ShegoRulz, Thank you! I love Alonzo's reaction to the tom-kit too! I think it suits him well :) Cassieteazer, Thank you! I'm happy to hear that you liked it. Malurina, Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! DaAmazingMeepers, Aw... No... Don't cry! :(

Eleven

Jenny reached out for the kitten and gently scooped it up into her paws. The kitten was a queen with fluffy black fur. Her paws were white and the tips of her ears had the slightest red tint to them. Jenny placed one of her paws on the kitten's chest, feeling for a heartbeat. Tears sprung to the elderly queen's eyes and she looked up at Alonzo. "Alonzo… honey… I'm so sorry, but there's nothing I can do to help her."

"No!" Alonzo yelled. "No! Jenny, please! You have to save her! You have to!" Tears poured down Alonzo's face. He stood up and tried to stagger over to Jenny, but his knees buckled and he hit the floor. "You can't let her die…" he whimpered. Munkustrap rushed over to his best friend's side and helped him back to his feet. Alonzo leaned against Munkustrap for support, his chest so tight that it was becoming hard for him to breathe.

"Alonzo…" Demeter whispered. She wanted to say something comforting to the hysterical tom, but she had no idea what she could possibly say.

"My kitten… She can't… She can't be dead…"

"I'm so sorry Alonzo…" Jenny said, clutching Skimbleshanks' paw for support and comfort. "This kitten just wasn't strong enough…"

"No!" Alonzo yelled. "No! We're… We're just not doing enough! We have to do more to help her! Please Jenny… Please!"

"Alonzo, mate… Please calm down…" Munkustrap said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "You and Bombalurina will get through this. Look on the bright side. You still have one beautiful, healthy kitten to love."

"That's easy for you to say!" Alonzo spat, pushing the silver tabby away from him. "You have three healthy kittens. You have no idea what this is like!"

"You're right," Demeter agreed. "We don't know what it's like. But we are your friends and we are going to be here for you and Bombalurina. We will help you get through this, Alonzo. Please… Don't be angry with us. We did all we could. This is just the Everlasting Cat's will."

"Damn the Everlasting Cat," Alonzo muttered. He heaved a great sigh and turned to face the other cats in the den. "I'm sorry, everyone. I know that you did everything you could… I just…"

"We know, lad," Skimbleshanks said. "We wouldn't expect you to react any other way."

Jenny stood up and handed the small kitten to Alonzo. "I need to take care of Bombalurina. Why don't you spend some time with your daughter?"

Alonzo nodded as he stroked the kitten's soft black fur. "Thank you Jenny…"

"Of course love," the elderly queen said and she kissed his cheek. "Munkustrap, Skimble, will you please lift Bombalurina up for me and take her into the back? Demeter, I'd like you to help me please."

Munkustrap and Skimbleshanks gently lifted the red queen and carried her to the back of the den, where Jenny worked on her critical patients. Demeter followed Jenny to the back room and Munkustrap emerged. He walked over to Alonzo and put a comforting paw on his shoulder.

"She's very beautiful," the tabby said, gazing at the kitten.

"Th…Thank you," Alonzo replied giving him a watery smile. "Bombalurina is going to take this so hard… I don't know what I'm going to do…"

"Bombalurina will be happy to know that she has at least one kitten who made it through this. She'll grieve, just like you, but she'll be grateful that the Everlasting Cat is still giving her the chance to be a mother. You'll both get through this alright, I know it."

Alonzo nodded. "Thank you, Munk…" The two toms fell silent and stared at the kitten, taking in her beauty and grieving for her. Alonzo settled down next to the basket where his son was sleeping and he placed his daughter beside him. "This is your sister," he whispered to the sleeping tom-kit. "She lived a very short life, but she is still so very special and I know she would have loved you very, very much."

About five minutes later, Demeter joined the two toms. "Alonzo… Bomby has woken up, and she wants to see you. I hope you won't get angry with us, but Jenny already broke the news about the queen-kit to her… She was unsure about whether or not you would be able to, so she took it upon herself."

