Two Paws
Chapter 16
A/N: Fiiiiiiinally got this chapter finished. I'm guessing two or three more chapters will end the story. After that, I don't have any immediate ideas for the next big story. I'll probably play with some more one shot stuff for a bit. But yeah, I'm still feeling the same passion for this stuff as I did seven years ago. I've been reminiscing a lot about the early days. Before I started writing. Using my wii to read through dira stories. The bands I listened to at the time. Just remembering my high school days during it. Everything connects and makes it special. Anyway, enough rambling. Just a bit emotional of nostalgia atm.
He lay awake that night with intensified breaths. Every curve of his body aligned with hers, helping keep the comfort and the structure of his life. It came off as a feeling of purity. Everything she represented was drenched in it. He was soaking in everything she gave him. Everything she allowed him to be.
Myself.
The tiger internally thanked her as his lips ran up her skin, vividly remembering everything they did just minutes ago. It all showed. The strength they both gave. The lack of hesitation.
The fact that she led on first.
There wasn't even an ounce of worry in him as it all happened. Before, he always wondered if he'd ever truly show someone what it was to love. What it was to care.
Shira... this is how I show you my love.
She had quickly fallen asleep of exhaustion after their private moment. It was something the tiger envied over. How easily she seemed to always pass out to a good night's rest.
He, on the other hand, always had trouble getting to sleep. He always worried that there was something to do. Some sort of productivity. There was always just one more hour. His brain could never sleep. It kept racing.
And now I have her.
The tiger scratched behind her ear, the two of them curled up, Diego cuddling atop her. The purring came bundled with the smile across her face as she panted in her sleep. Everything she did allowed his awareness to everything he had. And he never wanted to take it for granted.
I never want to stop trying to make things better no matter how good I think they are.
His thoughts cast his gaze towards the daylight outside. So much he wanted to do with her. At the same time, he had the worry that he was being too... clingy.
Maybe she'd like some time to herself this morning.
Gently, he scratched her head, lightly petting down the back of her neck. And that was enough to wake her as her limbs began to move with a lengthy yawn stretching her mouth.
"Morning, beautiful." The tiger teased, puckering her on the cheek. The jolting shock in her movement had the tiger in adoration.
"Diego..." She exclaimed, lunging her lips to his, seeming like she was never going to release.
The tiger stretched out of the embrace she had on him, relaxing and looking to the ceiling.
"That was amazing, last night. I'm just gonna say it." He sighed satisfactorily, giggling between words.
Shira crawled his way to him, laying on her belly beside him. She just smiled and gazed at him with her front legs crossed and her head resting on top.
Diego turned his head to her for a second before looking back to the ceiling.
"I really don't know what else to say."
"It's okay." She assured, her paw clenching a grasp on his pelted chest, the strength of it mirroring the strength of her desires.
His eyes scanned over her, remembering how much he admired every inch and curve of her pelt as they showed how they felt about each other that night.
What intrigued him more was how much she seemed to struggle the previous evening with her still healing injuries. Yet, that night, when everything was happening, she seemed to feel no pain. She only felt loved. She only felt cared for.
It was a bit chilly that morning, so the tigers eventually got up and walked out into the glistening sunlight, the waterfall still as rapidly loud as ever.
As they walked along the pool of water, Shira dipped her paw in, feeling the warmth that the sun reflected onto it.
"Water's pretty warm, don't you think?"
"Yeah, so?"
"So..." she started, bashfully moving closer to him, breath to his ear, "Come on, tiger. Swim with me."
Oh...
Before he had time to respond, she grabbed him by the ankle and led him into the still, clear pool. They held onto each other as their hind legs paddled out to the middle of the lake. The tiger adored the feeling of her fur rhythmically dancing between his paws. The panting gave her rib cage a workout as his paws followed her deep breaths.
On the other side, they lay in the shallow water, the lake's calm movement swaying them from side to side as they held each other. It was total bliss as the sun came up that morning, the two watching in awe.
Can it really get any better than this?
