He walked slowly through the nursery. His stomach hurt, but why? Was it because he hadn’t passed by the prey pile that morning, before it got snatched by hungry cats? Left empty, nothing left for the future of the clan?? No matter. Surely the pain will cease. … He didn’t walk through the nursery. His legs hurt, but why? Was it because he had ran and played too much? Gotten hurt perhaps? Poor, poor Sorakit with the weakness and will never fight? No matter. Surely the pain will cease. … He lay down in his nest in the nursery. His stomach hurt, but why? His legs hurt, but why? His head hurt, but why? His tail hurt, but why? His throat hurt, but why? His paws hurt, but why? His ears hurt, but why? His eyes hurt, but why? His whole body hurt. And then it didn’t. But why? But why? But why? Why Why Why Why Why Why WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY???? There’s a simple answer to that question. “But why”. It doesn’t matter. Even if he couldn’t speak, it doesn’t matter. Even if he can’t remember his name, it doesn’t matter. Even if he couldn’t hear, it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t it? Even if he can’t think, or function any longer… It /never/. mattered. He. /never/. mattered. Did he? … “Sorakit?” Sorastar. “Sorakit, get up.” A whiff of bird hits his nose before he reaches out weakly- Is that..? He’s alive. alive /əˈlīv/ Alive means having life, active, or very aware. It describes people, animals, and plants that are not dead, situations that continue to exist, or places full of energy.
