Fragile Delivery (closed)

The tiny calico seemed to barely weigh anything as Ridgepaw bounded through the forest. As camp came into view she hurried in with a scramble of paws. Her meows muffled by the tiny kit there as she hurried into the medicine cat den without so much as a greeting to the cats that looked up. She looked around the medicine den with wide worried eyes. What would keep the kit warmest? What did it need? How did queens care for kits? MILK! The startling revelation came to her sharply, but deflated just as quick. What if it was too old for milk? Did it need mouse? The mouse she cau-

The mouse she left behind. Ridgepaw grunted as she placed the tiny kit down in an unused nest of the nursery. She looked around desperately when she spotted a herb she recognised. Well, not really, it had been in the mix she had when she was heading to the moonstone. If it was good for that, it might be good for the kit's hunger right? She grabbed a bit of the small white flowers and placed them in front of the kit with a small nudge of her nose. Going to the fresh-kill pile was probably a wiser choice, but she was loathe to leave the little bundle behind as she curled around it with a soft purr.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what to do, Pricklepaw's the smart one." She mewed softly as she licked the tiny kit in an attempt to warm it.

As Ridgepaw took the little kit to the medicine cat's den, Beartooth broke away to quickly toss the prey he had collected into the sparse pile before heading to the mouth of Leopardstar's den. He did not hesitate before calling out, "Leopardstar, you are needed in the medicine cat's den. Ridgepaw has found a kit." He'd scented the leader there and knew that he was dwelling among the shadows of the entrance. With a flick of his ear, the warrior turned to follow his patrol mate into the medicine cat's den. Upon arrival, he watched for a moment as his adoptive sister strived to warm it up with long strokes of her tongue. Finally, he blinked and without looking at Pricklepaw meowed, "Will she be okay?" The frailty of the tiny creature stunned him and he could not help but wonder.

The tiny kit couldn't even mewl as she was being bounced around. The motion of being brought up and down hurt greatly, but she said nothing. She was too weak. Multiple times through the trip, Leafkit had faded in and out of consciousness. Her dad? Where was her dad? She wanted her dad. She felt herself being put onto the ground in a more shaded area.

Using a lot of her strength, the calico opened her eyes again slightly. It was the same cat she had first seen, and there was a flower near her nose. She didn't want a flower, she wanted her dad. She closed her eyes again.

The thudding in her chest began to rise again. It was a raging thunderstorm at this point, lightning bolts striking from her heart and into her paws. Her jaws gaped, just slightly, and she began to heave. She couldn't breathe. Why was the big cat standing on her side? Leafkit opened her eyes again to find the cat who had took her from her territory not on her side. She let out the faintest whisper.

What was going on? She heaved again to puke, but nothing came up. With the last of her energy, the tiny calico kit curled into a ball. She was so tired. So cold. Everything hurt. Her eyes watered slightly. Where was her dad? He's letting her die alone. She wanted to go home... Go...

Her breathing slowed, but not her heart. It thudded faster.

... Home.....

.... Where?....

She let out a long breath...

.. Was... Tiny...

Her heart stopped thudding. In fact, it stopped beating all together. The kit was still, forever to remain lost and looking for her father. All she had wanted was her... father.

Leopardstar's black-tipped ears pricked up at the faint sound of rapid footsteps as he emerged from his light dozing, face tightening with concern even before Beartooth said a word; once the newly-named warrior had stated the unusual bit of news, the golden spotted tom rose his paws, following close behind at a quick gait as they approached the medicine cat's den.  By the time they had both ducked inside though, and Leopardstar had taken in the scene of wild Ridgepaw sympathetically curled around a pitifully tiny calico kit, it was clear that something was terribly wrong.  Hazel eyes wide and disbelieving, he stepped forward to sniff the she-kit...only to be greeted by the blossoming scent of death.  With a sharp intake of breath, which she would never again have, the large leader closed his eyes and shook his head sadly, a great grief overtaking his heart.  If only she had been found just a bit sooner...the poor thing...  His eyes didn't leave the minuscule body as he meowed, voice low and husky; "W-where did you find her Ridgepaw?  There might be someone searching for her...did you pick up any rouge scent?"  Had this kit been abandoned as well, just as he had been?  Or had she wandered off on a curious adventure from her family's nest, never to return again?

As the tiny kit wriggled against Ridgepaw's grooming, she stopped and looked around for Pricklepaw. The kit wasn't eating the flowers... maybe she had to chew it up for her? Could she eat? The apprentice felt lost as she took a few of the flowers and chewed at them in a vain attempt to save the calico's life as she spat it out crudely and shoved it towards her. It was only then she realised it's breathing had stopped. Panicked, Ridgepaw began to fiercly lick her once more. Her purring had stopped as she tried frantically to get the kit to move. Nudged at it's tiny legs and tail.

"No, no, no, no, no, please no. " She meowed softly with a final nudge to the kit's head as the golden form of Leopardstar came in beside her. Her pale calico ears flattened as her hazel eyes teared up in sadness and shame. What if she had been faster? Had she done something wrong? "I didn't scent any other cats... oh... ohhhh Leopardstar, Beartooth what do I do?" Her voice was weak with strain. Tears fell down her cheeks as she nudged the tiny little body of Leafkit once more. "...This poor kit... it never had an adventure." The thought of it made her duck her head beneath her white paws. Undisguised tears flowing freely now.

She had failed, and this kit had paid the price.

Pricklepaw ran into his den far too late. He'd been helping Lichenfang with her aching bones and preparing a few more poultices in the elders' den when he heard voices yowling out for him. When he rushed in, alarmed and worried, he saw a scene that made his blood run cold. A tiny kit was dying on the floor of the den, surrounded by other cats. Beartooth was there, but there was no time for him right now. What- what had happened? There was no time to wonder, he had to get to work now. "No, wait! Give her some space! I- I need to..." But even as he started rushing to grab herbs and leaves, he knew that something was horribly wrong and he didn't know how to fix it. The medicine cat apprentice was scared, for the first time that he could remember since he found his brother's body dead in the river.

As the kit took her last rattling, shaky breath, he dropped the mouthful of tansy he was holding and bent down to her, gently nosing her to see if he could get a response. No. No no no no. This can't be happening. But it was- the kit was dead. Gone to StarClan. And he hadn't saved her. "No..." he whispered hoarsely, eyes beginning to sting. "No. I failed." If he'd gotten there faster... if he'd known what to do... if he'd been adequate at all for this job he'd never wanted in the first place. Pain struck his heart at the sight of the vulnerable, cold little body on his floor. Why did StarClan pick me?