Kovu's Sacrifice

[Kovu]

Kovu's eyes betrayed his deep worry. He paced outside Autumn's Den, waiting for news. Her kitting was not going well, and with no Healer in the Clan currently, her sister Loki and young Mia, his brother's Mate, were doing all they could for her. Kovu continued his pacing. He had wanted to learn Healing, but his Father had refused to allow it, wanting Kovu to become Leader despite his brother Raja being a better fit for everything Miko had wanted Kovu to be. Now, Autumn seemed to be paying the price for that cruelty. Even so, Kovu could not bring himself to curse Miko's name. He had loved his Father well and wanted terribly to please him.

Kovu and Autumn had been close friends since Kovu had been a kit, and Autumn just a young cat. They often spent long nights together, talking until the sun came up. When Autumn announced she was going to have kits, most cats in the Clan just smiled knowingly to one another. Neither Autumn nor Kovu ever said anything different, but Kovu was not the Father of his friend's kits. He only wished he was.

Mia came to the entrance of the Den, deep sadness filling her eyes. She could scarcely look at Kovu. "I'm sorry..." The faltering words were unnecessary. Kovu knew without them. Autumn was gone.

"What, what about the kits?" he finally managed to get out, choking on the words. He could hear Loki inside, sobbing. She and Autumn had grown up as close as twins. Kovu felt pain twist deep in his heart for her.

Mia nodded again sadly. "I'm so sorry Kovu... They're all gone with their Mother, all but one, and she'll be along soon enough I'm afraid..."

Devastation swept through Kovu. He wasn't the Father, but he had been so looking forward to the kits, to seeing Autumn be a Mother and seeing her raise them, helping her raise them even... Now not only was Autumn gone, but the tiny versions of her as well.

Kovu padded into the Den wordlessly. He sat beside Loki and pressed his nose into Autumn's fur. His dear Autumn...

[Loki]

Loki raised her sad wet eyes to Kovu when he padded in.

"Oh, Kovu, I'm so sorry..." she whispered. "Poor Autumn, she fought so hard... There was just nothing to be done." Loki swept a tiny bundle of fur towards Kovu gently.

"It's a little she-kit, the only one who was alive. Meet her, give her love, before she goes to be with her Mother and siblings." Loki told him softly.

[Kovu]

Kovu's heart broke as he pressed his nose against the tiny bundle of dark cream fur. There were pale traces of red tabby markings going through the fur. When he touched her with his nose she began mewling and squirming closer to him. Kovu swept her close, keeping her warm. He had never felt such instant love in his life, not even when his nephews, Raja's sons Arcturus and Hannibal, had been born. Kovu looked up at Loki, his eyes full of tears.

"Why won't she live long?" he asked her. "Is she sick?"

[Loki]

Loki looked at Kovu sadly. "There's no one to nurse her, Kovu. She can't live without a Mother to feed her and care for her. If there was another cat with tiny kits, it might be different, they could adopt her, but Mia stopped nursing the boys nearly a month ago and they're the youngest in the Clan. I'm so, so sorry, Kovu. I wish there was something we could do." Loki worried her tail unhappily. "If we had a Healer... SnowFlake used to make a special mixture for kits when their Mother's couldn't produce much milk, or if it was a large litter, or kits were born during times of little food. Even that might be able to help enough to let her live." Loki stiffled another sob.

[Kovu]

Emotion rushed through Kovu. Anger, fear, pity, resentment... so many different emotions. His fur fluffed out, making the already immense tom look even bigger. He pressed the tiny kit closer, holding her tightly. He had to help her. There had to be SOME way to save her if she was a healthy kit.

"I can take care of her." Kovu managed finally, ashamed of how weak his voice sounded, how kit-like. "I, I know a bit about herbs, I wanted to be a Healer for awhile when I was very young, and I always spent a lot of time helping SnowFlake. I can make something to feed her, and I can look after her..." Loki's sad look made it clear that she didn't believe what he was saying was possible. "I have to try at least! I can't just do nothing and, and LET her die!" Kovu said, his voice growing high and loud.

[Taiyou]

Taiyou padded in to the Den at Kovu's last words, followed closely by Raja and Mia. Taiyou's eyes filled with grief. Autumn was his sister.

"Oh, Autumn." he whispered, letting out a shaky sigh as he pressed his nose into her fur. A memory ran through his mind, of their Father, Buraku, taking him and his sisters out into the forests on a hunt when they were scarcely weaned. Autumn and Loki had always been wild, comical, carefree. He couldn't reconcile his lively little sister with the lifeless body lying in the Den here. But Taiyou was the Leader now, and he couldn't fall apart. He sat up and looked at Kovu.

"Kovu... I'm sorry. I'm afraid she's already, gone." he said quietly, assuming he had been talking about Autumn.

