Falling for a Furry: A Great Change

The Survivalist: A Mutual Feeling

They reach Nova and Melody's house and strap on all the gear they will require for the trials of the forest. Nova poses like a supermodel in her outfit.
Nova: "Well, Jackson, how do I look?"
Jackson: "To be honest, your outfit looks well crafted."
Nova: "Thanks. Oh, I also have this for you."
Jackson: "A glow in the dark flashlight?"
Nova: "Of course, I mean all three of us are going to be in the forest for most of the night."
Melody: "Trust me, she will never stop insisting. Just take it. As for me, I would rather have Glassbec's hero prepared to fight anyone that is lurking out there."
Jackson: "Hehehe. Nova, I just do what I think is right."
Nova: "Don't ever degrade yourself, Jackson; you are a great hero to most of us."
Jackson: "Wow, I did not think I would end up feeling like the prince of a town, but I will take it."
Nova: "Is that what you think? You are a brave soul and no can tell you differently."
Jackson: "Thanks, I appreciate the compliment, Nova."
Melody: "Let's go already!"
Nova: "Stop your whining, we have to follow the map, sis."
.........18 minutes later.........
The three of them walk to their designated campsite in the Accreton Forest after some sightseeing. After some effort, the three get the campsite set up.
Nova: "This is it! Now that camp has been set up, we can finally start the challenge."
Jackson: "Good. What is the challenge in this rite of passage, Nova?"
Nova: "The first one is called "Capture the Flag."
Jackson: "Oh, this sounds fun."
Melody: "Does this involve a lot of running?"
Nova: "Yes Melody, it involves running from one location to another. The goal is to start from our campsite on the map and snatch the flag from the pole before your opponent does. Whoever wins, picks the activity for the night."
Jackson: "Sounds fair."
Melody: "You are so on!"
Nova: "Excellent. Be back in a few!"
After some trekking up the hill, she sprays a lemon scent on the flag.
Nova: "Mmm. This scent shall be unmistakable during the race."
.........One hour later........
Nova returns to the campsite.
Nova: "You ready to race?"
Melody: "Nova, you won't believe it!"
Nova: "What happened while I was gone?"
Melody: "Jackson saved me from a wild panther that attacked me."
Nova: "Geez Melody, do you need any medical attention?"
Melody: "No, no it's okay. He actually splinted my leg with cleaned off twigs, some old clothing, and a bandage from the first aid kit to patch me and the wild cat up."
Nova: "You helped, using only a very few natural elements?"
Jackson: "It wasn't hard, but yeah. Allow me to explain what happened here."
Nova: "I'm all ears."
........Flashback to 40 minutes ago.......
As the two chat, a large mountain Lion uses the thick underbrush to stalk them as they talk.
Jackson: "Have you ever gone deep sea fishing before?"
Melody: "No, but I would like to give it a try."
Jackson: "I could show you how. All it requires is the right bait."
Melody: "But what if I fumble on it and the fish gets away?"
Jackson: "It's okay, I-Melody do not move. There is a panther lurking behind you."
Melody turns around and screams. The beast pounces on her as she tries to defend herself by spraying it with pepper spray, but the predatory hunter evades substance and just shakes it off. The wild panther growls and bites down on her left leg.
Melody: "Help me! Help! It is trying to eat me!"
Jackson: "Leave her alone!"
He jabs it in the backside with a handmade spear left by a previous camper. The panther growls out in pain and collapses from the wound. Jackson was about to finish it once and for all until he spies four cubs mewing after the bigger one.
Melody: "Jackson, don't kill it!"
Jackson: "Why? She tried chew up your lower leg! I'm ending this!"
Melody: "You really wanna take her away from her cubs?"
Jackson looks at the cubs and sees the innocence in their eyes as they crawl over and lick their mother's wounds clean.
Jackson: "Yeah, alright. I personally wouldn't want hurt a cub like that either."
He grabs some sticks and the first aid kit and covers Melody and the mother panther's wounds up to heal. Suddenly, to their surprise, the panther cubs walk and crawl on an exhausted Jackson and lick his face with their rough tongues.
Melody: "You did it. You patched us up."
Jackson: "Ugh, Melody, what are they doing?"
Melody: "Aww, that is so cute. I think they are thanking you for saving their Momma."
Jackson: "Okay, okay, you are welcome. Just stop licking me."
Melody: "It seems like they want to stay here with us."
Jackson: "Okay, I guess they stay at our camp."
The little cubs mew excitedly after hearing Jackson's decision. The mother panther went to sleep to regain her strength after that fight with our two campers.
Melody: "Nova is going to be shocked when she returns."
Jackson: "We'll explain everything in great detail to your sister. Don't worry, I got this."
........Flashback Ends..........
Jackson: "And that is what took place during the time you were setting up the flag."
Nova: "Wow, that is amazing Jackson! You protected my sister, and you did not break the law of the forest by killing a protected species!Thank you so much. You really are the Hero of Glassbec."
Melody: "I know! Wait until everyone hears what happened."
Jackson: "Melody actually persuaded me into helping the panther instead of finishing it off."
Melody: "Are you saying I am a hero too?"
Jackson: "Yes."
Nova: "Do you think you can complete the rite of passage tonight?"
Melody: "No, not tonight, sis. I need to recover and keep an eye on these little cuties."
Nova: "Alright you rest up then, Mel. I guess "Capture the Flag" will only involve the two of us."
Jackson: "Seems that way."
Nova: "First one who makes it uphill to that flag in less than an hour, wins."
Jackson: "You ready?"
Nova: "Three, two, one, and go!!!"
Nova takes off quickly across the camping fields and on to the trail.
Jackson: "Hey no fair! You leaped before running! And you know where the flag is!"
Nova: "No rule against that, hero! Haha haha."
........50 minutes later........
They keep running up the rocky outcrops of the mountain and see the flag.
Jackson: "Oh snap, I have picked up the scent of a lemony flag. Yes!"
He follows the scent and reaches the flag and touches it three seconds before Nova runs up and grabs it.
Jackson: "Looks like I win."
Nova: "What! No, I grabbed the flag, so that means I win."
Jackson: "I touched it a few seconds before you did; so that means I am the winner."
Nova: "Call it a tie?"
Jackson: "Fine, let's call it a tie. Only because that thing you do with those blue eyes is kinda adorable."
Nova: "What thing with my eyes?"
Jackson: "The whole sad and pleading eyes routine, Nova."
Nova: "It works, doesn't it?"
Jackson: "Yeah, I will give you that one."
Nova: "Jackson?"
Jackson: "Yes, Nova?"
Nova: "I have to tell you something. It is something I should have told you before when you rescued me."
Jackson: "What is it? You can trust me."
Nova: "Ever since I found out about you, I have been curious."
Jackson: "What do you find curious about me?"
Nova: "The tenderness and care you show to others even if you have not spent that much time with them before. It is remarkable."
Jackson: "It is better to try and make friends with somebody new, even if that person doesn't seem like they want to be friends."
Nova: "I never took you for a wisdom type of guy."
Jackson: "I am full of surprises, survival girl. What should we do now?"
Nova: "We should head back to camp."
Jackson: "I thought we were gonna explore a little bit?"
Nova: "Well, I do know about this secret grove that is not too far from our campsite."
Jackson: "How far is it exactly?"
Nova: "Oh, it is approximately thirteen hundred and twenty feet away from here."
Jackson: "Alright, then lead the way to this special grove."
..........A short time later..........
Nova: "Step into the open and you will see why I love this spot so much."
Jackson steps into the field and thousands of fireflies are glowing unusually bright in the afternoon sky.
Jackson: "Nova, you were right. This is place is pretty special."
Nova: "I told you."
Jackson: "I have never seen this many fireflies in one place or even move together like that. Especially, during the day."
Nova: "It is because their population is the most balanced in this spot of the forest."
The two watch for a while, until Jackson's stomach starts growling.
Jackson: "Let's head back. I'm hungry."
Nova: "Here, have a survival bar. They aren't too bad."
Jackson: "You are right, this is pretty tasty."
Nova: "There will be plenty more of where that came from after we walk back home from camp."
She takes his paw and leads him back towards the campsite and notices Melody with the four panther cubs asleep all around her.
Nova: "Awww, that's so cute! They think she is a part of their family."
Jackson: "Well, just to be sure there is no bad blood between me and the big carnivore I bought this in case I got hungry during our walk to the grove. I liked your survival bar better though."

