Resting in the Day... [Open]

Sephora's cave had been her home for nearly six months now: it was a cool and dark place that she could escape the desert heat from during the day if needed. It had a natural underground spring that broke through about halfway through the cave and which created a pool of water large enough and deep enough to swim in: plus it was clean and fresh and therefore an excellent source of water. The cave had several natural 'rooms' in it, one of which was her sleeping quarters filled with an odd assortment of pillows and blankets and rugs which she had stolen as well as a small assortment of clothing. Another room housed the food she has stolen: an odd assortment of well preserved food that she had snuck into various shops within the night and lifted. Several others were empty; she preferred them that way in case anyone happened to come looking or being nosy.

On this day she was dressed in a gold tunic; light fabric with long sleeves. This tunic ended roughly about her knees. Beneath it was a pair of white pants that covered her bare feet; the back of which was split slightly to allow for her exceptionally fluffy tail to escape her pants. Over her head was a white cloth that draped down her body. It hung from around her neck at the moment, allowing her fox ears to show clearly. Nearby was a pair of shoes; but she hardly worried about them now as she was still well within the shade of her cave and therefore allowing her feet to remain cool and safe from being burned.

She was close enough to the edge though to see out; and she was currently watching a bird circle around – likely about to swoop down on something that had recently died in the desert. The sun was high enough up to be only about noon – so it wasn't too hard to figure that something had dropped dead out there.

Zaiaku had been brooding at his desk all day. He had been hearing more and more reports about a "Kitsune" in a desert cave no too far from Yokuchigakure. Now, he was normally not care about things such as these and would simply send a ANBU to investigate. However...it was too similar to what he remembered back when he was still a low-life, months before becoming Kouyakage. Some sort of fox girl lived in the village with some guy before fucking him up and running out to the desert. Though he couldn't remember the exact details, Zaiaku was still suspicious about this. Curious, he stood up, and grabbed his kage hat. "Where ya goin', boss?" Kodo, his hyena, asked as he looked up from the floor. "You'll know once we get there, now get up." Zaiaku commanded in a stern tone of voice, something Kodo was taken aback by. "Whoa whoa boss, what's wrong?" He asked as he got up, following his master until they were stop by Sun Lao, Zaiaku's secretary. "And where do you t-" "Lao, I want you to hold down the fort until I get back. It'll be a few hours at most." "What ar-" "Please, just do it." Zaiaku said in a stern yet nice enough voice. Seeing that Zaiaku was seriously, he simply nodded. With that, Zaiaku donned his hat and set out in his kage attire (which was basically his hat and sleeveless silver haori and his normal pants). After managing to leave the front doors of the administration building, he suddenly set off in a pure burst of speed to the East, it was where this supposed cave was.

Kodo, surprised, followed. "The fuck is wrong with you?"The vulgar animal asked, but recieved no response from the grey giant. He was too focused on the stories he remembered about this..thing. How people hated it and how it was thought to be a demon. Not even given a chance to show it's true colors. Zaiaku couldn't help but feel sympathy for it and continued onward, having now left the village and was in open desert. His bare feet kicked up large clouds of sand due to the sheer speed and force his was putting into with each steps as his eyes kept on focusing about the enviroment, surveying it as he ran with Kodo next to him. Mere minutes passed as his eyes locked onto a cave in the distance. "Gotcha." He said under his voice as he began moving towards it, noticing someone was at the entrance of the cave. His full on running quickly turning into walking as he was a mere 15 feet away, with Kodo now walking next to him, eyes looking the girl up and down.

WC:469

Items on me:

Her yellow gaze had been tracking the bird that was still circling high overheard: it was clearly circling some fallen prey and she had been curious as to what they might be – though not curious enough to bother putting on her shoes and going to investigate. In fact, she had been about to turn and go back into her cave – and away from the persistent heat of the desert – when suddenly there was a giant of a man in a strange hat and some sort canine-looking companion with him. She hadn't seen him, nor heard him arrive, which meant that he had to be fast. The sort of fast that told her one thing: he was a danger to her, and a big one at that – no pun intended.

Ears swiveled as her body went ridged. She stared at this individual for but a second or two before she began to back away into the darkness that was her cave: she knew it well enough after having called it home for six months to not need lights. It was, in her mind, the perfect place to hide. Would this individual follow her? Would he be able to see where he was going? She had no idea why a stranger had come to her cave though she had many guesses running through her brain: she had stolen quite a bit of food and clothing from Yokuchi, and she had also done some serious damage or even possibly killed Yung when she had escaped him all those months ago. Had someone finally been sent after her for this?

