Spirit's Journey

Chapter 69- Spirit: Shadows revealed

"It feels like we're still too close to the humans. Like if we stay here, they might show up."

Aspen's gaze was thoughtful and we all looked towards him, because he knew the most about humans than any other cat here did.

"Humans sometimes visit woods but I'm not sure for what reason. If there was a river or a lake around here, then it would attract many more, though."

"So you're saying the farther we go the more chance is that humans will be there?" Storm asked, his dark green eyes wide and fur ruffled. Clearly he didn't enjoy speaking about the matter as much as I did, and I felt a flash of relief that he knew all the right questions to ask.

"Probably. I mean, we know that there's a human-place just beyond this tiny forest. It probably only takes one or two days to get to it, but after that, what then?"

Midnight, Storm and I looked at each other. No cat could discuss what we would actually do once we got to the human-place. Obviously, skirting the edges of it were smarter than going straight through, but if it was too wide like the mountains had been...

"We can decide that when we get there. All I know is we'll move through the human-place as fast as possible, and travel at night to try and not be spotted." That seemed a good enough answer for the rest of them so Storm stayed by my side as we split of from Midnight and Aspen to go and check on Fallan. She was getting better, but a broken leg was not something that healed so quickly...

After Fallan's first puddle had dried up, the rain had been scarce and we had all moved to a small pool that was on the edge of the pine trees. This forest was small and trees were widely spaced, without much cover or undergrowth. The wind carried human scents to us from both the death-path and their nests. All that was separating us from danger on both sides was a small stretch of grass and a small stretch of trees.

But moving the heavy cheetah had been difficult, and she still winced when applying even a small pressure to her left hind paw. For now, we'd all worked hard to keep her off of it and held her up on both sides to learn how to walk without moving the leg. She managed, so that she could move a few steps here and there, but not without complaint.

Obviously I knew we couldn't stay here, wide open to danger, for much longer. It worried me... Barking dogs in the distance and the death-traps whizzing by on the other side was a constant reminder of what a bad place we'd been put in from Blaze's death and Fallan's injury. Sometimes I got so shaken from it I just had to lay down, but Storm always stayed close by. We hadn't exchanged much words, apart from the ones about Fallan and Blaze.

Storm was the cat who hunted most often, and the past few days he had taken Diamond with him to catch her first prey- a small mouse that had probably been born not too long ago. After she had taken her prey to Hannah and offered it, though, she wasn't as proud.

"You have it, dear," Hannah said as if she didn't realize her own foster-kit had caught her first prey. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Diamond had thrown Hannah a look of sadness and turned away like Hannah's feelings would eventually subside. I couldn't suppress remorse at the condition both of my sisters were in. Now Diamond was playing with the mouse carcass by herself.

Hannah had gotten on her paws even less than Fallan, though, and needed to realize that after just another week we were going to the end of the forest to plan a route through the human-place.

"Hannah," I said softly to her now as I approached her with Storm. She looked up at me, then threw an uncertain glance at Storm so he moved away immediantly.

"We need to get into better conditions and move through the human-place as quickly as possible. We're leaving in a week and I was wondering if you would help Fallan the rest of the way to Cheetah Pride." Using a soft tone, I hoped, would lessen the blow because at first the cheetah had refused to move from Blaze's grave. Hannah didn't deserve to suffer anymore after something so heartbreaking.