4th of Spring, 515AV
Syna's rays only barely filtered through the curtains as Sezkero woke. She had sent a note to the Temple, stating that she could not go in that day, but the Iyvess still found her eyes opening early in the morning. But this time she was not alone.
It was odd, waking up and simply knowing not to move. Maybe it was the furry creature that rested on her blanket had woken her up so early, but a glance down to her chest confirmed that the kitten was sound asleep, despite her stirring. No smile creeped across Ker's face as she looked down to the matted black fur that had curled itself into a ball beside his sister. The soft rasping emanated from the two kittens, which only caused Sezkero to frown. Something was wrong, something was very wrong.
Early yesterday morning, she had found two kittens cowering under an empty stall in the Bazaar. Whether their litter was larger, or if they all even came from the same litter, or where their mother was, Sezkero knew nothing. She had no inkling of what had happened, all she saw was suffering. Shivering wet balls of fur mewing for food or warmth or their mother, or maybe all three. Even Sezkero, who was hardly a generous person, picked them up in an instant. No heart was so hard as to not want to do something for them, although she should have been more aware of a lost cause when she saw one. The snake should have known she was incapable of caring for them when she brought them home. It was simply a miracle both had survived this long.
But after doing what she could with as little knowledge as she could, it was starting to seem as if another of the poor creatures was to break this miracle. Although which of the two, she could not tell.
Sezkero carefully tried to shift into a sitting position, sliding the blanket as gently as she could from her chest to her lap, so that she could get a better look at the kittens to find which was the source of the rasping. Both were worn and tired from the previous day's work of trying to get them warm, but when only one head rose, tired but curious green eyes opening to investigate the movement.
"I'm ssssorry, little one. Didn't mean to disssturb you." She cooed to the kitten, slowly reaching forward to stroke behind the charcoal ears. The Kitten only yawned in response. It was odd how trusting this tiny creatures were, how little they knew of her or if she was dagnerous, but the infants had accepted her food and her care so easily it was as if they had no sense of caution of those things unfamiliar to them. The Iyvess struggled to remember her first years in this world, weather she was as naive and trusting as these kittens or not.
But Ker's attention was drawn to the calico kitten, the girl, as her brother only curled back into her to sleep. She was the source of the odd breathing, and she had not been waken so easily as her brother. Worried, Sezkero prodded the kitten behind her ears as well, giving enough pressure to wake her, but doing so as gently as possible. The kitten stirred at this, for which Ker was grateful. At least she was alive.
"Sssorry, preciousss." Sezkero rubbed her fingers across her brow, trying to loosen the stress that warped the muscles in her face, and sighed. As carefully as she could, she slipped out from under the blanket. What was she thinking? She could only prolong the death of these kittens. The cold would have gotten them more painlessly than trying to provide for them herself.
What am I going to do? The small Iyvess fretted to herself, watching the two kittens fall quickly back to sleep. A small whimpering sound fell from her lips and Sezkero swore she could feel her heart breaking. She couldn't get enough food into these kittens, or water. Warmth and shelter were possible, but the kittens were dirty, and filled with mites. But just as Sezkero was ready to fall into another pit of despair for the creatures, she remembered something. The man that she bought the fish from told her to bring them somewhere...
The snake had been stupid yesterday, not slowing down to think, and because of that she hadn't taken note of where she could get these kittens real care. How foolish she was to think all they needed was some food and warmth.
In the silence of her home, the horrid rasping was painful to listen to, even if one was not particularly fond of mammals.
"The Sssssanctuary." The name flew into her mind as soon as her eyes landed on her basket from the day before. Her cloak was folded in the bottom and spilling over the sides, mud and dirt had hardened on the fur and she knew she would have trouble washing it, but it was no surprise she cared little about that. Sacrificing for others was new to her these past seasons, but it was one effect of the plague that she didn't utterly detest about herself. "The Sssanctuary issss I need to take you."
