ch-60

The sound of the car screeching to a halt outside the house made Aryan jump. He dashed to the door just as Suraj entered, his expression a mix of worry and urgency. "Aryan, what happened? Are you okay?" Suraj asked, scanning the room for any sign of trouble.

Aryan hesitated, fidgeting with his fingers, before motioning toward the corner of the living room where Chhoti lay on a soft cushion. Her swollen belly rose and fell with labored breaths, and her occasional meows were weak and pained. "It's... it's Chhoti," Aryan stammered, his voice small.

Suraj blinked, surprised. He hadn't even known Aryan had been taking care of a cat, let alone that it might be in distress. His initial panic melted into a mix of relief and mild exasperation. "You called me all the way home for a cat?" he asked, though his tone lacked any real reprimand. He was just glad Aryan wasn't hurt.

Aryan braced himself, expecting Suraj to scold him for keeping a secret or for overreacting, but instead, his brother crouched down beside him, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Hey," Suraj said gently, ruffling Aryan's hair. "I'm just glad nothing serious happened."

Relieved, Aryan quickly launched into an explanation, telling Suraj everything about how he had found Chhoti during the rainstorm and had been secretly taking care of her for the past ten days. Suraj listened patiently, nodding as he pieced together the situation. He glanced at the cat, noting her swollen belly and tense demeanor, and something clicked.

"Aryan," Suraj began, turning to his brother, "I think Chhoti is pregnant."

Aryan's eyes widened in shock. "Pregnant?!" he exclaimed, looking back at the cat as though seeing her for the first time. "You mean she's going to have babies?"

Suraj chuckled softly at Aryan's incredulous expression. "Yes, and it looks like she's in labor right now," he explained. "That's why she's acting restless and making those noises. She's trying to give birth."

Aryan's shock turned into a mixture of awe and nervousness. "But she's in so much pain," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "What do we do, Bhaiya? How can we help her?"

Suraj placed a reassuring hand on Aryan's shoulder. "It's going to be okay. Cats usually handle this on their own, but we can make sure she's comfortable and safe."

As Suraj approached Chhoti, she immediately began to growl and hiss, her ears flattening against her head. Aryan jumped in, crouching beside her and speaking softly. "It's okay, Chhoti. He's my brother. He's trying to help you, I promise."

To Suraj's surprise, Chhoti seemed to calm down at Aryan's words. Her growling stopped, and she even shifted slightly to give Suraj a better view. Suraj raised an eyebrow at Aryan. "Did you just... talk her into trusting me?" he asked, half-joking but genuinely impressed.

Aryan shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I guess she understands me," he said, though even he found it hard to believe.

Suraj didn't dwell on the oddity. Instead, he focused on the task at hand. He fetched a clean towel and a shallow box, lining it with soft cloth to create a comfortable birthing space. Gently, he lifted Chhoti and placed her in the box, speaking soothingly to her all the while. She let out a soft meow, her body trembling with effort as another contraction hit.

Aryan watched anxiously, his hands clenched into fists. "Is she going to be okay, Bhaiya?" he asked.

"She'll be fine," Suraj reassured him, though he kept a close eye on Chhoti just in case. "Cats are strong. Just keep talking to her. It seems to help."

For the next hour, the brothers worked together to support Chhoti. Aryan stayed by her side, whispering words of encouragement, while Suraj kept the area clean and made sure Chhoti had water nearby. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Chhoti let out a loud, guttural cry, and the first kitten was born.

Aryan's eyes widened in wonder as he watched the tiny, wet creature wriggle and squirm. "Bhaiya, look! It's so small!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with awe.

Suraj smiled, handing Aryan a clean cloth. "Here, gently wipe it dry and place it near Chhoti. She'll take care of the rest."

With trembling hands, Aryan did as instructed, his heart swelling with a mixture of pride and joy. Chhoti immediately began licking the kitten, cleaning it and encouraging it to nurse. The sight brought a tear to Aryan's eye. "She's amazing," he whispered.

One by one, the kittens arrived, each met with a mixture of nervousness and excitement from Aryan and quiet competence from Suraj. By the end of the night, Chhoti had given birth to four healthy kittens, each nestled close to her side.

[Image of cats here]

Suraj leaned back, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Well," he said with a tired grin, "we've officially got a family of cats now."

Aryan laughed, his earlier anxiety replaced with pure happiness. He reached out to stroke Chhoti's head, marveling at her resilience. "Thank you for trusting me," he said softly. Chhoti responded with a low purr, her eyes half-closed in contentment.

Suraj watched the scene with a warm smile, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. Despite the chaos of his professional life and the challenges of running Mythic Productions, moments like this reminded him of what truly mattered. Seeing Aryan so happy and filled with wonder made all the hard work worthwhile.

As the house grew quiet, the only sounds were the soft meows of the kittens and Chhoti's gentle purring. Suraj placed a hand on Aryan's shoulder, squeezing it affectionately. "You did good, Aryan," he said. "You took care of her when she needed help, and now she's brought new life into the world. I'm proud of you."

Aryan beamed up at his brother, his heart swelling with pride. "Thanks, Bhaiya," he said. "But I couldn't have done it without you."

The two brothers sat together, watching the tiny family of cats snuggle together in their makeshift home. In that moment, all the stress and noise of the outside world faded away, leaving only the quiet bond of family and the warmth of new beginnings.

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Mass release (3/5)

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