I sat wrapped up in a blanket watching the small children run around playing. I smile weakly in amusement. The warm sun filters softly through the breeze and warms my fur. "Mei Xiang, I brought you some warm broth. My Nainai told me to have you drink some." I slowly raised my eyes to look up at the speaker. Red-brown fur surrounding warm amber eyes faced me. "Naoko." I greeted warmly with a smile. He grinned reveling a row of sharp fangs within his maw. I obediently drank the bowl of warm broth. The sweet taste of cinnamon flooded my mouth with a hint of sugar. I sighed when the bowl was removed from my mouth. "Tell Nainai that the broth was delicious, wo de yingxiong." He let a purr of delight as he jogged off to another cheetah who looked similar to him. The two greeted and spoke for a little while. I returned my gaze to watching the children.

"Tag! You're it!" "Lily! This way!" I watched and laughed as one little girl crashed into me. "Oops! Sorry miss!" She looked bashfully down at her feet as Naoko came running over to help me up. "Amethyst!" I placed a paw on his chest. "It was merely an accident, Naoko. She meant no harm. She was playing tag? I've never heard of the game, but it looked fun. She just didn't want to get caught." He placed his paw over mine and we both locked eyes. "If you insist." Turning to the snow leopard, he crouched down. "Can you be a bit more careful with your games? Mei Xiang is still not quite up to strength for rough play just yet." The little girl nodded vigorously, her eyes brightening when she realized that he wasn't mad at her. "Off you gjo, little one." I mewled. She smiled and hugged me before dashing off after her friends.

Naoko and I walked away from all of the chaos of their encampment. "You handled that pretty well." I remarked quietly, leaning on his shoulder for extra support. He glanced down at me before sweeping me up into his arms. "Well everyone here thinks that I am going to marry you. They don't realize that it is entirely up to you though. I know that you want to get back to your family as soon as possible. I wish that I could help you get back to them, but Nainai is the leader here and she wants to get you better before we help you find them. I also want to help lead them-" I stopped hi8s rambling by pressing my lips against his. "Stupid fur ball." I murmured. "I'm more than happy to stay here as long as I need too. You make me happy. My parents will find me when they can. I know it. I left a trail for them all the way there. Hopefully Mama is still up to some tracking." I could feel my heart flutter in my chest. Naoko's eyes brightened with joy before leaning down and returning my kiss. "Then will you do me the honor of being my bride when the right time comes?" I flung my arms around his neck and screamed yes so loud that the whole camp came running to find out what was wrong. Nainai was shocked into joy when Naoko shouted the news to her.

Naoko and I spent every spare moment together. I wanted to know everything about him. However the little children couldn't get enough of me though. They wanted my undivided attention for themselves. It was so sweet. I wished it could have lasted but then we had to move again. We lost Amethyst. She was killed. I was so distraught. I loved her like a daughter. I wish there was something more that I could've done. I wish that I could've rescued her. I should've rescued her.

I sat in the caravan that Baba packed. It was silent. Tigress kept staring at me as if she was starving. Viper and Crane looked back and forth before sighing silently. I looked outside to where Baba was pulling the caravan. I still wore the hanfu that Nainai made for me. I softly fingered the beads that Lily, Rose, Thea, Thomas, and George put on there. Viper finally broke the silence.

"It is so good to see you, Mei Xiang!" I smiled weakly towards her. "It is nice to see you all too." She frowned at my quieter voice. Crane gently touched my shoulder. "Is there something you would like to tell us about what happened?" Tigress's eyes slowly narrowed and steeled. Viper shot her a stern look. I looked at him and nodded. "I witnessed many things and some things can never be erased from my mind. It hurts to think about all of the things that have happened but they keep coming. I can't keep the memories from stopping. Shushu Crane, can we talk about things other than what happened? I don't want to remember. Not everything. Some things were nice that happened, but I want to move on. Please understand." I broke off with tears welling in my eyes as I gave everyone a tearful glance. Guma Viper softly wiped a stray tear from my cheek. Of course sweetie. We understand perfectly. No one will try to push you to do anything you don't want to. Just talk when you are ready." Tigress glanced out the window with a grief stricken look on her maw and I slowly turned my eyes to look at the rest of my family.

Baba's back was to me, but I could see that he was crying silently by the way his shoulders were moving. Shushu Crane was looking out the window on high alert for bandits and other bad guys but his feathers would gently brush me and Tigress in comfort. I shot a quick glance at Guma Viper. She was going from stern looks at Mama, concerned and relieved looks at me, sympathetic looks to Baba, watching for robbers, to grateful looks at Shushu Crane. I inwardly sighed and turned my head to look outside the little window. The haunting memories of the past few years soon came back to visit me.