Tablet Master Ch. 13

The sun had just set and as much as Kellia didn't feel tired, the last few hours had been demanding and she could tell the others were all exhausted.

They bathed in the river for a long moment before building up a small hut with branches.

Kellia offered to keep watch until sunrise since she didn't feel the need to sleep.

Everyone cuddled up to keep warm and eventually drifted into slumber.

Kellia could tell by their breathing and she took joy guessing in which order they each fell asleep. She sat on a large branch in a tree nearby, keeping watch and relishing the memory of this amazing ritual many times over during the night.

She woke Kashmere a little before sunrise.

"Thank you Kash, Kellia said, reaching into a warm hug. "This Tablet may be a curse, but you are a blessing. Thank you for keeping me free, but more importantly, thank you for making me part of this new clan."

"You're welcome Kellia," Kashmere said, returning the hug tightly. "Thank you for not killing them like I would have if it weren't for you. My mother taught me the ways of the Cathorians, but I was raised amongst humans and I never thought this ritual would make me feel Cathorian again, and so strongly."

"You won't have to run for the rest of your life," Kellia said. "We will reason with the council members or defeat them so your kind can have the Greatest-Alpha of them all."

Kashmere looked at her with tears in her eyes and a passionate grin on her feline face. "Dj'yeah'" she said, wiping her tears with her forearm. "The Greatest-Alpha." She giggled. "No... the Greatest-Clan."

Kellia placed her hand tenderly on Kashmere's cheek and reached into a passionate kiss for a moment, just before everything went black.

I wished this didn't have to happen. She will bring me back right away though...

Why am I still here? Why isn't she calling me back? What's taking so long?

...