"Leafkit, come on. Wake up."

Millie gently prodded the kits, trying to silently wake them up. After almost a half-moon, she decided the time was right to take her kits to their father.

At the feeling of being poked in the ribs, Leafkit yawned and slowly raised her head.

"What...? Is it morning already...?"

"No. But keep your voice down. We don't want to wake up the tribe."

"Okay..."

The kit slowly got up, and shook her head to wake herself up. Pikekit and Mintkit were already awake.

"Come on, little ones. Let's go."

For some reason, it was a lot colder than it had been, even for early leaf-bare. A small wind blew as snowflakes thinly came down.

"Where are we going, mama?"

"I'm taking you to meet someone." She couldn't think of a good excuse. Not that it would really be worth trying to hide the truth.

"Who?"

"You'll find out."

Millie led them to the path leading to the dirtplace. It would be easier than trying to sneak out of the entrance and risk being seen by someone guarding it.

She had Pikekit and Mintkit climb on her back and cling to her shoulders while she carried Leafkit in her arms. Once they were at the top, she knelt down to set Leafkit down, at the same time, Pikekit and Mintkit slid off of her back.

It started snowing harder and the wind picked up as they headed for the clearing. Mintkit kept complaining that she couldn't feel her feet, and Pikekit tightly clung to his mother's tunic, trying to take in her body heat while walking at the same time. By the time the crooked oak trees came into view, all three kits were just about half-frozen, and weary from walking in such cold.

They should be curled up next to my warm belly in the nursery, not trekking through the forest in this weather. Startribe, what am I doing, forcing them out in the cold like this?

"Mama...I want to go home now..."

Millie glanced down at Pikekit, then suddenly thought of an idea.

"Here, I'll dig a little hole for you three when we get to those crooked trees. At least you'll be out of the weather."

At the base of the crooked oaks, she got down and dug a little hole underneath it. She then put the kits in the hole.

"I'll be right back, little ones."

She headed to the clearing and looked up. Pit must've been busy doing something, for it was a long while before he finally showed. He shuddered as a gust of wind passed.

"I remember when it was like this years ago. It's almost like being back in the past."

"I bet so."

"You bring them? I'm assuming that's why you're here."

"Y-Yes, I did. I'll go get them."

She headed back to the oak trees to get the kits. To her shock, snow had started to pile up over the hole. Not much, but enough to partially hide it. Down inside, her kits were tightly balled up, their little faces and hands and feet red from the cold.

"Come on, little ones. Wake up."

Pikekit was the first to stir. He shakily stood up and snorted, as his breath had started freezing over his nostrils, making it hard for him to breathe. Mintkit softly whimpered, but then stood up as well. After hauling the two kits out of the hole, she tried to wake up Leafkit, but the kit wouldn't respond.

"Leafkit...come on, just a little further..."

The kit didn't stir. She just lay perfectly still. Worry filling her, Millie picked up the kit and hugged her, but soon realized that Leafkit was no longer breathing, nor could Millie feel the kit's heart beating.

Millie tightly hugged the dead kit to her chest as pure grief stabbed her like a shard of ice. Taking in what remained of the kit's scent, she recalled the few memories she had of the kit, as tears rolled down her cheeks. After a moment, she put down Leafkit's little body, and came out of the hole.

"Come on, let's go."

She led the two to the clearing where Pit was. The angel was a bit surprised to see them.

"Here they are. Pikekit and Mintkit. Please, take care of them well."

"Where's the other one?"

"Dead."

Her words came out flat and expressionless. She slowly started to walk off, but kept looking back, not wanting to take her eyes off her kits.

"Mama, come back!"

"Where are you going?"

"Are you coming back to get us?"

Unable to bear hearing their heart-wrenching cries, she took off into the trees, sharp pangs stabbing her heart with each step.

Pikekit and Mintkit watched their mother disappear into the forest, then gazed up in curiosity at the strange tom they'd been left with. He almost looked like an older version of Pikekit, but with darker eyes, and wings protruding from his back.

"Are...Are you our father?" Mintkit queried, her head tilted.

"Yes, I am."

He got down on his knees, and gestured for the two get on his back. Pikekit struggled a bit at first climbing over Pit's shoulder, but he eventually managed to get up, clutching Pit's scarf in one hand. Once the two were firmly on, he spread his wings, and took off.

"I'm taking you two to my home. It's called Skyworld. I'm sure your mother mentioned it."

"Yes, she did. She said you were raised here."

"Yes, I was. It's actually a real nice place."

Pit took off even faster as they started heading through the clouds. Pikekit raised his head and smiled, enjoying the feeling of the wind flattening his hair.

The angel slowed his ascent as they neared the top of the cloud layer, and he fluttered his wings to hover as his home came into view. Both Pikekit and Mintkit seemed fascinated by it.

"Wow. This place is huge. You live here?"

"Yep. I've lived here for years."

"Awesome."

He kept to a steady glide to allow the two little ones to get a good idea of the place.

"And that," Pit remarked as he neared the huge temple he was all too familiar with. "is Palutena's Temple. Where I'll be raising you two."

Palutena stood in the entrance of her temple, waiting for Pit. When the angel finally came into view, she was shocked to see, riding on his back, were two young kids. They looked to be around two years old, maybe a bit older.

"Are those kids yours?" she asked, as he landed. "The little boy looks just like you."

"Yes, they are. Their names are Pikekit and Mintkit."

Palutena nodded once at him, and watched as he started showing the kits around. Deep inside though, she couldn't have been happier to see that Pit was a father.

Perhaps...should these little ones mature to sport wings...you aren't the last and only one left of your kind, after all...

—

The End