FlickerPrompt: What happened to her first litter, why are they not by her side?
Response:
The tortoiseshell molly curled around her litter, weeping into the frigid air. Her mate stood over her, his fur billowing in the wind as the sleet tore at him, "Flicker, we need to go. Now. You can't save them, it's too cold." he insisted, his eyes as cold as the ice under his paws.
"No!" The molly wailed, burying her face in the fur of her children, "We can save them Fang, please, just help me! We can save them all, please!"
The tom lowered his head, licking his mate's face gently, "Flicker, you know the rules. I warned you about trying for kits that would be due in leaf bare. Come, the band has been waiting far too long. If you don't hurry, they will leave us."
"No, I won't go!" the molly sobbed, curling more tightly around the three kits, licking them vigorously as tears streamed down her cheeks, "Not without my kits I won't leave!"
"Fine." The tom snarled. Glancing over his shoulder, he barked, "Remus! Come help me!"
"Nooo!" The molly screamed, cowering away as the two toms approached.
"Flicker, baby." Fang cooed gently, "We'll just try for another litter. It was only three this time, if we try again soon they'll be born in new leaf. Maybe it will be a larger litter. Come on honey, let's just go."
The molly did not even reply as she feebly attempted to fight off the two toms, but to no avail. Weakened by the birth, her tears and the frigid weather, the two toms easily over powered her, her only remaining protest a keening wail of despair, agony and longing. Never hesitating in their stride, the two tome dragged the molly back to their group, throwing her into the middle. The rag tag bunch of cats quickly formed up around her, preventing escape.
"First litter she's lost?" A molly asked, eyeing the tear wracked form with disdain.
"First litter ever, actually." Fang replied, nosing his mate roughly, forcing her to her feet.
The only thing that prevented the molly from fighting the whole lot of them, tooth and claw to get back to her kits, was a despairing glance over her shoulder. She only saw the blessed scene for a moment, but a moment was enough. In that moment, hope was restored to her, a bright, burning hope in the form of an image, branded forever on her memory. A two leg, drawn out of the house by her incessant wailing, was stooping over the spot where her newborn kittens lay, scooping them gently from the snow. She did not know if all three of her children would survive, but now there was at least a chance. A chance for them to live through the night. A chance for them to grow up, away from this horrible loner band with its rules condemning any weak kits. A chance, just maybe a chance, for hers to see them again.