Chapter Text
Summary: It’s the end of the day in Critter valley,all of catnaps friends are asleep. Catnap takes the time to explore the woods only to find someone in desperate need of his help.
Critter valley lays peacefully as the sun begins to set. In the middle of the valley lays eight houses of various shapes and sizes, in the middle of them all stands a tall purple tower adorned with stars and large crescent moon. The door to the tower opens with a quiet creek as the smiling critter known as catnap steps out with his long tail trailing behind him.
Catnap smiles widely as he visits each and every one of his friends. One by one their lights go off and the insomniac critters go to sleep. As the smiling critters lay asleep in their houses all tucked in a proud catnap walks out of the bright sunny shaped house. His mission complete he begins to make his way towards the forest.
Catnap always enjoyed the exploration in the night, despite the darkness he enjoyed the nightly beauty- its quiet beautiful presence was always welcomed by the cat.
Catnap wished his friends could experience the beauty of the night but alas they had issues sleeping and catnap wouldn’t allow them to mess it up on his behalf.
Catnap felt the wet mud before he saw it.
He looked at his foot and frowned. He continued to walk further into the forest until he came face to face with a small swamp.
Catnap tilted his head how could a swamp be in a forest? Catnap thinks back to dogday telling him something like this.
“Ah before you go! At the edge of the forest lies a small swamp that connects to the dark forest, if you ever see it you should probably turn back!” He said with a smile
Even in his memory’s dogday brightened the place. Catnap eyes scanned the swamp and crinkled his nose in disgust.
The place was trashed with junk all over, discarded bags and cans. What a dump catnap thought. Catnap was slightly curious on what lay ahead but at the same time was hesitant as he remembered dogday’s warning. Not to mention the place itself was quite filthy. Catnap hated taking baths and decided it wasn’t worth it, he turned to leave.
A deep guttural sound pierced catnaps sensitive ears. He turned around in confusion.
In the murky water bubbles rised slowly as the sound continued to persist.
Catnap’s curiosity prickled his fur and despite all signs pointing him to go home, Catnap took a step and began to silently walk towards the body of water.
The bubbles continued to rise as Catnap approached. As catnap was inches away from the water the bubbles stopped. Catnap tilted his head. Why did it stop? He thought.
Slowly a green scaled head rises from the water making Catnap back away. The new critter yawned very loudly and rubbed its eyes before staring at Catnap with confusion.
“Who are you?” He yawned.
Catnap didn’t know what to really say but tried his best anyway.
“𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐩” his voice deep.
“Woah yer voice is really deep.” The critter said tiredly.
Catnap felt his cheeks warm up with embarrassment.
Catnap geastures to the scaled critter.
“Me? Im Allister gator…” he replied slowly.
“Never seen you here then again I spend most my time sleeping…” he yawned revealing his pointy teeth.
Catnap geastures to the trash all around.
Allister looks around lazily and chuckles
“That’s my trash I don’t really have the energy to clean…”
Catnap frowned
“Eh I don’t see a problem…I’m kinda hungry now” he steps out of the water heavy as the water droplets cascade off his scales.
Allister walks past Catnap slowly.
“You want something Cat-AUGHHH!” Allister falls to the mud as Catnap rushes to his side in panic. The gator clutches his foot, Catnap takes a closer look to see the some sharp pieces of metal had pierced the gator’s foot. Catnap watched the blood trickle as Allister huffed and tried to stand up. Catnap’s long tail pushed the gator down much to his protest.
“𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤, 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞”
Allister groaned “so? It’ll heal…eventually..”
Catnap looked at the gator. His laziness is costing him. Catnap shushed him as he quickly looked around for something to help remove the pieces of metal. He spots a small plier half sunken in the mud.
“Eh? I forgot I had that…I took it outta the box and forgot about it…” Allister says
Catnap flattens his ears. Who lives so irresponsibly like this?
Catnap silently retrieved the pliers and held the gators foot steady.
“𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥…”
The gator rolled his eyes before he felt the shards of metal being plucked off his foot. He tired to scream but the cat’s tail had wrapped itself around his snout.
Catnap tsks before wrapping the foot with a bandage.
“𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐠…”
The gator scoffs
“Wasn’t planning on using it…”
Catnap sits next to Allister.
“Ugh I’m hungry…”
Catnap mumbled before getting up and scavenging the junk around them for some food. He pulled out a half eaten bagel and tossed it to the gator.
He didn’t attempt to catch it as it bounced off his chest and hit the mud. Allister picked up the bagel and chomps on it. Catnap wants to barf. How has he lasted so long? Catnap wondered.
Allister slowly chews as Catnap stares from across him.
“What?”
Catnap looks away.
Catnap sighed as the Allister slowly yawned.
Catnap looked at the messy area and at Allister, it was clear to him he was quite lazy. He probably wouldn’t even bother picking up the trash even after his foot got cut. Catnap wanted to leave soon but could he really leave with Allister living in such a dump?
Catnap got up and reluctantly began picking up the trash. He picked up a dirty can filled with mud and placed it in a separate spot intending for that to be the trash pile. Allister blinked slowly
“Uh what are you doing Cat?”
Catnap turned and stared at him.
The gator looked dumbstruck he scratched his scaly head. How cute, catnap smiled
“Oooh you want to clean up after me? Well I appreciate it.” Allister grinned
Catnap looked at the grinning gator. The gator stared back.
After a period of time Allister turned his head down, Had he finally found shame in being so lazy?
Allister began to snore.
Catnap watched silently as the Gator’s chest rised and fell back down. Catnap eyed the rest of the trash around him.
Catnap sighed. It was going to be a long night.
Later that morning
Catnap had walked out of the woods with his tail dragging behind him. Helping that critter was a challenge, cleaning it was easier said than done but making sure it stayed clean was going to be tricker.
Catnap blinked as the sun began to rise.
Catnap looked back to the woods and sighed. He was going to go back tomorrow he decided.
Catnap spotted his house and sighed in relief. He opened his door and stepped inside. His house was silent and clean, catnap smiled as he took the stairs. At the top he greeted his fluffy bed like an old friend. As Catnap climbed into the sheets he found himself thinking of that critter. Who was he? And why had they never met before? Another question for tomorrow he told himself. Catnap tucked himself in and sighed as he drifted to slee-
SLAM!
“CATNAAAAP! Wake up! We’re going to play!” Said a bright and cheerful voice belonging to Catnap’s best friend Dogday.
Catnap groaned. It was going to be a long day.