The elder was walking a little slowly… even for him.

It was likely because he was trying to be kind, as to not lose me, but…

Was he kind? Really?

He and uncle had saved me from my father years ago, but ever since then they’ve been distant. Only ever talking to me when needed, like when they wanted me to help them do something. Last time had been a few months ago… Uncle had wanted to gather up some weird fruits from a spiky bush, that for some reason he and the cat wouldn’t go near. It hadn’t been difficult, but it had taken me several days to gather up enough of the fruit before they had been content.

The rain had picked up a little, but the dense treetops kept it from really bothering me. However it did make the world a little noisier, thanks to the roaring sound of the rain up above hitting them.

I followed the elder with a short distance between us. About… twice his tail length, I suppose.

It was interesting that although a different color, and size, our tails were very similar. The end tip of his tail twitched upward in a similar way my own did.

If anything it told me we really were related, if only distantly.

We walked in silence for a long while, and even passed a stream I’d never seen before. Likely was only alive right now thanks to the heavy rains.

Then we entered a denser section of the forest. The thorny bushes became more common, and I had to pick up my pace when the elder stepped over them with ease… and I had to round them, since they were too big and dense for me to easily pass through.

I nearly broke out into a run when a larger distance formed between us. Thanks to the fact he was able to walk through the massive patch of thorny bushes with ease, thanks to his size.

Huffing a little as I hurried around a large tree, to get back to his vicinity, I groaned at the sight of even more bushes in the distance.

We were heading into a strange packet of thorns. Great.

For a tiny moment I panicked as I glanced around for a route to use. I didn’t mind going through the thorns, even if they’d hurt a little, because those little cuts and scrapes were far better than angering uncle or the elder… but…

The bushes were too thick for me to risk. If I tried to clamber through and over them, I’d simply get left behind. I’d not be able to keep up. And they were so many of the bushes, all over the place, that I’d not be able to round them either…

Before I could make a choice, I hurried between two taller bushes. I’d just have to try my best.

For a short while, I was able to keep up. Although occasionally I had to brush through the thorns, or squeeze between thick briars, I was able to stay on even enough ground to at least keep the elder in sight.

Until I encountered a massive wall of thorns and vines, too thick to get through.

My heart increased in its beating as I quickly searched for a path. Under them? Over them? Which would work best…?

Groaning, I took a deep breath and went to crawl through a section that looked as open as I could find. I had to push and move thick thorny briars, but I eventually made it through.

Yet my success was short lived. Upon exiting the section of thicker bushes, I found myself only face to face with even more… and even thicker thorns.

Wonderful.

I shuffled in the small section of space I was in, surrounded by thorns and bushes bigger than me. I could no longer see the elder, so I knew I was screwed. Even if I made it through this wall of thorns… there was no telling if I was even still going the right direction and…

Should I shout? Will he even understand? Would he be willing to step on the bushes and give me a path? Or would he be willing to wait for me to round them?

It didn’t take long for the elder to notice my lack of following.

Looking up, I squirmed as the huge cat glared down at me.

“I uh… I can’t get through, I’m sorry,” I said quickly.

He tilted his head at me, and then looked away. To his right. I noticed his tail in the air behind him twitching, obviously displaying annoyance. Impatience, likely.

“I’ll… I’ll try!” I said quickly, and looked for a spot to clamber over. It was going to hurt, but I was going to have to just… climb up onto the thick bushes. Maybe they would be thick enough that I could walk or crawl on and…

Then before I could step forward, the elder returned his attention to me… and promptly lowered his head.

Going still, I did my best to not yelp out in panic as the elder opened his mouth.

For the smallest moment I envisioned getting eaten. His mouth was wide enough, big enough, that he could swallow me whole. His teeth, particularly his fangs, were big enough too and…

Yet of course he didn’t eat me. He simply closed his mouth around me; gently enough that even his sharp teeth didn’t hurt.

Lifted into the air, I groaned as I clung to a tooth and half a lip.

I was in his mouth. Between his teeth.

Doing my best to not squirm, and remind him I was just a small crunch and gulp away from a meal, I did my best to ignore the strange smell and his rough tongue that was up against my back.

Thanks to him leaving his mouth half agape, I was able to watch as the world went by. The huge patch of thorny briars disappeared beneath us, and the great forest came into view.

The world shifted, and I too moved a little as I felt him step away. He picked up his pace, and I began to bump up and down as he trotted away.

I’d been carried before by him… but never inside his mouth.

Should I say thank you?

Personally I’d have chosen the sea of thorns over this…

As I was carried, I did my best to not register or acknowledge all the white teeth around me. Some were broken, others pristine… but they were all sharp and deadly. Most were bigger than my head. Nor did I want to admit his tongue was up against my back, in such a way that it was obvious. He didn’t want me in his mouth anymore than I did. Which meant I likely tasted horrible.

