Every home has its own energy. Some homes are loud. Some are chaotic. Some are quiet in a way that feels hollow. But the Reyes household has a rhythm that is warm, steady, lived in, and full of small acts of love. Elise holds it together with sheer willpower. Daniel grounds it with patience. The girls fill it with joy. And somewhere in the middle of all that life are two cats who keep the whole place balanced.

Fortinbras and Ananda are not side characters. They are not scenery. They are emotional anchors inside the Tidewoven Inc world, and they shape the atmosphere of the home in a way no other characters can.

This is their story.

Fortinbras: The Sentinel

Who He Is

Fortinbras is an eleven-year-old charcoal tabby with pale gold eyes, a long body, and the unshakable confidence of a creature who believes he runs the household.

He is not aloof. He is not unfriendly. He is selective. Everything about him communicates a simple truth.

Order is kindness. Chaos is danger. I keep watch so they do not have to.

Personality

• Calm and structured
• Watches the family with sharp, quiet focus
• Approves of routine and predictable behavior
• Dislikes chaos, shouting, and shady people
• Offers affection in small, meaningful doses
• Believes Elise is his chosen person and acts accordingly

He is the cat who sits in a doorway like a guard. He supervises homework time. He sits on the back of the couch with the posture of an old general. He does not cause trouble. He prevents it.

Fortinbras and Micah

From the moment Micah moves back in, Fortinbras recognizes fear and stress in him with uncanny accuracy. He does not push. He does not demand attention. He simply sits nearby and keeps watch.

It is the first safe presence Micah accepts without flinching.

Ananda: The Soft Chaos

Who She Is

Ananda is three years old, fluffy, cream and gold, and full of life. She is lighter than she looks and soft in a way that feels like sunlight on a warm floor. If Fortinbras runs security, Ananda runs morale.

Her life philosophy is simple.

Every moment is a gift. If you sit still too long, you miss the magic.

Personality

• Fearless, curious, affectionate
• Loves attention but never demands it
• Steals Elise’s hair ties
• Follows Lucy around the house
• Believes every closed door is an invitation
• Provides comfort by flopping directly on the nearest human

Where Fortinbras watches, Ananda lifts the mood. She brings lightness even into heavy moments.

Ananda and Micah

She does not treat him like he is fragile. She climbs into his lap. She chirps at him. She lies on his chest when his breathing gets tight. She anchors him in the present without asking for anything in return.

She gives him warmth.
Fortinbras gives him safety.
Together they give him belonging.

Why Elise Would Have Cats, Not Dogs

Elise is an ER nurse, the mother of two active girls, and the emotional center for her brother and her parents-in-law. She is steady, loving, and always moving. She would want to be an excellent dog mom and would feel guilty every time she was gone for twelve-hour shifts.

Cats fit her life exactly.

They self-regulate.
They adapt.
They show love without demanding constant care.
They curl around the edges of a busy family and make themselves part of the rhythm.

Fortinbras keeps the house grounded.
Ananda keeps it joyful.

Why These Cats Matter in the Story

Animals in fiction are often treated as set dressing. Not here. Not in Tidewoven. These cats reveal who the Reyes family is at their core.

Fortinbras shows the house is structured.
Ananda shows that the house is loved.

For Micah, who has lived most of his life braced for impact, their presence is a quiet turning point. He does not bond with people easily. He trusts silence. He trusts consistency. He trusts beings who expect nothing from him.

Fortinbras offers a steady presence.

Ananda offers simple joy.

Both teach him safety in a language he can understand.

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