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Bluestreak woke slowly, feeling warm and safe for the first time in longer than he could remember. He was surrounded by other warm bodies and the sun was falling on their patch of concrete and someone was purring and–
“Go back to sleep, kit,” Sunstreaker said softly from beside him. “You’re safe.”
“I know.” Bluestreak let his eyes fall closed again, but he didn’t fall asleep. Instead, he let himself just enjoy being warm and protected again.
Someone leaned down and licked the top of his head, gently grooming and soothing the way he mother had when he was too small to clean himself. Sunstreaker, by the smell though he and Sideswipe smelled so similar…
Despite the fact that the other outdoor cats didn’t do it much, Bluestreak let himself purr in contentment. His little girl had always loved it when he did, and that was enough reason to keep doing it.
“Your watch is soon,” an unfamiliar voice said, interrupting his grooming.
“Send Sideswipe,” Sunstreaker said.
“Sunstreaker.” When he opened his eyes to look, a small tom that looked a lot like him was staring the huge golden cat down and lashing his tail. Bluestreak braced for a fight to break out. “Your kit will not be alone. I will care for him in your absence.”
Sunstreaker huffed. “Fine. Bluestreak?”
“Yeah?” He mewed so softly, hoping to keep whatever peace there still was.
“This is Prowl,” Sunstreaker licked him again, just once. “He’s Optimus’ second. He’s going to take care of you while I’m out on watch duty.”
“Okay,” Bluestreak replied, ears back.
“You are in no danger,” Prowl told him, tail falling still. “I will help you learn our ways while Sunstreaker and Sideswipe see to the clowder’s protection.”
“Oh. All right.” He couldn’t make his ears stand back up, though he tried.
Prowl huffed softly, and he didn’t sound angry, but Bluestreak didn’t know how to tell and then Prowl was licking his head and purring, just the way that always made him feel better. Bluestreak blinked up at him with a confused mew.
“You are safe, Bluestreak,” Prowl assured him as he groomed. “And I would have assured you of that, if I had been here last night, instead of with our allies by the grocery store. Sunstreaker must see to his duties to the community, even if he does not like it, but I would not strike him or you for being simply stubborn.”
“Yeah, but don’t make him mad.” There was a laugh in Sunstreaker’s voice. “You saw Tarn’s eye, right? That was Prowl.”
“It was,” Prowl agreed. “I will not see anyone harm this clowder.”
“Oh.” Bluestreak felt himself start to relax a bit.
“Yeah, he’s great.” Sunstreaker butted his head into Prowl’s shoulder before beginning to walk away. “You wouldn’t even know he used to have a bunch of humans, too.”
“You did?” Blue turned startled eyes up toward the adult cat. Prowl was the first street cat he had heard of that had once had humans since he had lost his little girl.
“Yes.” Prowl sighed. “There was a fire. Smokescreen, Jazz and I escaped but we were separated from our humans. We never found out what happened to them.”
The older cat sounded just as sad as he felt when he thought about his little girl, and Bluestreak was moving to cuddle up with him and comfort him before he even thought about it.
“Thank you,” Prowl leaned his head down and let it rest against Bluestreak’s and they stayed like that until the other cats in the pile began waking up.