The odd duo

chapter 6: Shifting tides

The days that followed Olive's heat were like a slow exhale. The storm of emotions, the confusion, the tension—it all began to settle. Olive could feel the change in her body, the fog lifting from her mind, and for the first time in what felt like ages, she felt herself again. She no longer had that raw, restless energy coursing through her. The discomfort had faded, leaving behind a calmness that she hadn't realized she had missed so much.

Max had been a steady presence, patiently supporting her through it all. His care had been quiet, unassuming, and that was exactly what Olive had needed. She knew that her behavior during those days had been confusing for both of them, but Max never pushed her, never tried to force her into anything. He simply stayed close, making sure she felt safe, even when she wasn't quite sure what was happening to her.

Now, a week had passed since her heat ended, and the world around her seemed to settle back into its familiar rhythm. Olive stretched in the morning sun, feeling the warmth of it on her fur, and let out a contented sigh. The usual comfort of her home, the calm that came with Max's presence, was slowly returning.

Max, too, seemed to be adjusting. His tail wagged more freely now, and his boundless energy had returned in full force. He resumed his daily routines, playing fetch with a newfound eagerness, racing around the yard, and nudging Olive with an almost childlike enthusiasm whenever the mood struck him. It was a relief to her, to see him happy again. She had felt so distant from him during her heat, too overwhelmed to engage in their usual games. But now, things were returning to normal.

Yet, something had shifted between them.

One afternoon, as Olive sat curled up by the window, watching Max dart in and out of the house, she noticed something strange. Max was spending more time outside. At first, it seemed like no big deal—he was just being Max, doing what he did best. But as the days wore on, Olive realized that he wasn't coming back as quickly as he used to. And when he did return, it was often late at night, his paws covered in dirt, his fur ruffled in a way that suggested he had been running through the fields or playing with other dogs.

At first, she tried not to think too much about it. After all, Max was a dog. He needed to run, to explore, to let off steam. But as the pattern continued—Max slipping out more frequently, sometimes without even a word—Olive couldn't shake the growing sense of unease in her chest. Something was off.

She hadn't always been the best at reading between the lines, but she could tell when things weren't quite right. Max was distant in a way that wasn't like him. He still greeted her when he came back inside, of course, but there was a certain air about him now—something that hinted at a secret he wasn't sharing.

The next evening, after a quiet dinner, Olive watched as Max stood by the door, his eyes glancing toward the yard. His tail wagged, but there was an urgency to it now, a restless energy that made her fur stand on end.

"Max?" Olive called softly, her voice tentative.

Max paused, looking at her, and for a moment, their eyes met. He gave a small, almost apologetic smile, his ears twitching.

"Hey, Olive," he said, his voice warm but distracted. "I'm just going to take a quick run. I'll be back before dark, I promise."

Olive felt a knot form in her stomach. There was something in the way he said it, something that didn't quite match the usual excitement he had about their playtimes. He seemed distant, as though he couldn't quite meet her gaze.

"Max..." she began, her voice laced with a hint of concern. "You've been going outside a lot lately. Are you okay?"

Max's ears flattened briefly, a flicker of something crossing his face before he gave her a tight-lipped grin. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just need to get some air, you know? You're okay, right?"

Olive nodded, though she wasn't entirely convinced. She wasn't used to seeing him like this—so quick to leave, so eager to escape the stillness of the house. But she didn't press him further. He had always been independent, and she wasn't sure if she was just reading too much into things. Maybe he was just in one of his moods.

"Okay," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just... be safe."

Max paused at the door, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer than usual. He gave her a soft nuzzle on the head, his tail flicking in that way that always made her feel warm inside.

"I will," he said, before slipping out into the evening light.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Olive's unease deepened. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on, something he wasn't telling her. She knew Max better than anyone, and right now, he seemed to be holding something back. It wasn't like him to be so elusive.

Later that night, as the sun set and the house grew darker, Olive found herself waiting for Max. He always came back by sunset, but tonight... there was no sign of him. The quiet of the house pressed in on her, her thoughts swirling in a whirlwind of uncertainty. She paced back and forth, her mind racing with worry. What if something had happened to him? What if he had gotten lost, or worse?

It wasn't until well past midnight that she heard the sound of the door creaking open, followed by the soft padding of Max's paws on the hardwood floor. He slipped inside, his fur matted with dirt and twigs, his eyes distant, almost too tired to focus on her.

"Max?" Olive said, her voice soft but insistent. "Where have you been?"

Max froze, caught off guard by her directness. For a moment, he didn't answer, only stood there, his chest heaving as though he had been running nonstop. Olive's heart twisted at the sight of him, and she took a tentative step toward him.

"I... I'm sorry," Max muttered, his voice heavy with something Olive couldn't place. He slumped down onto the floor, his body too exhausted to keep standing. "I've just... been out there, running, and I didn't think... I didn't mean to worry you."

Olive's ears twitched with concern as she watched him. There was something in his eyes, something she hadn't seen before—something wild and desperate, as if he were trying to outrun something.

"Max, what's going on?" she asked softly, taking a seat beside him. "You've been out there a lot. It's not like you to disappear like this. Is everything okay?"

Max let out a long sigh, his gaze shifting downward. He didn't seem to want to look at her. For a moment, the silence between them was thick, filled with the weight of unspoken words. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I found something...but I cant leave it alone...or it'll die, but I cant bring it home either" Olive stared at him confused "what did you find? why cant you bring it home?" before Max could answer she sniffed him and smelled the stench of ANOTHER CAT

Olive's heart ached as she smelled this other cat on him "Max...are you.." "No! i-im not cheating! if that's what you're implying! I...I found a kitten...doesn't even look older than a few months yet..."

"but...then why cant you bring it home...?" olives tail flicks with uncertainty "because...I dont want there to be a fight for space...you know?" Olive sighs in relief and gently licks him. "go get the kitten, it needs a home" Max's tail starts to wag "really?" "yes really" Olive smiles and nudges him to get going.

 Around an hour later he comes back with a small calico kitten. Olive tears up as she grooms the kitten and Max curls up around her and the kitten and together, they would face whatever came next.