A growl escaped the female; dangerous and low – the sort of noise an animal would make when threatened or feeling trapped. She felt both at the moment.

Zaiaku looked at the little girl. Though his face was stern and focuses, he was in awe on the inside. Five tails and fox ears...just like the rumors said. Zaiaku simply stood there in the desert sun, unmoving his face not changing, his eyes not blinking as he looked at the girl. Silence ensured, and there was a tension in the air, making it feel thick. Sensing this, Kodo spoke loud enough so the girl could hear him. "If you don't mind me interrupting," He began saying as he stood in-front of Zaiaku, looking at him. "Why the hell are we here and who is she?" He asked as he sat down and began scratching himself. Zaiaku, however, remained silent for a bit longer until finally speaking. "I didn't think you were real." He said to the girl, taking off his Kouyakage hat, revealing his monstrous face. "I heard about you months ago....some fox girl living in the village. I thought I was the only monster." He said as he began walking in a calm manner to the girl at a normal pace. "I thought I was the only demon."

WC:664

Her yellow eyes remained glued onto the two individuals while she continued to back up into the shadows and darkness that was the sanctuary of her cave. However, she caught the conversation; the animal speaking in a tongue she fully understood. It caused her to pause, curiosity showing on her too pale face. What sort of animal could talk like that? Or was this a trick?

Then the big man was taking off the funny looking hat to reveal a face that was by no means considered 'normal'. His size alone was frightening; she herself was only four feet eight inches tall and that was including her three inch high ears. He towered over her quite easily; something she noticed even with the distance between them. Then he was speaking – but his words did little good to calm her. She still had no idea why he was here; or what he wanted – not knowing frightened her.

”I'm not a monster... people are monsters.”, she responded.

She then turned and took off further into the cave, into one of the empty rooms. There she curled herself into a ball near the wall. Her arms wrapped around her knees and she held them to her chest. She buried her face into the space between her knees and torso though her ears continued to swivel and turn as she listened for the sound of approaching footsteps – if she would hear him at all that was, because she certainly hadn't heard him arrive.

People are monsters....how poetic it was. Zaiaku simply watched the little girl run off deeper into the cave. Using his intense speed, he quickly followed as quietly as possibly, stopping only next the to entrance of the chamber she ran in. His eyes were skilled enough to the point that, once they adjusted to the dark, was able to see very easily through. Meanwhile, Kodo lazily followed, speaking once was next to Zaiaku. "You know you scared her with that creepy bullshit, right?" "Oh shut up..." Zaiaku responded as he then enter the chamber, seeing the little girl. Zaiaku sighed and didn't get any closer. "Look, kid, I ain't here to hurt ya. Don't you think with my strength and speed I would've done so already?" He said as he leaned against the entrance. "I came here...because I wanted to see if you're real. I remember hearing rumors about a fox girl. How people hated her and shit. I then remember hearing a rumor about her running into the desert, never to be heard again." He said, now looking directly at her. "Look, I know you're alone and afraid. I been there. Hell, look at me. If people hated you and you still look like a normal girl besides the tail and ears, imagine how they felt about me. Demon! Akuma! Majin! Hell Spawn! Or some other shit they call me."

WC:903

He had followed her; as had his talking companion. She lifted her head up from her knees and stared at the large male and his fuzzy friend. She felt truly cornered now: there was only one way in and out of this room and she was cursing herself mentally for choosing a hiding spot without another exit. However, at the large male's words she paused in her mental ramblings: he was right, after all, had he wanted to hurt her there was nothing she could do to stop it – and he hadn't tried, yet. Still, that didn't meant that she fully trusted him – she had heard nice and sweet words before, only to later learn that they were all a ruse. She wouldn't fall so easily for that trap a second time.

”Yung made me hurt people, that's why they don't like me. He made me protect him. If I didn't he would hurt me: he would beat me. I didn't want to be hurt, so I did what I was told. But I wouldn't do it; I wouldn't let him touch me like that – that's why I hurt him. That's why I did what I did and ran away. I'm not sorry. I'll never be sorry.” She was rambling by that point; her words breaking off into an odd series of short growls that were speech in their own right, but far from any human language. As the noise continued she began to rock back and forth slightly while being completely oblivious to it. She laid her head down on her knees sideways; allowing her to both see and hear the male who was in her home, while also allowing her to be in that 'safe' ball she liked to curl herself into when scared.

