give your heart but keep your head

Mama. Where was mama? A tiny kit, no more than two moons, sat crouched under a bush, staring unblinkingly at her paws. The grass under paw was flattened and brown, as though she hasn't moved much in some time. And that was true. Her mama had told her to stay put. She'd be back in no time. But 'no time' had stretched on for hours, one dark sky, then two. How many dark skies had passed since then, she wasn't sure. She wasn't really sure of anything, only that mama would certainly come back and bring the mousey she'd promised and praise her for not running away or getting into mischief. As long as she kept her eyes on her paws and kept quiet, mama would find her again. No worrying, no mewling, just stillness.

So far, she was doing good. But mama still hadn't returned, and she couldn't help but feel a gnawing in her belly and a whooshing in her head. It took everything inside her to continue to 'unfocus,' to just stare at nothing and wait. But mama's comforting face, fur and smell started to infiltrate her mind the longer she sat.

Where was mama? Mama, mama, mama. Finally, she let out a tiny wail, grief and fear wracking her fragile little body.

"Maaaama, maaammma, where are you?" Her voice was frail and hoarse, and she fell silent shortly after. Tears dribbled down her face. Never had she felt so alone.

[ I just remembered that cats don't cry tears. Omg. I'm dumb. ]

If she hadn't been paying close attention to the sounds of the forest at the time, the kit probably wouldn't have heard the bigger cat approach, even with the ruckus it was making. She jolted to her paws, but quickly fell to the ground with a squeak. Her legs, which she hadn't moved much in days, were throbbing.

"Mama!" She could feel the pains in her stomach better now, too. Overwhelming emotion washed over the kit, and she began to wail louder. "Mama!"

She lay on her side, legs untucked and rigid, squinting through the undergrowth. From her position, she could barely make out some fur but not much else. She fell silent. It didn't look like Mama's coat, though when she thought about it, she couldn't remember much about Mama looked like. But she remembered her milky, safe scent, and whatever that was before her, it wasn't Mama.

[ Okay, so, I looked it up, and apparently cats can cry tears but only for medical reasons, not because they're sad. So, it looks like Hazykit might need to see a vet . ]

Hazykit shut her eyes tight as the strange cat drew nearer. If she couldn't see them, perhaps they couldn't see her. 

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. After a few beats of silence, the grey and brown kit opened her eyes and lifted her head. Upon seeing a giant figure looming before her, Hazykit let out a shrill squeak and felt her paws begin to scramble against the grass and dirt. Weak from hunger and lack of sleep, finding a solid grip on the ground was close to impossible. 

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," the giant mewed. Hazykit stopped squirming immediately, recognizing the cat's tone as soothing and gentle. Her mama talked to her like that often. 

"Do you know where mama is?" She rolled onto her belly, eyes wide and unfocused. Terrified of the stranger only a second before, Hazykit now completely trusted her. She must be mama's friend. "My tummy is hungry. I want a mousie. Do you have a mousie? Mama said I could have a mousie when she got back. I'm old enough to eat big cat food now."