Sins of the mother. (Damien's backstory, part 1)
‘Mroaw! Mroaw!’ The little catfolk cried out. He was the 4th born of a litter of 7. He was a calico like his father, a rarity for one male calico let alone two. His mother was tired after going through labor, but in the end, she was so happy to see her children here at last. “Shh, shh…” She held them all close as they cried, cheeks rubbing against them to show them their mother was here. She began to quietly sob as she heard footsteps, clinging to her children as they began to crawl onto her. The 4th, however, was far more curious of the world around him. He found a patch of cloth and began to burrow in. “Please, please don’t cry. It’s gonna be alright…” She gave them each a kiss and began to lick them, purring softly to help them calm down. “It’s going to be alright…it’s…” Her sobs only got worse as two soldiers entered her cell. “Please…” She begged them as she looked up. Tears stained her grey cheeks. “Please, they’re all I have.”
“Should have thought of that before you tried to assassinate Gallerant. You and that idiot…” Her fur stood as they mentioned her late husband. “Don’t you dare speak ill of him! He was the best man you’d ever known, and now his children will be forced to grow up without a father!” One of the soldiers reeled back and punched her, but she didn’t give them the satisfaction of showing her pain. She continued glaring. As they got close, she spit in their eye. They had knocked a canine loose, and she used that to pierce them right in the eye. She was a talented assassin, after all.
They reeled back and screamed, holding their face as the tooth pierced deep in their eye. She knew this would be the end, she had to take advantage of this moment of confusion. She hugged her babies close and wrapped them as close as she could as they slept. The second soldier rushed in after assisting her partner. Her sword was drawn, and she was pissed. “You fucked up, you-” She was cut off by a kick to the stomach. Their prisoner held her children close, wrapped in her clothes, and bolted with amazing speed.
Alarms started blaring as she ran through the street. It was midday, and so sunny out. Hiding or slipping away would be impossible. She ran as fast as she could. She knew she was on borrowed time, but her children did not deserve the same fate. She knew it was risky, a dangerous idea, but she had to do what she had to do. She ran to families and begged them, “Please! My children, please help them live!” She wouldn’t even give them a chance to respond before she placed a crying little kittenfolk in their hands. If they didn’t keep them, hopefully they’d be able to get them somewhere safe. She ran back and forth, separating her children as far as she could. She wished she didn’t have to, she always wanted a family. But, she had made her mistakes. Now she had to do what she could to fix them.
As the sixth of her kittens was left with someone she hoped she could trust, she started to panic. Her litter was seven, but she only gave six! Her heart froze and her blood turned cold as she realized a horrible truth…she immediately ran back towards the prison with tears, praying she wasn’t too late. She was so tired, she hurt so bad, but she would run until her legs turned to mush if she had to. She had stolen a knife from a local stall just in case.
She had to fight many guards to get back to her cell, and there she saw what she dreaded. Her calico boy, crying for his mama, in the hands of the guard she partially blinded. She had a twisted smile on her face, and she knew what that meant. The knife was dropped as she held her hands up. “Please, don’t…don’t hurt one of my babies…” The guard just shook her head as she held him by the scruff of his neck. “Gods, what kind of mother leaves behind a child? I’m wondering if you even care about him. Does the sight of him repulse you that much, since he looks just like that idiot?!” She screamed out as she reached for her baby, being pulled back by the other guard. “No! Please!! He’s innocent, he’s just a baby!!” She was shoved into the wall as cuffs were placed on her again. “I think Gallerant should be the one to decide what to do with this little shit. He might want some revenge on the man who cost him his eye.”
She continued to beg for his life, fighting back as best she could; but it was all for not. “Say goodbye to mama~” The soldier taunted her as she held the mewing kitten against her face. Once they got her scent, they calmed down and started rubbing against her. She closed her eyes as she got to enjoy one more brief moment with her child, one last feeling of closeness. Her eyes shot open as she felt the blade pierce through her chest. She let out a breath as she looked to see the blade through her, and felt death approaching. She looked at her last child one final time. ‘I hope you have his green eyes…’ was the last thing she thought before she was taken. Her body slumped to the floor as the blade was pulled out. She was gone…the halls were filled with the sounds of confused, scared mewing. Number 4 couldn’t smell or feel his mama anymore.
