Thought I'd get a head start on this chapter. Even if it's just a small one.
Enjoy~
Time passed by. Night had fallen. None of the bears could find Charlie. They didn't know why it was so hard to find him... Charlie was so tall. And easy to find really. How was he hiding so well now...?
They were starting to worry... and fear the worst even. What if he'd passed out somewhere? What is he was lost? What if he'd fallen and gotten hurt? What if a human saw him and he was too tired to run?! All these terrifying thoughts raced through their minds. It was hard but they were all very much possibilities. And those were the ones they dreaded the most...
Panda himself... might have been the most worried. And guilty. He felt very, very responsible for all this. He was the one who told Chloe about Charlie. He was the one who made him look bad. He was the one who made it seem like they didn't like him. And HE... was the one who made him run away.
He wanted to blame Charlie for all this- he was cold, wet, and miserable. Ooooh did he want to put the blame onto somebody and anybody else. But... he knew he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he knew he couldn't. He was the only one to blame here. Him and him alone. He caused this. He was the one who hurt Charlie like this.
And he needed to be the one to make this right.
Slowing down, right near the private lake Charlie had taken them to... he felt his heart start to hurt. Remembering how Charlie showed them this secret place... all because their original lake was over run with others. Charlie... was always so sweet to him and his brothers. And here HE was... stabbing him in the back. How could he call himself Charlie's friend after this...? Charlie looked out for him and liked his art. He was a real friend... and Panda let him down...
Soon, snapping outta thought... he found something on the ground. Leaning closer, he found it was... a foot print. A HUGE foot print. Charlie's! He must be near by! There were more up ahead too!
Hurrying now. Desperate, he ran around the lake and through the woods. Being careful to follow the prints closely. Hoping Charlie was near by... who knew how the other was doing right now... in his condition...
Turning a corner... he felt himself trip on something. Crying out a bit as he fell hard and into the mud. Trying desperately to wipe it off of him, if even just a bit. What had he tripped on...? Getting up he looked around... letting out a soft scream to what he saw.
There... laying flat and unconscious on the ground, covered in mud... was Charlie!
The poor guy was out cold. Dirty. Pale. Soaked and shivering. A small, disgusting looking puddle of sick in front of him, indicating his worsening condition. Panda... he felt like he could cry to this sight. Charlie... looked so sick. So miserable it... it hurt. It physically hurt his heart to see...
Gently. Trying not to harm him... Panda lifted him up a bit. Placing one of Charlie's arms over his shoulder, and placing his own paw on Charlie's side. Trying so hard to be careful with him. Like he was carrying some wounded animal. Which... he may as well be doing... soon. Carrying him throughout the forest. Heading back for the cave. Wishing... wishing none of this had ever happened...
At long last he made it back to the cave. A mild surprised he was the first one back, considering he'd dragged Charlie all the way here. Though then again... his brothers probably didn't wanna come back without the Sasquatch.
Carefully the panda brought Charlie into the bathroom, turning on the shower head. Making sure it was giving a gentle heat before gently placing Charlie in the tub. Carefully washing the mud from his tangled fur. Trying his best not to hurt or disturb him. Not after all he'd gone through. He just needed to clean the other up. Warm him up too. After all that freezing rain...
At last, once he dubbed the other clean, he turned off the tap. Gently drying the Sasquatch up before carrying him over to... his room. His room and his bed. Certain it was warmer in there than out on the couch. Besides, Charlie deserved an actual bed after all he'd just been through...
Covering the other up, he soon noticed a problem: Charlie's feet stuck out over the bed. Soon remembering they had that problem when Charlie came to stay with them when they first met. Sighing gently... he pulled over his computer chair, gently placing Charlie's feet on them and covering them up with a second blanket. Relieved, and hoping the other was at least warming up some. He felt almost hypothermic...
At last the panda sat himself down at the bed side. Just kinda... watching the sleeping big foot. He... didn't look so peaceful. He... looked so miserable. Shivering... eyes shut tight and teeth clenched... heck he's begun to break into a cold sweat. And the more Panda observed it... the worse he felt. Tears, starting to fall... unable to help but say quietly.
" ... Charlie. I'm... I'm so, so so sorry. I... I didn't mean to do this to you. I didn't mean what I said I... I can't express just how sorry I am... "
He did this... he did this to Charlie...
A bit shorter... but Oof. The feels right?
Will Charlie even be ok? Keep reading to find out~ ;3
