What's this? A child? Wandering alone?

Yes. A child king. Wandering the kingdom. His brother was...away? Sleeping? He didn't know. Deep down, it made him feel unsettled. He didn't know anyone but his brother.

But, He was far from helpless. He could enjoy his garden on his own.

He strutted along the path, among the many different plants. He was still a young ball of brown fuzz, maybe slightly bigger since he'd hatched, but he walked as if he had a full train of gossamer feathers. When he became tired of walking, he sat beside one of the benches facing the palace (he was too small to reach the bench and he couldn't yet fly). He swiveled his head around to look at its full glory with his one good eye. His left-sided ruby faced the further parts of the garden.

Like this, he sat, and tried not to fall asleep. And then he-

"Zzzzzzzzzzzz, shoooooooooo."

Well, so much for adoring the palace.

As he slept, two Red Mice appeared, poking whiskered noses up from within their little burrows.

In silence they crept over in quick scurries and silent steps, and what few feathers had begun to emerge from brown fuzz, they took. A few iridescent strands of green or blue here and there were quickly nipped away, so that the first feather-train that Remus would grow in would be faulty--damaged, frayed and uneven. It would not be all that noticeable, perhaps... unless he was one to bask in perceived perfection.

Then--oh, then... it would be horrifying.

The red mice were gone with their prize by the time Remus awoke, their pretty little feather-pieces decorating hidden troves of questionable treasure.

@Remus

After a while, who knows how long, Remus felt uncomfortable.

Sore... Why sore?

And the soreness didn't retreat. It only grew. It was a rude awakening for Remus. He stood up and tried to find the source of the pain.

But the path was completely smooth. All of these little pin pricks seemed to come out of nowhere. And the soreness...Oh the sorrowful soreness!

"Owwwwwwwww!" He didn't mean it to be so loud, but it was an honest testament to his miserable state.

He had no other choice. He lied down on the path, in pain. Pathetic.