#woodenweb

Batlight spread his paws to steady himself, trembling as he fought against the tears pricking at his eyes. He couldn’t cry right now. He had to comfort his kit.

The day had been long. Despite trying to stay awake, Rainkit and Rosekit fell asleep on their paws–much like their adoptive parent–and were currently being placed into their nest by Dewfall.

But Lionkit remained above.

The little tom had gotten a speck of mud on his shoulder, and instinctively Batlight had reached over to lick it. It was not a split second later before Lionkit screeched with the agony of a cat being torn in two by coyotes. The little kit now crouched in the shelter of an overhanging fern, his breath rapid, and his eyes wide and terrified.

Dewfall poked his head out of the den, alarmed by the cry. Batlight looked at him and gestured for him to return to the other kits. Dewfall hesitated, eyes narrowed, then disappeared below.

Batlight wanted nothing more than to curl around his son and hold him close and tell him everything was going to be okay.

Batlight  took a step forward–

Lionkit flinched.

Batlight steadied his breathing, fighting against the sob that was threatening to tear its way through his throat. He took a step back, then crouched so that his belly was to the ground, and his paws tucked beneath it–out of sight. 

He opened his jaws to speak, then closed it again, unsure what to say. “I know you’re scared,” he spoke at last, his chin as close to the ground as it could be and his ears flat against his head so that he appeared as small as possible. “And I wish I could take that away from you. I wish I could take away all the pain and all the bad thoughts and memories and everything that makes you feel sad and scared. You met a bad cat–” Lionkit whimpered at the mention of Woodstar– “and I’m so sorry about that. All I can do is promise you that I am not like her, I will never be like her. I promise you you are safe with me. Okay? That means I’ll never, ever, ever hurt you, or Rainkit or Rosekit. I’m here for you.” 

Batlight swallowed, heart pounding. Lionkit remained where he was.

Batlight went on, taking a deep breath. “In fact, I’ll protect you from anyone who tries to hurt you, in the rare and unlikely chance that that’ll happen,” he put in quickly in case Lionkit got scared again. “I will take care of you. I love you. Night-night,” he finished dumbly, and wasn’t all too sure why he said that.

That is, not until a faint, almost inaudible voice whispered back, “night-night.” And it was all worth it.

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@ambitiousauthor

@starfalcon555

--Batlight tries to be strong for the kits but he's also very sensitive so he often tries not to cry while also trying not to make them cry.

--Hope it makes sense I am so tired