The Peace of the Wanderer

Chapter Sixteen: Across The Setting Sun

As soon as Shadow ventured out of the valley, a strange feeling of comfort warmed her to the bone. She hadn't really known how much she loved the forest until that moment, but the realization slammed into her like that tree did when she first met Midnight.

Speaking of which...

"Midnight!" she called out, concern evident in her voice. She dearly hoped he was still conscious. If he wasn't, he could be virtually anywhere and it would take forever to find him.

No answer.

She also dearly hoped he was still breathing.

Shadow lifted her muzzle towards the sky, tasting the air. She thought she could smell Midnight's scent in the distance, but upon investigating, it was only a rabbit. Shadow quickly caught it, the hunt being a bit more difficult due to her injuries on her leg and neck.

Nevertheless, she was able to kill the small animal. If she did find Midnight, he'd probably need food. And if he hadn't been found on the battlefield yet, she assumed he must either be in good shape or passed out somewhere.

She kinda wanted it to be the first option.

Shadow wandered around for a while, calling out for Midnight and going further and further from the valley. She knew her family and friends would be worried, since they all saw her leave the battlefield, save Mowgli, but there was no way she was going to turn back at that point and leave Midnight wherever he was.

At last, Shadow approached a winding creek. She knew very well that the scent was probably lost due to the water, but that didn't stop her from still yelling out, "Midnight? Answer me!"

Silence for a moment.

Shadow felt sadness grip her with its icy talons.

"Please?" Her voice almost cracked. She didn't want to believe he was dead, she really didn't, but that stupid cat wasn't really giving her any other options, was he?
Feeling almost as horrible as she did when she fought with Tab, Shadow once again knew tears were building up in her eyes.

Shadow sat down on the bank of the creek, her back hunched over and her normally bright green orbs darkened with grief. She trembled as she thought about life without Midnight, life without her best friend, life without the very cat who had brought her so much happiness in a dark time.

She didn't know if she could do it, honestly. She heard her inner voice telling her to give up, that he was gone forever, that she'd have to be strong in this time of mourning, but Shadow didn't listen.

"Please..." she quivered. Just a sign. That's all she needed. A sign to tell her he was alive.

Behind her, she heard a rustle in the bushes.

Shadow immediately turned her head in the direction the noise had came from, leaping to her paws. She inspected the bush, sniffing at the leaves in hopefulness.

His scent rapidly filled her nose. As soon as she caught wind of it, she poked her head under the shrub.

What she saw nearly made her heart stop.

Midnight was there, quite alive, trying to crawl out of the plant he was hiding in. He grunted as he managed to lift his upper half from the ground with his forelegs. He glanced at Shadow for a moment, looking back at his own damaged body before doing a double take.

The two cats locked eyes, Shadow's with complete and utter joy and Midnight's with shock and relief.

"S-Shadow?" he whispered, as if scared she was just a delusion he made up. He lightly touched her shoulder with his paw, seeming to check if she was solid and real.