I hurried after Mom as we walked through the tall grass. My litter-mates followed after Mom. But I was the youngest in the family, I couldn't keep up that well for my legs weren't that long as my older litter-mates.

"Tabby," Mom said, "come on." She turned and picked me up by the scruff and carried me to the front and dropped me.

"Thanks," I meowed.

"Your welcome." She looked up. "It's getting dark. We should be getting back home now."

I nodded.

I woke up. "Mom?" I jumped on her playfully to wake her up. But she didn't. My litter-mates were yowling like they were gonna explode. "What's wrong with her?" I asked.

"I don't know..." My brother answered.

A horrible smell entered the den. 

"Um..." I backed out of the den and hid in a bush. I could still smell it but not as bad. 

My sister ran up to me. "I think you should come out now..."

I leaped out of the bush. "What?"

"Look at mother..."

I couldn't speak..

Without waiting for an answer, my sister went on, "She's dead."