‘Mroaw! Mroaw!’ The little catfolk cried out. He was the 4th born of a litter of 7. He was a calico like his father, a rarity for one male calico let alone two. His mother was tired after going through labor, but in the end, she was so happy to see her children here at last. “Shh, shh…” She held them all close as they cried, cheeks rubbing against them to show them their mother was here. She began to quietly sob as she heard footsteps, clinging to her children as they began to crawl onto her. The 4th, however, was far more curious of the world around him. He found a patch of cloth and began to burrow in. “Please, please don’t cry. It’s gonna be alright…” She gave them each a kiss and began to lick them, purring softly to help them calm down. “It’s going to be alright…it’s…” Her sobs only got worse as two soldiers entered her cell. “Please…” She begged them as she looked up. Tears stained her grey cheeks. “Please, they’re all I have.”
“Should have thought of that before you tried to assassinate Gallerant. You and that idiot…” Her fur stood as they mentioned her late husband. “Don’t you dare speak ill of him! He was the best man you’d ever known, and now his children will be forced to grow up without a father!” One of the soldiers reeled back and punched her, but she didn’t give them the satisfaction of showing her pain. She continued glaring. As they got close, she spit in their eye. They had knocked a canine loose, and she used that to pierce them right in the eye. She was a talented assassin, after all.
They reeled back and screamed, holding their face as the tooth pierced deep in their eye. She knew this would be the end, she had to take advantage of this moment of confusion. She hugged her babies close and wrapped them as close as she could as they slept. The second soldier rushed in after assisting her partner. Her sword was drawn, and she was pissed. “You fucked up, you-” She was cut off by a kick to the stomach. Their prisoner held her children close, wrapped in her clothes, and bolted with amazing speed.
Alarms started blaring as she ran through the street. It was midday, and so sunny out. Hiding or slipping away would be impossible. She ran as fast as she could. She knew she was on borrowed time, but her children did not deserve the same fate. She knew it was risky, a dangerous idea, but she had to do what she had to do. She ran to families and begged them, “Please! My children, please help them live!” She wouldn’t even give them a chance to respond before she placed a crying little kittenfolk in their hands. If they didn’t keep them, hopefully they’d be able to get them somewhere safe. She ran back and forth, separating her children as far as she could. She wished she didn’t have to, she always wanted a family. But, she had made her mistakes. Now she had to do what she could to fix them.
As the sixth of her kittens was left with someone she hoped she could trust, she started to panic. Her litter was seven, but she only gave six! Her heart froze and her blood turned cold as she realized a horrible truth…she immediately ran back towards the prison with tears, praying she wasn’t too late. She was so tired, she hurt so bad, but she would run until her legs turned to mush if she had to. She had stolen a knife from a local stall just in case.
She had to fight many guards to get back to her cell, and there she saw what she dreaded. Her calico boy, crying for his mama, in the hands of the guard she partially blinded. She had a twisted smile on her face, and she knew what that meant. The knife was dropped as she held her hands up. “Please, don’t…don’t hurt one of my babies…” The guard just shook her head as she held him by the scruff of his neck. “Gods, what kind of mother leaves behind a child? I’m wondering if you even care about him. Does the sight of him repulse you that much, since he looks just like that idiot?!” She screamed out as she reached for her baby, being pulled back by the other guard. “No! Please!! He’s innocent, he’s just a baby!!” She was shoved into the wall as cuffs were placed on her again. “I think Gallerant should be the one to decide what to do with this little shit. He might want some revenge on the man who cost him his eye.”
She continued to beg for his life, fighting back as best she could; but it was all for not. “Say goodbye to mama~” The soldier taunted her as she held the mewing kitten against her face. Once they got her scent, they calmed down and started rubbing against her. She closed her eyes as she got to enjoy one more brief moment with her child, one last feeling of closeness. Her eyes shot open as she felt the blade pierce through her chest. She let out a breath as she looked to see the blade through her, and felt death approaching. She looked at her last child one final time. ‘I hope you have his green eyes…’ was the last thing she thought before she was taken. Her body slumped to the floor as the blade was pulled out. She was gone…the halls were filled with the sounds of confused, scared mewing. Number 4 couldn’t smell or feel his mama anymore.