ORIGIN

In the depths of the fallen city, nestled in a dark and crumbling alleyway, a glittering orb of stone red as blood began to creak. The creature inside, although they barely squirmed, was simply growing too big for its walls to hold. Soft creaks and groans were audible for a long time before a crack finally marred its smooth surface.

Crack...

Red fluid oozed from the newly-formed hole in its surface, as though the child inside was long perished. But, on feeling air against its paws, the tiny one pushed, and pushed, and pushed. Finally, a tiny creature, only an inch in length, sagged out, brown fur and white fur alike stained blood red. Whereas usually a baby would soon be tottering to its paws or lifting its head to take in its first sights, this one remained still.

The pains which unconsciousness had kept safely away finally came flooding in. Tremors racked its sides, its only movement for a long time. And then it gagged, and red fluid came flooding out, further adding to the bright pool in which it lay.

Finally, it opened its mouth and cried a weak and feeble cry, only one- and into that cry went all the strength it had left.

@Aaliyah

As the newborn's feeble cries died down, it was barely aware that it wasn't alone anymore. Its breaths came in ragged gasps that heaved its sides and occasionally there came another cough and spray of red.

Another tiny whimper. There was the flash of softly lilac eyes amidst the sea of gooey red. They darted, hazy and unfocused in the dark. Finally, they lingered on a hazy shape, a form blurry in its newborn gaze. Then its eyes closed.

Its stomach, empty now of fluid, let out a tiny growl, and it swallowed, trying to get rid of the metallic tang. It opened its mouth, poking out a tiny pink tongue and for a moment baring tiny needle-like fangs.

Its breaths had just about stabillized, although its sides still heaved quietly. The unbearable silence was broken however as the little one let out a tiny squeak, a reaction of surprise at the feel of a rough tongue. At first it squirmed and squalled but was unavle to get away- until finally, its strength once more failed.

The little one let itself be cleaned, its fur slowly revealed as a soft sienna, with a black stripe down their spine. Its eyes opened again, and this time as it peered around its gaze locked on Aaliyah for the first time. A tiny whimper escaped its lungs as though in fear of the massive face so close, but it seemed also to be comforted by the rough licks, even though it still lay on its belly in a pool of murky red.

Although it was still weak and frail, it was clear that, for the moment at least, the wort had passed. And beneath that frail exterior, a piece of itself seemed to click into place. Its mind grasped at pieces just out of reach, and it opened its mouth as though to speak.

"I don't like it," the small creature said nervously, its ears twitching and body curling as best it was able as its stomach started once again to growl. "Th... the feeling. Is being awake always like this?"

Then the moment of lucidity was gone, and it collapsed into a fit of coughing and retching.

@aaliyah

The little one blinked slowly taking some time to process the larger creature's reply. Then their eyes flicked away. They didn't seem wholly satisfied with the answer, but they seemed too weak to protest. They closed their eyes to slits, and then entirely.

"O-okay. I hope it goes away soon."

It felt its consciousness drifting again, although the situation this time was far less dire. Its throat and nostrils still burned, but it was beginning to grow used to it. It hated the feeling, but maybe this was how the first moments in life always were. Maybe everyone went through this. Maybe it would all be okay.

The young one needed to believe that.

It felt itself dropping back into consciousness as it was lifted from the wet rock it was lying on, and let out another little chirp. Its head drooped on a long neck and finally, it had a good opportunity to view its surroundings even though its vision lingered mainly on the ground that seemed so far away.

But, against its will, it felt that its limbs and tail hung limp, however much it wanted to shriek and thrash. It could only hang dumbly and peer around at the huge world.

"What are you doing?" it asked, its voice managing a little more strength and a trace of indigence, especially now that it was away form that wretched stone. "Why?"

@Aaliyah

The little one didn't seem satisfied by the answer, with everything drooping and legs kicking vaguely. They heaved a quiet sigh of relief with the fur down their spine bristling seemingly in humiliation as they were finally put down, although they didn't say anything, their ears perking eagerly and head lifting at the mention of food.

Simply watching as the large cat looked around, the small one nodded mindlessly in response to their command, even though they were far too weak to venture very far, hardly daring to even sit up. as it was they lay on their long belly, shivering softly, trying to lick the metallic tang out of their mouth. Their eyes followed Aaliyah in fascination as they stalked, and then successfully killed the mouse.

And then as the cat began to return, the tiny weasel picked themselves up, shuddering with the effort, their mouth watering as they caught their first scent of the kill.

Then it was dropped close by, and the little one stumbled closer, their legs finding the strength at last. They sank tiny, needle-like fangs into the still-warm flesh of the mouse. They tore strips loose, and then tried in vain to gulp it down, but with every swallow something hard stuck in its throat, preventing the food from going down. In ever-increasing despair, the weasel spat what it had tore loose already onto the ground, tongue lolling out as it tried to cough out the blockage, only to find that it wouldn't move.

A shudder ran through them again, the fur along its spine once again standing on end. The little one again took a bite, a smaller one this time. it chewed until it was mush, and finally, after a few failed attempts, managed to choke it down. A shudder ran through its small body. With yet another sigh, it crouched before the body and instead began to lap at the fluids still oozing from the mouse's open wounds, preparing itself for another solid mouthful.

@Aaliyah