Accidents Happen [Remington's Death]

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    Turn me to the sky, turn me upside down.
    Away to feel alive, a life that’s mine.



    Grimgrin let out a mournful cry that hollowed him to the very core of his being.


    "No!" He whispered in utter shock. "Remmy, no!"


    He collapsed at his kit's side, licking his face, tasting the soft tang of blood as he cleaned him. He felt as though he couldn't breathe. All the air in the entire city was gone, and he was certain he would suffocate.


    "Remmy, I am so proud of you. I love you so much," he whispered as his son breathed his last few breaths. "You are my son. I am so proud..."


    But he was gone. It happened so quickly, nearly unnoticeable to someone whose heart was not connected to his like Grimgrin's was. The faintest of smiles crossed Remmy's lips and he eyes fell shut... and that was when he knew.


    "Oh, gods... no!" He yowled. "No! Ria, do something!"


    But it was too late. They had all been too late. Remington was gone.


    ©katatonic 2013

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    [fancypost borderwidth=0px; width: 350px;][justify][size=8]'There's nothing to do!'


    She had accepted his passing the minute she had realized the injuries were all internal. She knew it must've pained Remmy so, more than bleeding out or falling to death and just wished him a quick passing. Her hope had only been for Grimgrin, so that he could share it instead of falling into despair like the Oracle wanted to.


    She had lost a patient. Of course, Euphoria hadn't been there from the start and if she had've maybe she could've spared him a few more minutes of precious life but there was nothing to be done. 'I'm sorry Grimgrin, it's all my fault.'


    With that, Ria reached up and tried to give her adoptive father comfort, tail laying across his back as she shuffled closer and tried to press her side against his. Whether he would accept her comfort was another question.

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    Turn me to the sky, turn me upside down.
    Away to feel alive, a life that’s mine.



    He should have denied it outright. There was no way that Euphoria could should all the blame for what had happened to Remington, but in his sudden shock and grief, he needed a scapegoat. He needed something tangible to vent his anger with the universe at. Grimgrin knew it in his heart that this was not the truth, but it became the truth in that moment.


    "You knew he was traveling with you." He said calmly. "You should have kept a closer watch on him. He's young! You know he can't climb as well as other Blackhearts!"


    His voice was harsh but quiet. Tears poured from his eyes as he tensed and shuddered. Her embrace was heavy, and he felt the weight of the situation rest on his shoulders with the touch of Ria's tail. He stepped aside, letting it fall off of him.


    Padding closer to Remington, he gave the tom one last loving lick before completely losing himself.


    ©katatonic 2013

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    [fancypost borderwidth=0px; width: 350px;][justify][size=8]'I thought he was at the front of the group!' Euphoria shouted, voice cracking as the tears began to overflow over her eyelids and into her fluffy black chest. 'I thought he left early because of his paw!'


    There was pain in her voice now, at losing her brother, at her love being turned away by her father. Hurt burned in her eyes and in her body as the long black fur stood on edge down her spine. She was ready to turn away in case things turned violent; she didn't want this to happen over her brothers dead body. Her eyes were pleading him; they could have a screaming match elsewhere but not here, please.

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    Turn me to the sky, turn me upside down.
    Away to feel alive, a life that’s mine.



    "Indeed," Grimgrin replied, watching his tongue.


    He didn't want to speak too harshly or cause any irreversible rifts. It was easier to blame Ria than to blame himself... but why was blame needed? What had happened, happened. There was nothing they could do any more than if they had been there to see the fall.


    "Prepare him for burial. Don't leave him just sitting out here."


    That was that. His heart was cold and closed. He needed to protect himself for all the pain he felt, and this would be how he would survive.


    ©katatonic 2013

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    Harlequin shook his head as he stepped up and took his spot at Euphoria's side. His eyes were affixed on his father and they showed little emotion, as it was his custom.
    Yet, he did not say anything - it wasn't time yet, but he would confront his father for lashing out at the one cat who had tried doing something to help Remington, something other than watching helplessly or keeping their distance, like himself.


    "You could lend a paw. He was your son." He meowed, his tone grave, but not disrespectful. "We can do it, you and I. Dig his grave, lay him in..." He continued.


    Naga did not look at the two toms, Harlequin had stepped in in the nick of time. She touched noses with her still son and dug her nose in his fur, trying to breathe his scent into her very pores. After spending a while like that, unsure of how much time had passed, she rose and approached her adoptive daughter, Euphoria, who was so wounded both by the circumstances and her father's scorn. "Come with me." The she-cat said heavily, her gaze soft as she looked at the black female.

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    Turn me to the sky, turn me upside down.
    Away to feel alive, a life that’s mine.



    Grimgrin swallowed back tears at Harlequins words. The tom rarely spoke, but it seemed he knew just what to say in this very moment. Grimgrin needed to take part in this ceremony, and who better to accomplish this horrid task than with his other son. The living son. The son he could make everything right by.


    He nodded, sending a silent thanks to the gods that Naga seemed to know just what to do to keep things from escalating between him and Ria in this tense time. He would go with Harlequin to the edge of camp and prepare his son’s grave.


    ©katatonic 2013

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    [fancypost borderwidth=0px; width: 350px;][justify][size=8]Ria simply gave her father the best stare she could until Naga stepped up. How dare he say that when she had been the one trying to help him? Why was it her fault when he could've been there to save him as well? She turned at the touch of her adoptive mother signifying she would follow her instead of staying at the gruesome scene.

    Naga nodded towards the two males as she led the way away from the body of Remington. It took a while before she managed to speak again and she looked at Euphoria tiredly. "He doesn't mean to say the things he says. It's just... I know the fact that it's a blow to him doesn't justify him fully, but I don't believe he knows how to deal with his own feelings. Add to that this impossible guilt we all feel, I suppose it's natural even for him to cower and get angry and look for an opportunity to point fingers." She spoke with no inflections in her voice, it was as though she had forgotten about how to emphasize and accentuate words, there was no sign of life in any of her words, but there was still a distinctive attempt at comforting the younger female that was ablaze inside of Red Naga's broken spirit.


    ---


    Harlequin waited until the two females started moving before he addressed his father again. "So, how do you want to proceed? Do you want to carry him to the burial grounds right away?" There were two ways in which cats could pay their respects to a departed comrade - but to Harlequin it seemed much more personal to do it when you could see the dead, in those still fresh hours after their passing. Still, with all the ruckus Remington's death had already generated, the young tom believed that he would not be able to tolerate any more displays of sorrow and he thought his father would be on the same page as him. Still, he let the decision to him, not wanting to let Grimgrin succumb to whatever he was feeling at that particular moment. The leader, his father - those two instances needed constant stimulation, otherwise Harlequin feared that the other tom would proceed with some sort of self-destructive practice.

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    Turn me to the sky, turn me upside down.
    Away to feel alive, a life that’s mine.



    Grimgrin shuddered at the thought of moving the body. He could not detach himself enough to not see it as his son, and the gruesome task of laying a corpse to rest settled heavily in his mind.


    Naga had been right to separate him from Ria. In his blind confusion over his emotions, Grimgrin had let himself go too far, blaming her, blaming everyone but himself. He had to find a way to overcome this, but it was too soon. He had to be mad at someone, and in his grief he had chosen her.


    He sighed as he responded to Harlequin. "We should bring him with. We need lavender, rosemary and mint to cleanse him before we bury him."


    He looked up at the sun. They still had some time to get the burial spot ready before it would be dark and cold again.


    ©katatonic 2013

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