The tiger questioned, perfection's definition seemingly infinite and ongoing. But he always sought for more. Even when it seemed like enough.
She seemed like she was wanting to get up at that time, however, the tiger thought otherwise. She tried budging a bit, the tiger's grasp around her seemingly locked in place.
"Do you mind?" She teased a smile.
"Yes?"
"You can't hold me here forever, you know?"
"Try me."
She giggled as she snuggled back into him, eyeing the morning skies and the clouds that were seeping in.
"Hey, Diego... would it be alright if I... well..."
Diego eyed her, seeing the struggling hesitation on her lips.
"I really... would like to try hunting on my own today."
What? Shira, why?
"Just this once, if that's okay." She added.
"Shira... I really think it's better that we hunt together."
It seemed that the second he said that, her hope filled eyes turned to instant disappointment.
"But it's okay if it's just you that goes, right? I forgot, you can handle it, unlike me." She rolled her eyes in annoyance, getting up and shaking her pelt dry.
This again, huh?'
"Sorry I asked, Diego." She sighed, head down and back to the tiger.
It took every bit of willpower the tiger had to spew out what he believed to be the truth.
"Shira, you know I can't make your decisions for you."
As she eyed him, he would strive for the perfect balance. To return and show compassion. To understand that his future started with the first word that he ever said to her.
His paws reached for hers, facing her towards him. As he hugged her, it lent her strength. He knew she'd follow his lead.
"You mean... you're okay with it?" She tilted her head.
"Honestly, I'm just as concerned with myself when I go hunting. There's always risk. No matter what. That's how the world is."
He struggled to speak out against himself. There was a war inside that was all his own. He was always feeling he needed to talk like a king to keep himself afloat.
"What difference could it make, anyway?" The sarcasm in his humor was easily picked up on by her.
Minutes went by after she left. The tiger padded back and forth between the cave and the lake to ease his mind from thinking too much. He drank from the lake, eyeing his reflection. He rested by the trees, lightly scratching at the bark. Any way to take his mind off the endless worry.
I want to be there for her. That's all I realized I ever wanted. Just like she's been there for me.
As the hour went by, it worried him that he couldn't pick up her scent. It was clear to the tiger that she went far looking for food. Looking down from the cliff tops, he could practically see the entirety of the blizzard that hovered over the plains to the horizon.
Ultimately, his contemplation only led to the same result: She was all he had. The only thought in his head that drove him to start jolting down the rugged terrain and into the storming fields.
As he scorched the winding blizzard, his nose twitched from the awkward state he was in to pick up her scent.
The numbness hit back with every step his paws took into the waist deep powder. It led him to using his own body weight to lunge through. But the further he got, the further he considered turning around and heading back... in the right direction, hopefully. It was difficult to tell with nothing but powdered plains and fog that could splinter dust of ice across his pelt.
What caught his attention was when his foot... caught something. He figured it was a rock or chunk of ice or something, but the more his foot moved around, the more he realized what it felt like.
I feel... fur?
Instantly he started digging away with the lack of feeling in his paws. He grunted and growled as he descended farther below himself until he saw what looked like a paw.
Oh my god.
His heart froze with the weather as he grabbed the paw and began pulling.
Inch by inch was revealed. What tore Diego were the black stripes across the pelt. The frozen, stiff limbs came next. Slowly, the neck appeared as the tiger kept tugging back above the surface.
At that point, he let go. He couldn't process it anymore. The very idea that it was her.
"I shouldn't have let you. I shouldn't have. Shira...
He was brought to his belly, head down and gazing at the nearly uncovered body. The soft pink paws. The black stripes. And the ears that barely showed. As the wind kept blowing, snow revealed something that changed everything.
The earring wasn't there. Neither ear had piercing holes.
Slowly, the tiger noticed subtle differences in the body. The stripes were different. The ears less perky.
It's not her.
On one hand, it was a relief. On the other, it was a corpse that he was unfortunate to have even gazed upon. Even if the frozen state kept it from deteriorating.