Zaiaku sighed again as he scratched the back of his head. Hurt? Touch? This was a flat-out of abuse and molestation and attempt at rape. As the little girl continued rambling, Zaiaku calmly took a few steps closer, stopping once he was about five feet away from her. He then plopped down onto his rear, crossing his legs. "Look, kid, I dunno who this Yung is, but I ain't here because of him. I'm just gonna say it straight. I'm the leader of the village you left and, from what I heard, been robbing from. To be honest, I don't blame ya. And not all people are bad, just gotta find the nice ones." Zaiaku said before yawning loudly, the coolness and darkness of the cave making him sleepy. "If anything, Yung would be arrested and maybe even killed on spot for what he did to you if you can prove it. I believe ya, but that just ain't how the systems work. Anyway....would you say if I told you that I can pardon you of all your crimes and make it so that no one will try to hurt you again?"

WC:1,002

It took a great deal of self control to keep herself from automatically scooting backwards from the male as he moved closer: as it was though she forced herself to stay in one spot though she watched him wearily. When he began to speak she lifted her head from her knees and tilted it a bit to the side while her ears perked up in curiosity. He was the leader of the nearby village? The same village she had been stealing from to survive? He said he didn't blame her and that caused her to relax somewhat: perhaps he wasn't here to harm or kill her after all. It gave her the courage to ask the one question that popped into her head at that moment, ”Is that why you were wearing the funny hat?”

He said that Yung would be arrest and maybe even killed on the spot if she had proof of what he did. She drew her legs up to her chest tighter and shook her head, hiding her face again – she didn't want to think about that right now.

When he spoke of being able to pardon her she tilted her head enough to look at him with one yellow eye. ”You can do that? You can make all the bad stuff I did just disappear? What would you want in exchange?” If life had taught her one thing it was that almost everything came with strings attached, and so she assumed he would want something in return.

Word Count: 1,426

"Yeah...all village leaders wear these." Zaiaku explained as he held it up. The hat itself was too big for most normal men to wear. It was the same in-general shape as any kage hat. However, near the front of it, it had a silver collar to it and had the village symbol (a lotus) on it. He took note of how much more tense she got as he got closer to her. "I wouldn't exactly say disappear....nothing in this world ever just disappears. More so forgiven in the case of the village. See, we're a Shinobi Village, and are always looking for new members. You get paid to do jobs such as help around and shit, or hurt bad people to stop them from hurting good people. That was, there would be much less bad people." Zaiaku said in the terms the child would probably understand. "Everytime you get paid, I'd say..about 75% of it goes to the damage you caused. In return to your service, you'll be pardoned of your crimes so long as you pay it off, will be given a place to stay, and actual food." The giant finished speaking, Kodo now lazily entering the room before plopping down beside Zaiaku. "Who knows...might meet more good people." Kodo added as he yawned. It was then Zaiaku extended his arm, slowly and non-threateningly, holding his hand out to her. "I promise. I'll make you stronger so you will be never hurt again."

WC:1,257

She listened to his words, mulling them over silently. He would pardon her for her crimes – which she assumed meant forgive – so long as she did these jobs for the village. In return she would get twenty five percent of what she would have earned while the rest would go to pay for whatever damages she had caused. She would also be provided food and shelter on top of this twenty five percent. Her ears lowered slightly: the only people she had ever harmed were those she had been forced to – she had been given no choice. Yung had been hurt because again her hand had been forced.

Here in her cave she felt free; she could come and go as she wanted, and what she got her hands on was hers – she didn't get a percentage, but the whole thing. It wasn't the best of life; but she was far away from everyone else and given her space and quiet.

She stared at his outstretched hand but didn't take it. She then turned her yellow gaze back onto his face. ”And what if I say no? What if I just want to stay here in my cave?”

