The Call of Chat Noir

I Saw Her Again

~ Adrien (Chat Noir) ~

   I slowly stepped into the clearing, cautiously looking around me. The clearing was no longer empty. 

   There were structures that resembled the villagers' huts standing all around, and there were many other things that I couldn't identify. Large wooden things standing in the middle of nowhere, holding stacks of what I believed to be paper, were lined up next to another one of the hut-like structures, and there were also many small tube-like see-through object containing multiple colored liquids. I shuddered and continued to look around.

   "This. . . is weird," I muttered to myself as I got down on all fours and crept toward one of the hut-like structures. I slowly reached out and touched it, quickly drawing back when the wall moved. I poked at it again, and the wall swayed to the side, so I pushed it away and took a step inside.

   It was immediately much cooler inside, since I wasn't exposed to the sun's heat, and I couldn't help but let a sigh of relief. I let the wall fall back into place behind me as I cautiously looked around. There were many thick stacks of paper lying all over the ground, as well as random scraps of cloth that resembled the cloth around my waist. I reached down and picked up one that was lying in a pile beside me. 

   It was the thing that resembled a ladybug that she'd been wearing the day I'd met her. It was cool, soft, and smelled of her. I held it in front of my face and sniffed, breathing in her intoxicating scent, and I let out a purr as the cloth slipped from my fingers and back to the ground. I glanced around a few more times before I saw something that caught my eye. 

   I walked over to the back of the hut-like structure and picked up a sheet of paper that was lying on the floor. On the front side was a beautiful representation of a silver-backed gorilla. I smiled and stared in awe as I lightly ran my fingers over the paper, feeling every fiber on the page as I looked at the picture.

   I wonder if she made this, I thought to myself. 

   My smile quickly disappeared and my ears perked up as I heard heavy footsteps, accompanied by random noises coming from the other side of the clearing. I quickly folded the sheet of paper and tucked it under the cloth around my waist before I quietly slipped over to the wall, pulling it to the side and peeking out. I squinted my eyes and saw two shadows, one looming over the other, making their way back into the clearing. I waited until they'd moved out of my line of sight before slipping out of the "hut" and sprinting off into the jungle, away from the clearing.

   I dodged the fallen branches and slid past trees as I ran through the underbrush, back in the direction I'd come. I was already panting, more from the worry of being caught rather than from the running, but I continued nonetheless through the jungle. When I finally heard the waterfall flowing into the river just a short distance in front of me, I slowed to a creep and emerged from the treeline.

   I growled in exhaustion and smiled as I took the picture from my waist and laid it down gently on the river bank. I then took a running start and lept into the water, letting out a long sigh as the cool water surrounded me. I could feel the current fanning through my hair, removing the mud and leaves into a cloud that lingered in the water before slowly drifting away. I turned and swam to the surface, purring in content as I floated on my back, letting the water flow around my body. 

   I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the water running off of the rocks into the river, the leaves rusting in the trees above, the calls of the birds flying by. There was another noise, however, that caught my attention. I opened my eyes again and sat up, treading water. My eyes quickly darted around the riverside, catching every moving shadow, animal, and ripple of the water. I heard a splash a little up ahead of me, so I cautiously dove into the water and swam up river.

   I bobbed my head just above the water and looked around. A feeling of pure joy filled my body, and I growled lowly.

   There she was. Her wet raven fur hanging down her back, her soft, glowing skin reflecting the ripples of the running river, her beautiful, bluebell eyes gleaming with happiness. I smiled and stared at her as she slowly moved her paws through the water, making soft noises. I studied her face as she hummed, and found that she looked upset, almost conflicted.

   I stood on my hind legs and took a step toward her before I gasped. She turned, and I noticed that along her back was a giant, bloody gash. It wasn't dirty, probably the river's handiwork, but it was bleeding, and it stretched from her hip to the off-middle of her back. I quickly began swimming over to her, though I froze when turned her head in my direction and screamed, staggering for a moment before falling backwards into the water. 

   I dove in after her and grabbed her paw, pulling her back up to the surface. She coughed and started panting, her eyes wide with fright. I frowned a bit and grabbed her other paw, holding them both to my chest.

   "Are you okay?" I asked, my eyes frantically searching her face. Her eyes locked onto mine, her brows knitted, and her breathing slowed. Her mouth feel open a bit, and I could feel her clench her fists within my grasp. She didn't answer as she continued to stare up at me, our gazes locked. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing could come to mind.

   My brain was fuzzy. I couldn't think straight while looking at her. The way I felt when I lost myself in her eyes was a feeling that I never wanted to go away. I released one of her paws and picked up a wet lock of her raven fur that'd fallen over her shoulder, twirling it in my fingers. She gasped lightly and giggled, which made me smile in return. 

I was too happy to express in words.