That's... her sister. The one that was killed by an avalanche. It has to be...
Thoughts of debate sped through the tiger as he contemplated what to do. He still needed to find Shira. That was the top priority.
The tiger wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to leave it here, but he also didn't want to drag it somewhere. It felt so uneasy. So disrespectful without her consent. These choices ultimately had him recall his early years. How difficult it was for him to make his own choices. Especially when everyone else constantly made them for him.
How could they expect me to make my own?
He figured it best to just return to the falls for the time being as he climbed and tumbled his way back up the cliff side, gazing back down at the storm that gave no signs of slowing down as the cold winds picked through his ruffled pelt.
It was quite a feeling of relief to see her again as he returned to the cave. Better yet, her hunt seemed successful given the caribou she brought back.
Her back was turned to him as she was busy chowing down at the carcass. The tiger playfully snuck up to her, really wanting to surprise her. But as he pounced on her, it completely slipped his mind that sabers... had instincts.
Hearing her snarl and the slash to his shoulder was enough for that reminder as the tiger yelped and backed off.
The second her gaze met his, the blood thirst in her eyes and the curl on her lips vanished. All that was left was the guilt of realizing what she had just done.
"Diego! I didn't... I mean, I'm so sorry!"
Though the inflicting wound barely hurt to the tiger, Shira was seeing it as severely as her own injuries.
"It's fine, Shira. Don't worry. It's not even bleeding." He said, showing the scratches.
"I didn't mean to hurt you..." she assured.
"I know." He murmured, casting his mouth to hers, appreciating the taste. Appreciating the food. Appreciating her.
Looking past it all, as her head rested in his chest, Diego eyed around her at the food she brought back.
As they ate, it was the first time Diego felt happy about his decision. Or hers, rather. Nothing unfolded into tragedy. Into regret.
All the while, the thought of what he found that day kept him uneasy and tense. He wasn't sure whether to bring it up or not.
Do I just casually say I found a dead body? No... I can't just... I don't know. But I can't hurt her. That's the one thing.
All his thoughts kept him unaware that she had finished eating. She was already eying him as he tilted his head to her.
"You okay?" She asked.
He could only choke the words out.
"Yeah. I'm good... why?"
"You look tense." She insisted, smirking and turning her head in wonder.
Hearing her mention it caused him to relax his limbs, but there was no hiding the uneasy breathing. Especially when she noticed it all.
"Diego..." she sighed and scooted against him, "Is there something you want to talk about?"
It was odd. What she asked felt like the most comfortable feeling he's ever known. That was likely because through out his life, no one had the energy to ask if he was okay. No one had the time. Maybe they cared, but what good did it do?
The truth was, there were things he wanted to talk about. Anything, really. It was really all about talking to her.
"Nothing in particular." He tried insisting.
"Okay... you know how to swim, right?" She asked seemingly out of nowhere.
"Yeah. Why?" It still bugged him how little he spoke. How dull he felt.
"Maybe you could teach me." She said with a bashful twirl in her body.
He only nodded and slightly smiled. But it only lasted a second before he looked away.
"You sure nothing's wrong? You can tell me anything, you know?"
Anything, huh?
Just thinking about how much she cared. How she'd do anything for him. How she could have the same feelings that he had for her. How unlikely it seemed corresponded with how special she was.
"Nothing's wrong, Shira. Everything's perfect. You just..."
His mental capacity collapsed of the emotion as he latched himself around her, tears forming in.
"You just make me so happy."
The tiger could feel her own emotions collapsing as well.
She's the only one I've ever loved. I want to keep it all. Keep the love alive and strong.
His paws twiddled in her pelt behind her ears, the purring ringing throughout them both. Just hugging her. Just embracing her. That was all he needed to show something so immeasurable as his feelings were for her.
Maybe tomorrow I'll feel more comfortable telling her. Maybe I'll think of something then. I probably just need a good night's sleep.
He began to yawn as he fell asleep with her under the stars with the falls taking up the silence.
What's the worst that could happen?