Word Count: 204 + 1,426 = 1,630

"Then I can't guarentee your safety." Zaiaku as he returned his hand back to his lap. "I ain't gonna tell anyone about you, but they have seen you here as they travel, and seen you steal from some places. It's only a matter of time before a mob of them shows up to get you. I should know....I had to deal with this shit when I first arrived." Zaiaku said as he scratched his chest, trying to maintain a casual attitude. "But look at me now. I'm the now the leader of the village. There will always bad and good people.It's my job to stop the bad people and protect the good people. At least in my village. That means you too. I'm offering you a second chance. Redemption. People hated you like they hated me because of somethings you did. That doesn't all them hate you, or that some of them can forgive you." Zaiaku then proceeded to hold up his arm, focusing raiton to it and, thus, making electricity cackle around for it a few seconds. "I can make you strong enough to defend for yourself, and other good people. I can give you a actual home. I can give you a new start. So I ask you...will you join Yokuchigakre?"

WC:1480

That didn't sound like the best of choices: one choice had her working for him, doing jobs and taking a small percentage of it while having to stay in the same village that Yung was in as well as the other people who she had harmed, while the other choice was her remaining in this cave with the chance that those people could come and find her one day and hurt her. ”Hnn...” Sephora felt overwhelmed: she had expected to have an uneventful day of watching the birds circling around, and perhaps taking a dip in the little pool of water that she had in her cave. She hadn't expected to deal with a situation like this.

And then suddenly he was making electricity in his hand and her heart stuttered to a stop and then picked up double time. She instantly, and quickly, scooted herself backwards until her back and tail slammed into the wall behind her. She buried her face back into her knees while shaking her head no over and over again. ”Nonono! My cave's safe! I like my cave! Nonono!”

She shook slightly and reached behind her to grab one of five tails. She hugged it to her chest, suddenly biting lightly at it – a nervous habit, and not something that actually hurt considering how fluffy her tails were: she barely felt it.

Word Count: 230 + 1,630 = 1,860

"Now look what you did, stupid ass!" Kodo practically yelled as the little girl freaked out. "Now you scared her even more?" "You don't think I know that?!" Zaiaku yelled back, taken aback by the girl's reactions. "Then let's go! It's obvious she doesn't want to go!" "No!" "Why?!" "BECAUSE I AIN'T GONNA LEAVE HER TO DIE OUT HERE!" Zaiaku bellowed at the top of his lungs, causing everything to suddenly grow quiet. Kodo simply blinked in surprise at the sudden tone his master took, unsure of what to do. Zaiaku sighed, rubbing his head as the silence continued, giving the girl sometime to calm down before speaking. "I'm sorry...." He said in a sullen tone, his head down as he spoke. "I didn't mean to scare you...I...was just trying to get my point across." The giant then fell silent again, now feeling rather bad for scaring the poor thing. Unsure of what to do, he simply stood up and calmly walked at the chamber and kept on going until he was entrance of the cave, where he then sat down, back turned to the interior of the cave. "I'm sorry...."

WC:1682

Sephora continued to shake, and continued biting on one of her tails; especially as both the large male and his animal companion began to yell at each other. She closed her eyes shut tightly and began to rock back and forth as she kept her legs pulled close to her chest. ”Nonono! Not gonna leave. Cave's nice, cave's quiet.” Her breathing was faced, due to the adrenaline rush caused by fear, and all she could hear now was the sound of her own heartbeat pounding through her ears.

She had no idea where the large male went or if he was still there; she was too terrified to look up, to terrified to move properly. ”No, no this is my cave. My home. Not gonna leave. World's not safe, village isn't safe...” She began to mumble and mutter again, once more her words breaking off as they did earlier into a series of noises that were indeed speech, but no human language.

Word Count: 165 + 1,860 = 2,025

Watching Zaiaku walked away in defeat, Kodo took a few steps closer. "Kid, kid. Quiet and listen. He didn't HAVE to come here. He didn't HAVE to be nice to you. All of this he's doing is on his own accord. He's doing it for your safety. Because he cares. Because he truly thinks this will do you good. At least give the dude a chance. Why not do the pardon thing WHILE still living in the cave?" Kodo said as he sat down, being a few inches taller than the little girl. It was a good question. There wasn't any reason to stop the little girl from still staying in the cave while doing the pardon. "Then again, that's just my suggestion. At least think about it, ok? Now calm down, we ain't gonna hurt ya."

WC:1826

Sephora heard the words being spoken but she was too far deep into the grips of her own inner terror to pay them any mind. Like any other animal she reacted on instinct alone: and right now that instinct was telling her to stay exactly where she was and remain in the little ball she had curled herself into. She just wanted life to return to the happy and boring time that it had been before the arrival of the leader of Yokuchi. Her cave had been peaceful then: peaceful and relaxing. A place that she had felt safe from everyone else.