"That's fine," Alonzo said softly. "Thank you for taking care of her, Demeter." He gathered his two kittens into his arms and then made his way to the back room. Jenny smiled when she saw him and Skimbleshanks gave him a gentle pat on the back. The elderly couple then left the room, leaving Alonzo alone with Bombalurina.

The red queen was laying on a large bed covered in fluffy pillows and blankets. The fur on her face was damp from tears and Alonzo noticed tear stains on one of her pillows as well. Bombalurina's fur was a disheveled mess, sticking up in several places. She looked tired, bags beginning to form under her eyes and her eyelids half-closed. She was certainly in the need for a grooming and long rest, but Alonzo didn't say anything. Now wasn't the time to be concerned with appearances. Alonzo approached her slowly, and when she noticed him, she couldn't even bring herself to smile.

"Love…" Alonzo whispered to her when he finally reached the bed. "I've… I've brought the kits. I thought you might like to see them." His voice shook as he spoke, his nerves, tiredness, and sadness getting the better of him.

"Th…Thank you…" Bombalurina replied in a weak, exhausted voice. She turned on her side when Alonzo placed the kittens beside her on the bed. The small tom mewed, recognizing the scent of his mother and started wiggling his body, trying to make his way closer. Bombalurina stroked the top of his soft, red head, and then pushed him closer to her body so that he could nurse. She then turned her attention to the still queen kitten. Her eyes watered at the sight of her daughter, and she bit her bottom lip, willing herself not to cry.

"Let it out," Alonzo said softly. "You have to grieve, Bombalurina. Refusing to cry isn't going to bring her back."

Bombalurina choked on her sob and did as Alonzo said; she let go. Huge, crystal tears spilled from her dark eyes and her body shook as she cried. "I don't… I don't understand what's wrong with me," she wailed. "What did I do wrong? I tried so hard to be the best mother. I was so careful…"

Alonzo climbed into the bed beside Bombalurina, laying on the opposite side of the kittens, and wrapped his arms around her. "I know, love… I know… You didn't do anything wrong. You are the best mother. You did everything in your power to protect these kittens, and I am so proud of you. There… There just wasn't…" Alonzo felt his eyes fill with tears again and he squeezed them shut and took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. "She just wasn't strong enough..." He opened his eyes again, allowing his tears to fall freely, and buried his face in Bombalurina's neck fur. "This is the Everlasting Cat's will," he murmured into her fur.

"Damn the Everlasting Cat," Bombalurina hissed softly, caressing her daughter's fluffy body.

Alonzo gave a watery laugh, amused by her identical response. He nuzzled Bombalurina lovingly, and then kissed her cheek. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You really had me worried, you know."

"I'm alright…" she said in a dejected voice. "The physical pain is nothing…" She sighed. "I'm sorry, Alonzo… I'm sorry I couldn't…"

"Sh…" Alonzo said, cutting her off. "You have nothing to apologize for. Please, don't apologize. I am so proud of you. You did such a wonderful job and you were so strong."

"I wish I could have been stronger…"

"Even if you had been stronger, it wouldn't have changed anything. It had nothing to do with you. The kitten… Our daughter, she was the one who wasn't strong enough, not you. And no amount of strength in you could change that."

"We still have to name them," Bombalurina said. "And, if you don't mind, I think I already think I know what I want to name the tom."

"Oh? And what's that?" Alonzo asked, excited to hear what name his mate had in mind.

"Valentine," she replied. "I think it suits him, considering the color of his coat."

Alonzo beamed. "That's a perfect name," he said, nuzzling Bombalurina. He placed a kiss on her cheek. "I love it."

"Will you name the queen? I want you to name her since I picked out Valentine's name."

Alonzo was quiet for a moment as he thought hard about a name for her. He wanted it to be as perfect and pure as she was. Something so unforgettably beautiful, that cats would be talking about it for years to come. A name that would bring a loving and proud smile to Valentine's face because he would think of his little sister every time he heard it. Something as unique and special as the kitten in front of him. And suddenly, it came to him. He reached over Bombalurina and stroked the queen-kit's fur and said, "I think I've got it…"

I'm really interested in what you have to say and what you think will happen. Also, suggestions are always welcome! Please, tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update. Thanks for reading!

Mew Painappuru