Work Text:
"Bad Timing"
Keith and Regris trudged back into headquarters. It was unusual for the two of them to be sent on a mission together and even more unusual for them to be without an adult on said mission. Fortunately, the mission required speed and stealth. The two kits didn't need to engage any enemies. Keith was simply supposed to watch his brother's back while Regris downloaded intel. Luckily, no harm came to either kit, but they were both tired. Neither had gotten a chance to nap during the mission but were looking forward to spending the rest of the quintant with their pack.
They stumbled into their nest room and whined in unison. The nest was empty! Regris stepped forward and sniffed. Their pack's scents were stale like they hadn't been there all quintant, which was strange since their sister should have been there with at least one adult. Where was everyone?
Keith had pulled out his data pad and pulled up a map of headquarters. He tapped the locate function and waited the grueling doboshes the program took to locate the seven other signatures. Each kit had this program on their data pad, which was used to locate the other seven members of their pack. Keith whined when the only signature that showed up was Regris's. Where did they go?
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Turan was passing by his leader's quarters when he heard the whining. Everyone knew the leader's pack had three kits, and the entirety of the base watched over the kits, especially if the rest of the pack were unavailable, which was the case at that moment. Two of the kits had returned from their mission, but the rest of their pack were still on their missions.
Krolia, Ulaz, and the other kit, Acxa, were on one mission, while Kolivan, Antok, and Thace were on another. The three adults were on a mission to take out another fleet of ships, while the other members of the pack were doing a short, infiltration mission. Both teams hadn't intended on going on missions when they had sent Keith and Regris on one, but they needed handled immediately.
Turan knocked on the door leading to the nest room and was treated to the sight of both kits being close to tears. Strike that, Keith had tears sliding down his cheek stripes. "Kits?"
Keith turned to the Blade standing in the doorway and whimpered. He didn't know the Blade very well. Regris, however, went over to Turan and tucked himself under his chin. He held his hand out for his brother to come over. Keith hesitantly walked over, and Regris tugged him closer. Turan held the kits, rumbling to them.
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Krolia, Ulaz, and Acxa were hurrying back to headquarters after their infiltration mission. It had been a close call, but the trio managed to get out without detection, but it had taken longer than the original estimation of time. Now, Krolia was faced with the very real concern that her eldest and youngest kits were already back at the base and alone in the nest. She held her daughter close, while Ulaz navigated the route to the base. She just hoped someone was there to comfort her kits.
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Thace fought the urge to growl as he rigged the main ship to explode. Keith and Regris would be back from their mission by now, and there was no one there to greet them. The two kits would undoubtedly be tired and want to curl up with one of the adults in the pack, all of whom were gone and had been for most of the quintant. He didn't like the fact that the kits were alone.
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Turan eased both of the kits into his nest. He could tell both were tired and needed sleep. The eldest kit he had interacted with before, but the youngest kit he hadn't. However, he looked familiar. As the kits napped, he observed them. He could tell they weren't sleeping peacefully as they weren't purring. It was heartbreaking for kits not to have someone they trust after a rough quintant, and there was no rougher quintant than after a mission. It baffled his mind that these kits were sent on a mission at all. He had battled both of these kits during the trials. Kolivan trusted him to be the first Blade in the trials. He remembered the youngest kit's trial and regretted injuring him. He hadn't meant to. The majority of the recruits that faced him had dodged or blocked his attack. He had been surprised that not only had he landed a blow but that the kit kept fighting. He hadn't known he was a kit though. At the time, he was just another being that wanted to take the trials. He was told about Keith being a young kit by Kolivan a movement later. He sat down above the kits and ran his claws through their headfur, hoping to at least provide some comfort.
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Krolia, Ulaz, and Acxa rushed back to their nest, certain the other two kits were there. They were surprised to see an empty nest. Acxa let out a questioning noise before she pulled out her data pad and activated her locator. They watched as four signals total appeared, her mom and Ulaz with her and her brothers' a few doors down!
Acxa looked up at her mom, who nodded. She left the nest room and walked a few doors down. She knocked on the door, and Turan answered it. He smiled when he saw who it was. "Welcome back, Krolia. Your kits are napping but not deeply."
Krolia knelt outside his nest and rumbled. Regris's and Keith's heads shot up at the familiar sound. Their eyes locked onto Krolia kneeling there, and they reached out for her, Keith crying again. She gently scooped her kits out of the nest and pulled them onto her lap. She let them nose her hair and breathe in her scent. She rumbled to them, which was heard in her voice. "It's all right, kits. I'm back now. I'm sorry you were alone."
"We weren't completely alone, Mom," Regris said. "Turan was here."
Krolia looked up at the Blade whose room they were still in. "Thank you, Turan."
"No thanks are required. It was my pleasure to watch the kits." He knelt down and stroked Keith's hair. "Kit, I apologize for my actions during your trial. I never got to tell you that."
"During my trial?"
"I was the first Blade you faced."
Keith whimpered and clutched Krolia a little tighter. Krolia looked at her youngest kit, who was a little frightened. "Keith?"
"He was the one who did this." Keith yanked on the neckline of his shirt, revealing the scar on his right shoulder.
"I regret doing that, especially after Kolivan told me you were actually a kit. A kit should never have through the trials. To have one go through and get injured hurts everyone." Turan looked to the side. "I almost resigned my blade for that action. It was only Antok that prevented that. He told me that if I did then he and Kolivan should resign their blades too for their actions; Kolivan for allowing the trials and Antok for his rough treatment of the kit."
Krolia stroked Keith's hair but spoke to Turan. "Thank you for your apology. It just came at a rough time. Keith will forgive you after he recovers from the mission he and Regris just came back from. He already forgave Kolivan and Antok for their actions, so he won't hold your actions against you." Krolia stood up, holding Keith in her arms. "Thank you again for watching my kits. We need to get back to the nest."
Regris lightly leapt onto Krolia's back, clinging to he was prone to do, and Krolia carried both kits back to her familial nest. By the time they returned, everyone was back and in the nest. Antok gently pried Regris from Krolia's back so she could settle into the nest easier.
Regris stayed put on Antok's lap, much to the larger Blade's surprise. Apparently, the kit missed everyone, not just Krolia. Keith would stick with his mom until he felt better, then he would stay with the other members of his pack. It was how Keith was. Currently, he had his face buried in his mom's headfur with his twin tucked against his side. Both Krolia and Acxa were purring to him. Antok was next to Krolia with Regris on his lap, next to Acxa, so that the female kit was sandwiched between her brothers. Thace and Ulaz were in front of the kits, rubbing their backs or nuzzling their necks. Kolivan was sitting on Krolia's other side nearest Keith, whose hand was wrapped around his braid. Kolivan knew it was a comfort thing for Keith, a way to ensure that Kolivan wasn't going anywhere without him. Kolivan nuzzled Keith's hair before starting to groom it. His pack was whole once more, and he was going to make sure they stayed that way.
Fin