"Heyyyy Damara!" I had yelled, waving at her. She looked up from the ground and smiled back warmly. This was the Damara I had come to know and love. Before everything happened between her and Rufioh, she was a sweet, warm girl. But even at the time, she was beginning to realize that Rufioh was shifting his attention somewhere else.

"Hello Meulin!" She had said back, and started to quicken her pace. When she reached me she had swiped a loose strand of hair to the side and smiled up at me, a small backpack over her shoulders and a little journal in hand.

"What is that Damara?" I had asked curiously.

"This my drawing journal. I been trying to work on drawing lately while Rufioh busy."

"Oh! May I see?" She nodded and handed me the book. I motioned inside, and she walked past me to go to the living room. I had shut the door, opening the book to look while following her. "Wow MarMar these are furrntastic! You drew all of these?"

"Yes. Thank you Meulin. Uh… Who that boy I saw come from here?"

"Who, Purrloz? He's a good furriend of mine."

"Very good, eh?" She said, winking and nudging my side. I couldn't help but blush a little bit.

"Marmar, it's not like that!"

"Whatever you say Meulin." She had giggled though, and was grinning.

"How are you and Rufioh doing now a days?" I had asked. She frowned and looked away.

"Not so good. I think he cheating on me."

"What?! No way! Rufioh wouldn't do that to you Damara."

"I used to think so too, but now, I not so sure. He spend all of his time with Horuss, never make time for me."

"Oh dear… Purrhaps they are uh…"

"I know what they doing. But whenever I try to catch them, they always just doing friend stuff. Hey, would you do favor for me Meulin?"

"Of purrs Damara! What is it?"

"Will you spy on Horuss and Rufioh? Tell me what you see?"

I gave her a very empathetic look. This must all be so painful for her, because everyone knew that this had been going on for a while. "Yeah. I will Damara, and I will tell you exactly what I see."

"Thank you. So what we do now?"

"How about we have dinner, watch a movie, and just relax for a while?"

She nodded. She looked so broken, knowing that her matesprit was cheating on her, but she managed to give me another sincere smile.

I had gone into the kitchen and started making dinner. Damara chopped up some vegetables she found in the hull, and I was cooking the leftovers of a kill from a few days ago. Damara offered to make rice too, and pretty soon a huge dinner was set at the counter. I took two bowls from the cabinet and handed one to her, and we sat next to each other enjoying our meal. It was now about six or seven, so the sun was rising quickly. We would need to go to sleep soon.

"This very good Meulin. How you learn to cook so well?"

"Cat mom showed me when I was little. I've been cooking fur me and her fur a few sweeps now, and I've managed to bring out more flavor with experimenting."

"It paying off." She smiled again. I motioned my hand out for her plate, and she gave it to me. I threw them in the sink with the rest of the cooking utensils and walked back into the living room with her.

"We watch movie now?" She asked curiously. I had nodded and slipped her favorite movie in for her, an anime film called 'Howls Moving Castle." It was one of the troll films with a much shorter name, thankfully, and it had a great story line. Damara rolled out her sleeping bag in front of the tv, and I grabbed a few pillows and blankets from behind the couch. I tossed one of the fluffy comforters and a pillow over to her, and she climbed into her little nest of comfort. I set my spot up on the couch and laid down as well, and curled up on the couch the way I always did, arms together and up to support my head, tail curled around me, and snuggled up for warmth. Within half an hour we had both drifted off into sleep. Just before I let myself go, though, I had taken one glimpse at Damara. She looked so peaceful, wrapped up in her sleeping bag and off in a world where nothing could hurt her, not even the impending ruin of her relationship.

How must it feel, I wondered? To lose the one you love to another, without being able to confront him about it?

Whenever she did talk to Rufioh about it, he would wave it off and convince her everything was fine. But they both knew it wasn't. And it was taking its toll on Damara.

Lately she had been very depressed, not talking to anyone. It was a miracle I could get her to come over, or even talk to me. Most of the people she was in contact with she would use her foreign language on, confusing them and saying whatever she pleased. They were often offensive things. It's a good thing we were such close friends, or she might have lost herself sooner, and taken it out on me the way she had been with some others. She would always come to me when Rufioh was ignoring her for Horuss. But tomorrow would be difficult for us both. I was going to spy on them for her, and I think we both knew what I would see. But maybe not, maybe it was all just a rumor. That's what I had hoped.

