[PRIMROSE]
The bell above the door of Little Whiskers Daycare gave a cheerful chime as I pushed it open. Instantly, the familiar scent of warm milk, honey-cakes, and baby powder washed over me, wrapping around me like a warm blanket.
I stood in the entryway, my nine silver tails swishing softly behind me, and just let myself look.
The walls were still painted with the clumsy, colorful murals of forests and clouds that I had done myself so long ago. The tiny wooden cubbies were lined up perfectly by the door, each labeled with a small, painted animal paw. This place was small. So much smaller than the grand halls of Unity Academy or the sprawling Warlord estate. But to me, it was the biggest place in the world.
This was where it all started. Where I was just a desperate chef trying to make a living and not get eaten by a bunch of feral beast-cubs, only to end up accidentally adopting them—and their terrifying, overly-protective fathers.
