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"You Might Be Good looking, But You're Not A Piece Of Art"

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Dawnclaw listened as Aquiver went on.

"We're lucky we caught this early. So far, Sablekit is very withdrawn, but he isn't violent. Not yet. But many do. As they haven't had the chance to develop a conscience, they don't know right from wrong. They will hurt, even kill, without empathy or feeling."

Dawnclaw fought back a hiss. Did Aquiver know anything?! Saying that in front of kits is a terrible idea.

Dawnclaw was right.

Martenkit let out a shriek.
"He could kill us?!"

Coyotekit, who was sitting next to Sablekit, looked terrified, and began moving away from the kit.

Meadowkit looked horrified, and angry, while Maplekit's expression flickered between fear and emotionless  obviously trying to keep herself under control.

"No, my precious kits! Sablekit won't hurt you!" Dawnclaw burst out, wanting desperately to reassure her kits.

Maplekit gave her mother a withering look.

"I don't think you have the right to say that, Dawnclaw. You were the cause of all this." She said, her tone haughty.

A piece of the sky cracked, and tumbled downward. It hit Dawnclaw, cutting her flesh, denting her skull. Blood trickled down her face, it's thick stickiness leaving a red trail, a clear broadcast of her pain.

"Maplekit."
Aquiver's words broke Dawnclaw's illusion.

"Dawnclaw did.. something terrible, yes. But what she did wasn't as severe as it usually is. It was abuse, of a sort, ignoring Sablekit's emotional needs. However, it was not severe. Sablekit has a mild form, a moderate form of Reactive Attachment Disorder. This is why, I believe, that he isn't violent, or out of control. Don't blame Dawnclaw completely for this. I predict that Sablekit may hurt you, but he won't kill you, or come near it."

Maplekit looked rather ashamed, and muttered an apology. But her words washed over Dawnclaw.

Because she saw light.

Her lungs had been waterlogged for a while now.
She couldn't breathe in the dark water that she was sinking in.
But there was light.
The surface was near.

What she had done hadn't been severe. It was mild.

This didn't excuse her, not in any way.

But it meant that maybe, she hasn't completely destroyed her kit.

Maybe, just maybe, things would be okay.

"So, does anyone have any questions?"

Pinetuft looked slightly embarrassed and awkward as he spoke.
"Ho - How likely will it be for him to be.. to be cured?" He stuttered.

Aquiver studied the tom for a moment.

"I'd say it is likely, if not highly likely, for him to be free of the disorder." She replied.

Pinetuft relaxed, but it was clear there was still something on his mind. Dawnclaw knew exactly what it was that he wanted to ask. But the words tasted like deathberries in her throat.

Aquiver's copper eyes were trained on Dawnclaw's amber gaze, daring her to speak the words.

Meadowkit was watching, and opened her jaws.
"What happens if he doesn't get better?" She asked.

Her eyes were defiant, her tone polite, and Dawnclaw flinched. Was that defiance aimed at her?

Aquiver was silent, Dawnclaw could practically see her thoughts.

"Well, there are two categories. Anxious, also known as Ambivalent, and Avoidant. I'd say that Sablekit would fit into the Avoidant category, where he would feel intense anger, be critical and hostile.
He could be intolerant of rules and authority, lack of empathy or remorse, views others as untrustworthy​ and unreliable. He could be shallow or vain, have feelings of self-importance, feelings of entitlement or arrogance. He could be self-reliance; prefers to work alone than with others, and view relationships as threatening, or not worth the effort. I say could because all cases are different. And he is going to get over this. I will make sure of it."

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A/N:

Shorter chapter this time, sorry!

Heck, I fucked up. I should've done more reasearch of attachment disorders before I wrote this, for some reason I skimmed over the whole violence part. I literally only realised this morning ehen I watched a documentary of YouTube about a girl with an attachment disorder, it's called "Child Of Rage." I also realised that for Sablekit to have the disorder, Dawnclaw would've have to have been a lot more abusive. It would've made a lot more sense if she had adopted him instead.

Fact Of The Chapter: Sablekit came very close to being called Cloudkit, he is only Sablekit because "Saving Sable" sounds a lot better than "Saving Cloud" or "Drifting Clouds." Not to mention that the Clan is genetically correct and it wasn't possible to have a white kit. I prefer Sablekit over Cloudkit.