There's nothing I could say that would help ease that pain and tears well in my eyes at the thought of it.
Then it opens the door to my own trauma and sadness is replaced with the ever-present horror of memory.
Of the women I vowed to protect.
I've done almost nothing to follow through with that promise and it feels like a lead weight on my shoulders.
My chest feels tight with each breath as each one of their faces drift into my mind.
It's been such a short time, but their features have already started to blur. Except for their vivid hair colors and my stomach clenches at the idea of that becoming their identity. I need them with me again, but this time out of their cages so they can become individuals.
Anything short of that would be losing them completely, just like I lost Navy.
My mind circles on wild plans, what-ifs, terrible memories, and the weight of responsibility in endless loops as Thivoll continues to move us through the forest.
26
Ree
We run for nearly an hour, stopping once more for more food and water. The whole time Thivoll's ears swivel in all directions, his paws and fists barely making any sound.
My body is stiff and sore from holding on for so long by the time I see his ears both swivel to the left and he stops to look that direction with an intent gaze.
I hold my breath, not wanting to interfere with his surveillance.
He speaks quietly. Almost too quiet for me to understand.
"Two genali. They sound like they're arguing. I think they're lost."
My hands grip harder onto his mane. "Suitable targets, then. Distracted."
Thivoll nods, then turns toward them, his pace slower, but still moving us through the forest at a good clip. Even I can hear them yelling at each other not long after, but Thivoll moves even slower.
I appreciate his caution.
As we move in closer, I can better make out the source of their argument. One of them thought they should be following a nearby creek to look for prey, but the other feels like they should continue to dig in and wait for prey to come to them.
Considering how loud both of them are, either they are complete idiots or maybe this is their strategy to get unsuspecting prey to come to them for what seems like an easy fight.
Or I guess an easy meal? Gross.
I take a moment to truly appreciate how lucky I am that Thivoll is the one who found me.
It could've ended very differently.
Thivoll is taking long, deep breaths as we get closer to the sound of the fighting. I hear a very gentle whistle like he is pulling air in so it moves along the roof of his mouth.
We continue to stalk closer and I'm afraid to even breathe, concerned that the aliens may suddenly stop arguing and hear us.
I still can't see them when Thivoll stops, the angle of his head suggesting that he's staring at something on the ground. I moveto the side so I can see, careful to keep my balance. It would be a disaster if I tumbled off so I clutch his fur tightly.
I see what caught his interest.
A thin metal cable stretches across the path in front of us. I follow it with my eyes, every once in a while having to jump ahead past some foliage to keep following the line of it. At the end it's simply tied around a tree.
I start back in front of us and follow it the other way. It terminates in some sort of device with multiple holes pointed toward us.
It must be some sort of rudimentary trap.
