Chapter Text
"Mama Red"
Keith was usually found on the training deck, so it was unusual to find the training deck empty. The temperamental Paladin could have only be found in one other place, inside the Red Lion.
After earning her respect by almost dying to protect her, Red Lion had a vested interest in learning about her new Paladin. She had loved Alfor like a daughter, since he created her, but this new Paladin had a loneliness in him that longed to be filled. He would come talk to her when his nightmares kept him awake.
It didn't start out that way though. He always had nightmares but would go to the training deck, instead of talking to someone. Red was usually resting during the night cycle on the castle ship, but one night she wanted to talk to Black, who had just saved her Paladin (along with Green, who had been saving her Paladin at the same time).
Red felt a vibration along her bond that she shared with Keith. She followed it to Keith's mind but found it partially blocked. She pawed at the wall and found it surprisingly easy to knock down. She padded further down the bond. She moved silently in her furry lioness form. She looked everywhere for her Paladin. His mental representation should have been around there somewhere. It was strange she couldn't find him. It was a weird mindscape too, if she was completely honest with herself. It looked like a city, but it was in ruins. There were crumbling buildings and walls all around, some slightly smoking still. She roared in his mind, concerned for her Paladin.
"Red?"
Her head swung around at the voice. It sounded similar to her Paladin but younger. She looked at the boy who was crouched behind a crumbling wall. He was small but had the same hair style as Keith. He had little cuts on his skinny legs and hands and smudges on his cheeks. He was wearing a red t-shirt, a long sleeved white shirt underneath the t-shirt, and black denim shorts that reached his knees. He had tears in his large purple eyes.
"Keith?" Red was surprised when the boy ran over and wrapped his arms around her neck. She nuzzled his head, providing comfort to the boy her Paladin appeared as. "Are you alright, cub?"
"Cub?" The boy's voice was muffled by her fur.
"I consider you my son."
The tears that had gathered in his eyes started falling down his cheeks and moistening her fur. "I always wanted a mom. I never knew my biological mom. She left me when I was a baby, and my Pop never talked about her at length."
Red dragged him closer with one of her front paws, purring to him. He surprised her when he purred back. "You purr?"
"I always made these weird noises that no one else could explain. My foster families hated that about me."
"Well, I like them. You can make them anytime when you're with me."
"Thanks...Mom."
"Anytime, cub. Now, why are you awake?"
"I had a nightmare, so I decided to go to the training deck."
"That's not a good thing. Why don't you come here?"
"Can I?"
"Of course. You can come to me anytime you need or want to. No matter the time."
The little Keith snuggled against his furry lion as Paladin Keith walked out of the training deck and into Red's hangar. The metal lion knelt down and opened her mouth to allow her weary Paladin entrance. He climbed into her mouth and settled into the cockpit seat. Her lights stayed lowered, and Keith retreated into his mind, where he was still snuggled against Red, both of them purring to each other.
Fin