"Kit!" A little black blur rocketed into his ankles, "You're okay!" The kitten peered up at his dirt and tear stained face.
"Hi Rhea," he said weakly, giving her ears a rub, "Yeah, I'm okay."
"Where's Ponch?" she asked, peering around him.
Kit hesitated, tears welling up again.
"Oh… oh." Rhea's ears drooped, taking his silence as the answer it was.
"He's not dead!" Kit hurried to assure her, "He's just…"
"Gone." Rhea finished flatly, tail lashing, "Are you okay?"
"I just told you I'm fine," Kit insisted, swiping at his eyes.
"I didn't ask if you were hurt, I asked if you were okay," Rhea told him, eyes narrowed as she jumped up into his arms, "So are you okay?"
She stared right into his eyes, not blinking, and slowly, his face crumpled, tears returning full force.
"No," he whispered, and collapsed the rest of the way back to the floor, sobbing as if he would never stop. Rhea stayed curled up in his arms, purring softly. That's where Kit's parents found them.
The next time Kit went out to do wizardry, it was with a little black cat riding on his shoulders.
"Oh hi, Rhea," Nita greeted her with a sidelong glance at Kit, "You decided to come along this time?"
"Someone has to keep this one in one piece," she sniffed imperiously, "And without Ponch around it looks like that someone has to be me!"
"Just what I always wanted," Kit said dryly, "A three-pound babysitter." Words aside, Nita could see the gratitude in his eyes.
"Clearly keeping an eye on you is a two-person job," Nita informed him, "Welcome aboard Rhea. Come on, we have work to do."
"As always," Kit smirked.
Nita smiled. "As always," she agreed.