[Kovu]

Kovu shook his head. "No, I know, Autumn... Not Autumn, the kit." Kovu said, revealing the small red bundle of fur he was hiding. "She's alive, and seems healthy, the only one of them that made it." Kovu swallowed. He knew it was against Akatsuki Policy, those with a poor chance were not to detract from the strong, after all, but he HAD to save the kit. "I want to save her, or at least try. If I can feed her, she can live."

[Taiyou]

Taiyou looked at Kovu uncertainly. "Kovu... I understand how you feel." he said softly, looking down sadly at the kit. "But do you know what you'd be getting yourself into? Kits need milk. Normally, I would suggest fostering her out to the Tribe, but they are not faring well in their new home last I heard, and have no nursing queens now. What could you feed her?"

[Kovu]

Kovu felt hope flair in his chest. Taiyou hadn't outright said no!

"I used to help SnowFlake all the time, there is a special mixture that can be fed to orphaned kits, I think I can make it." Kovu was already going over ingredients in his mind. He looked into Taiyou's eyes.

"Please. I have to try. She's, my daughter." Kovu took the leap, claiming the she-kit as his own, though he knew she wasn't. "And she's the only piece of Autumn." He knew he had Taiyou with that last sentence.

[Taiyou]

Taiyou nodded. "I won't stop you, Kovu. Just know that the path ahead will be long and hard, and very unlikely to succeed." Kovu nodded his understanding eagerly. "Very well. We'll hold vigil for Autumn in the clearing tonight and bury her at dawn. Meanwhile, go hunt for the ingredients you're going to need. The little dear must be hungry already. I'm sure Mia will keep her for you."

As Kovu padded away, Taiyou stopped him again. "Kovu. You know this puts you out of the running for Deputy?" Kovu turned and stared. "I'm sorry, but this will take up all of your time and more. I couldn't let you be Deputy while being Mother and Father to an orphaned kit. I just want you to be sure you understand the decision you are making."

[Kovu]

Kovu felt like the air had been knocked from his lungs. Deputy... Ever since he was born, his Father had groomed him to become Deputy. It had been a source of intense rivalry between him and Raja all their lives. Now, it could all be gone.

Kovu felt like screaming. He was being asked to choice between loyalty to himself, his Father, Autumn and her Kit, his Clan. What was the right decision? Should he sacrifice EVERYTHING just to try and save a tiny she-kit, a she-kit who wasn't even really his kin?

Kovu licked his lips. Than he looked down at the baby kitten, and everything seemed to click into place. He nodded, first too himself, than to Taiyou. He looked up and met his Leader's eyes.

"Very well. I understand, Taiyou. Maybe I can help the Clan in another way, perhaps by training as a Healer." Kovu brushed past Taiyou but paused in front of his brother, who stared at him in disbelief. He dipped his head to Raja. "Congratulations, Brother. You'll make an excellent Deputy, and Leader one day." Than Kovu turned to Mia. "Look after her for me until I return with what I need, please?" Mia nodded wordlessly.

Kovu continued, pausing only once more at the entrance of the Den to look back over his shoulder and say to no one in particular "Her name is Osiah."

[Mia Arcturus and Hannibal]

Back in her own Den, Mia cuddled the tiny she-kit close to her, keeping her warm and safe. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about the baby's cries of hunger. Each one stabbed through her.

"Oh, Kovu, I hope you know what you're doing." she sighed softly. She didn't know of any kit that had been raised completely without milk before. But if any little one would be strong enough, it should be the kit of Kovu and Autumn.

In front of Mia, her two sons, now nearly three Moons old, wrestled together. They were growing restless here in their Mother's Den. Soon they would go and stay with Raja in his Den, in less than 2 weeks. Mia would miss them terribly. She couldn't believe their time as small ones by her side was almost up. Watching them play almost brought tears to her eyes.

Arcturus, her oldest. Taller and leaner than his brother, he had golden fur like her but much shorter, but darker bluish-black points and mask, reminiscent of his Father. Quieter and calmer, but with much going on behind his facade. Not unlike his Father, he lacked the ferocity Raja had as a small kits, though that could be because Mia and Raja were different in their parenting techniques than Miko had been. Arc's quiet. calm, peace-keeping nature had cemented him as Mia's favorite already, though she loved both boys with all her heart. She just wished she could have had a little she-kit to keep with her much longer than the boys would stay.

Mia's second kit, her youngest, for now at least, was her son Hannibal. He was her mirror image just about, on the smaller side, stocky, with long glowing golden fur and brilliant blue eyes. Hani was a looker, and the little one knew it already. It was pretty much a given that all the she-cats would be following him around and doting on him. If his skills were up to par, and so far there was no indication they wouldn't be. Not as fierce and cold as Raja had been, Hannibal was no less ambitious. Since he was a moon old, if not earlier, he had begun talking about becoming Leader one day.