”Nonono. I don't want to do that. I like being free. I like my cave. I don't want to go into the village. Nonono!” There simply would be no reasoning with her like this: her fear was too great, and her mind too made up.

After another moment she got up to her feet suddenly, and unless stopped, she ran her way from the empty room into the one that her stored the barrels of food she often stole in. She hid among the barrels; effectively surrounding herself. Once completed she would put one of her tails back into her mouth and continue chewing on it in a nervous habit.

Word Count: 215 + 2,025 = 2,240

Kodo groaned as he saw the child not even listen to him. It was beginning to get annoying, at least to him. It was then he saw here get up and try to run away. He didn't stop her, rather, simply followed her quietly as the little girl ran into some kind of a food storage room and hid herself, with Kodo watching her do so. Meanwhile, Zaiaku was still at the entrance, unsure of what to do. "Goddamnit..." He said to himself as he scratched his head, looking out into the open desert. As he stared out, he noticed something in the distance. There was a group of people on horses riding their way. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that they were shop owners that Zaiaku usually  sees around Yokuchigakure. Each one look angered. His eyes widening, he hurried back into the cave, looking for the little girl and Kodo. After a few moments of searching, he managed to find Kodo in a chamber filled with food. "Where is she?" Zaiaku asked in a urgent voice. "Over there. Why?" "The villagers, they're coming!" "What?!" Zaiaku then promptly ran over to the spot where the girl was, easily lifting her form the barrells before speaking to her urgently. "Kid! Look, I know you're scared and shit, but they're coming. I can't exactly beat up my own villagers and they can kill you due to your crimes! You're only way out is to accept the pardon!"

WC:2078

Pure, uncontrollable, unwavering terror flooded through the female as the large male picked her up and all but demanded she take the pardon due to the imminent threat that was closing in. She flailed, she kicked, and she screamed for all of roughly ten seconds – though, if anything actually hit him or even hurt for that matter was left to be seen. And then, as her heart rate accelerated too high, and her adrenaline surged far beyond what her body could take, she suddenly went limp: unconscious, passed out from the pure terror.

It was her mind's method of protecting itself: a method that went above and beyond the normal 'playing dead' as she was truly and completely unresponsive. Her breathing was borderline hyperventilating and her heart rate was in a dangerous territory – but now that she was unresponsive and her mind was protecting itself, her body was beginning to relax: both breathing and heart beat very slowly returning to normal.

Word Count: 165 + 2,240 = 2,405

Zaiaku merely blinked as the little child fainted, not really expecting that sort of outcome. Nonetheless, he regained himself fairly quick and placed here gently on the ground. The gray giant then promptly turned to Kodo. "Look, I'm gonna try to make them fuck off, ok? Make sure she doesn't leave this room until I come back. Ok?" Kodo simply nodded and sat in front of the passage way as Zaiaku made his way to the cave entrance. "Mr.Kage. We have heard that the thief is living in here. Have you seen her?" One man asked atop a horse. Zaiaku, being the ever so talented liar that he is, replied. "Thief? What thief?" The group of men looked at each other. "You....know about the rumors of some fox girl stealing our merchandise, right?" One of them asked. Zaiaku did a false frown. "Fox girl? You guys that gullible? Don't you think I would've found her by now if she was real?" Zaiaku said as he crossed his arms. "Well...." Another man trailed off, looking away. "Look, I'm training out here, ok? There ain't no one here besides me. If I do find the thief, however, I'll tell ya, ok?" The men looked at one another, not entirely sure if they should go on about their business. "May I remind y'all, the longer you're away from your shops, the more possible a another person can steal from them." Hearing this, the men turned white and turned back, riding away on their horses as they waved goodbye.

Once they were a good enough distance away, Zaiaku re-entered the cave and food chamber to check how things. "Managed to fool them."

WC:2380

Sephora was entirely unaware of being set down, or what was going on for several minutes. Her breathing and heart beat slowed drastically until they were borderline normal – which was to say, they differed from that of a human, but it was normal for her regardless. ”Hnn...”, was roughly the first sound to come from her as she began to stir. Ears twitched and her eyes slowly blinked open as they focused on the cave room.

