“I really can't stay” Mama was dead. Cedarkit couldn’t have been as calm as he was, but mama needed him to be. All his siblings- they needed him to help. They all did. But, maybe he needed the most help himself. Because no matter how hard he tried, he would always be sad, always rip himself up thinking about her. “Baby, it's cold outside” Meanwhile, while he was dealing with that- his anxiety was making an appearance for the first time… “I've got to go away” The cold burned his fur and he woke with a burning sensation throughout his head. Icicles formed on his whiskers and frost formed over his body. What was happening? He got molded into a block of ice, thoughts racing through his head. {What if the cold kills me? What if it kills my siblings? What if…} he sobbed, the ice taking the cry away. He tried to call out, but he couldn’t. “Baby, it's cold outside” Berylberry was dead. “Because I couldn’t save her.” “This evening has been” He was cold. “I’m sorry.” “Hoping that you'd drop in” He needed help. Nobody would offer. Nobody would know. “I’m fine.” “So, very nice” He was sad. So very sad. “I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice” Momma was dead. Coppery was gone. His siblings hated him. And it’s all because he was fine. J U S T F I N E “But baby it’s cold outside!”
Cece has now “activated” his anxiety, and he now has Self-blaming depression.