Helping the Poolwalker (cont.)

The to-be realized suddenly that she had been staring like a wide eyed kit, clearing her throat softly and straightening her posture. “It’s kind of you to show us, Poolwalker. Not many have seen the top I assume?”

As Butterfly leapt onto the rocks, Aster switched her attention to the path and noticed the loose stones and rocks that would easily send a cat tumbling if they didn’t know the right path. She figured the older cat would know the path like the back of her paw so she thought nothing of it and leapt up after her. “Thank you for the tips. I’ll try not to slip.” She replied, “I’d rather not risk bringing the tribe down one hunter.”

The spray from the waterfalls gathered on her whiskers and eyelashes, making her blink a few times and shake her head. The humidity causing her usually straight fur to develop a little wave, courtesy of her father’s curly pelt. “Do the stones get slippery along the way?”

“Oh. I see,” She called back as she carefully picked her way up the rocks and boulders, “I can see why you’d only want a small number of cats coming this way.” Aster was able to follow behind with little issue, finding it similar to walking a long river stones, but the uneven ground made her slightly apprehensive. She had been closely watching her paws as to not slip, so when she heard Butterfly call her to come look Aster picked up the pace.

She hauled herself up the last rock and stood at the top, feeling wind buffeting her face. A combination of the rushing water spraying in her face and the usual mountain wind. Slowly Aster took in everything from the cave and the glowing algae to the rolling hills and landscapes before them….. and to the small white and gray she-cat next to her.

Her paws felt suddenly frozen to the cold stone beneath her as she saw the joy sparkling in Butterfly’s eyes as she too was looking at everything. Once again Aster questioned whether it was just the sun light and the water drops on their fur that made the Poolwalker shimmer and shine. The caramel she-cat was perplexed, having never seen any cat much less her leader in this light. She couldn’t figure out why she was so transfixed, it was… unfamiliar but not unpleasant.

Before the other molly turned to her, Aster forced herself to act as if nothing happened. She had an assignment to do and she couldn’t afford to be distracted. At least that’s what she told herself as she drew closer to Butterfly. “A dangerous and beautiful view.” She murmured as she looked back at the view of the territories, trying to focus on the wind cooling her warm fur, “I’m not surprised the ancestors would have it so well hidden and protected.”

One moment the two tribe cats were chatting and sharing a view, and the next Butterfly was turning towards her, the sound of earth splitting echoed painfully in her ears. Everything in Aster’s body was yelling at her to run, save herself, there was no time, but she couldn’t leave Butterfly.

Aster stumbled as the ground rumbled beneath her, sounding like a hungry monster on the thunderpath. She was losing time. The to-be lunged forward to grab Butterfly’s scruff. Her heart hammered against her rib cage as the sound of the landslide drew closer. With all the strength Aster could muster, she sunk her teeth into the Poolwalker’s scruff, shifting her paws to get a better foot hold.

Just as the landslide closed in, Aster managed to pull Butterfly to safety. She had to almost toss her to a safer area, hoping the molly would land with little pain. The to-be couldn’t even open her jaws to ask after letting go of Butterfly. As she had pivoted on her front right paw, Aster felt shooting pain and she crumpled with a yowl.

At the same moment the landslide surged passed the two cats, obscuring Aster’s view of her leader. She coughed and wheezed as dust and debris kicked up around her, the she-cat trying to limp-crawl away from the edge.

Even through the throbbing pain in her leg, relief washed over her to see that Butterfly had made it with only scrapes and scratches. She went to speak and ended up coughing again, sneezing as wells as the dust tickled her nose. Aster looked back up at Butterfly as the small molly ran towards her, clearly devastated and looking guilty. But why would she feel guilty? Aster was assigned to help her and keep her safe, also Butterfly was her Poolwalker. It’d be wrong of her to not do something.

The white and gray she-cat was hovering over her like a mother bird, tears streaking her cheeks. Aster made to wipe them away but made the mistake of lifting her injured paw, wincing and trying to hide her pain. Butterfly’s pelt pressing against hers flooded her with comfort, easing the anxiety that rippled just below the surface. Aster panted and furrowed her brow as she gathered her racing thoughts.

“I’m okay, Poolwalker. It’s my job to protect you.” She rasped and coughed again, tail flicking in annoyance at the dust and debris, “I’m just glad I got you to safety in time. You didn’t land hard did you?” Aster looked at her with concerned copper eyes clouded with pain. Instinctively seeking comfort like a kit to its mother, and not realizing it, her side pressed closer to Butterfly’s. The warmth seeping from the small cat’s fur bled into hers, once again easing her anxiety and Aster found herself breathing in her leader’s scent. It struck her as odd that someone outside of her family could make her feel this…. Safe? Comforted? But in this moment she was to frazzled to really think in depth about it. “That scratch on your cheek seems to be the worst of your injuries,” She cleared her throat at the scratchy sound of her voice.

“There’s no need to thank me. Any cat would do the same.” Aster’s voice was soft, studying Butterfly’s expression, “Don’t blame yourself. You can’t predict these things, ya know?” She’d tried to hold in the second wince of pain while Butterfly inspected her paw.

“I think,” Aster paused and hesitated before continuing, “I think I’ll be okay. Don’t you need to talk to the ancestors? It’ll give me a moment to get my bearings.” Her fur was bristled along her spine from shock. The eerie silence of the cavern was accompanied by the sound of rushing water, just as it was before the landslide.

The to-be looked towards the cave, at the soft glow and the light reflected from the pool. “We made it all the way here. Might as well right?” She mewed and looked back at Butterfly.

Aster followed as best as she could, keeping her injured paw from touching the ground. Her ears twitched at every dripping noise and the scuff of their paw pads on the worn stone. It was smoother than the floors of the caves where the tribe had set up camp, quieter too without the bustling noise of cats coming and going.

She could catch the faintest hint of the clans as they passed the small pool, remembering briefly that the tribe and the clans shared the cave. One ear turned towards the Poolwalker as she spoke. Aster nodded and focused on the faint brushing of their fur against each other’s flanks, trusting Butterfly to show her the way to their communing pool in the dim light. The glow worms and bioluminescent algae reflected off her eyes just as it did with the still waters nestled in dips in the cave floor.

The steady drip of water and the calm feel of the cave helped to release the tension from her shoulders. As they grew near to the tribe’s communing pool, Aster stopped at the edge of the water. She felt the ice cold water lap at her paws while Butterfly slide seamlessly into it. She watched as the glowing light caused her companion’s fur to take on a blue-green hue, water reflections causing her pelt to look as if the Poolwalker belonged here. Like she had always been part of this territory’s water ways even though this was all new.

The caramel molly hesitated for a moment before quietly asking, “I assume I’ll wait here?”