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Instructions

Buttercup had been waiting in her and Kira's den for a long while before Kira finally came back. She'd heard lunch be called, but she wasn't really hungry, and the crowd there was always so loud, so she'd just sat there.. waiting, instead. When Kira finally did come back, it was late. It was announced that dinner wouldn't be called that day due to a missing food shipment, so Kira had snuck some food back for Buttercup which she'd admittedly stolen from the storage den, somehow without getting caught. "Hey, kid," She purred. "Sorry I'm late- I was caught up talking to Flash.. I'm kinda worried about him but I think we made up-" Kira was interrupted as Buttercup came racing over and threw herself into Kira's fur, wrapping her paws around her. "I was worried.. that you were gone.." Buttercup whimpered. Kira hesitated. "Why.. why would I be gone-? What's gotten into you lately..?" She asked gently, her eyes filled with concern. She was clearly worried- over the months, Buttercup had become a sort of.. daughter to Kira. It hurt seeing her so upset. Buttercup paused, looking to the side. "I... I overheard Blizzard talking- n..not *to* anyone, just to herself- about you.. a-and.. a few other people.. she said she didn't like how you all were acting- b..but she was especially mad about you..." she paused, a look of distress and worry washing over her baby blue eyes. Upon hearing this, Kira wanted to go confront Blizzard right then and there. She wasn't exactly *mad*- she'd dealt with far worse then being told one of the guards thought she was rude, but she was *annoyed*. And the thing that really upset her was the fact that BUTTERCUP was upset. Kira really couldn't care less about what people said about herself behind her back. But Kira knew she couldn't do anything- it would just cause problems, so instead she decided to focus on Buttercup and try to provide whatever comfort she could. Kira allowed herself to appear relaxed, and fixed a calming, comforting smile on her face. Truthfully, she didn't feel relaxed, or calm- she felt restless at the very least. But Kira was, surprisingly, the finest of actors, and she used that ability now to help bring what small sliver of comfort she could to the sobbing mess that Buttercup currently was. "Hey, hey.. calm down," Kira said, her voice so quiet it was nearly a whisper. But her tone was soothing, and it calmed Buttercup down a little right away. "I'm not going *anywhere*, you know that.. Do you really think stupid old *Blizzard* can kick me off here?" She half-laughed. Buttercup paused for a moment. "But.. they.. they took mommy.." she mumbled, looking up into Kira's glimmering blue eyes. Kira just sighed, wrapping her tail around the small child at her feet. "I know they did.. But.. I'm not gonna let that happen this time, okay? You just gotta trust me. Besidesss, Flash has our back.. I think.. maybe.. He's not a total jerk, at least." Buttercup giggled a *tiny* bit which made Kira feel indescribably better. "Flash isn't bad.." she said quietly. "He just doesn't understand." At this, Kira was a little surprised. She just sort of stopped, looking down at Buttercup with a thoughtful sort of expression. Suddenly, she understood. Flash *wasn't* bad. He *tried* to help, he just.. didn't know how. He didn't know what they'd been though- .. so, how could he possibly be expected to understand?