts enough distance between him and the canine, he stumbles his way through some thorns tearing at his pants. He leans against a tree as the fox gets distracted by a rabbit that runs across its path.
All three kits breath harshly trying to calm their nerves. “Let's never do that again..” Hollykit says just barely under her breath.
“Agreed” Her brothers echo.
Mike nods, “Sorry for just kinda manhandling you, it was safer than just letting you three run on your own.”
“You're fine. It's better than being a fox’s prey.” Jaykit tells him. The other two in his arms nod in agreement. Mike sighs sliding down the tree, the bark scraping his back slightly.
“Okay off we get.” Mike says as he sets down the three kits. The other two stumble over his legs crouching an inch away from him, waiting for Jaykit to follow.
“Come on Jaykit, we should head back, we're already going to be in so much trouble as it is.” Hollykit tells him.
“And tell me, do you two know the way back?” Jaykit asked his siblings.
Both of the other kits freeze up at the idea. Lionkit sighing defeatedly comes over to Mike, leaning on him quietly. Hollykit soon follows suit more reluctantly than the other two.
After a moment of Mike sitting there trying not to bleed out there on the forest floor, all three kits perk up smelling the air. “Mom, Dad?” Lionkit asks the brush of the forest.
Two cats jump into their little clearing. A smaller fluffy dark ginger with a white paw and a broad-shouldered brown tabby. “Oh dear Starclan. What is a twoleg doing with our kits?” The smaller one asks no one really before they look at the other cat.
“I do in fact have a name. Just calling me a “Twoleg” is quite rude.” Mike spoke with sarcasm. The two older cats bristle at the lack of language barrier.
“How.. That shouldn't be possible.” The large brown cat spoke hesitantly as Lionkit and Hollykit ran up to him and the other cat. Jaykit stays basically in his lap watching his parents without seeing.
“Do you think I know? My uncle just tried to murder me and dropped my body off in the middle of the forest. Me and your kits just had to run from a very angry fox just before you got here.” Mike explained, If he was a little delirious sue him he was bleeding out.
“You had to run from a fox? You three, why would you ever attempt that?” The ginger cat asked them in a sort of exhausted way.
The siblings look between themselves trying to come up with a lie no doubt. “We just wanted to help.” Hollykit says hesitantly.
“Well that isn't your job! You three are not yet apprentices, so you three shouldn't be out of the nursery yet!” The broad-shouldered tabby tom reprimanded the kits.
Hollykit and Lionkit looked down, ashamed. “Your father is right, especially with that fox running around.” The ginger cat agreed
“Sorry mom.” Lionkit meowed.
“Weird question but do you know the quickest place to get to with hu- Twolegs inhabiting it..?” Mike asked cautiously.
Both of the adult cats jumped at hearing him speak again, the cats of the forest usually would never be able to understand Twolegs yet here this one was speaking to them clearly. “Uh This is something we will have to bring up with Firestar… For now just follow us. You will stay near camp while we take our kits back and speak with our leader.” The Tabby spoke authoritatively.
“Alright,” Mike sighed, setting Jaykit back onto the ground so he could stand clumsily, “whenever we get there could I get something to make sure I don't bleed out?”
The two cats look between themselves before the smaller one nods, “Right my sister is the Medicine Cat, I'm sure she could do something..”
“Then, could I also get an introduction?” Mike asked in a slightly sassy way.
“Yes. I'm Brambleclaw, this is my mate Squirrelflight,” the brown tabby tom said.
“Cool. Lead the way then.” Mike said, letting the cats lead the way to their camp.
A very fluffy white cat is by the entrance, they prickle at the sight of Mike. “Stand down Cloudtail. The twoleg isn't a threat. He’s just gonna sit out here while we talk to Firestar.”
“You found the kits! That's good, but why have you led a twoleg back to camp?” Cloudtail asks.
“He saved our kits and.. He can understand us.” Squirrelflight explained.
Cloudtail nods, letting the couple through the twoleg sit outside with him.
Mike sits there still until a little light brown tabby molly makes her way out of camp. Must be the medicine cat they mentioned. She carried a bundle of moss and other plants Mike couldn't recognize.
“You’re healing him..?” Cloudtail asks in a confused manner to the other cat.
“Yes. He did save Squirrelflight's kits. He’ll bleed out if I don’t.” She responded like it was obvious.
“Alright Leafpool…” Cloudtail states, still obviously weary of Mike.
So Leafpool was their healer then. She put something on Mike’s wound before covering it up with moss. He hissed at the stinging of the wound but didn't say anything.
Leafpool nods and walks back into camp, done with treating Mike’s wounds. So here he sat with an extremely fluffed up cat who didn't seem to like him.
