AN: Hey, it's been a while. Just to tell you all in advance, I will eventually be adapting the Bildungsroman (? chapter) into a future chapter, but that won't be for a while. I've been sitting on half a chapter for a very long time, and I figured I should finish it up and get working on the next one, especially since I got the attention of a pretty successful A&O writer. Also, I noticed that I tend to end my chapters with sleeping, wonder if it means something (I don't get much anymore, with a 7:00 class)? I hope you like emotional stuff, 'cause that's what you're getting. Enjoy :)
Reaching Out
Chapter 6
Connor woke up slowly, his head throbbing and his body aching everywhere. As he woke, Connor opened his eyes and looked around, recognizing that he was in a den, but having no idea as to who it belonged to. Then, surprised, he noticed there was someone behind him. The other seemed to be asleep, their back pressed up against his so he could feel the slight movement of every breath. Connor took in a deeper breath, smelling the air and recognizing Natalie's scent. He smiled to himself, happy that it was Natalie who was keeping him company. As he shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable, Connor noticed that his left front leg was very stiff, as if it had been encased in stone. Looking down, He Discovered that his leg was covered in leaves and sap with the occasional stick visible. Confused, Connor tried putting pressure on his leg as he attempted to stand up. This resulted in a shock of pain, making him collapse with a yelp and wake Natalie.
Natalie woke with a start, startled by the sudden loud noise, and looked quickly back to see Connor lying on the ground with his eyes squinted shut. "Oh my god, Connor! Are you alright?" Natalie asked, her voice worried almost to the point of panic.
"Yeah... I think... actually I don't know, my leg hurts a lot." Connor replied, his voice both concerned and confused.
"Oh, well… when we landed your leg broke "Natalie answered in an ashamed voice.
"Oh." Connor replied with a grimace, sitting up and looking down at the encased leg.
"I'm so sorry," Natalie blurted out, her eyes moist and her voice about to crack from regret and guilt," it's my fault, I'm so sorry". Natalie's head sunk, her eyes fixed on the ground just between her paws.
"No, No," Connor comforted, lifting her chin and looking into her teary eyes with a tenderness and resolve she had never seen in him before, "It's not your fault. I'd do it again if it meant protecting you."
Natalie smiled, now crying tears of joy, and pressed her head to Connor's chest. "Thank you, for everything" She whispered under her breath, her voice trembling with happiness and relief.
Connor rested his chin on the top of her head and hugged her close to him, rubbing her back with his good paw. Slowly at first, Connor began to feel a warm sensation emanating from deep in his chest, making his heart beat faster. In that moment, he realized that he had fallen love with someone, someone amazing, someone who he never wanted to leave, someone who was sitting with him now, crying with joy that he was okay. 'So this is what it feels like' Connor thought to himself as he sat there, reveling in the new and euphoric sensation.
Connor and Natalie stayed like that for a while, Natalie pressed up against Connor's chest and no longer crying, Connor rubbing her back and resting his chin on her head, but eventually the two of them began to fall asleep. Natalie, tired from watching Connor for much of the night, began to fall asleep in his embrace. Connor, noticing this, slowly lowered Natalie and himself to the ground, resting her head gently on some of the leaves he had been using as a pillow for his broken leg. Natalie yawned, curled up into a ball, and snuggled back into him. Her breathing slowed and, once he believed she was asleep, Connor closed his eyes and whispered "good night", then quickly fell asleep. Because of the way he was laying, Connor was unable to see the smile that spread across Natalie's face when he spoke and remained there even in her sleep.
The next morning, when Connor woke up, it took him a moment to remember where he was. He looked around and, to his surprise, did not feel afraid that he wasn't in his own home. It was as if a kind of happiness hung in the air, permeating every corner of the smallish hollow. Connor's eyes lit upon the pile of leaves that had been used to cushion his broken leg, and everything came back to him. He smiled, but then took another quick look around, wondering where Natalie was. It appeared as if she had left only shortly before Connor had woken up, the spot where she had been lying was still slightly warm and her scent was far from being old. Then, like she'd heard his thoughts, Natalie walked into the den with some meat from the morning's kill. At the sight of the food, Connor's stomach grumbled loudly, making him feel particularly uncomfortable and embarrassed. He had not realized how hungry he was, he had skipped his meal yesterday to go with Humphrey to the creek, and it was catching up with him.
"Figured you'd be hungry" Natalie commented, dropping the meat in front of Connor, "it's from this morning's hunt."
"Thanks," Connor replied, but when Natalie did not move to join him, he asked "you're not going to have any?"
"No, I already ate" Natalie answered.
Connor promptly dug in, making up for yesterday's meal and satisfying his hunger. Natalie sat down in front of Connor and waited for him to finish.
"You feeling better today?" Natalie asked, her eyes lingering on Connor's cast.
"Yeah, it's just kind of aching now, though if I try to stand it hurts." Connor said, gesturing with his broken leg then smiling back at Natalie when he was done talking.
"Good, well, you can stay here as long as you want, and I'll help you get around when you can walk." Natalie commented, smiling back at him.
"Thanks," Connor replied, then asked "umm, where exactly is here?"
"Oh, this is my den. We took you here after Eve put the cast on your leg." Natalie answered
"Cool, I don't think I've ever been here before." Connor added, looking around with a new sense of curiosity and reverence.
