Lalana could hear birds chirping in the trees, and a bark sounded a little ways off. She sighed. Everything was perfect. Stretching, Lalana rolled over, rustling the leaves under her fur. The sun shone brightly over the trees in the horizon, and the morning breeze smelled of crisp Autumn leaves. Stretching contentedly, Lalana reveled in the freshness of her new home: a cave.
It was not deep, but it was a much better shelter than the shallow hollow that she and Ninesh had been living in. Of course, it didn't help that the hollow had stopped keeping them warm at night, and the two had grown too large to fit in it properly. But the new cave- it was lovely. There were two hollows in the silty ground for sleeping in, and leaves were scattered around the entrance. Leaves also filled the sleeping hollows, and one could see outside from anywhere in the cave.
Finally deciding to look for Ninesh, Lalana rose and stepped neatly around the den. Coming to the entrance, Lalana closed her eyes as she emerged through the opening. The sun hit her eyes emediately, causing her to blink rapidly. When she opened them, Ninesh was standing a few leaps in front of her, sitting with his silvery tail wrapped over his paws, a rabbit dangling from his jaws.
"Wanna share?" Ninesh asked, his question muffled because of the prey. Lalana realized just how much she depended on him now, for both her safety and his.
"Sure! Who wouldn't share breakfast with a potentially dangerous wolf?" Lalana joked, her response full of sarcasm.
"Oh, you only say that because you're just as dangerous. I know you'd have been running scared had I met you like this a few moon-cycles ago."
Lalana thought about this a moment. "This is true. But at least I didn't run home with my tail between my legs like you after that skunk attack."
Ninesh's face was such one of complete and utter horror that Lalana couldn't help grinning like a deranged coyote. "You- how did- when have I- oh, I'm gonna get you for that one, Lalana. Just you- oomph!"
Lalana had barreled into him, sending the rabbit flying and Ninesh rolling down the slope. "You win! You win, Lalana! Seriously! Ouch. Lalana, I get it!"
Lalana snatched up the rabbit. "I know." As Ninesh struggled back up through the leaves covering the hill, she tore into the prey, savoring every morsel. "Mmmmmmm. Would you like some?"
Growling, Ninesh stole what was left of the rabbit from her and ate it in ravenous gulps, as if he were famished. "You're just jealous that I caught it while you were sleeping," he grumbled. Lalana's eyes stretched wide in mock indignation.
"Me? Jealous? Seriously, I thought you knew me better. Humph!" Lalana spun around and dashed playfully into the den.
Ninesh sighed. "Sometimes, there is just no understanding you," he murmured, shaking his head distractedly. Lalana turned her ears toward him, listening intently.
"Go on."
"Well, I mean, you twist your language so that it's confused and contradictory. Couldn't you say things simpler?" Ninesh padded softly into the cave, his eyes staring at Lalana's settled form.
"I suppose I could," Lalana replied, "But wouldn't it take the fun out of things?"
"I guess you're right," Ninesh submitted grumpily. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Oh, come on, Ninesh. Grow up. Let's go find something to do." And with that, she walked pointedly out of the cave. Ninesh followed her. "I mean, you are an adult, I'm an adult, and we both still act immature. Maybe we should act more our age."
Ninesh looked into her brown eyes. "Do you really believe that?"
"Of course. We've been through fall, winter, spring, summer, and now it is fall again. Don't you believe we should be a little more mature?" Lalana sat down, turning to face him. "I do."
"I do too then." Ninesh nuzzled her ears softly. "I do too."
Lalana yawned. "Let's get some rest. It will be warmer in the morning." Standing back up, she retreated into the den. "Goodnight, Ninesh." Curling up in her hollow, Lalana closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.
............. ...................................
Warm scents woke Lalana the next morning, and she emediately stood up. Something was wrong. Sniffing again, she smelled the acrid scent of smoke. "Fire! Fire!" she howled, shoving Ninesh to his feet. "Get up! There's a fire!" Ninesh spontaneously leaped into action, shoving her into the still night air. Lalana was violently pushed over the lip of the slope, and half-scrambled, half-fell down the hill into the stream. When she came choking above the water, she was splashing smoothly with her paws and utterly terrified. "Ninesh! Ninesh!" Lalana cried, blinking madly to clear her eyes of the water. "Ninesh!" Flames burst into the sky, revealing the tree it had burnt already toppling to the ground.
A calm voice sounded in her ear, and she wildly spun around. "It's okay." Ninesh was paddling strongly toward her.
"Ninesh! What's happened? Why is the tree burning? Is there a man?" Lalana could feel herself starting to hyperventilate.
