Black Panther, Animal

Ch. 15 "Sad"

                                                  Autumn POV 

I felt sad... I thought 

It has been a long time since he's left, maybe he's not coming back, I thought 

I was laying in T'Challa's bed, trying to keep his scent, but it was starting to fade, it was making me nervous, 

I had my face buried under the blanket, when I heard the door open, 

"Autumn?" I hear Shuri call out, 

I hear her walking towards the bed, 

She slowly peels the covers back revealing my face, 

She chuckled, 

"What are you doing in here?" She asked 

I hesitated, 

I think she seen it, 

"What's wrong?" She asked, 

"He's not coming back is he?" I asked 

She looked at me worried, 

She brushed some of my hair out of my eyes, 

"Of course he's coming back, he wouldn't leave us," She said 

"Come, let's find my mother maybe she can take you into town," She said smiling at me, 

I only nodded, but I couldn't smile, I was sad, 

                                Shuri POV 

Autumn is beginning to worry me, not only has her demeanor changed, but her appetite as well, she hardly eats, 

After handing her to my mother, I made my way to the lab, and I communicated to T'Challa to contact me ASAP, 

Not long did I receive a radio call, 

"Sister, what is it, were kind of trying to track this HYDRA agent down," He said 

"It's Autumn," I said 

He paused, 

"What happened? Is she alright?' He asked 

"More or less, she's fine, she's.. she's acting strange," I said 

He paused again, 

"Stange how?" He asked 

So I explained everything to him, how I even caught her in his room, 

"I think she thinks you abandoned her," I said 

"You know I would never do that," He said 

"We all know that, but she doesn't," I said 

"Remember you found her, she was being raised by a tiger, you were the first human she's made contact with," I said 

"I know," He said trailing off, 

"Do you know how much longer you will be?" I asked 

"I cannot say for sure, it is proving difficult," He said 

"Alright, but you need to make time to come home to at least see her," I said 

"I will," He said 

"Good," I said 

                                   T'Challa POV 

To say I was worried was an understatement, 

After getting off the phone with Shuri, I started thinking, 

I hope she doesn't think I just abandoned her, I would never do such a thing, the sad look in her eyes, that Shuri described and her barely eating, it had me worried, 

I stood up and Stark looked at me, 

"What is it?" He asked, 

"Autumn, I must return home," I said 

"Why don't you just bring her here?" He said 

"I cannot just bring her here, take her away from her home, she's been through enough," I said 

"We still need you on this what other options do you have? I can arrange for Strange to pick her up," Stark said 

"I will go with him, she will not trust him," I said 

Stark nodded, 

                                         Autumn POV 

I snuck out of the palace, 

I was at the wood line, where the forest was, 

I looked back at what I could see of the city and palace, 

I guess I never truly belonged anyway, I thought sadly, 

Leaving through the barrier and walking back toward what remained of my home, where me and mommy spent our days, and nights, 

But this time it's just me, I thought as a tear fell down my cheek as I walked towards my cave, 

The crickets chirped, the owls hooting, all the forest animals making noises, 

I finally found my cave, but soon I realized it was occupied by none other than the leopard, 

"Hello child," The leopard said 

"Hi," I said bending my fingers, 

"What are you doing in the jungle so late at night? you looking to be someone's midnight snack?" He said 

"I just wanted to come home," I said 

"Home?" He said 

"This is where me and mommy used to live," I said 

"You.. You were the child this jungle talked about?" He said 

I nodded, 

"Can I stay?" I asked 

"Of course child," He said moving his tail, 

I curled up next to him, his tail cocooning me like mommy used to, he licked the top of my forehead, 

"I'll keep you safe," He said as he laid his head next to mine,