Title: The Orphan
Word Count: 240
Rating: PG
A/N: A variation on a classic scene.

Rain pelted the ground as a dark figure darted across the street, narrowly missing a large town car that honked its frustration. The creature continued on its way, down the sidewalk, until it reached a large gate. It crouched down now, underneath a bright streetlamp. It was a feline, a grey queen who was drenched from the night’s storm.

Cradled in the queen’s arms was a bundle of red fur – a sleeping kitten. For now, the young kitten smiled in her sleep, oblivious to present occurrences. The grey queen held the kitten close to her breast, eyes darting about as though to make sure they hadn’t been followed.

Now satisfied that they were alone, the queen leaned down and kissed the kitten upon her forehead, tears mixing with raindrops as they trickled down her cheeks. “This is home now,” she said, words that fell upon deaf ears. “You’ll be home here.”

The old queen, her coat mangled and her tail twitching, set the kitten down by the fence, under the light of the lamppost, out of the rain. Standing, she gripped the rusty metal of the fence and shook it fiercely – producing a sound loud enough to be heard by anyone within.

She then returned to the kitten, leaning down to stroke her beautiful ruby fur once more. “I will return for you, Bombalurina,” she said, with a final kiss and a last glance. “I promise I will return.”