Chapter 2
“Right this way!” Sam alisema as he flew overhead. The wind buffeted Kate’s head and her fur, manyoya ruffled and felt like it was going to fly off, but as an Alpha, she couldn’t let small things like that bug her. Rain pelted her and it felt like she was being hit with stones. “Where are we heading?” demanded Seth. There are mountains ahead! If we can pass them, we can reach the rock flow below! That will take wewe directly towards the pack’s territory!” “But won’t the rain make the rockslide a mudslide? A mudslide could kill us!” “I know! But if we hurry, we can get to it before the rain takes its toll!” Sam answered. Kate nodded and Seth quickly ran up to her side. “This rain is so annoying!” Seth said, trying to make a joke and start a conversation. His grey and fluffy ears perked up. “You’re so annoying...” Kate said, her voice monotone. Seth’s ears drooped. “Yeah, well I hope it ends soon...” Seth alisema again. “I hope wewe end soon...” Kate replied. Seth sighed and his spirit dropped. He hopped up on the juu of a root besides a huge evergreen. “Rain... rain... go away.... wewe are so bad no one likes wewe and-.” Seth sang. “What are wewe doing!?” Kate demanded. She turned to him. She was truly annoyed. “I’m trying to brighten the mood! If not, we should find a warm pango and-,” Seth was interrupted. Well have wewe noticed that it’s not working!?” Kate said. This time not only did Seth’s ears drop, so did his tail... He sighed... Suddenly, drops stopped hitting him. Seth put his paw up testing if it was still raining. “Hey! What do wewe know! It worked!” He laughed and smiled at Kate. She just frowned and pointed above him. He looked up. The leaves shielding him flopped and a huge glob of water squished in his face. “AGHPPTFH!” Seth fell off of the root he was standing on. He got up again. “haha...” He looked around, smiled looking for Kate. His fur, manyoya was matted down and drenched. “Kate?” He was only responded kwa the pattering of the rain. “That’s not a good idea...” He hopped off and began padding down the pathway In front of the root.

Kate tried to withstand the rain and the wind combined. Even as an Alpha, it bothered her. She wanted to be in her warm den... With her dad, her mom and even her sister, Lola. All dead. She continued walking and resisting the rain and wind. One last torrent of rain and wind hit her and almost knocked her off her feet. She closed her eyes and continued to fight the weather. It took twenty dakika of walking to get to different terrain. She opened her eyes and looked down. A huge cliff gaped. She looked down. Rocks, slabs of wood... twigs... branches... leaves... And a whole load of mud. It was just flowing. The rain stirred it but made no difference. “Sam!?” She called out. She heard the cueing of Sam and turned to see him drenched and perched on a branch no zaidi then one meter above her. “Yes Kate.” He said, not letting the rain bother him. “Is this the rockslide? I don’t remember passing through any mountains?” She asked. “No. This is just one of the few gorges in paradise falls. In order to continue your journey, wewe must pass it. There is a crossing thirty dakika walk from here... If you...” Sam was cut off. “No. I was trained to be able to kuvuka, msalaba these kinds of jumps...” “Yes, I suspected so, but have they ever been life threatening?” The words Sam spoke were true. She tried to make an excuse but no words came to mind. She simply nodded and turned back to the gorge. Kate padded a few steps to the edge of the gulley. She reared back, her front to the ground, her hind in the air, and leaped.

Seth continued on his way. He stuck his nose to the ground and snuffled to find any trace of Kate. None here... He thought. The rain must have washed the scent away... He padded past zaidi trees, bushes, but no Kate. He padded for a while. He finally came across the same gulley Kate was at. However, he found the crossing between both sides. He padded along the ridge. He snuffled, and found a faint trace of Kate. It was a distance away though. He continued against the ridge. He still had his nose against the ground. The trees kept thinning out. The nyasi was plentiful. He finally took one last sniff. He turned to his left. He walked towards the edge and had his moyo attack for a siku when he saw a slim tawny body leaping through the air. Kate didn’t notice him and she reached the other side. She put both her paws on the edge. She began climbing her way up when her hind legs gave way. The rock that was supporting her fell down the mud below. She tumbled down. She began to slip. “Ah!” She didn’t call out for Seth because she didn’t know he was there. She frantically scrambled too get up the ridge when two grey paws wrapped around hers. She looked up and saw Seth struggling to keep her up. “Seth!” Her eyes brightened and her mouth grew into a huge smile. He began to tug and pull her up when his hind legs began to slip on the dirt beneath him. He quickly yanked Kate up. Kate flew over the ridge but Seth slipped off. She almost face planted when she went flying but she quickly stuck her paws out in front of her to break the fall. “Haha!” Kate turned around. No Seth. “Seth!” She ran up to the edge and looked down. “No! Seth!” She sniffled and she everything turned wavy as salty tears filled her eyes. “No... Why... Did you...” She sniffed looked down at her paws. “What are wewe doing Kate, you’ve never missed me before?” alisema a voice coming from below. “What! Seth!?” She quickly walked towards the edge and looked down again. She saw a grey figure holding onto one of the ridges. She sniffled one last time, smiled, and wiped the tears from her eyes. She reached down. Seth grabbed her paws and she pulled him up. “What was that all about?” Seth asked. Kate’s fur, manyoya was drenched, and it was a moment of silence. Her tail was between her legs and her expression was an expression of bewilderment. “What do wewe say we find a warm den...” Seth smiled when he alisema this. His blue eyes glimmered. “Yes... That... sounds good...” Kate closed her eyes and collapsed into his arms. She burst into tears once more. “I... thought I had Lost you... You’re all I’ve got...” She said. Seth’s tail began to wag. He felt happy, surprised, and warm on the inside all at once. It was a great feeling, at the same time confusing. He finally put her down and rubbed the tears from her eyes. “Lets go...” Seth tasted the air. “It seems as if it will stop raining soon...” Seth glanced back at Kate one last time. She stopped him kwa putting her paw on his shoulder. “Seth...” He turned to her and had a thoughtful look in his eyes. “Thank you...” She began walking ahead. Seth smiled and faithfully traveled behind.