The next night Damara had woken me up.

"Meulin, I have to go home now. You spy on Rufioh for me, right?"

I groggily nodded. "Bye Marmar, see you later…"

"Bye Meulin. You message me when you done, okay?"

I had nodded again. She smiled lightly before taking her leave.

I woke up a few hours later. It was a full moon tonight, so the shine crept through the windows. A beautiful pinkish-green aura floating down from the heavens. I sat up from the couch and stretched out, rubbing my eyes to wake up. Cat mom had been nice enough to lay out my clothes for the day before taking off. Since Rufioh lived in the forest, I wouldn't be able to wear green without getting caught. The outfit was a sleek black tank top, and some light purple basketball shorts. I saw a little slip of paper on the pile of clothes. I picked it up and read it over.

'Be safe dear. Don't get caught. Love mew! 33

~ Cat mom'

I smiled to myself. What would I ever do without my great Lusus?

I stood up and changed into my clothes. I rushed upstairs to fix myself up, brushing my long hair again and putting it up in a ponytail. "Remember Meulin." I said to myself in the mirror.

"Be quiet, be sneaky, and DON'T GET CAUGHT." I made the most serious expression I could manage, and then giggled. My serious faces were so forced, but I loved to watch myself make them. I flung myself down the stairs and slipped on my hunting boots, and considered bringing my camera. Hm…

Better to be safe then sorry, Damara might want proof. I grabbed the sleek black Trikon camera off my counter and headed out the door.

The walk was a bit of a ways. Once I hit the forested area near Rufioh's house I started to slow down and watch myself. I had never really been out here before, but I knew where it was. I watched each purple barked tree for his house. I was so focused on looking for it I almost tripped into the clearing behind it, losing my cover. I caught myself at the edge of the trees and crouched down behind a bush. The clearing was lined with weapons and I could hear Horuss and Rufioh coming out.

"Yeah man, let's sword play a little eh?"

"Alright Rufioh. Do you… think she'll be coming tonight?"

"Nah. She said she was hangin' with Meulin. And plus, she's got some other things to do."

"Good. Then no one will be bothering us."

They were standing dead in the center of the clearing. Horuss had pulled Rufioh right into an affectionate kiss. I was shocked. Horrified even. Rufioh didn't struggle, or push away… He kissed him back with such intense passion. What are you doing Rufioh? I had wanted to yell. Instead I gasped quietly and covered my mouth instantly. In my head I was praying oh mog oh mog please let them not notice me. The two had glanced around suspiciously, but soon returned to their kiss.

I took out my digital camera from my cleavage and carefully aimed it… Let the frame focus… I carefully slipped my finger on the button… and…

"Hey Meulin!"

I ducked back down behind the bush and looked back. Kurloz. Kurloz god damn it you couldn't have picked a worse time.

He was taking a hike through the woods and saw me. I looked back at him and was motioning to shush and to ignore me. Nevertheless, he walked up.

I put my fingers to my lips and made a very serious expression. He nodded and walked through the clearing, finally starting to pretend I wasn't there.

"Hey guys."

"Oh, Uh… Hey Kurloz. Why'd you say Meulin?"

He laughed lightly. "I thought I saw her but it must be my imagination."

"Oh. Why are you here?"

"Just passing through. What are you guys up to? And why are you guys so close?"

"We were just practicing how to get out of a hold. But we would appreciate being alone, High blood." Horuss's voice sounded very defensive. Getting out of a hold my ass, I thought.

"Oh. I'll leave you motherfuckers then."

He walked back the way he came, and glanced down at me momentarily while he passed.

"Phew." Rufioh let out.

I had turned back around and watched them through the shrubbery. They began to nuzzle and kiss and just watching it made me sick.

"You two timing asshole…" I had grumbled under my breath. They didn't hear me of course. When they were very intimately focused on each other again, I had snuck my way up above the bush and aimed my camera again. I made sure everything was in focus, rested my finger on the button, and…

Click.

Click.

Click.

Three photos. The pain in my chest was telling me to delete them. But Damara was a strong girl. She could handle it.

I slumped back down behind the bush and looked at them solemnly. I just couldn't understand.

How could Rufioh do this to her?