Spirit's Journey

CHAPTER 63- Spirit: Tough Decisions

Me and Hannah padded off into the woods together, silent. She had her head lowered and winced with every step, telling me that the wounds had not stopped stinging yet. Which, if I knew anything about wounds I knew that they wouldn't for a few days yet.

"They will take a few days to heal," I meowed and let my eyes drop to the cheetah's foreleg that was still lightly bleeding. I swished my tail uncertainly and stopped, turning around to face the cheetah.

"Let me stop the bleeding," I begged, concerned as she sat down and began grooming her thin fur delicately. Small paws and ears, Hannah's yellow pelt looked dark but dainty under the shadows.

Pushing my paws onto the wound, I sat respectfully and waited for the cheetah to say something. Oddly enough I felt no humor in seeing her at such a state- after all, she would've been safe if she had posted a guard like I did every night or simply stayed with us.

Relief was the only thing that had washed my paws after we'd driven the pair of foxes away. Now it was hard just to bring my gaze upon my sister- the one who I hadn't had a proper conversation with since the end of Warm-Paws. Now it was the beginning all over again and my pads began to sweat with a certain embarrassment.

All night I hadn't been able to sleep- hearing owls hooting in the night and one of the foxes barking in the distance. My fur stood on end every time until the moment when a sort of rush had come to my paws- a sign that someone was in fact in danger.

Immediately after Midnight had come up with the idea to go check on the cats we'd come across the fox trail again and then Hannah and Blaze's, tingled with a sour scent on Fallan that told me she had been fearful and sad since being away.

"Fallan and Diamond are not happy," Hannah murmured as I felt the flow of blood begin to seep away underneath my pads. She sounded sad and to this I lowered my head in defeat- no use in pretending anymore.

"I don't think I really was either," the cheetah said in barely a whisper. I fought the urge to press my muzzle into her fur like a reassuring mother to a scared kit and wiped my paws off in the pine needles instead.

Wondering wherever I could start, I looked away from Hannah without knowing what to say.

Well, what would you say to fix so many days of tension and silence? It was hard to think of where to begin.

I sighed and brought my gaze up to look at the green-eyed cheetah again. Her face was sullen and she dragged her healthier paw along the stiff grass.

"I'm sorry, Hannah. For everything. I don't try to put you and Diamond or anyone in danger- I'm just trying to outrun it..."

I turned away with a sigh, not expecting her to understand. Of course the words must have counted for something- but how far was it going to get me in repairing this broken relationship?

The pretty cheetah's next words brought a wave of astonishment washing over my pelt, careful and calculated as if she were making sure she said the right thing.

"I'm sorry too," the cheetah said, much to my surprise. Her voice was stronger now, bringing on hope and strength that I hadn't felt all Cold-Paws.

"I just couldn't bear to think about Diamond dying in those mountains. Truthfully sometimes you push us too hard but I know it's only because you're trying to keep us safe."

Blinking, I studied my long lost sister; mentally speaking, of course. Never had I imagined she would've come out and said that... Maybe it was time for me to force out of my defensive shell now too.

Stepping forward, I gazed at Hannah uncertainly as her breath washed my muzzle.

"I can change my ways," I began to say forcefully. My voice was rocky and unsteady and caused my fur to rise uneasily.