Before long, he was standing before her, his sides heaving as he fought to catch his breath. He was just as handsome and tall as she had remembered. And seeing him rush here, panting like a wild dog, made her want to bend down onto her belly and beg him to forgive her troubled soul. But she wouldn't do that. Instead, she continued to stand there, her wide blue eyes locking with his bi-colored ones. "You're actually here," He began, his voice hoarse from lack of breath. Her ears flattened against her head and she took a shaky step forward.
He continued before she could speak. She forced a mouthful of guilt down her throat, and she moved forward again, stopping only feet away from him and opening her mouth to speak. But at first, she was at a loss for words. Possible replies rushed through her mind like schools of fish zipping around the ocean. It took her so long that words just eventually piled out of her mouth. "I couldn't..." She whispered, her face growing hot once more. But this time she couldn't stop herself. Tears began to form beneath her eyes as she continued to speak.
"You are my best friend, Tiburtius...I couldn't just leave you like that..." The young girl slowly turned her gaze to her paws, which trembled gently beneath her. She splayed her toes out and dug them into the dirt for a brief moment while she fought to say the correct words. "I've never known anyone that could be so loving and kind toward a runt like me. So I came back to be with you and your wonderful family." She swallowed. Her tongue refused to emit anything else, so she continued to hang her head, staring at her paws aimlessly.
