Remember

Chapter 30: The Last Leg

The sound of voices roused me from my slumber. My eyes snapped open, my body instantly alert. I wasn't the only one. Janus was already awake, standing with his ears pushed forward and his tail held high.

I strained to understand what was being said.

"They must have moved on...

...wouldn't have stayed...

...keep your eyes out..."

I let out the breath that I had been holding as they moved on, taking the bodies of the dead with them.

Janus turned back towards me when they were out of his range. He moved with a slight limp but his advanced healing had allowed the bone to begin to set.

Once I had rewrapped Janus's bandages and fed both of us we were ready to leave.

"Head on out. I will be right behind you." I told him as he began his way out.

He hesitated when he realized that I wasn't right behind him and let out a soft whine. He turned around and was facing me.

I reached out and scratched the side of his face. "I'm going to shift and then I will be right behind you. I promise."

My words appeared to satisfy him so he headed back outside and began to slowly make his way up to the top of the ravine.

I stripped off the borrowed clothing and let the shift carry through me. I found comfort in the pain of my bones reforming, despite all of the changes and uncertainties in my life this was one constant. I relished in the feeling of fur covering my skin, from being on two legs to four. I was free.

I looked up as I came out from under the shale. Janus was maybe a quarter of the way up, moving slowly and carefully.

I turned my attention back to the shale, and all of its evidence that we had been here. I carefully manuvered behind the shale and nosed a large rock forward onto it.

A sharp crack resonated through the ravine as it tilted forward and shattered the shale, covering any trace that we had been there.

I lept forward to avoid being caught in the concussion and accompanying rock slide.

I saw Janus hesitate at the noise. I let out a short bark to keep him moving. He stumbled as he tried to keep moving forward. I held my breath but he managed to right himself and continue forward.

We made our way up the ravine, our progress slow and incramental. Our legs were shaking from the exursion. Janus stumbled on his broken leg, careening backwords. I leaned forward, bracing myself for the impact. I managed to stop his momentum but I was quivering as I tried to keep myself from falling.

Janus pushed off of me to get going, his pace slower and more careful. We were so close to the top now, only a few yards separated us from level ground.

I lunged forward, trying to use the momentum of my jump to propel me forward.

The stones were drifting downward under my paws, canceling out part of my forward motion.

The scraping of rocks ahead of me silenced and I felt myself relax as I realized that Janus had made it safely to the top.

A few seconds later I crested the top and joined him. Our breath was coming in short, quick gasps. I trotted over to where Janus was standing, resting on three legs. I nosed his shoulder, checking the broken bone for any additional injury.

He pulled away, his pride damaged by my lack of faith in him. He turned, tail in the air, head held high, and began to head away, the way we had come before falling into the ravine.