"Calm down. Look, the fire is already starting to die down." And it was, the blackened trunk smoldering but not quite on fire, and the grass already burnt to a crisp. "Deep breaths, Lalana."
Lalana gulped in air, swimming to the shore. The acrid smoke still hung in the air, but not as thickly. Lalana stood, dripping, and stared into Ninesh's yellow eyes. "I'm scared."
Ninesh shivered. "Me too."
"And cold. Ninesh, what are we going to do?"
Ninesh blinked, leaned forward slowly, and licked Lalana's shoulder. "Go to sleep."
A wave of tiredness washed over her fur, and her wet form crumpled to the ground. Yawning, she closed her brown eyes. "Okay." Lalana fell asleep to the rough rhythm of Ninesh's tongue on her fur, but right before she did, she could almost feel that the two were being watched...
..........................................................
Sunlight blasted onto Lalana's eyelids, waking her up. Why is there so much light? She thought. Opening her eyes, she remembered: there had been a fire, and she and Ninesh had evacuated the den. Stretching stiffly, Lalana looked at Ninesh. He was still asleep, half dry, with clumps of fur sticking out all over the place. Smiling, she realized she probably looked the same. Looking up at the sky, she saw that it was almost afternoon. It was time to hunt.
Lalana ranged through the woods, casting her hearing about for prey. A robin called, it's song lightening the mood of the forest. As she was coming to the pond, she remembered to keep her weight low and her steps light. Looking over the pool of water and plants, she noticed that there was a heron fishing on the other side. If only Lalana could make it closer without the sharp-eyed bird noticing...
Creeping underneath a log that had fallen during the winter, she kept the heron's feathered back toward her. One more step... two more...
The heron finally caught sight of Lalana, but she was already rushing the huge water-foul. She leaped, she caught, she killed. The prey belonged to the Shepherd.
Dragging the heron toward the stream where Ninesh sat, she panted heavily. She was so close! But there was someone following her. Someone... dangerous. Turning around quickly, Lalana spotted a shadow. But it was so fast! She growled lightly. Then, right before her very eyes, the shadow became a giant cat! The cat had spots, and Lalana suspected that it was a leopard.
"Hand over the heron," the leopard purred silkily, "or I will kill you."
Lalana froze. "Why- why don't you catch your own heron?" She couldn't believe she was talking.
"Because," the leopard said, angry now, "this way I get two- for the price: of ONE." With that, the she-cat leaped over Lalana, who distractedly noticed how softly the leopard's belly-fur waved as she jumped. Spinning around, Lalana locked eyes with the cat again, agitatedly twitching her fluffy black and gray tail.
"Don't you think I've killed cats before, stupid kitty?" Lalana was throughly irritated. For a moment, the leopard appeared stunned, but she quickly snapped out of her trance.
"Yes, I do. But I have killed wolves." She seemed uncertain though, which was good. Lalana wondered how long she could hold up her bluff.
"Then I suppose it's a good thing I'm not one." Lalana spun on her heels, snatched up the bird, and ran like she never believed she could. Hearing a feline growl at her tail, she knew that the stupid leopard was right behind her. Good, Lalana thought. One, two, three, swerve! She narrowly missed the tree she had been aiming for, heading instead for the creek. A startled yowl behind her meant that she had succeeded at fooling her quarry. Leaping into the water, Lalana swam swiftly across, thankful that she was such a great swimmer. Turning around to face the enemy, she snarled, "Well then, kitty, if you want us, you'll have to come and get your precious paws wet!" She turned and dropped the heron on Ninesh, successfully waking him up. "Good morning. Here's your meal of the day. Don't mind that precious little kitty cat over there," she said calmly, waving her tail toward the opposite side of the stream.
...............................................................................
The moon shone brightly, the creek splishing and splashing as it followed its course, and only the occasional yowl from across it alerted Ninesh and Lalana of the leopard's presence. The two were sitting comfortably outside the den, enjoying the peaceful night.
Ninesh leaned towards Lalana, whispering in her ear. "Are you okay? That leopard has been here for almost half a moon now, and it's getting hard with the winter coming."
Lalana sighed. "Yes, it's just nerve-wracking having danger lurking outside your doorstep."
Ninesh looked back toward the sky. "I know, Lalana. I know. But what can we do?"
"We could move."
"Or we could kill the leopard." Ninesh looked kindly into Lalana's deep brown eyes. "I know how much you love this place, Lalana. Don't throw that away."
"I don't love this place as much as I love you," Lalana whispered. She stood and retreated into the den, leaving Ninesh moonstruck in the moon light.