answered.

She gently placed Storm on the ground and opened her mouth to drink in the air. “Oh, ya,” she exclaimed, “I can smell them.”  She trotted farther ahead.

“Be careful, Tally” I shouted after her as I turned to grab Storm.

Suddenly, I loud yowl filled the air.

“TALLY” I howled, “WHERE ARE YOU!”

“BIRCH, STOP,” she answered sharply, “don’t come any closer!”

Then I noticed about 20 feet in front of me was a huge hole.

“Tally,” I yelled, “I’ll get you out!”

“No,” she cried back, “you’ll get trapped down here too. You have to go on and find a safe place for Storm and you to live.”

“No, I can’t without you”

“Yes you can, do it for Storm.”

“Tally, I can’t…

“GO BIRCH, someone’s coming!” I turned my head and heard the shouting of humans and the rustling of ferns and bushes close by.

“If you stay to help me, then Storm will die!” Tally pointed out desperately.

“I love you, Tally,” I sobbed

“I love you too,” she answered, “but I will always be with you, you just can’t see me.”

“I love you Storm,” Tally cried.

“What?” Storm asked, obviously confused, “What’s going on?”

“Go” Tally howled.

“…” I was about to say something, but the humans where almost here. I grabbed Storm and sprinted through the forest until I was sure that I was out of sight. I paused in time to hear a ferocious snarl, the shouting of the humans, a huge boom and a faint whimper, and then all was silent. I blinked away tears and sprinted on. Storm was completely confused. I kept on running. I felt I could run forever. I ran and ran and then stopped for a moment to see where I was, and then I realized how tired I was. I slumped to the ground. I was so depressed, Tally meant the world to me, but the other thing that meant the world to me was Storm. I knew that I needed him and he needed me back, so I couldn’t give up on him.

Soon we came to a town. I slinked through a few streets with Storm hanging from my mouth and found a field with big flat stones with human writing on then stuck out of the ground. I found the biggest stone and hid behind it. I explained to Storm that Tally won’t be here anymore. He immediately burst into tears. I was about to do the same, but knew that that wouldn’t help. I pressed my muzzle against his flank reassuringly. It helped a little, I think. He curled himself against my side sadly. I curled up around him and we spent the night there.

In the morning, we found all sorts of prey in the field and plenty of places to rest, store prey, and hide. We loved it there. Every so often, a group of humans would come and put flowers next to one of the stones, but Storm and I stayed well away.

About a month or two later, Storm went out of the field to explore the rest of the town and he never came back. I didn’t know that he left and was furious with him. Soon the anger turned into panic when I couldn’t find him anywhere. When I couldn’t find him inside the field, I looked outside. Right in the middle of a street was a small, furry lump. It was Storm

“STORM!” I yowled. I was about to run to him, but then remembered that then the same thing would happen to me. I howled sadly, and then felt a sting in my side. I yipped, but then I felt very sleepy and fell asleep. When I woke up I was in this cage and here I am now.

I haven’t been fed in days and I have no water. Oh no, a human is coming. He has a gun! I shrink back in my cage, but why? I have nothing more to live for, why am I even alive? He is pointing the gun to me. I have my eyes closed and braced myself for what might happen next. BANG!