Fading Waterfalls

Lotus squints in the direction that she points to and the boy seems to be calculating something. Terra enjoys the piece of meat that she is slowly chewing while also, subtly scooting closer to the icy-colored boy. His head swivels to look at her and the earthen wolf blinks owlishly at him, suddenly worrying that she did something wrong. Shoulders shoot upward but a grin blossoms on his lips and the worried girl melts, the tension falling away from her frame as she moves to tuck herself into his side with a small, but joyful grin. It feels wonderful to have someone looking out for her, someone she can trust, and who will not abandon her for some stupid reason.

Lotus agrees with her and Terra offers him a warm smile. Then he is speaking of drying the meat and scavenging the hide and the girl’s emerald eyes shoot down to the deer carcass, before looking up to him with a sheepish grin. There are some massive holes in the hide while much of the meat on the front shoulder is gone and she says, “I guess, I was hungrier than I thought.” Swallowing her last mouthful of meat, Terra nods in agreement to what Lotus says and she stands, saying, “I can go find something sharp to get the hide off of the deer. You… want to separate the meat?”

As Terra turns to go in search of a flat rock, the fear that struggles with suddenly sears through her chest and she whips around to catch Lotus’s gaze with her own, terror-filled emeralds. She says, “You’ll be here when I get back… right?” What if he runs away while she is gone, the earthen girl doesn’t think she can survive another wolf abandoning her. Maybe she should stick close to him… just in case.


"Terra Qilaq"