Work Text:
Sky was trudging along in the back of the group, paying more attention to the slight rattle his chest was giving than the conversation that was flowing around him. He was brought out of his thoughts by a pelt getting draped across his shoulders. He jumped in surprise and turned to see that Twilight had snuck behind him and was directing a softly concerned look at him. His ears flushed as he remembered that he had seen that look mostly directed and Wind and Hyrule when they went to grab seconds and Wild hadn’t made that much food that night, it had also popped up once or twice directed towards the Vet and the Captain.
Sky had never been the one on the other end of it before. He went to tell Twilight that he was fine but what came out instead was a full body, headache inducing cough. Before he could finish standing back up from his hunched position, he felt his feet leave the ground as strong, but gentle hands held his back and legs off the ground.
“Alrigh, that’s enough walkin outta you today, I’ll be handlin it from ‘ere.”
Before Sky could protest the Vet threw his hands in the air.
“Finally! You sounded like a leaking octo-balloon and looked ready to drop and take a nap in the dirt.”
The scowl on Legend face and his now crossed arms couldn’t hide the worry lines on his head and Sky felt the familiar mixture of guilt and fondness. He was glad that the group cared about him so much they would stop him from walking just because his lungs weren’t cooperating today, yet guilty that they had to stop for him in the first place. Before those thoughts could latch onto Sky, Twilight started moving and His face was pushed in the ridiculously fluffy pelt. Seriously, how did he keep this thing from constantly being matted down with blood and dirt? Was he using magic? Sky didn’t know but was happy to nuzzle his face in the nice texture while all he had to focus on was breathing.
When Sky opened his eyes again (when did he close them?) He saw that they were in a clearing looking up at a tree . . . that was also a house? He shook his head to see if that could clear things up, but nope, still a tree with a door and a ladder. He felt Twilight’s chest rumble beneath him as he talked and he tuned in to what he was saying.
“...An while Y’all git settled I’ll take Sky with me t’ Sera’s n see if she’s got anythin fer ‘im.”
It took Sky’s sleep-addled brain a minute to realize Twi was talking about him and by that time they were already moving away from Twilight’s(?) house. Twi grinned down at him with sharp teeth that made him look like a remlit that had caught a butterfly.
“Y’awake now?” Sky nodded and Twilight paused to set him on his feet while keeping a supportive arm nearby. “Let’s git on then.”
They walked through a village that reminded Sky of skyloft despite the fact that no goddess statues or loftwings were around. Twilight was guiding him towards a building by the river when Sky heard a remlit cry. He tensed on instinct before looking at the bright sunshine around them and relaxing.
Twilight had already stopped and was bending down to look at the strangest remlit Sky’s ever seen. It’s ears were like Wolfie's sharp and pointed instead of being big enough to catch the air. It had a sleek tail rather than a big poofy one, and it’s eyes had slits instead of round pupils. As he got closer he saw Twilight petting the thing and whispering in a high pitched voice at it.
Before Sky could question the strange behavior he heard a tiny Mew? Before 5 of the tiny weird remlit’s popped around the house and started crying when they tripped over the first one. Sky could swear he saw Twilight’s pupils go big like Wolfie’s do sometimes before he scooped up the first one and started moving towards the things.
Sky followed at a more cautious pace until he was only 2 steps behind the Rancher.
“What are those?” he asked in a carefully cheerful voice, since Twilight was over the moon to see these things. Twilight turned to him with the most excited face he had ever seen from the man. “Kittens! Would you like to hold one?”
Before Sky could answer he had a ‘kitten’ the size of his palm in his hand. It sneezed in the smallest voice Sky had ever heard and he felt his heart melt.
He was glad he had gotten to see these ‘kittens’