(DISCONTINUED) Together Again (A Shelter 2: Paws walkthrough\story)

Deer Forest

Where am I? Where is my family? Am I truly alone? The thoughts that had been haunting her ever since she had left the river echoed in Inna's mind.

Inna looked ahead. It was all fog, and some trees spiraled towards the frost-filled sky. This could possibly be the way home, but I doubt it... Perhaps my family has come this way. Inna trotted forward, careful not to trip over the bushes that filled the eerie forest if you could call a place like that forest.

Maybe Inna would find a least one source of light in this dreary place. Ow! Inna had tripped over her own paws in this darkness. I have to find a source of light, otherwise, this path could lead me back to the river.

Inna sniffed the air. It was odd, and it reminded her of the rabbits. Maybe it was prey. Or, maybe, it was a predator. Inna shivered in fear. Perhaps the predator is friendly...

Inna clawed the ground in fear and rooted her paws to the ground, crouching in the short, cold, maybe wet, grass. It seemed like hours, although, lynxes could not tell time. Right now, Inna hated the world. It was so unnecessarily cruel, and she wished that she could just go home.

Life is hard. Deal with it. Inna sighed. Maybe she would have been better off following the river downstream, instead of following an unknown trail. It's not unknown. It's my family's footprints, even if they seem to lead nowhere, or even if they lead to this mysterious place.

Inna smiled. The thought of her family comforted her, and she pressed on, step by step, her body shaking with fear. If there was a predator, it would have spotted her already, wouldn't it? But that could mean she was in extra danger if it had already spotted her.

Why am I assuming it is a predator? It will just make me more scared. Inna let out a silent wail of fear, thinking all hope was lost. Wait. She could feel something.

It was like something was here to comfort Inna. It was like the feeling of the golden flower. It was to the left of her.

Inna, unknowingly, went towards the source of the light, hoping for comfort. She felt the wall until there was a gap. A big one. Almost big enough to be considered a hole.

Inna went through the gap, hoping that whatever the light feeling was, it was safe. I hope... Inna looked inside the hole. She saw a golden bat. It radiated the same feeling that the flower did, but her mother had always told her to be careful of bats. Though, she didn't think it was alive.

Inna reached out and touched it with her paw. It disappeared like the flower, the light shining through her body and giving her courage. Inna smiled, and with hope, stepped out of the hole and towards the "creature" scent.

As Inna got closer she saw dark brown shapes in the distance. It was probably a predator, due to common cub knowledge of it being a lot bigger than her. She got even closer and saw something surprising. Deer.

They were huge and majestic, just like her mother had told her about. Her mother had also told Inna to be cautious of deers, saying that they could trample a small cub like her, but to Inna, she wasn't small anymore. Besides, the deer had a peaceful aura around them.

Inna finally felt safe. Safer then she had felt for a while. But I better get going to find my family. They won't wait around for me.

Traveling in the direction of the deer, they let out yelps and ran away. Inna didn't know they could spook so easily. For fun, she ran up towards them, and they ran away again.

Inna giggled. Okay, I need to focus now. To find my family. Inna sniffed the air. She saw more white footprints, leading to a trail.

Yes! A lead! Inna followed the footprints and walked along the trail. Up ahead she saw it led out of the forest.

Inna kept walking and thought. I hope whatever is up ahead, it will lead me one step closer to my family.