The Kings Kitten

16 - Pride

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That must have been the shortest battle I'd ever heard of. In fact, it's the only battle I've ever heard of in my lifetime.

Demetrius didn't want to leave the territory after we saw the invaders leave, a change of heart is what I'll call it.

Instead he drove me back up the dirt road and into town that was now littered with dead bodies from both sides of the battle. I couldn't get myself to look down at the bodies of civilians as we drove past, Demetrius tried to avoid as many bodies on the road as he could but unfortunately a few succumbed to the wheels. Tears streamed from my face as I shoved my head into the top of my bad for security.

I didn't know where he was taking me, quite frankly I felt perfectly safe in the car with him to the point that I didn't want to leave, I didn't want him to leave me either.

He came to a halt and I dare myself to look up and out the window, only to find that we were now in the town centre, survivors were filtering in from all angles to start collecting the bodies of their fallen loved ones, the remaining warriors of our clan were there too, piling up the bodies of the serpent warriors in the corner to dispose of. At least that's what I thought we would do with them.

I saw my mother amongst the crowd in the centre, comforting other women as they cried, acting as a beacon of hope amongst a sea of violence, my heart fluttered realising that my mother was okay.

My mother had spent the whole battle inside the nursery with the other mothers and their cubs, I couldn't see a single scratch on her from where I was sitting in the car, luckily she hadn't been hurt during the fight.

However, I couldn't see my father or my sister with her.

In one swift motion I unbuckled my seatbelt and ripped open the car door, launching myself out as I screamed out for my mother. Demetrius tried to call back for me but I didn't listen, the fight was done and my mother was okay.

My mother heard me and I watched as her face began to contort in such a way like she was trying to hold back tears, I went running up to her with my arms out as she too opened hers for me. We collided in the middle as I sunk into her arms, she collapsed onto the ground with me against her in a hug.

"Oh my kitten, my sweet girl." She cooed as she rubbed my head. "I'm so happy you're okay." She kissed the top of my head as she rocked me back and forth.

I never liked the nickname kitten, as I'd mentioned time and time again at this point. However, this time around it didn't seem to bother me in the slightest. I felt just like a cub cradled against her mother, it was warm and inviting and I never wanted to let her go.

Thats when a certain thought occurred to me once again, where is my father and my sister?

"Mother?" I whimpered, she tightened her hold around me. "Where's everyone else?" I asked.

To this, her whole body stilled, and then relaxed once more. "I don't know where Mika is right now. But your father, your father..." She trailed off, her grip tightening against me once more.

It was not like my mother to shed so much vulnerability, especially in front of others. But I knew this was something she was struggling to hold back.

"Your father was found on the front steps of the nursery, he didn't make it." Her voiced cracked at the end as she pulled me impossibly tighter towards her.

My heart felt as though it had dropped in through the pit of my stomach, I felt heavy as though I'd been filled with rocks. I had this sinking feeling in my chest that got worse the longer I leaned against my mother, who began crying quietly in my hair.