The rain had continued on and off for a few days. Deserve had grown used to falling asleep to the gentle patter of rain on the roof of the barn. But yesterday afternoon, the sun had come out for the first time in days.

Deserve lay curled up with his siblings, his eyes closed as he tried to fall asleep. But he'd almost forgotten how to fall asleep to silence. His ears longed for the calming sound of rainfall. He let out a sigh and rolled onto his back in the hay, staring up at the roof of the barn. It's no use. I'm not really tired anyway. He glanced over at Boost and Song. They were cuddled together, their flanks rising and falling as they slept. I wish they were awake to play with me. Behind them, Velvet was sound asleep as well.

He looked the other way, expecting to see his father laying in his usual spot in the hay. But to his surprise, it was empty. He blinked and sat up, looking around. Where is he? He looked around the shadowy barn, but couldn't see Dice anywhere. He must be outside... But why? He decided to find out.

He cautiously padded out of his nest. When he stepped out of the hay and onto the cold floor of the barn, he looked over his shoulder warily. The others were still sound asleep. He looked ahead and continued stepping lightly and carefully to avoid waking up his mother and siblings.

When he reached the exit of the barn, he hesitated, staring out uneasily. I've never been outside on my own before... But the urge to find his father gave him courage. I can do this... Dice is out there anyway, I won't be alone. He nervously stepped out into the darkness, looking around the dark empty field. The only sound was the repetitive chirping of crickets in the cold grass. He scanned the area for his father.

"Dad?" He whispered. There was no response. He hesitated before padding around the corner of the barn, his heart thumping nervously. What if the forest cats jump out and get me? His eyes darted around. He tried not to give in to the fear that was urging him to turn and flee to the safety of the barn. There's nothing to be afraid of... There are no forest cats here. He continued forward slowly, looking around anxiously. Suddenly, he caught sight of his father's black and white pelt. He had his back to Deserve.

Dice! He started toward him, then stopped. His father was crouched low to the ground, very slowly creeping forward through the grass. He looked very focused on something. Is he hunting?Deserve sat down, tilting his head curiously as he watched. I've never seen him hunt before...He was fascinated as he watched him stalk forward, his tail low but raised above the grass.

Dice suddenly pounced and crouched in the grass for a moment. Deserve waved his tail excitedly as he watched his father stand back up, holding a dead mouse in his jaws.

Wow! He caught a mouse! Deserve eagerly raced over to him. "That was incredible!" He exclaimed excitedly.

His father spun around and dropped the mouse, his yellow eyes lighting with surprise. He relaxed when he saw that it was his kit. "Deserve!" He let out a sigh, his fur flattening as he calmed. "You scared me! What are you doing out here?" He padded over and touched his nose to Deserve's ear. "You should be sleeping."

Deserve purred. "I couldn't sleep, so I wanted to find you."

His father let out a purr. "Well, you found me." He turned and began scraping a hole in the ground with his paws. Deserve watched curiously as he took the mouse and dropped it inside before covering it with dirt.

"What are you doing?" Deserve blinked. "Aren't we going to eat it?"

Dice sat up. "Yes, but I bury everything I catch and then collect it later," He explained. "If I don't, an animal or a bird might come and take it."

"What kind of animal?" Deserve tilted his head as he stared up at him.

"Foxes, badgers, other cats," Dice meowed. When Deserve looked alarmed, he added, "Don't worry, it's never happened before. But I like to be careful."

He relaxed a little and looked at his father in confusion. "Why are you hunting now? You always hunt during the day."

"Prey has been scarce with all the rain the past few days," Dice explained. "I decided to hunt tonight to make up the time. There is usually more prey around at night anyway."

"Oh." Deserve paused and stared at him. Has he gotten any sleep yet? "Aren't you tired?"

"Of course," Dice meowed, leaning over him. "But I need to hunt and provide for you and the family, right?" He let out a tired purr and licked Deserve on the head.

Deserve hesitated, "It seems like you're the only one doing all the work around here," He commented. "Why doesn't Velvet hunt too? You could take turns, and you wouldn't be so tired."

Dice hesitated, his eyes softening. "Your mother doesn't know how to hunt. She wasn't raised here like I was."

"Why don't you teach her?" Deserve asked in confusion. Surely she can learn?

He shook his black and white head. "I tried once, but she didn't want to. She refuses to kill anything, including prey. It's admirable, but..." He paused. "It's the way things are."

Deserve felt a pang of sympathy. Dice works so hard hunting for five cats all on his own. I wish I could do something to help. An idea popped in his head. He looked at his father eagerly. "What if you teach me how to hunt?" He asked hopefully. "I could help you, and we could hunt together!"

To his disappointment, his father shook his head. "Deserve, this is my responsibility, not yours. You're too young."

"But I want to hunt!" Deserve protested. "I want to be just like you!"

Dice's yellow eyes grew warm. "Well... I've always wanted to teach my kits how to hunt someday. But I imagined it would be when you're older. You're only about three times the size of a mouse yourself!"

"Please!" Deserve begged, jumping up and down eagerly. "Please, show me how to be a great hunter like you!"

His father was quiet for a moment, and Deserve held his breath. At last, he let out a purr. "Alright." He stared at his son. "But remember, you don't have to help me feed everyone, at least not until you're older."

Okay!" Deserve purred, nodding vigorously. "I promise, I'll remember!"

"Alright," Dice meowed and crouched. "Try to copy me. See how I'm staying low to the ground, but not letting my tail touch the grass?"

Deserve nodded as he crouched beside him, staring at his tail. "Why do you do that?"

"If your tail moves against the grass or leaves, the prey will hear you and run away," He explained. He paused and gently pushed Deserve lower to the ground with his paw. "A bit lower, and don't stick your rear in the air."

