Panthera and the Ghostly Sister ✓

Chapter Thirty Nine

“Come on Panthera. Let’s go to bed.” Connor says, trying to get Panthera to go inside. She flicks her tail at him and drops her head on her big panther paw, her yellow eyes watching the night for dangers. She grumbles at him and Connor sighs. “I’ll just drag you.” he says. Panthera lets out a laughing growl and smacks him with her tail. “Leon, can you help me.” Connor yells out, his footsteps fading into the house. Panthera can hear them fighting before two sets of foot falls come closer to her. “Come on Panthera.” Leon says. “No. I’m busy trying to keep us safe.” she replies with a sarcastic tone. Leon growls before pouncing on her back, his human hands grabbing her fur. She gently flips, rolls him off and goes back to watching the forest. Leon growls lowley in his throat and Panthera copies him, mocking his human growl with her panther one. Leon shrugs and walks back inside, Connor following him. She hears the rustling of blankets before a few get thrown next to her. She turns to see Connor making a pallet on the dirty ground next to her. She growls and picks up the blankets in her mouth, jumping and shifting into the open window of Connor’s bedroom above her. She lands on silent cat paws and drops the blankets. Connor runs in just as she jumps on the window sill and curls up, watching the forest. He sighs and mumbles something about “I guess that good enough” before making his bed and curling up in it. Panthera’s ears pick up his heart rate and breathing slow just before a light snore comes from Connor. She sighs and curls her black tail around her paws as she waits. After a few hours, Connor starts breathing heavily and tossing and turning in his sleep. She looks over at him and sees his nose wrinkled and his brows furrowed. She jumps onto the ground and shifts. “Connor, wake up.” she says, slightly shaking him. He groans and bats her hands away. She growls lightly in her human form before shifting and jumping on his chest. He makes a choked sobbing sound before she purrs loudly while laying down. After tossing and turning for a few minutes, he stills and his face relaxes and his breathing slows. She sighs to herself and watches the window, never moving from his chest. His hand lays on her back, subconsciously, in the night. The sun rises and Connor’s breathing changes as he slowly opens his eyes. Panthera, still purring, doesn’t look away from the window. “What happened?” Connor asks. Panthera jumps off the bed and shifts. “You had a nightmare, you wouldn’t wake up. Cat purring helps to calm restless people so I helped in the only way I thought I could.” Panthera says. Connor smiles and gets up, before hugging Panthera. She hugs him back and smiles. They both get dressed before going downstairs to make breakfast. Panthera cooks while Connor sets the table. Connor goes to wake everyone up while Panthera serves the food. When they finish eating, Panthera goes and feeds Katy, who starts to cry. After she’s done, Candance makes Connor, Leon, and Finn go get ready. “Do you want to go to school with them?” Panthera asks. “Don’t I already?” Panthera asks. “I mean, GO to school. Attend it as a student.” Candance says, emphasizing the go. “Oh, uhm, no thank you.” Panthera says politely. Candance smiles and nods before walking off. The boys appear and they all run off to school. When they get there, Panthera shifts and follows them inside. She follows them around all day and at the end of the school day, she shifts again and they go home. When they get home, Leon goes to bathe Finn and Connor sits at the kitchen table doing homework. She hops on the counter in cat form and watches him, helping him occasionally. When Connor finishes, he runs up to his room and shuts the door. Panthera, pleased she’d been left alone, runs out the door, shifting. Her big panther paws dig into the earth as she runs. She hunts for a while and brings down a very territorial deer, after making sure it had no family. She eats it raw and takes off again. She comes across a stream and laps at the water before sliding in and paddling around. She keeps swimming for a while before shaking off and taking off again. She smiles, loving the way she feels as a panther before stopping mid-step. She could run away. She could do it. She could run and stay a panther forever. She thinks about that before Connor and everyone else appears in her mind. She gets an idea before going back to the house.