Wanderer

Chapter 10

I blinked, then lept to my paws. Around me was forest, and beyond, a town. A leaf landed on my nose, and I shook it off. The trees were an orangey brown. It was Falling-Leaf.

"Lily?"

I turned around, growling. A No-Pelt - no, a human - was standing before me, a calm look on her face. Her brown hair draped over half of her face, she looked like a 13-year-old, and a cat was beside her. Why did it look so familiar?

"You're Lily, right?" The girl chuckled. "You are just like you. Can't fool me."

Then I realised who it was. The fox-like cat, the hair, it all made at least a bit of sense.

"Siersha?" I barked, before remembering she couldn't understand me.

Siersha's eyes lit up, and before I could stop her, she raced towards me into a hug, her kitten, Fox, following her. I wriggled and squirmed, trying to get a bit of space.

"We were looking all over for you!" Siersha squeaked. "And all this time, you were a fox in Haniby woods!"

I cocked my head. "Wait, can you understand me?"

Siersha nodded and raced away, coming back with... Mom and Dad? And Kelly? And Sarah and Tom? And... I froze.

"Is that...?" I whispered.

The fox shifted its paws, staying beside Dad.

"She's our pet now... Where is Lily?" Dad asked, looking around.

I ran to him. "I'm here, Dad!"

We cuddled together, my Dad and Mom and me.

"Winter!"

I turned around. Oh.

Amber was running towards me, sniffing me all over for any injury, then licking my cheek.

"Okay, okay!" I chuckled. "That's enough, Amber!"

Then Amber stopped licking. He glared at my friends and family, fear in his eyes. I knew any of experience with humans was bad.

"Um, Winter." Amber murmured. "Is this your... Family?"

I nodded. "Yup."

"Oh," Amber whispered. "Well, I guess then..."

I blocked him from leaving. Then, I turned to my family. There was one moment of silence. Then I began to speak.

"Dad," I said. "Mom, Kelly, Siersha, Sarah, Tom, Fox. I have a new life now. I wish I could stay with you guys and my friends, but it's, it's just not meant to be."

With that, I followed Amber, tail confidently raised, chin up, eyes focused on the day ahead. I turned my head, seeing Fox. He smiled sadly.

"Goodbye." He meowed. "I understand. We might never meet each other again, but I will forever remember, that you named me after a fox. You said I remind you of Fire Star, the character you loved so much."

"Fire Star!" I yipped.

I quickly ran to my parents, and they gave me my fox plushie. Then I ran back to Amber, and this time, I did not look back.

Because when I took that step, I could not retrace it.

"Are you sure about leaving them?" Amber asked.

I nodded, acting as sure as I could. We ran through the forest, like two fox kits in the HotSun. There didn't need anything serious... Did there?

I was no longer Lily. I was no longer human. I was a fox. I was truly me.

I was Winter.

We reached our home, and the place where I was chained I blocked with a rock with my powers. I followed Amber to his den, and we lay together. And even though it was still daylight, we slept in peace.