Seeking Souls

:// Chapter 19 //:

Warm, summer breeze brushed under her dress and through the back hedge. Corin was a mere child of barely six at the time, but she was a smart child. A child that knew what her big brother was doing.

There were three years or so between the siblings, making Warren the bigger, protective older-sibling. Because of their age difference they didn't go to school together, but Warren would bring his friends home sometimes. That's how Corin knew that he was different from other kids.

For one, he barely smiled. When the other boys would boast about their favorite cartoon or play with sticks in the backyard Warren stayed calm, and quiet, despite how much fun the other children were having. He'd watch them play with his toys and eat his personal snacks with a blank expression; almost as if he was their babysitter instead of their friend.

Corin never minded his quiet nature. He'd play with her in her room and she'd do most of the talking. He was nice to her in his own way, and she was nice to him. She didn't steal his things or annoy him like other little siblings do. She kept to herself and her own things.

But that was mostly because she was scared of him.

"It's a cat." Warren poked the dead, bloodied animal with a stick. He was sitting behind the hedge, in his 'secret place' that only he was allowed to play in. Corin had gone looking for him and had found him there, sitting among the green leaves and dirt, with a little dead thing by his feet.

Warren held out his hand, telling her to come closer, but she didn't want to. She was scared and he had red stuff on his fingers.

He urged her again, so she obliged. Corin delicately crawled around the cat and sat beside her brother. He wrapped his arm around her; red fingers lightly touching her pale skin.

"You know about pets right? Little animals keep in their houses?" Corin nodded, staring at the dead cat. Yes, she knew what pets were, just like she knew that the cat belonged to a family down the street. His name was Mittens because of the brown socks on his fur.

"When Mom and Dad brought you home I thought you were going to be like a pet." Warren retold his younger view of the world with a flat voice, as he did with all things. "I knew that some of my friends had little brothers and sisters, but I didn't really know what it meant."

"I-I'm....I'm not a cat." Corin whispered. Thankfully his hands were dry so nothing stuck to her hair and he combed it with his fingers.

"You kinda are." Warren giggled a little. It was an unsettling sound. "We had to potty-train you, we feed you, walk you, play with you and buy cute little outfits to dress you up in."

"B-But-"

"You're a kitten, and someday you'll be a big pretty cat." Warren sighed. Corin didn't like whatever game he was playing, but the points he was making made sense-even if they were silly.

"I'm not gonna end up like that...am I?" Corin pointed at the broken little thing curled up against the fence. As a child it was probably the saddest thing she could imagine to see an animal hurt the way it was, but thankfully it's head was facing the other way.

Warren looked to his sister. It seemed he had never thought about that curious thought before, and now it was mulling it over with every moment Corin anticipated.

"No." Warren finally remeasured her. "The owners of this cat were stupid and didn't look after it, but you're my Kitten." Warren pulled his sister closer until she was resting against him. "I can take better care of you than anyone else can."