Bleak sunshine broke through the cloud cover in warming rays. The air was suddenly filled with the sound of nature, bouncing off the snow-covered landscape. Squirrels chattered high in the surrounding trees. Birds that hadn't left began using the heat to wake up and start hunting. A light wind picked up and added its melody to the music of the morning.

"Want to go hunting with me?" Rac muttered in her sleep, rolling away from the voice. She batted at the saber prodding her with a paw.

"Leave her be, Neerah. She can hunt when the sun hits the top of the ridge," murmured Bai close by. The she-cat's paw steps faded as the young saber left the small cave.

Quick scuffles at the entrance and the warm smell of fresh meat woke Rac. She stretched out her stiff muscles, yawning and scraping the rock beneath her paws. Padding out, her eyes widened when she saw Neerah returning with Rahman. A large tapir was being dragged between them. "Great catch!"

Her sister purred as Rahman shuffled his paws in embarrassment. They lay the dead tapir in the clearing before licking their jaws clean of its blood. As usual, the two sabers worked as an incredible team together. Her smaller, slender body made it easier for Neerah to get closer to the prey while Rahman and his strength and size brought it down.

"Where are the others?" Rac asked, looking around. The scents of Bai, Nora, and Atira were faint in the chilly air.

"They went searching for Dad. Mom found a fresh trail after you went back to sleep," replied Rahman as he settled by his sister. The male had clumps of snow in his striped pelt from bringing the tapir down.

Laying beside her big brother, Rac began grooming the frozen snow out of his fur. Rahman purred as she freed the frozen strands, lowering his head onto his spotted paws.

Neerah continued digging the hole she was working on a little ways away to drop the fresh kill in.

"Why didn't you go, Rahman?" Rac asked after a moment between tongue strokes. His fur was beginning to thaw out.

Lifting his great striped head, Rahman paused to yawn before replying, "Mom wanted me to protect you and the others." He quickly went on when Rac stilled by his side. "Not that you couldn't look out for yourself. I personally think it was to keep an eye on Ravi."

Her ears went back at the thought of their uncle, injured by their father, his own brother. "Is he okay?" Rac could only shrug her shoulders, an involuntary whimper rising in her throat.

"Neerah, go check on Ravi. Make sure he's comfortable and check his shoulder wound," Rahman rumbled to his youngest sister. She scampered into the cave.

"I just have a bad feeling he won't make it," whispered the she-cat. She hung her spotted head in grief. "I know I should have faith that he will make it, but we don't know how to rid his wound of infection!" Rac cried, jumping to her paws. This startled Rahman to falling to his side.

"Rac! Rahman! Come quickly, it's Ravi" Neerah's voice echoed out to the sabers, a hint of fear laced into it.

Fearing the worst, Rac and Rahman pelted inside to find their youngest sister standing over their uncle. Neerah's fear scent hit them like a cold wind in a storm. Her dark green eyes were wide and striped ears pinned to her skull. She was taking fast shaky breaths, staring at Ravi.

Rac hesitantly padded up to him and nearly choked on the bile rising in her throat. The fur around the wound was matted down by vile smelling liquid oozing out of the center. It had bubbled over, leaving a nasty green trail of the stuff down his shoulder and into the soil beneath.

"Oh no...no, no, NO! Ravi! Ravi, can you hear me?" screeched Rahman in a panic. He placed an ear to his uncle's flank, visibly relaxing.

Confused and still petrified, Rac pressed her own ear to his rib cage. A shallow but fast pulse indicated he was still hanging onto life. "We need to get rid of his infection; I think it's in his blood."

"How?" whimpered Neerah as she shook on her paws. The saber was close to passing out. Her dark green eyes were still wild, glued to the infected wound.

"Do we have any fresh moss left?" Rahman spit out hoarsely. He lifted his head and glanced at his sisters before sniffing the spongy nest below him. The male sighed loudly as he found some near the cave entrance.

"Here, take it outside and soak it in the snow. A bit of work will clear your head," ordered Rac gently as she took the moss from her brother and gave it to the she-cat.

After Neerah left, Rahman turned to Rac. "He needs more than just wet moss. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, I don't know."