Deserve obeyed, studying his father to make sure he was in the correct position.

"Very good!" Dice purred. "Now stalk forward, very slowly." He did so. "Stay low to the ground, and be careful not to disturb and twigs or stones that might be in the way."

Okay! Deserve carefully crept forward until he was crouched beside his father.

"Careful, you're losing your posture." He touched Deserve's back with his tail. "The ground is your friend. Stay close to it."

He chuckled and watched as his father continued his demonstration. "See that long piece of grass up there?" Dice meowed, nodding up ahead.

Deserve nodded, fixing his eyes on it.

"We're going to pretend that's a mouse," Dice told him as he crept forward. "Keep stalking until you're close enough. Then, when the moment is right..." He suddenly sprang into the air and landed in front of the grass, planting his forepaws on it. "Pounce!" He got up and stepped back, watching Deserve. "Your turn."

Deserve narrowed his eyes, waving his tail in the air excitedly before grunting and leaping into the air, but he misjudged the distance. He missed the long blade of grass and stumbled awkwardly a few mouse lengths from it. "Ugh!"

"Not bad," Dice purred, padding over and gently nudging him to his paws. "But you misjudged the jump. You also need to keep your tail still."

He ducked his head, embarrassed and disappointed in himself. "Sorry," He mumbled. "Maybe I won't be so good at this."

"Don't be silly!" Dice licked his head. "Never give up. You can learn how to do anything if you put your mind to it." He nudged Deserve. "Let's try again."

Deserve hesitated, feeling doubtful. I don't think I'll ever do this right...

***

"I did it!" Deserve let out a triumphant yowl as he landed in the grass, planting his forepaws on the longer blades. "I did it!" He looked back at Dice excitedly. "Did you see that? Did I do good?"

"That was excellent!" Dice purred and padded over to him, looking proud. "Well done! You're a natural."

Deserve stood up, waving his tail. "I must get it from you," He purred. It had taken at least ten tries, but finally, he'd done it right.

His father chuckled and gazed at him. "Are you ready to try it for real?"

"Yes!" Deserve exclaimed. "Let's find a mouse!" He looked around eagerly.

"Shh!" Dice purred. "You'll scare away any mice if you're yowling at them." He paused and sniffed the air. After a moment, he twitched his ear and looked toward the back corner of the barn. "Over there." They crept closer, and Deserve spotted the tiny creature sitting in the grass, nibbling on a seed. "See it?"

Deserve nodded. "Yeah!" His eyes were locked on the mouse.

"Go on," Dice murmured and stepped back to watch. "Remember what I taught you."

He dropped into a hunting crouch, his eyes fixed on the mouse. He quickly checked his position. Stay low... Tail above the ground... He slowly crept forward, watching where he put his paws. Don't step on any twigs or stones... He paused when he decided he was close enough and crouched lower into the grass. He narrowed his eyes at the tiny creature, imagining it was the long blade of grass he'd practiced on earlier. Okay... One... Two... Three...

Now!

He leaped at the mouse and caught it in his claws. He was startled at how big it was. Dice was right, he was only about three times it's size. The mouse squeaked in alarm and struggled, kicking its feet at him. Ah! Deserve pushed it onto its stomach and pinned it. He panicked for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then he remembered the teeth marks he always saw in the prey Dice brought back for them.

"Very good!" Dice praised from behind him. "Now to kill-"

Deserve lunged down at the mouse and bit into it's neck, startled at the salty tang of blood on his tongue and the feeling of his teeth breaking through flesh. The mouse jerked and let out a squeak of pain under him. It twitched once before going limp. He released it and stepped back, his heart racing. Wow! The thrill of the hunt excited him. "I got it!"

"Deserve!"

He turned to his father eagerly, expecting him to be pleased with his catch. But instead, he looked shocked, his eyes wide. "How did you do that?"

"What?" Deserve blinked.

"The killing bite." Dice stared at him. "I never showed you how to do it."

He grew uneasy. Did I do something wrong? Is he upset? "I-I guess I figured it out on my own," He stammered nervously. "From watching you."

Dice stared at him for a moment longer. Then he let out a purr and hurried over to him, nuzzling him. "Your first catch! I'm so proud of you!"

Deserve purred loudly and rubbed his head against Dice's muzzle. "Did I do everything right?"

"You did," His father purred loudly, gazing down at him proudly. "You're a natural hunter, Deserve."

He purred happily, waving his tail. "Can we hunt together sometime? Please! Maybe tomorrow?"

Dice's eyes glowed. "Of course we can." He looked up at the dark sky. "Now, you should go to sleep," He purred. "Bring your mouse into the barn. In the morning, you can give it to Velvet and surprise her."

"Okay!" Deserve perked up. Wait till she sees! And Boost and Song! He started toward his mouse to pick it up.

"Oh, and Deserve?" Dice called. He paused, looking back at his father. "You might want to clean the blood from your muzzle." His yellow eyes gleamed with amusement. "You'll give your mother a heart attack if she sees you like that.

Deserve purred in amusement. "Okay, dad," He licked his muzzle clean. The blood tasted nice and salty. He picked up his mouse and ran off, waving his tail at his father, who purred as he watched him go.

He ran into the barn and looked around. Everyone was still asleep. He ran behind a pile of hay and tucked his mouse behind it. I'll show them in the morning! He gazed down at it proudly before he turned and headed to his nest.

He curled up with his siblings, purring loudly. I can't wait to go hunting with Dice all the time! He was so proud of me! He imagined returning to the barn with prey for his mother siblings. What a great feeling it must be! Maybe he'd even catch something for Dice. He wouldn't expect that! I hope I become a great hunter just like him, and take care of my family!