Only a faint trail of paw prints marked the dirt, leading toward the shadows of the forest.
"The red deer exhaled slowly, the weight of knowing resting in his breath."
"He came like a storm," the deer murmured, "and was gone like the wind."
"In the heart of the forest, something darted through, a wind in its wake that rippled the trees' leaves."
I don't have enough energy, the cougar panted, but I have to push myself further!
I have to find them… I have to tell him! the cougar thought.
Crimson blood streamed from his body, marking his path through the forest.
A passing leopard caught sight of Cougar.
What's wrong with that mountain lion? Is he mad? the leopard asked.
The leopard's eyes followed the crimson trail until it sharpened into a straight line—his smirk grew.
His golden eyes narrowed, curiosity glinting behind the calm.
"Bear, forgive me for not warning you!" Cougar's voice broke. "Where are you?!"
"I'll find you. No matter the cost."
Silence answered him, only the distant rattle of leaves.
"I heard them before they left," he murmured. "The deer and the bear… they didn't know where to go."
So, they're wandering animals…
Think, Cougar, think…
Think, Cougar. You know these lands. If you keep walking… what's beyond the mountains?
When Cougar ran, he reached a fork in the path, one side thick with trees, the other blocked by tall grass.
To the left was a dead end, no trace of the bear's claws… he didn't go that way.So they must have been here!
Cougar sniffed the ground; his tail twitched. They're close!
His pulse quickened, hope clawing against his exhaustion.
As Cougar ran, he spotted two shadowy figures moving ahead.
Cougar turned to the right, shouting, "Bear! Deer! I'm here!"
"So, Griz-Griz, if bees make honey, why don't they eat it themselves?"
"Uh… I think they do eat it?" Grizzler said, rubbing his head in confusion.
"They do, right? That means they're eating part of themselves," Ivy said, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.
"A… yes…"
A rustle snapped their attention backward, slicing through the light tone of their talk.
Both Grizzler's and Ivy's ears twitched as the noise cut through.
The two shared a brief, puzzled silence, the question still lingering between them.
"That mountain lion…" Grizzler said, placing a finger beneath his chin.
Ivy's eyes widened the moment she saw how ragged he looked.
"W… what—" Ivy's knees buckled, and she collapsed again.
"Ivy?!" Grizzler caught her before she hit the ground, his heart hammering.
"You okay?" he asked, concern thick in his tone.
Right… she still hasn't recovered from what happened he thought.
He barely had time to breathe before another voice broke through the forest.
"Bear! I need to tell you something important!" Cougar called, a faint smile on his face as he pushed forward with each step.
"About that mountain incident!!" he barked.
"Mountain…" Grizzler whispered.
"Yes! The mountain! It's dangerous! You'll—" His voice cut off.
Thud!
The leopard crashed onto Cougar, slamming him into the ground.
"Say no more, weak cat," the leopard hissed.
Cougar spat blood onto the dirt, unable to speak.
Grizzler's arms trembled with anger.
"You're smart enough to find their hiding spots, but not smart enough to cover your own tracks, huh?" the leopard sneered.
Cougar's eyes dimmed.
The leopard's grin stretched cruelly as he stepped off Cougar's chest, turning toward the deer.
"Let me answer your question, deer," he said.
"They eat their honey… because they're simply dumb, like this stupid cat. They work so hard to make something brilliant, only to ruin it in the end!"
The leopard licked the blood from his claw.