Crimson Stains

Chapter 5

     "What are you doing out here? You could have been killed!" I yelp at the kit, a surprising amount of worry bubbling up from beneath my anger. The small kit steps back, defeated and shocked at my anger. "I'm sorry, I really am. I was just curious as to what it was like outside, and I was hungry, and I wanted to leave, and-"

     I cover her mouth with my tail. "Look, Auburn kit, it's alright. I forgive you, just please, don't do it again, alright?" I say, thinking for a second, "and you said you were hungry? Does Lizardstripe not feed you enough?" I let the question slip out. Auburnkit looks down again and replies, "well, she says she feeds me plenty, and in fact she says I'm getting a little chubby for such a small kitten."

I look at her, she seems ashamed of herself, though I can see some of her ribs through her coat. My heart sinks. "Hey, no, you're not chubby okay? I don't think you've been eating enough. Okay, this is what we're gonna do; I'm going to catch a nice big rabbit for us, just you and me, and we're going to eat in a nice cozy best outsider of camp, and you're going to eat all the rabbit you can!" I try to sound excited as I speak.

Auburnkit bounces a little bit, then settles down, curling her tail around her paws. I quickly sniff out a rabbit venturing from its burrow to find some grass and catch it with ease. I bring it back to the shivering kitten, her fur spiked up against the cold. I lay next to her, curling my tail around her frail body, and place the rabbit next to her. A tear streams through the fur on my face as I imagine Bubblekit next to me. Auburnkit stirs weakly, taking a gentle bite from the rabbit and looking away, almost ashamed.

"Hey, is everything alright?" I ask, hiding my sorrow. "Yeah, I guess, yknow, it's just, I haven't been able to eat like this. I'm not supposed to. This type of prey is for good kits." She looks away. I push the prey towards her, attempting to get her to eat. "Then you are supposed to have this." I smile. She looks at me with love, then buries her face in my fur.

I look into the distance as she purrs, eating her rabbit. My heart sinks as I think about my late mate and kits. My mind flicks back to the horrible nightmare. My mate. My kits. Distorted and broken. Blood smearing onto the snow.

I shake the images away. That was just a dream, it's okay, you're okay. Auburnkit finishes eating the rabbit, leaving a considerable amount of food left, and leans into my fur. She swiftly falls asleep, her purrs resonating with my body. I lick her head, then look away. She's not your kit. She's Lizardstripes kit now. She will take care of her. But I question, will she?