Following this she sat up slowly; feeling confused and groggy as to what had happened. And then she remembered: she remembered all of it, including that this large man, the leader of the village of Yokuchi, had picked her up and she had attempted to fight him off up until she had passed out and loss consciousness. Another whine of a sound, this one more animalistic in nature, escaped her as she curled herself back up into the ball she had been in; arms locked around her knees. She buried her face into her knees and just started to shake her head again.

”No, no, no, no!”, she began to say over and over and over again while her head continued to shake back and forth on her knees. She closed her eyes shut tightly, wishing and hoping that the world would just return to the way it had been only an hour ago. Everyone was making her out to be the bad guy; no one understood. No one would in her mind. This was exactly why she no longer stayed in the village: this was why she hid out in her cave away from the human populace. She couldn't trust them: she couldn't trust anyone.

Word Count: 285 + 2,405 = 2,690

Zaiaku couldn't help but facepalm as the moment the little girl regained herself, she was back at it again. "So, how'd it go?" Kodo asked, looking up at Zaiaku. "I managed to fool them into thinking she didn't live here, so they won't be back anytime soon." Zaiaku responded, definitely loud enough so the little girl can hear. Zaiaku then proceeded to sit cross-legged again. He faced her, but there was a good distance between them. Without saying a word, Zaiaku reached into his haori and threw a bag of ryo about a foot or two away from the child. There wasn't much in it. About 500 or 600, but was still enough for a meal. "They came...looking for ya. I told them you weren't here, so don't expect any unwanted visits anymore. I don't consider ya bad guy for things ya did. Did what ya had to do to live. I get that. There's enough money in there to buy a fresh, hot meal at most restarunts." Zaiaku said in a calm tone, his arms now crossed once again.

WC:2571

Sephora glanced at the bag; hearing the jingling of ryo within it. However, she didn't touch it. She simply hid her face back in her knees and tightened the grip on her legs. She felt exhausted; and she wanted nothing more then to sleep. However, this stranger and his friend were still in her home – and the last thing she was doing to do was sleep with either of them nearby. ”Go, go, go. This is my cave. Go, go, go.” She felt like a trapped animal; and essentially that was what she was. It was surprising she hadn't lashed out yet, but fear could only keep her from doing so for so long before baser animal instincts kicked in. This stranger was in her home, after all, and terrifying her.

”MY CAVE. THIS IS MY CAVE!” And once more she began to rock back and forth, though she kept her face hidden in her knees. She hoped he would leave; that he would give her the space she needed so that she could calm down – but time would tell if he listened. He was leader of the village of Yokuchi after all – so technically, even if she didn't want to admit it, this was his cave too.

Word Count: 215 + 2,690 = 2,905

Zaiaku was mentally facepalming as she began screaming for him to get out. Nonetheless, his calm expression and tone remained. However, he had to say one last thing to the child and, given the state she was in, he needed her to listen. Thus, in a sudden movement, Zaiaku slapped his hand onto the stone floor, a loud cracking sound being emitted as it the floor cracked around his hand. Using the loud noise to make her stop and gain some quiet, he spoke one final thing to her in a stern tone, standing up. "My offer is still up for the pardon, if you choose to do it. If not....then at least be more stealthy and when robbing the stores. If you're not, they'll find you, and I'll most likely not be able to stop them. Use the money however ya like. Just. Be. Safe." With that, Zaiaku placed his kage hat back onto his head and did a simple "Goodbye" to the young child as he began walking out of the chamber and began heading to the cave entrance, Kodo following behind him.

WC:2760

She screamed when he slammed his hand into the ground; her hands coming up and covering her mouth as her head jerked back. She scooted back against the wall as her heart rate and breathing accelerated. She listened to his words in complete and utter silence before she watched him and his pet leave. Tears streamed down the child's face: and she buried her head once more into her knees. She remained like that for several minutes before she got up to her feet and wiped her tears away. She grabbed her tail – all of them – and hugged them to her chest as she took tentative steps to the entrance of her food storage room.

She looked around the corner and to the main entrance of the cave before she turned and tip toed her way in the opposite direction – towards the back entrance. It was a hidden entrance, and not able to be seen from the outside unless it was opened. She glanced back behind herself, her heart racing and the sound of her blood pounding through her ears. A soft fearful whine of a sound escaped her but she kept going. She entered into her makeshift bedroom which was where the secret exit was and pulled the stone aside.

She poked her head out as light and heat flooded in; ears swiveling as she looked and listened for any sign that anyone was out there.

Word Count: 242 + 2,905 = 3,147