Juno ran through the forest as fast as she could. The feline ducked and dodged as she ran towards the Etena house, ignoring the pain she felt in her legs and ears. Hitsu, Nox, and Joy rode on her back, all of them in various states of distress. Any injuries or problems they had were ignored, they knew time was short. Nox hadn't spoken, she saved her words for the future where she would need them more. The only voice heard was Hitsu's as he quietly encouraged Juno, knowing she was doing her best to push through the pain.
"Keep going girl," Hitsu whispered, "almost there."
After several minutes of running through the dark forest, Nox could see the light peaking through the trees. It was a sight she thought would fill her with joy, but now she only felt despair. Nox looked down at her sister who lay sleeping in her arms. Through all the fear and anxiety filling Nox she still found a small bit of happiness knowing her sister was okay. Nox gently lifted Joy closer to her and held her tightly. Unbeknownst to Nox, Hitsu had watched this unfold. He watched her sadly knowing the hardest battle of her life was about to begin.
Juno burst from the dark forest without hesitation and sprinted downhill towards Nox's home. Juno ran quickly but carefully, being sure her passengers were in no danger. In just seconds, Juno reached the bottom of the hill and ran to the house. She rounded the side of the house and came to a stop at the front porch.
Hitsu and Nox jumped off of the cat's back and ran to the door. Nox leaped up the porch steps and ran into the house, Joy held safely in her arms. Hitsu on the other hand reached the front door and stopped. From where he stood he could see the ravaged living room with the light from the moon. Across the damaged belongs of the Etena family Hitsu could see the doorway to Nox's parent's room and the light that spilled out from within.
With a pained expression, Hitsu backed away from the door and walked down the porch steps. He took a seat on the top step and lower his head. A meow from Juno caused him to look to his side where he saw his pet had returned to her normal size.
"This is a family matter," Hitsu explained, "We shouldn't get involved."
Juno looked into the house with a concerned expression but excepted Hitsu's words. She carefully climbed into her owner's lap to take a well-deserved rest. Hitsu placed a gentle hand on Juno and began to pet her as he listened silently to the conversation in the house behind him.
...
"Mom!" Nox shouted breathlessly as she rushed into the bedroom. Her father looked over to her from her mother's side, he held his wife's hand softly in his own. Nox's mother lay in the bed with a small smile on her face, she was pale and looked weak. Upon hearing Nox's voice she slowly opened her eyes and looked in Nox's direction.
"Queen," she said weakly, "You're back."
Nox rushed to her other side with Joy in her arms. As she fell to her knees at the side of the bed Nox could feel the tears starting to well up in her eyes. Nevertheless, Nox continued her attempt to stay strong.
"Yeah," Nox responded in a choked voice, "I'm back. We got Joy back."
"Can I see her?" Nox's mother asked.
Nox responded with actions instead of words as she carefully handed Joy to her mother. Nox's mother's smile only grew as she looked down at her youngest daughter. She retrieved her hand from her husband and gently ran it over Joy's sleeping head.
"Do you still hate your sister?" Nox's mother asked her.
"No," Nox responded, "I never did. I could never hate Joy, she's my sister."
Tears then began to flow, but not from Nox's eyes, but from her mother's.
"I'm so happy," she said through the tears, "My princess and my queen are together with me."
Those words struck Nox like a dagger through the heart. She had always been her parents 'queen' and her sister had become their 'princess'. What hurt her was the realization this would be the last time her mother would call her by her nickname. Now, it was Nox's turn to start crying.
"Mom..." she whimpered as tears ran down her face, "You can't go."
"I know," her mother responded, "But I think I have to."
Nox's head fell onto her mother's chest as she embraced her.
"You can't," She cried, "I just became strong... I can make you proud now... You can't leave... Not now."
Nox's mother used her free hand to comfort her crying daughter. She gently lifted Nox's face so her eyes would meet her own.
"Nox... I will always be proud of you," she said in a heartbreakingly comforting voice. "As long as you are happy... I'll always be proud of my queen."
Nox's tears only rained down harder with every passing second. They fell from her chin before splashing against the blanket below.
"Mom... I love you."
That was all Nox could think to say. Nox's mother seemed happy with those words as she moved her hand back into her husband's.
"I love you too Nox... I always will."
Her eyes softly drifted from each of her daughters to her husband. After taking a final look at each of her family her eyes moved to the ceiling above. A final tear fell from her eye to stream down her face.
"I'm so happy..." Nox's mother said softly to everyone in the room, "...Because I love you all."
With those words, Nox's mother's eyes slowly closed for good. Her final smile stayed resting upon her face and her hand still in her husband's, her arm holding Joy caringly.
"...Mom?" Nox said weakly as she stared at her mother's face desperately. She waited for something, for anything, but she received nothing. Nox's head fell to her mother's chest once again as she cried out.
"MOM!" She wailed as she continued her embrace. Nox cried and screamed, but nothing would change. On the same day, Nox had said goodbye to her old self, and to her mother.
...
On the porch outside Hitsu had heard everything unfold. He held Juno in his arms tightly, the lay silently curled mourning just as much as Hitsu. Tears fell from Hitsu's closed eyes as his own memories flashed before his eyes. He had felt this feeling before, this feeling of intense grief.
"Mom..."
...
End of Episode 18