[Raja]

Raja padded into the Den his Mate Mia shared with their two sons. Upon seeing his family, Raja felt the same familiar ache deep in his chest. He had never loved any cat as he had loved Mia, and than his sons had been born. For a Cat who felt Clan came before all else, including family, it was an odd feeling. While he still believed the rhetoric was right, he knew that he felt towards no other ClanMate like he did his sons and his Mate. Streak would have been proud of him...

Raja shied away from thoughts of Streak. If any cat had come close, it was Mia's grandmother and Raja's childhood best friend.

Raja padded over and nuzzled his Mate lovingly. His sons were too intent in their play and hadn't noticed his entrance yet.

"How is my niece doing?" Raja asked Mia softly, carefully sidestepping the event with his brother earlier.

[Mia Arcturus and Hannibal]

Mia smiled at Raja. "She's hungry, but fine otherwise." Mia poked her nose gently into the tiny kitten and it wailed pitifully again. "Ohhhhh-sighhhh-uhhhhh." Mia crooned the baby's name gently and licking her comfortingly.

Raja pulled the kitten close to him and jiggled her gently. He spoke to her in soft easing tones. "There now, little one, rest yourself. Your Father will be back soon to feed and care for you. Sleep now, Osiah, and everything will be alright." He gently laid the kit back down with Mia, but his eyes were dark. Mia could read him like a book however.

"It's a shame." she said softly. "Such a shame. It will take a miracle for her to make it to her first moon, let alone actually making it past her kithood."

Arcturus and Hannibal had been attracted by their Father's voice and had bounded over and were once again poking their noses at the kitten.

"When will she be old enough to play with us Mama?" Hannibal asked curiously, while Arcturus asked "Is Osiah our sister Mama?"

[Raja Arcturus and Hannibal]

Raja's looks darkened even farther. "She's my blood, she can make it. And Kovu has always had a knack with herbs, he knows what he is doing..."

His sons bounding over was enough to lighten his features a good amount again, and their questions even evoked a small chuckle.

"Now, boys, give her some space." Raja told them, and both toms backed away a few paces immediately. "She is very tiny yet, and not very well just now. It will be a moon or two before she'll be playing with you. And no, Arcturus, she is not your sister. Your Mother is only watching her for a short while, while Kovu goes and collects the herbs he needs for her. She's my brother Kovu's daughter, making her your cousin."

Raja was a wonderful Father who succeeded ten times over where Miko had failed. He loved both boys exactly equally. He encouraged their individual strengths, and did whatever he could to make them the best they could be with their own interests and abilities. Hannibal, who was an ambitious fighter, he told about fighting moves and battles, and everything he would need to be and know and work on to become Leader one day, if it was what he truly wanted. Quiet, intelligent, calm Arcturus he did his best to coax out of his shell, and showed him techniques that involved not only strength but much intelligence, and he taught his peace-keeping son ways to diffuse tense situations between cats. In return, both of his sons loved him deeply and respected and obeyed him without question.

[Kovu]

Kovu padded through the high weeds, glad it was GreenLeaf. He already had the Feverfew, to help regulate her body temperature, and the Ragwort to help build her strength. He just needed the Lamb's Ear to finish the strengthening agent, the Honey to stimulate her appetite, Marigold to help prevent infection, and Borage Leaves to simulate some of the nutrients in a Mother Cat's milk.

As Kovu looked around quickly, he thought to himself that some Lavender or Chamomile for his nerves wouldn't be bad, too. It was a difficult task he was undertaking, with little chance for the kit to survive. Kovu brooded to himself incessantly, until he spotted the Marigold he needed a few fox-lengths away. Immediately all negative thoughts left his mind as he want to carefully collect the brightly colored plant.

[Mia]

It was almost dusk when Kovu returned. Osiah had only just fallen into a troubled sleep. Mia could sense that the little one was already beginning to fade. It broke her heart, and she feared what it would do to Kovu if she didn't make it. She could tell how invested he already was in the tiny she-kit. A small smile flared across her face. Kovu and Raja often didn't realize how alike they were. She could see Raja behaving exactly the same in Kovu's place despite all of his talk about the whole Clan being your family and the good of the Clan coming before familial bonds. One had only to see Raja with his sons for a brief moment to tell that he would go against his own rhetoric if given half a chance.

[Kovu]

Kovu wore his heart on his paw, and the worry shown clearly in his eyes. "How is she?" he asked softly, his heart panging with worry as he looked down at the little she-kit's quiet unmoving form. Than he saw her little chest moving and realized she was asleep. Relief flooded through him and he set about preparing the formula for her. He chewed the meat and the herbs up into a very thin paste that she'd be able to ingest without choking. Than it was time for the moment of truth; would she eat it, and would it work?