300+  A tight, heavy mass had formed in the center of his chest, paralyzing him into a sullen mood that he could not seem to shake. Everything had suddenly spiraled downward and out of control, yet he was entirely helpless to make it right again. He disengaged, shying away from the pack. As he usually did when he wanted to avoid emotion, Kansas fled to books, but even they did not have the power to distract him, and he often read the same line over and over again without understanding it. The glimpses into a world without Artemis tormented him, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that she would come out of her comatose state and be her rambunctious self again. Kansas draped the skinned, cooked rabbits over his arm and carefully opened the door to the bedroom. He peered inside to see if Savina had fallen asleep, as he hoped, but didn't expect. She sat beside their broken daughter, and his heart wrenched when he saw the dark fingers gently rubbing a small gray paw. "Hey," he whispered, as if volume could awaken the sleeping child. Kansas took a chair from the corner of the room and pulled it up beside the matron. The crisp rabbits added a fragrant scent to the cold, musty room. He lifted his arm to show them to her, forcing a smile. "I want you to eat, sweetheart," he spoke softly, gazing into the emeralds that had recently lost their sheen. She was still the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen, but her fur was rougher, her body more angular than it should be. He understood her suffering and could not force her to care for herself. All he could do was make it easier for her. Kansas leaned toward Artemis' still form and kissed her forehead gently, comforted by the warmth beneath his lips. "How's the little girl?" he asked somberly as he sat back, turquoise eyes never leaving the child's face. |
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