He takes out a piece of steak. The mother panther, however, doesn't want to leave the cubs and apparently likes Melody's company.
The mother panther licks Melody's cheek and her cubs. The big cat growls threateningly at Jackson.
Jackson: "Easy now, I am not going to hurt you anymore."
He moves closer with the steak and offers it to her slowly while giving her eye contact. The mother panther clamps on to the steak and eats it, leaving only the T-bone behind.
The panther purrs and rubs up against his paw, thus accepting his presence.
Nova: "She thinks you are okay to be around."
Melody: "Can we take them with us?"
Jackson: "No we cannot take them from their home, Melody."
Melody: "Aww, but little Chip keeps following me."
Nova: "You named one of the cubs?"
Melody: "Yeah. Why can't I?"
Nova: "Last time you kept one of the regular carnivores of the forest, it attacked Mom and ran out of the kitchen window."

Melody: "Hey, I did not know that was going happen, Nova!"
Jackson: "Calm down, you two. You are making the panther mom nervous."
Nova and Melody: "Sorry."
Melody: "Can I at least hug them goodbye before we go?"
Nova: "Go ahead."
Melody: "Take care of yourselves, okay."
She hugs the cubs and the mother panther as they purr in response. Then the mother panther heads back into the woods and up towards her mountainous cave entrance with her cubs to rest.
.........18 minutes later.........
Nova: "We are back, Mom."
Mrs. Sudina: "How was your survival trip?"
Nova: "It was the best one ever!"
Mrs. Sudina: "Why are you limping?" What happened to your leg?"
Melody: "We tamed a wild panther."
Mrs. Sudina: "Melody, I told you to not go anywhere near the wild ones! You could have been killed by that panther."
Melody: "I'm fine, Mom. It was a big misunderstanding because the panther mistook me for a threat."
Mrs. Sudina: "So what, you made friends with it now? It is not a pet, honey."
Melody: "I know it is not. I noticed her four cubs were nearby. She was protecting her cubs and thought we were a problem."
Mrs. Sudina: "Well, regardless of what took place, I'm glad you're okay. Oh, hello. You are Jackson, right?"
Jackson: "Yes, Ma'am."
Mrs. Sudina: "You saved my little girls today. Thank you."
Jackson: "It was nothing, Mrs. Sudina. Well, I've got to go, but I'll see you later."