Storm Season | Shelha Series 2 | ✔

Chapter Twenty-Six: High and Low

The world is large, my friend, and cold,

And soon we will be growing old,

And what will we remember then,

But who we chose to be our friend?

So go, my love, and do not fear,

And meet the ones you will hold dear;

There's nothing worse, when far from home,

Than a road that's travelled all alone.

Many Years Ago

Rose was a quarter grown when another Highlander began to follow her around. He was younger than she, two moons to her five, and the size of a very lanky Highland hare. He seemed to pose no threat. Over the course of the day he found his own food and sleeping spots, and made no move that could be interpreted as aggressive. Ignoring him seemed like the best option, so Rose did. No kit should have time to follow her around like an imprinted Draklet on top of finding food, though. Was he looking for protection?

That night, a screeching Hyenar fight sent Rose up a plateau for safety. Come morning the kit was sleeping nearby again. Rose descended cautiously to find the scene of the battle, which had sounded close to the kit's nest. There was a dead Hyenar in the nest. Its neck had been broken by a well-placed kick.

Nope, not looking for protection. Please let the shrimp not be looking for a friend.

Four days later, the kit still behind her, Rose decided it was time to take action. If he had no intention of leaving her, she would have to make it the other way around. Breaking from her path, she began to climb the nearest plateau. Dusty soil crumbled as she struggled for footholds. She was panting like an overweight Rivrit by the time she scrambled onto the plateau top, to find herself face-to-face with the kit. He seemed relieved that she had made it up safely.

Dammit.

Rose brushed past him and set out at a brisk pace. The kit fell back into step behind her. He had to trot to keep up, but he did not seem to mind.

There was a patch of scrub forest up ahead. Scarcely more than a tail-length tall, trees sprawled their thorny branches as though caught in a spider's web. Rose dove straight in. She could jump the nastiest groundcovers and fallen boughs. The kit would have to go around.

The kit managed just fine, though he was panting by the time they emerged again. Rose jumped down the plateau, climbed another and repeated the experience. The kit, however, seemed to have learned how to navigate the scrub forests now. He was waiting on the other side when Rose emerged.