Warmth ~<GreenWind>~

❄️{Fourteen

Lloyd took some more apples for the road. He didn't know when he'd find the next fruit stop. He tied up his pack so that nothing could come out of the hole.

He was going to part ways with the cat from there. But it wouldn't let him leave it. He smiled at it and picked it up in his arms.

It started to purr and nuzzle against his chest. "You're so cute." Lloyd scratched behind its ears.

Then he started walking. To the marsh they headed. If Lloyd thought these new seasons were shockers...He'd love what he'd find at the marsh.

On the way, he found himself telling stories to the cat. He spoke of who he was. Where he came from. How he got here. Why he was here and making this journey.

It'd been a while since he'd had a conversation with someone. He missed it. While it was boring not having responses, he had someone...or somecat...to listen.

He missed talking to Morro. He missed their long conversations. He missed their cuddling by the fireplace. He missed all the stories Morro would tell him. He wanted that back...

So that's why he needed to keep going. He was exhausted. Dehydrated. Hungry. Dirty. Everything. But Morro.

The love of his life. His everything. He was worth it. He was worth going through all this for. In the end they'd come out of the darkness and go back home.

The cat meowed in protest to his ranting.

"I'm sorry. Am I talking your ears off?" Lloyd asked.

The cat was looking up at him and yawned.

"I'll take that as a yes." Lloyd laughed. "Hey, I think we're close. It's more green again. But muddy."

Lloyd already felt himself sinking into the ground a little. It was soggy and damp. And he could smell the signature smell of damp swamp water.

The cat had suddenly had its claws out in Lloyd's arms.

"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked it.

It of course didn't respond to him but he could see it was uncomfortable. If it was going to fight or take flight right now, it was going to fight.

"We're not in a safe place, are we?" Lloyd stopped walking and looked at his surroundings. He sensed it too.

Something was off. There was certainly an evil here. Thinking about that made him realize...This was it. This was where Morro was.