After a moment an elegant flame colored tabby exits the camp, he stares at Mike with such an intensity he almost fell backwards from where he was sitting.
“So you are the twoleg that are able to understand us, and vice versa?” The ginger tabby asks.
“That is correct…” Mike responded, he noticed Brambleclaw joined the crew outside.
“Very well. Cloudtail. Head into camp. Keep the gossip to a minimum please.” Mike assumed this was probably Firestar, the supposed leader of this clan. Cloudtail nods and heads back into camp leaving Mike alone with two authority figures, bad move all around. “Alright then. What is your name then?”
“Thank gods someone asked my name. I'm Michael but please call me Mike.”
Firestar nods. “I’m Firestar, leader of Thunderclan. I must thank you for saving my daughter’s kits.”
“Ah. It was no problem, it was more of my instincts than me.” Mike explained not being used to such formalities.
Firestar looks thoughtful at that, “Instincts you say..? Please come rest in the Medicine Cat den. Just until you are healed.”
Brambleclaw bristles at what his leader is suggesting. Staring at him to make sure he heard that correctly. “Firestar, you can’t be serious. Letting a twoleg into camp? I know he saved my kits and all but what kind of damage will that do to our relationships with the other clans? I mean twolegs destroyed our last home. Why would we willingly let one stay in our camp?”
Firestar looks at Brambleclaw taking in his concern, “I understand that Brambleclaw but I assure you I know what I'm doing. Starclan told me something a long time ago, and I think it relates to this twoleg that can understand us.”
The brown tabby seems to stiffen but nods in understanding, “I suppose that makes sense..”
“And after he is healed, if he chooses to leave then he chooses to leave.” Firestar explained calmly.
Mike enters the clearing and almost all cats within it turn to look at him, Squirrelflight and Leafpool stare wide-eyed. Mostly everyone else bristles and fluffs up as he makes his way to the medicine den. He was corralled in by Firestar and Brambleclaw. Now he can finally take a proper nap.
After a short nap Leafpool wakes him to change the moss on his wounds, he looks away towards the door and finds the kits he had helped earlier that day, their mother standing with them.
Squirrelflight is holding Jaykit, who is trying to get in, back. “Ah hello Squirrelflight. Is everything ok?” Leafpool asks her quietly.
“Ah yes.. Firestar advised me to get the kits checked out after they ran around the forest.” Squirrelflight explained to her sister.
Leafpool nods, corralling the children into the moss nest next to Mike. Hollykit and Lionkit seem less prickly than when they last met.
Jaykit has to be carried in by his mother. He must be the most rebellious. It would make sense seeing as the young kit looks blind. He too would try his best to fight everything if society saw him as a burden because of a disability.
He saw a lot of himself in Jaykit if he was being entirely honest with himself. Leafpool checks over all three kits quickly, giving Squirrelflight the go ahead to take them back to the nursery.
“You may go back to sleep if you’d like Mike.” Leafpool tells him, his name rolling off her feline tongue in an odd way.
Mike nods curling into a ball in the bed of moss that has been made for him. It might not be the most comfortable, but at least it was some sort of bed.
The next time he awakes it’s the middle of the night, he here’s the clumsy pitter patter of kitten paw pads on the rock of the Healer’s den. He looks up from where he’s sprawled himself in the moss. That earns him the sight of Jaykit using his breathing and his scent to find him, bumping into his face slightly. “Hello there.” He whispers to the young kit.
“Hi,” Jaykit meows to him.
“Do you need something Jaykit?”
“No. It’s just… you’re like me,” Jaykit explains quietly, “Everyone in the clan considers you an Omen from Starclan, or a burden that the clan should just get rid of.”
Mike nods quietly. “I get that. I’ve always been seen like that. Even with the other twolegs.” He explains to the young kit.
Jaykit fluffed up in surprise, sitting down quickly. He stared at Mike with unseeing eyes quietly, somehow asking in a silent voice, Really?
“Yup. You know what I did though?” Mike asked, getting a shake of the kits head in response, “I got a group of friends who ignored the things that made me a burden to everyone else. Can you do something like that here?”
Jaykit perked up thinking for a moment, before sulking down shaking his head. “No. Everyone my age listens to their mentors and their parents. They think I’m a burden too.”
Mike nods sympathetically. “I understand that. I once thought that too. Then I found my people. You never know, maybe there are more cats in your corner than you think.” Mike tells him, reaching out to touch his hand to the paw of Jaykit, a way to tell the kit he was there.
Jaykit grins at the words and the gesture. The kit walks over his arms and nuzzles himself into Mike’s arm. “Thanks Mike,” The kit mews to him.
Mike grins, curling his arms around the kit so they’d both be comfortable. Soon both kit and teen fell asleep in the comfort of each other. The burdens of their lives.