Spirit's Journey

CHAPTER 3- Spirit: Gaze of Rage

I jerked my head up, breathing harder than I had in a long time.

It had been a dream! A dream, and only that. Still, it had sent me into a state of panic.

Who were those strange cats, fighting on my side? Where had they learned those timed moves and gotten their speed and skill?

And who were those strange wolves, as well? What about that black wolf... Why had I surrendered to her?

I shook my head but it didn't help clear out the thoughts.

It was only a dream. It wasn't like I could control anything that happened while I was sleeping! There was plenty of time to think about it later. Mostly I didn't want to worry about something so... Terrifying.

I wanted to shake it off, to forget about it. My fur still spiked in fear as I stood up, nerves and on edge. I needed to forget, but the darkness and silence of the night wouldn't help.

After all, what would I do about it now? What could I do about it?

Still calming, I looked around in the darkness to see bare stone surrounding me. Ah, still in the cave, right beside-

Whew... I had turned to see Fallan's sides rising and falling as she slept, and heard her snores before I could make out her dark figure.

Wait. What about Hannah?

I almost spoke aloud, and if I had it might as well have come out as an exasperated yowl because that's what it sounded like in my head.

I sat up, my breaths still coming out quick and short, eyes wide open, fur fluffed up. So stiff and tense, but no what to get rid of it until I found Hannah.

After I got a hold of myself I silently padded around the cave, where I found a small puddle of water and bent my head down to drink and push the dream from my mind. As I drank in the cold cave water a thought popped into my head.

What if she had went in one of those tunnels? That would be dangerous, obviously. Who knew what would be in the large one?

Maybe it was just my mind, but I strangely recalled smelling something back there, when I had leaned in for a better view of the darkness. It'd been strong but faint, as if the creature didn't often come.

I hissed with annoyance and stretched my muscles, then padded past Fallan and to the back of the cave.

Maybe she had gone out for a little night-hunting... Would it have been better to look for Hannah in the forest, or back here?

No, that was still dangerous. If I found her anywhere, whether it was out of the cave or in the cave, I would claw her muzzle off!

Okay, no, I wouldn't do that, but the reckless cheetah would get a stern scolding.

Nearing the two tunnels I decided to enter the smallest tunnel first and not explore the large one in case I ran into trouble.

It turned out she wasn't in the larger one anyways. I shoved my large body into the small hole, crouching down and trying to fit through but barely managing to get past my shoulders. What was inside was no surprise at all.

Hannah was sleeping there, her body curled into a tight ball with her tail curled over her nose.

I awkwardly stretched out as far as I could and prodded her side with a paw. She did nothing but flip over and yawn, then drifted back to sleep without opening her eyes.