My collection of works based on the Tennotober 2024 prompts.
Hi all! I wanted to take part in Tennotober 2024, but I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to draw 31 art pieces, so I’m doing some fics instead!
The Warframe Tennotober 2024 Prompt List can be found here: https://forums.warframe.com/topic/1412660-official-tennotober-2024-megathread/
Day 7: Kalymos: Tenacity Overcomes Malady…Doesn’t It?
She’s his trusted Kavat, his loyal companion. Thus, when Kalymos falls terribly ill, she looks to him for aid.
Word Count: 1,366 words.
TW(s):
Somewhat graphic depictions of illness (fatigue, pain, difficulty breathing, and hind-limb paralysis) in an animal, and the emotions and confusion caused by it. I want to be *incredibly* serious for a moment and make sure that y’all are staying safe while reading. If you—like myself—are an animal lover and you know that reading about an animal struggling is going to hurt you, I would advise that you take caution with this chapter. I attempt to be somewhat realistic in my writing (especially when it comes to medical events, since I’m a pre-vet student and come from a family of medical professionals), but I also acknowledge that some may not want to read that, and that’s totally fine. I will say that the story has a ‘happy’ ending, as with canon, but I understand if some of you choose to skip this chapter due to the content.
Brief, non-graphic mention of a medical procedure (blood drawing).
Implied, non-graphic death of an animal. I’m personally of the stance that Albrecht cloned Kalymos, so that’s what this warning refers to.
I also would like to add that this chapter is in Kalymos’s perspective, so she does use non-human terms for certain things (like calling the Entrati children ‘kits’, referring to Loid as Albrecht’s ‘mate’, and other such things). As such, she also doesn’t understand what’s going on, so there’s going to be a bit of confusion and fear from her when we as the audience know that Albrecht and Loid are just trying to help.
With everything out of the way, the fic begins under the cut.
She rasps out a harsh yowl, trotting to her master’s side. Her tail swishes from side to side as her eyes narrow, scrutinizing him, her sharp nose working to detect any unusual scents. Once satisfied that he hasn’t gotten into anything stupid, she tilts her head upwards. He lets out a low sound, one that Kalymos has learned to associate with amusement, and a purr rumbles through her chest as he scratches under her chin. The sudden appearance of other voices turns her attention away from him, her ear flicking as she sees two taller beings and two smaller ones. One of the taller ones—her master’s kit, if she recalls correctly—strides forward, her voice so sharp that Kalymos finds herself stepping between her master and his kin. She growls lowly, her tail-tip lashing, the metal adornments wrapped around it jingling with the movement.
“Kalymos.” Her Albrecht’s stern voice catches her attention, warning her to behave herself. Her ears flatten and she hisses, baring her teeth at the woman in front of her, but obeys her master. She stalks off, towards the smaller beings and ‘Loid’, her master’s mate. The little ones bare their teeth as she approaches, an expression that, for whatever reason, she has learned means that they’re pleased. Loid pats her head, though she ignores him—which elicits an offended huff from the human—, preferring to rub against the kits. How are they that harsh woman’s offspring, the Kavat finds herself wondering. She stiffens as the female kit grabs at her tail, mrowing harshly in protest. The small paws release her, and she curls her tail against her body protectively. Kalymos turns her attention to the older one, the male. She prefers him, he is quieter, often satisfied simply watching the Kavat.
Why does she suddenly feel so tired?
Her ear flicks as she flops herself down at the male’s side, leaning her head on his lap. Her eyes close, the sounds of her master arguing with his kin fading as she slumbers.
Days pass. Kalymos follows her master where she can, even if he scolds her for it. She sits at his side one sunrise, watching as he scribbles unintelligible symbols across a piece of paper. She finds herself panting, her jaws hanging open as if she had run laps around the large laboratory. Her chest feels tight, her breaths not relieving the strange feeling. Her Albrecht makes an odd sound, and she believes that she senses concern in his tone.
Perhaps a short nap is in order.
When she awakens, her master leads her into an odd room. She spots Loid, and confusion rises in her chest. She just wants to sleep, though she finds herself unable to move as Albrecht suddenly holds her against his chest. She feels something cold on her furless skin, then hisses sharply as her master’s mate stabs something into the base of her neck. After a few moments, they release her, and she backs away, tail lashing, ears pinned. She yowls, betrayal coursing through her mind.
