Exhaustion, we had been walking for many hours silently before Sam wanted to take a break.

"How ya holdin' up" she laughed as I fall to the ground panting.

"Just… great" I said between breaths.

"Well, seeing as how your going to be useless, I will go find some food." She smiled before twisting around and walking into the foliage.

I thought about how her mood changed so drastically in the passing hours, I suppose I chose right to simply say nothing. Even with this thought, I doubted my choice. As I lie with the soft breeze, I try not to fall into the grasp of sleep, and fail. Awaking to the soft, cold prodding of Sam's muzzle I mumble something incoherent before standing.

"I don't really know what you like, so I just got a lot of berries" she told me as she set down a large leaf full of berries.

"Oh, thanks" I mumbled as I yawned still fatigued.

Looking at the berries she collected, noticing some aguav berries, one of my favorites. Before grabbing any though, I waited for her to get some, and thanked her for finding them. Though there was nothing special about it, I liked the moment. Just sitting and eating, enjoying the wind blowing through my mane. It was a peaceful moment, I always try to cherish those, as some days you will have none.

"Hey, its getting dark now" Sam explained "we might as well get comfortable."

"Oh, sure" I sighed, relieved at not having to walk anymore, my paws were sore from the walking.

After her revelation I decided to make a small nest of leaves to lay in. I made one for her too, even though she said she could do it herself. I lie down not feeling the drowsiness fall like it did before the meal. I try to steady my breathing for what seemed like forever, but I still couldn't sleep. Standing slowly to be sure I didn't wake Sam I thought that a walk could help exhaust me.

We were in a nicely grown area of the forest. As I walked I was sure to remember my path. After some time the walk started to make me more tired so I turned to head back. As I walk returning though I heard soft rustling from the foliage surrounding me. First I thought nothing of this, just the wind I told myself. That was before I realized the air was still, I picked up my pace. Knowing nothing good could come from someone sneaking around, I gave whoever was following me the benefit of the doubt, and kept quite. Though I suppose I didn't do this well, because as soon as my pace quickened I felt the breath escape me as I was knocked into a tree. I let out a loud yelp as I turned to see my attacker, a liepard stared back at me with cold eyes.

"wait wait wait wait", I tried to plead, "stop!" My efforts were useless as the large feline tore through mane with one swift motion. In my life as a pet I had never experienced such a burning pain as I did here. I let out a scream as I felt blood soak my fur. I knew attacking would be futile, so I scrambled to get away. I got a few meters away and turned to see the liepard staring at me with a sickening grin. My escape I knew would be short lived as I heard my pursuer mere feet from me once again.

This reality was one I did not enjoy being in, I tried to weave through trees, though the cat, despite its size, was tracing my steps with ease. This continued for no more than a minute before I felt a sharp pain in my tail, I was bitten, due to this I felt all momentum cease and my face snap to the ground. I squirmed trying to flee before the liepard held me in place. At this point in time I thought that simply because I was a little energetic, and decided to take a walk, I was going to die. When I thought this I continued to try and squirm free of the tightening grasp on me, I failed.

The feline leaned in, I thought they were going to bite me, though they simply dragged their tongue across my bloodied mane and let out a chilling laugh. I shivered at their touch, knowing there was nothing I could do. I lay frozen in fear before hearing a twig snap to my right. This small noise turned the head of my attacker. They seemed distracted enough by this that I decided to try escaping again, to my dismay, and pain the feline unsheathed her claws into my back, I let out another scream as the pain surged through me. Though I suddenly felt the weight come off me as the liepard was tacked by a bundle of blue fur, Sam.

Quickly after that the air around us chilled before I was blinded by snow. I felt someone grip my mane, fearing it was the liepard I tried to scramble away. This action was met by Sam angrily telling me to stop it. I was thankful for the turn of events, and let her guide me out of the blizzard, the liepard getting lost behind us as she led me back to the nests I made. She let go of me as I lay into my nest.

"What the hell pepper?!" ,she shouted at me in a hushed tone, "do you want to get killed?" I tried to make up some form of speech, though all I could manage was something between a whimper and mumbling.

"Are you okay?!" she tried to ask, but I still could not make any words out.

"Shit shit shit" Sam started pacing in circles as I lay my breathing slowed. I noticed how the pain I felt before was slowly numbing away, I close my eyes.

"don't sleep!" Sam shouted in my ears jolting me back to reality, I was able to mumble a sorry in response.

She started trying to give me various berries as I lay there, I ate a few, not feeling any better. I started slipping again, though she was sure to stop me as she kept yelling in my ears. After some time though, the yelling faded, and with that, shadows crept across my vision.