Here is chapter 3. There is a lot more dialogue starting in this chapter and future chapters will have a lot as well. This may be the last chapter I can get up this week due to final exams. I will update if I can. I appreciate the feedback I've been getting. You guys are the best! Thanks for reading and leave reviews please. Enjoy! :)

'Dad, please stop! It hurts!'

'Good! You deserve it. You're nothing but a waste of fur and should never have existed!'

'Mom, please help me!'

'She's gone forever and can never help you again. Now shut up!'

I woke up startled and afraid. Fortunately it was all just a dream, but it seemed so real. I was remembering my past when my dad abused me. These memories had been haunting me recently in my dreams and getting any sleep was becoming harder and harder.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?! Get your paws off of me!" a voice said. It was the female I was lying beside from the night before.

"Oh, um, s-sorry. I can explain."

"I don't even know you! Why are you touching me?!" she said furiously.

"Please, give me a chance to explain. I'm not sure if you remember, but you were injured and I found you. Your leg was cut badly, so I treated it. The reason I was touching you is because you were shivering last night and I didn't want you freezing to death. I was just trying to help."

"I don't need your help! I can take care of myself!" she replied.

"I can see that." I said sarcastically. "What's your name?"

"Shira. And you?" She was still clearly frustrated.

"I'm Diego. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, whatever. I gotta get out of here."

"I wouldn't try that, kitty. It will take some time before you can walk again. You need to rest."

"Look, I'm not some helpless cub, I can do this on my own. And DON'T call me kitty! Ow!"

She tried to stand up, but the pain was too intense. I knew she couldn't leave the cave for at least a few more days.

"I'm serious, you need to stay put and rest. You'll get better a lot faster if you do. I can take care of the hunting for both of us."

"Ugh, fine. But ONLY until I can walk again. Then I'm out of here."

"Fine with me, kitty." She glared at me, hating that nickname.

I walked out of the cave, frustrated and hungry. Deep down I didn't want her to leave, but I wasn't about to tell her that. Soon after I found a herd of gazelle. There were plenty to choose from, so I nabbed one and brought it back to her. She needed to eat more than I did to get her strength back.

"Alright, lunch is served. Dig in."

The next thing I know, she starts devouring the gazelle carcass. It seemed as though she hadn't eaten in days. I let her eat it all since she seemed so desperate for food.

"Well, someone's hungry."

She glanced up at me for a split second and continued eating.

Once she finished, I drug the carcass out and disposed of it in the woods. I was still starving from not having eaten the night before and hunting this morning.

"You need some water?" I said to her.

"Yeah, I'm thirsty."

"Alright, I'll be right back."

I made my way over to the river and scooped some water into a small bowl-like log I found near the bank. Before I went back, I snatched some fish and ate them to hold me over for a little while.

Just as I was about to head back into the cave, I saw her cleaning herself since she had just eaten. I hid behind a corner, peering in very carefully to watch and trying to make sure I wasn't seen by her. Once again, thoughts of her entered my mind as I watched her. 'Wow, she's even more beautiful than I thought. The sun reflecting off her coat makes her look like an angel. I must be the luckiest saber in the world.' She looked up, but I backed up just in time to avoid being seen. A couple minutes later, I went in and set the bowl next to her.

"Well, here you go. Anything else?"

She lapped up every drop with her tongue.

"No, I feel better now. By the way, sorry about before. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I know you were just trying to help."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I would have reacted the same way if I was in your position."

We both remained quiet for a little while. It started to get dark outside and we were both getting hungry again. I ran out and got more food and water for us, but this time we shared a meal. We finished eating and started letting our food digest.

"So, what happened yesterday? You know, how did you get hurt?" I asked.

"Oh, I was chasing down a gazelle and it took a hard left turn and tripped me up. I must have cut myself in the process. I didn't realize just how bad it was until vultures started swarming above me, like they knew it was only a matter of time. I thought I was dead for sure at that point. That's when I started crying out for help. The next thing I know, I woke up in this cave."

"Good thing I heard you, otherwise you would have been a mid-day snack for those vultures."

She giggled a little and said, "Yeah."

A giggle. That was progress. I knew, slowly but surely, that she was warming up to me. I would wait as long as I needed to for her. There was no other saber on this Earth that I wanted as much as her. Darkness set in and we decided to call it a night.

"Let's get some sleep. Goodnight, kitty."

"For the LAST time, don't call me kitty."

"Fine...kitty." I mumbled so she could barely hear me.