Why did they do that?!
She’s always been loyal to him, why did he hurt her?
She backs herself into a corner, behind a chair, snapping at their hands as they move closer. Her master’s voice rumbles, and at once the hands stop reaching for her. She curls up, her eyes drifting shut once more.
Something’s wrong.
Her back leg feels odd when she attempts to stand on it. She yowls as a sharp pain shoots through it, and shifts her weight to her other paw. She limps out of the corner, only seeing Loid in the room. Kalymos eyes him warily, but allows him to get close. He places down a small bowl of food. She can smell that there is something strange about it, but her belly grumbles, and she favors her hunger over her suspicion. After she’s had her fill, she lays down, breaths coming in harsh pants. She lowers her head to her paws, hoping that when she awakens, she’ll feel better.
It seems that is not the case, as she attempts to stand but falls, her back legs unable to support her. She tries again, pushing herself upwards. Once again, her legs fail her, and her form thuds to the floor. Her head swivels, her eyes wide in panic, and she lets out a harsh screech.
Where is everyone?
She hears loud thuds, sees her master’s form rush into the room. She cannot bring herself to protest when he scoops her up, as she feels the weight of her hind limbs dangling uselessly in the air. She barely notices when he places her gently into a soft bed, though the warmth feels nice on her hairless skin. His voice rumbles, and she forces her head up to look at him, panic still twisting in her chest. His gaze seems worried, and she attempts to lean forward, to press her head against his knee, but her legs waver, and she sets herself back down.
The days become a blur. Kalymos doesn’t know how long she has laid in this bed, chest heaving with her uneven breaths. Her legs still won’t support her. Her master talks to her, though he busies himself with something that she cannot decipher.
She swears that she catches sight of a thin, white tail.
Her mind must be fooling her.
Her heart beats strangely as she closes her eyes. One thump too fast, another too slow. She nestles her head further against her paws, distantly hearing the gilded adornments clink against each other.
Just a bit more sleep.
She will be alright. Her master won’t let anything happen.
She doesn’t need to be afraid.
Kalymos awakens in that bed, surrounded by soft pelts. She gets to her paws—wasn’t she unable to do that before?—, stretching. She catches sight of her Albrecht, and chirps sharply. She tilts her head as a choked sound comes from him, and pads over to him, rubbing her form along his legs. He kneels, bringing his face to hers, then holds her close for a moment.
Why is he upset?
She’s alright, why is he acting as if she wasn’t?
Finally, she hears a sigh from him, and he stands. She follows him as he walks out of the room, and she catches the scents of his kin, of the sharp-tongued woman and her kits, of Loid. His kin, and hers as well. She trots beside him, though her steps get faster, and soon she is bounding towards them. She weaves between Loid’s legs, moving to press her head against each of the kits’ in turn, hearing their excited mews as she does so. She pauses at the harsh woman, gaze narrowing, tail-tip flicking almost lazily as she thinks. The Kavat steps forward, her moves purposeful as she rubs against her long limbs. She cannot stop herself from nipping at her ankle, however, satisfaction weaving through her mind as she hears an offended sound. She turns to the male kit, his gaze swirling with a look that she cannot name.
“Rrow!” She rasps loudly, proclaiming the end of her rounds, as amused sounds emerge around her. The kit pats the ground beside him, an invitation to sit, and the Kavat ponders it, though before she can seat herself, she hears the sound of something rolling across the floor. She whips around, her tail flicking in excitement as she crouches, eying the rounded, strangely colored—an oddly muted, sandy-gray—object. She pounces on it, tossing it into the air. Her master’s voice rumbles, but she doesn’t pay attention, instead entertaining herself as she bounds around, chasing the toy. The kits laugh, rolling it across the floor for her to chase.
She isn’t tired anymore.
A purr rumbles in her chest as she settles next to her master, right in front of the kits. She might be loyal to him, but they are hers too. The Kavat flicks her tail in front of herself, toying with the youngest, though her brother stops the kit from reaching out and grabbing at her.
Yes, Kalymos belong here. Wherever Albrecht is, she shall be, but they will always return here. To his kin. To her family.
