7 - A Visitor

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Fjolla runs out of the shower barely managing to fully cover herself after the sudden intrusion. Keith ushers her to stay quiet as her approaches the door with causion. He motions for Fjolla to hide and despite the initial miscommunication between the two she eventually understands his signaling. She scampers back into the bathroom and locks the door swiftly. 

As Keith opens the door, Fjord lunges at him, pinning him to the ground. Keith tries to defend himself, but Fjord's strength is too great. He has a massive stature easily being around 6'5 and he's extremely atheletic.  He snarls at Keith before quickly sinking his claws into his chest. Keith screams in pain as he tries to get the burly snow leopard off him but his attempts are all futile, the snow leopard is simply way stronger then he is and he's overpowered easily. 

Fjolla's heart races as she hears the scuffle outside the bathroom door. She wants to intervene and protect Keith from the intruder but she knows she can't risk revealing herself to him. She bites her lip and clenches her fists, trying to keep herself from breaking down the door and jumping into the fray. She instinctively wants to remain hidden from possible human view but her desire to protect Keith overwhelms her natural instinct as she starts to consider the possibilities. Meanwhile,  Fjord looks up suddenly, his ears perked as he senses something amiss. He sniffs the air, catching a whiff of his sister's scent. Fjolla notices the same aroma in the air and realises her brother had found her somehow. In such a short amount of time Fjord had managed to track down and find her. This hardly suprised her and she was suprised she didn't expect this to happen but honestly her entire worldview had changed in such a short amount of time so she wasn't really thinking as straight as she normally would. 

With a deep breath, Fjolla unlocks the bathroom door and steps out, her body tense and ready to fight if necessary. "Fjord, stop!" she yells. "He's not our enemy." Fjord immediately looks over at Fjolla happy but simultaneously angry to see her "Fjolla! What are you doing here?!" He demands. Fjord snarls and turns to face his sister, his eyes blazing with anger. "He's human," he growls. "Humans are our enemies. Remember?" Fjolla stepped forward as she attempted to pry her brother off Keith, suprisingly to Keith she managed to push him off her. Fjolla was certainly stronger than he was and could also easily overpower him. 

Keith stumbles back, gasping for air as Fjolla is now standing infront of Keith. "Please, Fjord, he's not like the others," Fjolla pleads, desperation evident in her voice. "He's helped me, he's different." Fjord snarls again, but he hesitates, seeming to consider Fjolla's words. His ears twitch as he listens for any other human presence in the house, but the only sound is Keith's ragged breathing. Keith stands up, his face contorted in pain from the attack. He holds his side, where Fjord had struck him, and takes a few deep breaths to steady himself. Fjord stands up as well. Fjord hesitates, his eyes flicking between his sister and Keith. "You're putting us both in danger," he warns. "Don't be selfish about this Fjolla, I know you yearn for something new but you're putting your life on the line for this!" Fjord's voice is filled with anger and concern as he addresses Fjolla. She can see the worry etched on his face and she knows that he only wants the utmost best for her. But she cant help but think how selfish he's being. He's always controlled what she can and can't do and while its kept her safe, the same routine of hunting and surviving in the wilderness was getting monotonous and repetitive to her. 

Fjolla looks at her brother, her eyes blazing with determination. "I'm not being selfish," she says firmly. "I'm making my own choices and taking responsibility for my actions. I want to something new in my life! And maybe seeing what life is like with Keith is the best path for me! And I'm not going to let you or anyone else stop me." She stands her ground, refusing to back down. Fjord looks at her, his expression softening slightly as he sees the determination in her eyes. "Fjolla, I understand that you want to explore new horizons and have a different life. But it's not just about you. You have to consider the dangers that come with being around humans. They can be unpredictable and dangerous," Fjord says, trying to reason with his sister. "Fjolla, if I lose you... I'll have nothing." Fjord says a somber appearance donned his face as he pauses for a moment, his voice filled with emotion. Fjolla looks at her brother, realizing the weight of his words. She knows that Fjord has always been there for her, and that losing her would be devastating for him. But she also knows that she cannot live her life in fear, constantly hiding from humans and never experiencing anything new. "Fjord, I understand your concerns, but I can't let fear control my life," Fjolla says, her voice firm. "I want to take a chance and see what life is like beyond the wilderness. And if it means taking risks and facing dangers, then so be it. But I won't let you or anyone else hold me back from living the life I want to live."

Keith stands watching the two snow leopards, observing their exchange with a mixture of curiosity and concern. He knows that he's an outsider in their world and that they are naturally wary of humans, but he can't help feeling drawn to their unique and powerful personalities. He remains silent, letting the siblings work through their differences without his input. He knew that being with Fjolla would mean facing new challenges and dangers, but he was willing to take that risk to see where it took him. He didn't really have someone like Fjolla in his life and he could see the love and concern that Fjord has for his sister. He respected the bond between them. But at the same time, he admires Fjolla's courage and determination to live her life on her own terms. He knows that he has a lot to learn from these creatures and he's willing to take the time to earn their trust. For now, he just stood there arched over holding his chest with a pained look, simpling watching. 

As Fjolla continues to argue her case to her brother, Keith steps forward and speaks up. "Fjolla, I know that you're a strong and capable person, and I believe in you. If you want to take a chance on me and see where this goes, I'll be there for you every step of the way," he says, looking directly at her.

Fjolla turns to Keith, her eyes softening as she considers his words. She knows that he's right, that she needs to take a chance on a new life. She takes a deep breath and steps closer to him, taking his hand in hers. Fjolla felt a warmth spreading through her body, and she couldn't help but blush at Keith's words. She had never experienced this type of feeling before, and it was both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Was this what it felt like to be in love? She couldn't be sure. "I want to know where this takes us, Keith." She tells him. 

(Sorry for the long wait! If anyone is even still reading this silly story. I apologise for my inactivity, I've been quite busy with schoolwork and other things sorry! Here's to hopefully a better update schedule. Haha.)

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