Within Their Reach

01. Howlers

No Perspective.

"Ava love, come back down here." Her father spoke as he looks up at his six-year-old daughter with worry.

"No papa!" Ava lets out a giggle and sticks her tongue at her father teasingly.

She swings her legs on the tree trunk looking at the beautiful few in front of her in an aww. Ava always loved climbing trees and going out in the woods. It was as if the forest yearned for her presence as the blissful breezes brushes through her hair.

"Don't do this pumpkin, you'll fall and get hurt." He tried to reason with her.

Ava looked down at him with a pout from the tree seeing him look at her with a stern gaze. She didn't want to go back to the cabin yet, it was getting dark outside and that's was what fascinated her the most. On the other hand, her father was getting more and more worried.

"Ava." He said warning tone, seeing that she was not climbing down.

"Papa." She matched his tone making her puff her cheeks, not liking the fact that her father was ruining her fun.

"You can come back here tomorrow." He reasoned with her. "Let's go now. It is getting dark, don't you want to have your yummy dinner?" He wiggled his eyebrows trying to make her have another interest.

"No." She let out a huff and looked away from him.

Her father couldn't help but let out a tiring sigh. He was already exhausted after his work and now he didn't have much energy to go climb and bring her down. He was worried that he would trip and make them both fall.

"Fine. I'll just leave you and have dinner all alone." He let out a dramatic sigh with a sad expression and looked back at their cabin which was a few feet away from them. "Just me and no one except your poor little kitten which misses you dearly." He said and started walking away, glancing at her in between.

Ava looks at him from the corner of her eye and presses her lips in a thin line. She didn't want to leave her father all alone to have dinner. She pondered over the thought of her kitten missing her. Of course, she would, she hasn't had her milk yet.

"Wait for me papa!" She said hurriedly noticing that he was about a few steps away from her now.

"Be careful." Her father said standing a few steps away from the tree. He looked at her with a smile, seeing she was carefully climbing down the tall tree.

Reaching his side she held his hand as they both walked to their home. Ava stopped walking making her father look at her with furrowed brows. She held her arms out for him, implying to be carried to the house. He let out a chuckle and took her over his back like a piggyback ride. She giggles as she rested her chin over her father's shoulder as they walk home.

Dinner was ready now. Ava walked down the stairs in her nighty carrying her kitten, Willow. She purred in Ava's chest as she pats her furry back.

Putting Willow on the wooden floor near her milk bowl, she sits at the dinner table while her father served the food.

"So, how was school?" Her father asked as they started eating.

"Fine, I guess." Ava fiddled with her veggies and looked down at the plate not liking the question at all.

He furrows his brows seeing the sad expression on his daughter's face. "Why the long face? Did the teacher say something?"

She pressed her lips trying to stop the tears and her throat from going tight. Ava always gets emotional while complaining or while being angry. She didn't understand why, which always made her think she isn't strong enough.