"If you think you can manage, I'll show you a really nice place to lie in the sun just a little ways away from here." Natalie offered.
"Sure, I think I can do that." Connor said, getting to his feet awkwardly while trying not to touch his broken leg. When he did manage to stand up, he wobbled and started to lean dangerously to the side. Natalie rushed over and helped prop him up, "Thanks" Connor said, to which Natalie just smiled back with a small chuckle and nodded.
They slowly made their way out of the den and continued on down the hill Natalie's den sat on top of. The area just around the den was nice, but nothing spectacular. A small clearing of grass and dirt began at the mouth of the den and continued until it was gradually broken by small bushes and some tall grass. The low foliage gave way to a line of trees, which seemed to be blocking much of the wind because the tops swayed and shook in what appeared to be a strong gale, but the air was calm where Connor and Natalie walked. In particularly strong gusts, small clouds of dry brown needles would drift down from the treetops, creating a light pattering like the first rain on the hard packed dirt of the valley after it had been picked clean by transient herds of caribou. They slowly progressed towards a small break in the brush where the bushes seemed to grow up like walls of green leaves, speckled with brightly colored berries and the occasional flower peeking out from between the branches. Dead needles continued to fall, not as profusely as before, but now they seemed to dance as they fell, spinning and pirouetting as the air lifted and dropped them like the graceful sweeps of a pair of professional dancer gliding gracefully back and forth across the floor.
At the end of this green hallway, the sun shone down through the leaves and glowed like sparkling lances of light as dust floated by. Where these intangible pillars met the ground, patterns shifted, very similar, never quite the same at any two times. The wind also brought with it a clean crisp smell, cooling the tips of Connor's and Natalie's noses.
When the two arrived at the clearing, it was still early in the day, and the sun had yet to light the entire area, leaving the ground cool even in the sun. At one end of the clearing, a creek fell in a mini waterfall, making a small splash and gurgle rather than a roar, and in the deeper parts, small fish darted around, nibbling at the dead leaves and the green moss that grew on the submerged rocks. The small flashes of movement combined with the ambient sound of the flowing water produced an almost hypnotic environment. The creek snaked across, lightly twisting around until it turned out of sight behind a particularly large tree at the start of a small hill. Natalie led Connor to a bend in the creek where soft, new grass grew like a thin, light green carpet. Cool and soft to the touch, the grass made a perfect place to lie down, relax, and watch as the world went by.
"I usually come here when I want to think, or when I'm just feeling tired of it all." Natalie told Connor
"It's really nice, I get why you picked it." Connor commented, then asked" When have you needed to come here, you never seemed like the depressible type?"
"You remember how I wasn't at Kate and Humphrey's wedding, right?" Natalie asked.
"Yeah." Connor acknowledged, his voice lilting at the end in a half question.
"Well, this is where I was." Natalie continued, trailing off like she wanted to continue but wasn't sure if she should.
Connor scooted himself over next to Natalie and looked her in the eye. "If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to"
"No, I want to tell you. A close friend of my family, he was from the Eastern pack, was sent out with a small group to check out some supposed bear sightings. When they went out, he got too far from the rest and…and…" Natalie's eyes began to fill with tears and her voice caught in her throat as a deep sorrow welled up from her heart. Natalie managed to continue between quiet sobs "When the rest of them caught up, it was obvious there was no way he would even make it back."
Natalie broke down. Tears poured down her face and shudders racked her body as she wept, and all Connor could do was hold her with his good side and nuzzle her, whispering "I'm so sorry, don't be sad, hussssh, I'm right here, I love you, please don't cry..." Connor tensed slightly when he realized that he had just said "I love you", but Natalie seemed not to have noticed.
"And on top of that," Natalie continued, now mostly in control of herself, "Since my parents went to be with his family, I'm all alone, no one to talk to, except when I'm with you guys, and I really hate the emptiness."
"Why didn't you say something, you can stay with me!" Connor offered, "There's no one else, and the view is amazing."
"That would be nice," Natalie answered, "but I didn't think you ever brought anyone to your place?"
"I only show people that I trust, and I trust you" Connor said.
"Thank you, you have no idea how much that means to me." Natalie thanked
"You can always ask me for help, I care about you… a lot." Connor added, with a hint of nervousness.
Natalie and Connor spent the next hour or so just resting and enjoying each other's company, then decided to make their way to Connor's den, because, with a broken leg, it would take much longer to get where they were going. The walk gave them time to talk, Natalie telling Connor about her family, sharing little stories about her childhood adventures, while Connor talked about the many amazing sights he had seen and a couple of the more interesting inventions he'd made. They stopped and made detours on their way, happy to just talk about nothing special and look around at what nature had made of the dirt, rock, and flowing water that made up Jasper. By the time they arrived at the patch in front of Connor's den, the sun was setting, painting the clouds red and orange in the fading light. The trees stood, dark silhouettes outlined in orange and gold, and their shadows stretched further and further, until they faded away with the last moments of the day.
"Wow, it really is beautiful." Natalie commented softly, awed by the sight.
"Yeah, it really is." Connor observed. "Here, let me get this." Connor released the mechanism that held the branches over his den, walked in with Natalie, and settled down to sleep, Connor's head resting on her shoulder.
"Good night." Natalie whispered.
"Good night." Connor whispered back, before falling asleep.
