A Game Of Cat and Mouse

chapter Twenty Five

Soifon held a collection of sticks, logs, and a few flints as she made her way back to the cave. She whispered to herself, 'I wonder if Erin is awake.' As she walked through the serene woods, the rain had ceased ten minutes earlier, much to her relief as she was starting to feel cold. She muttered, 'Damn Ace for making us wear these impractical dresses,' as she continued walking barefoot through the muddy terrain.

A sigh escaped Soifon's lips as she gazed at the moon. 'I'm surprised none of Ace's henchmen have found us yet, or perhaps they simply lack competence,' she mused. She wasn't necessarily unhappy about the fact that they hadn't been discovered, as it meant they might escape the woods without getting caught again.

Suddenly, her footsteps halted as she heard approaching footsteps. Her body tensed up upon hearing a twig snap. Her blue eyes fixated on the source of the sound as she tightened her grip on the sticks and logs. She opened her mouth to shout at the person approaching her, but no words escaped her lips.

Amidst the startled jump elicited by the hooting owl above her head, Soifon admonished herself, saying 'Come on Gray, regain your composure.' In an attempt to rationalize the situation, she muttered 'It must be a rabbit or some other creature.' Expressing a hint of annoyance through an eye roll, she proceeded to take a step forward, inquiring 'Now, where exactly is that cave?' The woman with dark, raven-like hair surveyed her, surroundings as the sound of footsteps grew increasingly nearer, deepening Soifon's self-reproach.

A figure stealthily approached the raven-haired woman who was engaged in a heated internal debate. The figure let out an expletive under her breath upon unintentionally stepping on a stray stick. It was not her intention to startle Soifon, but rather to catch up with her, as her partner seemed to be constantly on the move.

Soifon halted her steps once again upon hearing the snapping of another stick. The raven-haired woman, growing frustrated, hissed in annoyance, demanding the person following her to reveal themselves. She released most of the sticks and logs she held in her arms when a pair of arms suddenly enveloped her neck.

""Are you trying to give me a god damn heart attack, woman?" Erin whispered sharply into Soifon's ear, gripping the younger woman's shoulders tightly. Her vibrant green eyes displayed a mixture of anger and concern.

Soifon gazed into Erin's eyes with a look of astonishment as Erin shook her head. 'Erin?' she whispered softly. 'What is the matter with you?' Soifon asked, noticing the fear in her partner's eyes.

'Is that the only question you have for me?' Erin replied through clenched teeth. 'Let me tell you, you troublesome woman,' she said angrily. 'My issue is that you decided to run away.' The brunette responded.

Soifon winced as Erin applied pressure to her shoulders, even aggravating her stab wound. However, she disregarded the discomfort. Her narrowed blue eyes focused on her enraged lover, as she pulled away from her. 'What the hell, Erin?' she demanded, her bewildered gaze intensifying.

Erin stared at her lover with increased intensity as Soifon slipped out of her grasp. "What is your problem, Erin?" Soifon inquired once more, folding her arms over her chest. "Do I really need to explicitly explain it to you?" Erin retorted, her piercing green eyes fixed upon Soifon's widened blue orbs.

Soifon began to respond, but Erin cut her off. "Don't say a word," Erin growled, her gaze locked onto her lover's eyes. "Allow me to elucidate." She commenced speaking, observing the fear on her lover's face as her mouth dropped open before shutting again, allowing Erin to continue her explanation.

Erin swallowed the lump in her throat. "First and foremost, you departed from the cave," she began, causing the younger woman to raise an eyebrow. "Without informing me or even waking me up to let me know about your departure or anything of the sort." She exhaled deeply.

Erin clenched her lip in apprehension, fully aware of her need to control her anger towards Soifon. However, her anger stemmed from the immense worry she felt when Soifon disappeared without a trace. Erin averted her gaze momentarily, taking a deep breath before refocusing her attention on Soifon, who seemed lost in her own thoughts, staring at the ground.

"Do you comprehend the extent of my concern when you departed without informing me?" Erin murmured, taking a step closer to her beloved. "When I woke up and discovered your absence, I...I feared for the worst. I thought something terrible had occurred to you." Erin's voice trembled as she pulled Soifon into a comforting embrace, patiently awaiting a response from her partner. "To make matters even more distressing, I entertained the horrifying notion that Ace might have captured you." Erin whispered, her shoulders quivering with suppressed emotion.

Soifon remained fixated on the ground as Erin poured her heart out about her actions of running away. Tears welled up in Soifon's blue eyes, slowly trickling down her cheeks, as Erin expressed her worry and fear for her well-being.

Soifon embraced her lover's neck with a deliberate slowness, her mind filled with thoughts. She acknowledged that it was her own fault that Erin had raised her voice, as she had caused unnecessary worry by leaving without informing her and not waking her up. She buried her face in the crevice of Erin's neck, tears streaming down her cheeks. 'I apologize... I did not intend to frighten you. I simply wanted you to rest while I went to gather wood and flint to start a fire,' Soifon whispered. She felt Erin's grasp around her waist tighten.

The brunette listened attentively to Soifon's words, her voice barely above a whisper. 'It's alright,' she responded, as her fingers traced soothing circles on Soifon's back. Tears welled up in her own green eyes too. 'I'm sorry for lashing out at you,' she whispered, pulling away from her lover to place a finger under her chin. 'But you must understand that you worried me immensely by leaving without letting me know,' she whispered, gazing into Soifon's blue eyes.

Soifon peered into Erin's emerald eyes. 'I don't want to consider the worst possible outcome of what could happen to you. I love you too much to bear losing you,' Erin whispered. Soifon opened her mouth to respond to Erin's words, but before she could speak, Erin's lips forcefully met hers in a passionate kiss. Soifon surrendered to the moment and closed her eyes, reciprocating the brunette's affection.

After some time, Erin broke away from the kiss and locked eyes with Soifon. 'When we arrive home, you will be confronted with consequences for causing me tremendous worry,' Erin hissed, before resuming their passionate exchange. Soifon blushed deeply as she considered what the punishment might entail.

'How will you punish me?' she inquired softly. 'You will find out when we get home,' Erin whispered, gripping Soifon's hand. 'Since we are already up and about, let us make an effort to find our way out of these woods. I have grown weary of them,' Erin declared.

Soifon's blush intensified at Erin's mention of the punishment. 'I concur, as I am both cold and damp,' the raven-haired woman admitted, eliciting a laugh from her beloved, to which Soifon responded with an eye roll.

"Please align your thoughts accordingly until we depart from this location," Soifon playfully retorted while nudging Erin with her elbow. Erin let out a grunt, but both women burst into laughter.

"Let us commence our departure," Erin said, extending her hand out to Soifon, who happily accepted it. With a smile, Soifon expressed, "Erin, I love you too." This caused Erin to beam with happiness, responding, "I am delighted to hear that." Both women began to walk down the muddy forest floor, unaware that Brian was standing a few feet away, hiding behind a tree with a smirk on his face.

"I have discovered you, troublesome women," the long-haired male hissed as he observed part of their interaction.