Chapter Text
Katie POV
Love, your brother.
Love, your brother.
Love, your brother.
Katie turned the words around over and over in her head as she wiped sweat off her forehead. She’d made a crude mannikin after she’d read Nom’s book for her, needing to hit something and take her mind off what had to be a horrible nightmare.
Maybe if she fought hard enough, her god would be pleased with her. Maybe she could beg for them to give her brother back.
She refused to process the moment on that cliff. Because how could it be? Even though she’d told him time and time again that eating the resin would have consequences, she always had faith that he would live. He was the stronger sibling, after all.
She raised her sword and sliced across the training dummy’s middle, creating a gash which leaked straw onto the trampled grass.
I should’ve said more.
There were so many things she hadn’t said. She should’ve reassured him that he wasn’t the reason she left Blue. She should’ve told him that despite being on opposite sides of the war, despite all the things she’d said and the ways she’d hurt him, he would always be her brother. She would always love him.
The image of those eerie particles surrounding him flashed before her eyes again. The moment where he gave her one last small smile, before the particles solidified, leaving behind nothing but a tall, pale tree with hanging branches, and a swing fit for two.
Katie barely noticed when her iron sword slipped out of her hand and hit the ground. Nor did she notice when her knees did the same.
She couldn’t stop thinking about everything she’d done wrong. If she had just stayed in the Blue Kingdom, things would be different! It was her fault that Nom had been led down the path that took his life. If she’d just been a better sister..
“Katie?”
She blinked, a few tears rolling down her cheeks, and looked up. Kitty was standing above her, a frown on his face.
“Are you alright?” Kitty asked, crouching down next to her, before she corrected themselves. “No. Of course not. That was a silly question. Is there- is there anything I could do to help?”
Katie wiped her eyes with a shaky hand. “I- I’m not sure, sorry Kitty.”
Kitty gently grabbed her hand as she lowered it, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Would a hug be nice?”
Katie laughed a little, brushing a lock of her tangled red hair off her face. “Yeah. I think so.”
Kitty wrapped its arms firmly around Katie, hugging her close. She could feel herself melting into the soft touch, her mind clearing just a tiny bit.
“What are you- what are you even doing in the Red Kingdom?” She asked after a long minute of silence, leaning back slightly so that she could see Kitty’s face. Mouses large teal eyes crinkled at the corner as cat smiled warmly.
“I came to see you, of course. Just because I’m in Blue now doesn’t mean I don’t care.”
Katie felt a few more tears leak out. She was so grateful to have Kitty.
“Am I interrupting something?” A voice said from somewhere behind her. She shook her head automatically. “No, I-”
She froze, processed the accent in the voice, and whipped around. It was impossible. There was no way that what she had just heard could be right.
“Nom?”