Instead I focused on the world just beyond my toothy cage… and realized we were moving rather quickly.

Trees blurred as they passed quickly, far quicker than if I was running. Yet I could tell the elder wasn’t moving too fast. At least for him.

Must be neat to be so massive. I wonder why I couldn’t have been born like him instead?

It would have likely been easier. Better. I’d not have to worry about clothes… staying warm… leaky roofs…

Had I been born like him I could have left. I could have lived alone. Being so big likely meant there was nothing to fear. No enemies. No family.

My wonderful fantasies didn’t last long, as suddenly we came to an abrupt stop.

The world shifted, and I rolled a little as he lowered his whole head. Very quickly he opened his mouth, and I rolled out thanks to him pushing me with his tongue.

I fell to the ground, and although had done so a little harshly, I was glad for it.

At least I hadn’t been eaten.

I coughed as I quickly got to my feet, and did my best to resist the urge to squirm and wipe myself off. I felt slimy and sticky.

“Ah… you found her…”

I startled at the voice, and not because I hadn’t realized someone else was nearby.

Turning around, I frowned as I searched for uncle. That had been him, hadn’t it? Why had it sounded so… strange?

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We were in a strange patch of flowers. Blue ones. We were near a massive tree, and there was actually a faint glow coming from the sky. The sun was overhead, and the rainclouds weren’t as thick here… and…

Then I found him. Lying against some tree roots, within the flowers.

“Uncle…?” I asked, unable to believe what I was seeing.

“Hm…” he made a wheeze of a noise, and I shivered.

He was hurt. Badly.

Hurrying over to him, I fell to my knees next to him. The many flowers and the grass they were growing from made the spot feel soft. “What happened?” I asked as I wondered what to do, or where to begin.

He was covered in huge wounds. Massive gashes, like from claws or teeth. His whole chest was bloodied, and… although not seeping blood anymore, it was obvious from the blood all over the flowers near him that he had just been bleeding profusely.

“Death,” he wheezed a whisper.

I clenched my jaw as I watched his own slip apart. His left cheek was so badly damaged he wasn’t able to close his mouth anymore. It barely hung there with a few strands of skin.

Looking away from the carnage, I looked around… and my eyes fell on the giant black cat.

The elder had sat nearby. Looking down at us with his massive eye.

“What happened…?” I asked him.

A heavy, deep, and strange sounding meow was my answer.

Had… had the elder brought me here to help him?

How?

What could I do?

“I uh…” I panicked as I realized his life was now my responsibility.

Why hadn’t the elder just brought uncle home! We had just been there! He could have carried him as he had just carried me!

“Girl…”

I returned my attention to my uncle, and leaned forward. Should I help him sit up or something?

“Name…” he said softly.

Name…? My name? “It’s Rennalee,” I told him. Maybe he hadn’t, or couldn’t, recognize me. His left eye was covered in blood and gore, but his right looked… well… fine-ish. It was red, but in one piece at least.

What had even been able to hurt him to this degree? He had been stronger than father! Even full grown bears weren’t able to do this!

If there was something, or someone, capable of hurting uncle to this degree here in this forest…

Then I needed to warn my sisters. My family. We would stand no chance against them.

“Yes… a good name. Not one of ours,” he then said.

Huh…?

“Uncle…?” I asked.

He took in a breath, but couldn’t finish it. He coughed, and I flinched as he spat up and out blood. Some hit me, but I ignored it as I went to lift him off the ground a little. To help him up, in hopes of easing his coughing.

Yet as I grabbed him by the back, I hesitated.

My hand seeped into what felt like bone and wet mud. It was such a startling feeling that I had almost pulled my hand away as if stricken or stung.

He was even more hurt on his back than his front!

“Uncle…!” I groaned a stifled worry filled sob as I gently laid him back down and pulled my hand away.

This wasn’t good. He was going to die.

Not good at all. The only reason my father has left me alone since his last attempt at my life was thanks to him.

If uncle died, then…

His hand lifted, and grabbed my shirt. The grip was startling as he held me. That wasn’t the strength of a man about to die.

“You need to run,” he whispered.

“Run,” I said, trying to understand.

Was he saying I needed to flee? Here? Or in general? This area? The enemy?

“From us. Leave us behind. Find your own way, girl,” uncle said as his grip lessened.

He released me and his hand slid to his chest. It landed with a wet sound as he hissed a breath. One that told me he was in pain. A lot of pain.

“But…” I wasn’t sure what to think or say. I glanced over at the elder, who was still sitting there nearby. He wasn’t even really moving. Even his tail was lifeless, lying on the ground next to him.

“We used to be proud,” uncle then said.

“Uncle!” I felt like I should do something. He needed help, but I had no way to know how to give it or where to get it.

