I'VE MERGED CHAPTERS 2 AND 3

Chapter Two

New Issues

That night as I layed on the rocky surface of a cliff, watching the moon rise from the horizon, I was interrupted from thinking about eating that mouse earlier today.

"Henri, I know you ate a mouse."

I sat up and turn around, Ryon is behind me. "I was just joking around with you!"

"No." Ryon walked toward me, stopping within arm's length. "I heard squeaking, Henri."

I never even realized the sound I was making. "Ryon... I..."

"You can't do that Henri. The others could find out."

"We'll have to keep it a secret..."

Ryon sighed and looks off into the distance. We stay silent for a long time.

"I won't do it again." I saidshowing Ryon an assuring smile.

"I hope not... I won't tell anyone about today... goodnight." Ryon layed down beside me.

"Sweet dreams." I patted him on the head.

My dreams were filled with me eating mice. That's about as "sweet" as they could be.

I woke up earlier than normal the next morning, the moon just about an hour from setting over the snow-capped mountain in the distance. I decided to get breakfast early, before any other goat wakes up. As I walked through the forest I thought about eating a mouse, my mouth started watering as I remembered the taste, it was sweet and I enjoyed it, but Ryon... I briefly consider biting my tongue to get the taste again, I didn't. At least for now. I kept walking through the forest, listening for rustling in the bushes, I only got up instead of going back to sleep so I could eat another mouse. I'd hate to have wasted the time. I kept walking, eventually getting past where I ate the mouse yesterday, and past the secret bush.

After a while, I considered biting my tongue once again. The moon will set soon, if Ryon catches me... I promised to not eat another mouse. I decided against biting my tongue once more and I continued down the trail. My thoughts were conflicting between the taste of that mouse and what would happen if Ryon caught me. I sat on the side of the trail and weighed my two thoughts against each other, the taste versus the consequence.

I could eat a mouse again, maybe just one more and never again. Ryon would probably never find out unless I told him. But if he did find out, he might tell the elder about it, I would get kicked out of the herd... but then I would be able to eat mice whenever I want. And maybe I could try... goat...

I realized what my thoughts want me to do and I snap out of my trance, noticing my mouth has been watering the whole time. One mouse and I'm addicted to the taste…

I stood up and begin walking back to the clearing, the sun has been in the sky for about fifteen minutes now, the goats will begin the breakfast walk soon.

As I reached the clearing, I notice Ryon was about to leave for the trail.

He waved to me. "Henri, come here!" He didn't sound too pleased, and he's tried to hide it.

I walked beside Ryon, my legs were getting tired from all the walking of this morning, yet he lead me back into the trail.

"Why were you up so early? Getting another... m-"

"Bite your tongue, were too close to the others."

He waited until we were a safe distance from the herd before continuing. "I told you last night, you can't go eating those. If you're caught..." He stopped me and looks me dead in the eye. "It's gonna be me lumped in when you're thrown from the herd."

"I never ate one this morning. I just walked through the trail for a bit."

"But you were looking for mice. You're already addicted to it. If my life's gonna be ruined from someone eating mice, it should at least be me."

"So you wanna eat a mouse then?"

Ryon shook his head. "No, no, no. I'm sticking with berries and grass and the like, but if you're gonna get me kicked from the herd, I might as well eat one."

"So let's do that now, before we forget. I wasn't able to find one up to and a little past our bush but maybe if we went a little farther-"

"Stop Henri, I'm not going to really eat one. There would have to be no plant life anywhere for me to even think about it. And to consider it? No… Wait."

Ryon stopped in his tracks and grabs my shoulder. "How far past our bush did you go?"

"Just a bit farther, where the trail stops."

His pupils shrank and I realized what I did.

"Your scent, you could be tracked. You may have been tracked. You probably were tracked."

"There's no wolves around here for a long way. The only packs anywhere close are the two over that mountain, I hope. But nobody's talking about a wolf-or anything over here."

"And our problem is worse, what about those other creatures talking among themselves? They would definitely know about your eating of a mouse."

"We'll have to eat them too." I don't realize what I said until a few moments of Ryon just staring at me. Once I notice, I shake my head. "S-sorry."

"Henri! You're making our troubles worse."

Ryon sighed and sat down.

"Don't mention anything about this, not to me. I don't want to hear it, I barely want to even be associated with you anymore."

I patted him on the back. "You don't have to be my friend anymore, you won't take the fall for what I've done. I'm going back to the clearing." I walked off.

The first thing I did when I reached the clearing is look for Meg, she was a good friend I could trust.

I found her on the cliff I sleep on every night.

"Hey, Meg…"

She jumped up and turned around. "H-hey Henri!"

"Sorry about that." I sat beside her. "I gotta tell you something important.

"You know I'm one to keep secrets, from and for anyone. What's going on?"

"I are a mouse yesterday, now me and Ryon aren't doing well, I'm scared of being kicked from the herd."

She gave a laugh. "Pfft, that is ridiculous Henri. It's so ridiculous you couldn't have made it up… Why?"

"I was curious."

"Curiosity killed the goat, or just got him kicked from his herd."

"Some critters probably know about it, and they'll be talking about it."

"I'd say you're in a tough spot. Have you asked a wolf about it?"

"No, I actually haven't asked a wolf yet. Thanks for recommending it."

"I might know one."

"What?"

She laughed. "I'm kidding Henri."

I laughed as well. "Well, that would've been the connection I needed."

After our laughter died down, Meg stopped joking and asked another question. "Did you like the taste of that mouse?"

I paused to think. "Part of me was looking at the face, thinking about it's family. But another part was focused on the taste, the… delicious taste."

"You're still sane at least. As long as you think about the face and it's family."

"It's not my sanity I'm worried about, it's the herd's-and by extent-the Elder's response that I'm worried about. And weather or not Ryon will be in trouble with me."

"I can be in trouble instead of Ryon."

"Why would you want to?"

"Take me to eat a mouse tonight."

I stare at her for a moment. "Really?"

"I'll be on the edge of the clearing. I'll get some rest until then." She walked away.

I just sat there, surprised at what Meg asked of me.