In an instant, she was on the other side of the room. Her night clothes were thrown to the ground, joining the rest of her wardrobe. Mess had also been an unfortunate habit of late. But the snake didn't dwell on it, already pulling stockings on and trying to slip on her dress at the same time. After finally wiggling her boots on, the snake scooped her coin purse into her pocket and grabbed the basket with her cloak again.
"Two miles out of the gate. One trail, hard to miss." Sezkero relayed the directions in her head, how thankful she was for that stranger's help. Stay safe out there. He had added. Normally it would have been a rather large dilemma for the Iyvess to venture out of civilization in her humanoid form, but today she cared not about what dangers she may encounter outside the city walls.
"I am ssso sssorry, little onesss." Sezkero scooped the brother into her basket first, taking more care with his sister, before standing up. She adjusted the kittens within the cloak, wrapping it around them as best she could without totally encasing them in it. The open basket wasn't exactly the most secure, but it was all she had. The brother mewed in protest to her adjusting, batting at her invasive hands, but it worried her more that his sister hardly reacted. Golden eyes slitted open to watch her movements, but the kitten simply didn't protest. "Oh dear."
As soon as Sezkero left her home, she ran.
✢ ✢ ✢
Normally, Sezkero would have had confidence in a two to three mile run. Dancing every day for nearly half a century builds stamina. She never realized how she had taken her body for granted, but she was still shocked to find that two seasons of slacking could erase years and years of health. Only a few chimes from Riverfall she had started huffing and puffing. She held the kittens at an odd angle to keep them from bumping around too much, which might not have helped her, but seriously?. Did her muscles give up so easily?
So, nearly a bell of running, and stopping, and trying to run again, presented her with the looming fortress in the distance. The Akalak was right, it was mostly a straight shot, and very hard to miss. But would she be able to get into it?
Sezkero hardly noticed the eagle that sat on the top of the entrance, almost as if it was guarding it and watching her approach. It wasn't until she reached the heavy gates that stood shut before her, that she noticed the eagle take flight. It swooped around her twice before flying over the gate, and disappearing, although that she paid little attention to as she set the kittens down. While she could hardly breathe, the snake took the time to readjust them again, watching for the calico sister's breathing before turning to the door.
Damn you, fish-man. Damn you! It is supposed to be open! Sezkero drummed the heavy doors with her fists, her small hands hardly making a noise against the thick wood. Taking as large of breaths as she could manage, the snake stepped back, placing the kittens on the ground and bending over to support her hands on her knees. She had never worked so hard for anything so insignificant as a kitten, and now she was at a dead end. The night before had proved she was incapable of doing more for the fur-balls. Suddenlyl, she wasn't sure if the catch in her throat was the dryness of her breathe or her emotions threatening to dispel tears.
But the creaking of the door snapped Sezkero out of her moment. Her breathing had calmed very little in the chimes she stood in front of the door, but she was met with te golden eyes of a human male. Something about his eyes was distinctly not human, but she didn't pay enough attention to them to worry about it. "I believe you are searching for Kavala." Sezkero wrinkled her nose, unsure of who Kavala was.
"Isssss.... Sssshee a-a animal healer?" Sezkero gasped between breaths, scooping the basket of kittens up again. She cradled them near her chest breifly, before opening the cloak inside enough to show them to the man. Syna's rays were far enough up now for it to officially be considered daytime, and the man could see the kittens clearly.
"Yes, she is our main healer, come in. I get you help for them now." He motioned towards the rasping kitten before retreated further into the entrance to allow Sezkero to come through, and she followed mutely, taking the Sanctuary in. Cows and pigs flanked her, and further down she could see a pool ringed by a garden. It was a beautiful facility, but Sezkero was focused on keeping the brother kitten in the basket as well as following the man to really appreciate the Sanctuary. Whoever would help her, she needed them quick.
Sezkero was not lead far before the man opened a door to one of the first buildings she saw. "This is our animal healing clinic, please wait here, I will bring Kavala to you."
Kittens! :
Common | Snake-Tongue | Tukant | Thoughts | PC/NPC Talking
