- Aug 16, 2024
- 6
- 0
- 1
The night was silent, save for the soft rustle of leaves underfoot. The loner paused, glancing over her shoulder to ensure she hadn’t been followed. The kits bundled in her jaws were squirming slightly, their mewls muffled but persistent. She hesitated, her ears twitching at the sound of the river nearby. RiverClan. She didn’t know much about the Clans, but she’d heard whispers among the strays and loners who sometimes ventured near their borders. They were proud, strong, and most importantly, they took care of their own. This would be a good home for the two little kittens that she had been stuck with, where they'd be cared for better than with her.
She had never wanted this, had never imagined herself as a mother. The father, a charming tom from the Twolegplace, had seemed like a pleasant distraction at the time. She’d spent a few nights with him, enjoyed the company, but nothing more. When she realized she was pregnant, the dread settled in, heavy and suffocating. She wasn’t cut out for this—raising kits, being tied down, losing her freedom. It wasn’t the life she’d chosen for herself. She crouched low, placing the kits gently on the soft grass at the border. Their tiny bodies huddled together, seeking warmth and comfort in each other. She felt a pang of guilt, but quickly pushed it away. This was for the best. The Clans had everything they needed—protection, food, community. The kits would be better off here than trailing after her, a loner with no place to call home.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. The words felt foreign on her tongue, but she forced them out anyway. She wasn’t heartless, but she wasn’t going to let herself be consumed by regret. This was what had to be done. Without another glance, she turned and padded away, her steps quickening as she put distance between herself and the kits. The night swallowed her up, leaving the tiny bundles alone on the border, waiting to be found by the Clan that would become their new family.
--
The world was vast, filled with scents and sounds the tiny kit couldn’t yet comprehend. Everything felt strange and new—different from the warmth and comfort of their mother’s side. The cool night air nipped at the kit’s fur, causing them to shiver and burrow closer to their sibling. The kit's eyes were still closed, the world beyond a blur of darkness and soft noises. They could feel the gentle thrum of the earth beneath them, hear the distant rush of water, and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was all so overwhelming, but the most disconcerting thing was the absence of their mother’s familiar scent. She was there a moment ago, wasn’t she?
A small, frightened mewl escaped the kit’s throat as they nuzzled blindly against their sibling, seeking the warmth and reassurance that was quickly fading. Where had she gone? Why did she leave? The kit couldn’t understand, could only feel the cold emptiness where her presence should have been. The kit’s tiny paws kneaded the ground instinctively, searching for something to cling to, but finding nothing but the cool, unfamiliar grass. Everything was different now, and though they were too young to grasp the full meaning of what had just happened, a deep, instinctual fear settled in their small chest. They let out another soft cry, this one more desperate, as if calling out to the darkness for an answer. But there was no response, no comforting nuzzle, no warm tongue to soothe their fears. Just the vast, open night and the quiet sounds of the forest around them.
And so the kit curled up tighter, pressing against their sibling. All they wanted was to feel safe again, to feel their mother’s warmth and know that they weren’t alone in this big, frightening world.
[ please wait for @otterbite and @DROPLETKIT to post before posting! ]
She had never wanted this, had never imagined herself as a mother. The father, a charming tom from the Twolegplace, had seemed like a pleasant distraction at the time. She’d spent a few nights with him, enjoyed the company, but nothing more. When she realized she was pregnant, the dread settled in, heavy and suffocating. She wasn’t cut out for this—raising kits, being tied down, losing her freedom. It wasn’t the life she’d chosen for herself. She crouched low, placing the kits gently on the soft grass at the border. Their tiny bodies huddled together, seeking warmth and comfort in each other. She felt a pang of guilt, but quickly pushed it away. This was for the best. The Clans had everything they needed—protection, food, community. The kits would be better off here than trailing after her, a loner with no place to call home.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. The words felt foreign on her tongue, but she forced them out anyway. She wasn’t heartless, but she wasn’t going to let herself be consumed by regret. This was what had to be done. Without another glance, she turned and padded away, her steps quickening as she put distance between herself and the kits. The night swallowed her up, leaving the tiny bundles alone on the border, waiting to be found by the Clan that would become their new family.
--
The world was vast, filled with scents and sounds the tiny kit couldn’t yet comprehend. Everything felt strange and new—different from the warmth and comfort of their mother’s side. The cool night air nipped at the kit’s fur, causing them to shiver and burrow closer to their sibling. The kit's eyes were still closed, the world beyond a blur of darkness and soft noises. They could feel the gentle thrum of the earth beneath them, hear the distant rush of water, and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was all so overwhelming, but the most disconcerting thing was the absence of their mother’s familiar scent. She was there a moment ago, wasn’t she?
A small, frightened mewl escaped the kit’s throat as they nuzzled blindly against their sibling, seeking the warmth and reassurance that was quickly fading. Where had she gone? Why did she leave? The kit couldn’t understand, could only feel the cold emptiness where her presence should have been. The kit’s tiny paws kneaded the ground instinctively, searching for something to cling to, but finding nothing but the cool, unfamiliar grass. Everything was different now, and though they were too young to grasp the full meaning of what had just happened, a deep, instinctual fear settled in their small chest. They let out another soft cry, this one more desperate, as if calling out to the darkness for an answer. But there was no response, no comforting nuzzle, no warm tongue to soothe their fears. Just the vast, open night and the quiet sounds of the forest around them.
And so the kit curled up tighter, pressing against their sibling. All they wanted was to feel safe again, to feel their mother’s warmth and know that they weren’t alone in this big, frightening world.
[ please wait for @otterbite and @DROPLETKIT to post before posting! ]
