Spirit's Journey

CHAPTER 74- Fallan: Some Smell

My leg doesn't hurt anymore at all, and I have to say it's pretty great that I can admit that.

Since most of the cheetahs left to go hunting, I talked to the she-cat that was pregnant with kittens about how I'd broke my leg. When she heard about it, she shook her head sadly and peered down beside me right at Diamond.

Though Diamond was actually a grown cat now, she looked very small and had the playfulness of a kit. Sometimes she would waggle her back legs and peer up at me.

"You better watch out, Fallan! I'm a wolf and I'm going to get you!" And she did, pouncing right on my tail every time. It made me laugh when she did, but I knew it probably looked weird having small cats here.

So what, though? Diamond was my best friend.

I was happy we were finally here. Spirit really had remembered Mother-cat's directions all that time ago. Since I moved slower, time seemed to go slower now. That was all right since we were among Bronze's pride now.

After we all shared prey, Spirit and Storm talked to the brown-ish cheetah with yellow eyes. I could only hear what they were saying once, when I chased Diamond around their legs. I stumbled once by accident, my lame leg catching on a dip in the ground. It didn't hurt, but knocked the breath out of me.

It kind of moved how it wanted to now, stiffly and sometimes dragging when I forgot to hold it up. That's alright though, because I can still play with Diamond. At least until my leg tripped me up.

I can tell she's tired by the time all cats are done grooming and so am I. We barely got here before sunset. Diamond seems to be the one who makes a signal, yawning, so Bronze tells Hazel the pregnant cheetah to let us sleep in her den.

After she leads us around the small pond, I see a giant tree and rock close to each other. Both provide a den, but instead the cheetah walks around those and back to the water-front. The shore is smooth with large flat stones near it, and small shrubs. She shows us a hidden den, close to the water near an outcrop of rocks.

I fall asleep fast, knowing Hannah has followed. I know because I feel her flank press against me and Diamond, the air warm inside the den.

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Spirit is grumpy sometimes, but since she got with Storm she hasn't been as mad. I'm greatful for that, because the next morning she actually let's us train! And with the other cheetahs, too.

The other she-cat in this pride is Daisy, who is my age and has an older mate that she doesn't talk about much. Really, she only just stands by him and watches the training. A white chest makes her stand out from the other cheetahs.

I notice both of the she-cats in Bronze's pride only watch. The she-cats in our Pride must be different because Diamond, Midnight and Spirit join in.

Hannah sits beside me and Diamond, looking sad again so I nudge her shoulder and stick out my tongue.

That almost always makes her smile, and when she does I go back to seeing the flattened grass circles.

There's three small clearings made for cats to practice fighting moves in. Midnight is battling with a younger cheetah, who has short fur and small ears. His shoulders are round and short, but they're harder to see because they are far. The cheetah actually looks grown- just short and stout.

Aspen practices moves on Storm, who counter-attacks but isn't quite fast enough. Aspen, though small, has weight to him and knows how to swipe fast. Storm has a smile so he seems not to be trying his hardest and having fun instead.

Now, I know this is unbelievable- but Spirit is actually training with Bronze. Yep, another cheetah who can match her moves!

She keeps raising up on her hind paws, matching blows until both of their ears must be smarted. Storm must see that Spirit is getting tired, because he yells over his shoulder. The two leader-cats step apart while trying to catch their breath. Both have tufted, messy fur.