“Solitary…” uncle turned his head, and I did my best to not notice his left eye slide out of its socket as he did so.

The huge cat let out a tiny groan of a meow as uncle shifted, and his deformed mouth lifted upward.

He was trying to smile, but his wounds weren’t letting him.

“Proud…” he whispered… and then didn’t take another breath ever again.

Stunned, I watched as he seemed to relax. What tension had been in his body slowly unwound, and he just… slumped farther into the flowers.

“Uncle…?” I reached out, and ignored the blood and gore as I grabbed his shoulder. I shook him a little, but it was obvious.

He already felt cold.

“He’s dead…” I whispered in shock.

For a long moment I sat there next to him, unsure of what to do or say.

Uncle was… a strong man. Stronger even than father. It was almost unbelievable to think he could die like this.

It’d have taken someone like…

Turning, I took in the huge animal still sitting nearby.

“What happened?” I asked softly.

His left ear fluttered, but he said nothing.

Not that I’d understand him even if he did…

I sniffed as I tried to make sense of what happened.

Uncle was dead. The elder cat had come to get me… for some reason…? He had mentioned earlier that the elder had found me, as if he had asked for me… but at the same time he had also asked for my name. Implying he hadn’t recognized me.

Unless of course he had simply forgotten my name. That wasn’t too shocking, really…

Still…

If uncle told me to run… there was likely a reason for it. Even if given under the mental strain of pain and confusion.

But…

What to do with him? His body?

Surely I shouldn’t just leave it here…? Right…?

Glancing at the elder, I found him staring upward, at the sky. Or maybe the top of the tree nearby.

They had been close. Always together, as far as I was aware.

It was hard to believe he would have allowed this to have happened to my uncle. And I couldn’t really see anything being strong enough to overpower the elder as to do so…

Plus he didn’t look hurt anywhere, as far as I could tell. But maybe his dark fur hid wounds and blood?

I slowly stood up, and did my best to not notice the feeling of grime and sticky blood on my hands. My hands and even a part of my arm were stained from where I had touched uncle.

The world got a little darker… and I looked up to find the earlier rays of sunshine peeking through the forest top now gone. The clouds had returned… and so too was the rain.

It made me wonder if the world was trying to tell me this was more serious than I was perceiving it to be.

“Grao.”

I jumped at the voice, and turned to look at the elder.

He was no longer looking upward, but instead at me.

“Huh…?”

He had obviously just said something… but…

“Ho… me…” the elder’s mouth moved oddly as it gurgled a strange hiss. One that was clearly obviously an attempt at speech.

The giant cat shifted, its tail flicking in annoyance. He lowered his massive head, and squinted at me with its huge eye.

“Home… Go.”

Home, go?

Go home.

Oh.

“I uh…” I felt a strange sense of panic as I looked around. Right. Go home… but…

Which way? I’ve never been to this part of the forest before. These strange flowers were everywhere, though not as dense elsewhere as they were right here… but…

Before I could find it in me to tell the elder I was lost, I noticed his tail had gone still.

Perked oddly, it was angled and… pointed…

Right. He was pointing the way home, with his tail.

“Okay… okay,” I said as I accepted.

As I stepped away from uncle’s body though, I hesitated.

“But um…” I pointed to uncle, and the elder gave me a tiny growl. One that was deep for him, but not really a hiss either.

Right. Okay. Leave him be.

Nodding quickly I stepped away, and went to head in the direction he had pointed me towards.

It’d take me a short time to get home, but I knew better than to hope or ask to be carried.

Although very… concerned and bothered, I didn’t know what else to do. I felt like I should be doing something more serious, or something more important, than just going home.

Uncle had died. From strange wounds. Horrible wounds. And… well…

If he really had summoned me, or asked the elder to find someone else… hadn’t it been for a reason? Maybe I was supposed to have done something, and I had failed at it.

As more and more unease filled me, I realized I had likely made a horrible mistake. Though I was unsure what else I could have done to change the outcome… and…

Turning around, I gulped as I found the elder sitting near and staring down at uncle’s body.

From this angle I only saw his white patched face. The eye was covered in a white scar, it was unopened… maybe even gone completely.

Then he leaned down… and with strange silence, he took uncle’s body into his mouth.

At first I thought he was simply going to carry him. As he had done me. Maybe to follow me back home.

Yet instead… he crunched.

I flinched at the sounds that quickly echoed the forest… as the elder ate my uncle.

Feeling unusually queasy, I stepped back as I watched the giant cat tilt its head upward a little and then promptly swallow.

Then the elder stood up, flicked his head a little… and promptly stepped away. To round the tree, away from me.

Although somewhat glad the elder didn’t even glance at me as he left, I still found myself strangely sad.

I should have said something. Or did something.

But it was too late now.

Turning back around, I swallowed my worries and headed home.