Kate felt horrid and her insides ached. She has to resist holding him. She knew his cries and tears made his eyes hurt. She held his paw and rubbed the fur on the back of his paw. His pads were worn and his fur was matted with blood, sweat, and snew. "How could anyone do this? I will never let another harm you." She wrapped his cub form into a blanket and held him. He was just as bad. She rubbed the unscathed fur on the back of his neck as he weakly roared. "I know him hurts". The other mages placed his cub form on a pillow. They were all astonished to see him morph into a small leopard. They swaddled the cub in a clean blanket and handed him to Kate. She sat in a rocker enclosed by curtains.  Kate whispered as she fed him a bottle filled with rich milk and fruit, " I know you are grown. This will be easier to eat. You are safe now. Roar it all out. You have been through so much." She sobbed as he was fed. She wiped her eyes and sang in a low soprano voice a lullaby.<br/><br/>It was morning and she awoke to smell of eggs, biscuits, sausage, fresh fruit, and tea on a tray beside her. In her arms breathing heavily was the leopard cub. His chest rattled with every breath. She tucked a bottle of camphor in her skirt pocket. The mage rubbed a little on his chest as she placed her palm over his racing heart. It slowed and the little cub that was the size of miniature collie was curled in her arms. "You are all right. Hungry?"