Colours in Shadows: Book 1 Flooding and Fury

"My saplings are growing up and now the youngest one is moving out of the burrow." A she-cat said, as she hugged another cat.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be fine. I have already been out in the other burrow for a couple of nights." Branch spoke, as he hugged his Mum.
"Are you sure?" She asked again, looking at him. It was clear from the look on her face that she was nervous about him being out in the forest.
"Yes, Mum. I just forgot a couple of things, but I think I've got everything now. Don't worry, I will come back to visit." he meowed. He grabbed a large leaf and laid it down before grabbing a clean, flat, grey rock and placing it in the middle before wrapping it up in the leaf.
"What are the stones for?" his brother asked, walking over to him. He watched as his brother continued to wrap this stone.
"It's for making herbal healing mixtures. That way, I can crush the herbs instead of chewing them. You only chew herbs if there are no clean stones to crush them or it's an emergency." he explained.
"Okay. How do you know this again?" his brother said.
"I learned it! They don't call me 'The Healer of the Forest' for nothing! Also, it's sort of part of my ability." Branch meowed.
"Okay then... I'm just going to clean the... bedding." he said, walking away.
Branch shrugged and went back to what he was doing. Unexpectedly, his mum hugged him again.
"My little healer." she smiled, proudly.
He finished wrapping the rock and stood up, preparing to leave. His father picked up one of the stones that was wrapped in a leaf, holding the little leaf pieces that were out of the fold. His father was very helpful. He may be older, but nothing would stand in his way and he was going to help him.
They both walked out of the burrow and began walking deeper into the forest.
"Bye Branch!" he heard his mother call.
Branch stopped and dropped the leaf that held the rock. He ran over to his mother and hugged her. She gently hugged him back,
"I promise, I will come to visit, Mum. I will always be your little Sapling..." he said, before running back to meet his father. He picked up the leaf again and both Branch and his father walked into the forest.
"Stay safe!" Mum called as they walked away.
"I will!" he called back. His voice was muffled by the rock he was carrying.
After a while, they had almost reached the new burrow. It was deeper in the forest and best of all, it was away from his parents' burrow. Dad walked beside him, carrying another rock. "So, how was the first night in the new burrow?" his father asked, as they walked along.
"It was okay. I got scared a couple of times being in new surroundings, but I managed to get some sleep." He told him.
"Well, at least you got some sleep." His father meowed. "Your mother and I were worried about you but we know you're older and you can take care of yourself. We knew you'd be alright. We just have to give you more freedom."
Just then, a thought crossed Branch's mind. "Dad..."
His father looked over at him, waiting for him to speak.
"Do you know where my nature abilities came from?" Branch asked.
"Why do you ask, son?" Dad's voice was calm and understanding. He was waiting for that one question.
"Well... it just seems like I'm not normal. You, Mum, my brother, and sister don't have the abilities that I have, and I'm just wondering if you know where they came from?" Branch looked at him.
His father looked at the ground. They had finally reached the burrow. It was hidden just under a tree root. He gently laid down the stone and said, "Branch, you are normal. You're just... gifted. You were born with them, we're sure of that. Anyway, abilities or not, you are still our little Sapling."
Branch followed his father's lead and placed the rock next to his. He smiled, hearing Dad tell him that he was still their little Sapling. It made him feel warm inside. It reminded him of when he was a kitten.
"Son, I am already happy with what you're doing. You are helping the forest, the animals, and that's what I am most proud of." His father looked at him and smiled.
Branch smiled, brightly. He walked over and rested his forehead on his father's and closed his eyes. "Thanks, Dad."
His father gently licked his forehead. "Branch, I've raised you since you were young. If you're born with abilities, I say take on the world as you would. Don't let anyone stand in your way or tell you otherwise. You are your own being and no one can tell you how to run your life."
"Yes..." Branch replied. Dad was right, no one could tell him how to live his life or what to do with his abilities.
"Well, you should probably move your stuff in, I'll leave you to it." his father meowed. "Our little Healer has to be ready for anything." Dad smiled.
"Okay, but... could you stay?" Branch meowed. All he was doing was sorting through plants and putting his stuff away.
"Sorry Son, I actually have to head back. It's my turn to collect food tonight and without it, we won't be eating." he explained.
"Okay then." Branch replied.
"Come and visit when you can. We know you're busy helping animals though." his father purred.
"I will." Branch hugged his Dad.
"I love you, Son."
"I love you too, Dad."
"Well, I must head back. You still have to get yourself settled." his father nuzzled him one last time.
"Bye, Dad."
He disappeared into the forest. Dad's paws were always so quiet, even when he was running. He could run without scaring a single animal away.
Branch began moving the stones inside. He picked up one of the stones carefully by the leaf that it was in. He walked into his burrow. It wasn't organized the way that he would have liked it to be, but he managed. It was mostly empty. There was a small pile of plants on the right side of the entrance as he walked in. It was dark in the burrow except for a small amount of daylight creeping in. He walked to the back and placed the rock down. He walked back to grab another one, carefully picking it up just as he had done with the last one. He brought it inside and placed it in the back with the others.

"Phew!" Branch sighed, breathlessly. It was hard work moving into a new place but he did have more freedom. He walked over to the plant pile and looked to his left. There was a spot that he had dug out earlier. It made a nice shelving space for his stuff.
He raised both of his paws and two mysterious vines appeared from the ground; one on either side of him. He began picking up the plants with the vines and placing them on the high shelves.
He loved using vines. It was almost like they were extra paws. He waved his paws and with every movement, they moved too.
The question he had asked Dad earlier was still in the back of his mind, like a stick poking at him constantly.

'If this is a gift that I was born with, why was I gifted? Where did it come from?'