Maddy's P.O.V.
I think I loved him too much.
Is that possible? Loving someone so badly that when you lose them, you break? I hadn't thought it was, but then again, I hadn't ever been in love, had I? Now I'm not so sure.
I still think of him too much, that I know for certain. I think of all of them, my pack, how happy we'd been until she came along. It's not just them that I miss. It's my whole life back there, my normal, boring, everyday human life, a life I'd loved. If we can ever come out of hiding, will I be able to return to that life? Something tells me not. Back home, life will have carried on without me; everyone will be doing A-Levels and planning their future, while I'm stuck here, doing the same thing I've done every day for the three years since I was forced to leave my home. There's no going back to the way things used to be. Maybe that's what hurts the most.
I keep my eye on my prey, a medium-sized brown rabbit crouching in the underbrush. It twitches its nose, hopping around a bit before beginning to pull on some plants with its long front teeth. Its burrow must be nearby; maybe there's more of them. And yeah, I know that's a really terrible thing to think, especially since three years ago I really liked rabbits, but it's what I've got to think like these days in order to survive.
A bright shaft of sunlight falls on the rabbit, highlighting my dinner. I keep my breath slow and quiet as I anticipate its next move. Then, before it has time to even flop over to the next plant, I pounce. Mid-air, my body transforms and I feel the wind rush through my skin before I land on the ground on four paws.
I briskly kill the rabbit, snapping its head back with my front paws in the way Jana taught me all those years ago. Its dead in a second, hanging limply from my jaws. I decide to let the other bunnies live for a few more days and slowly begin to pad back to camp.
The lazy summer breeze sends tingles through my fur as I weave my way through the conifers. Moss and lichen cling to the trees and brightly coloured mushrooms climb up the damp, textured bark. High up in the sky the dawn sun shines brightly, and I find myself wondering, yet again, what he's doing right now.
We swore the last time we met that we'd find each other. No matter what, and I meant it. I still do mean it. I'm just…not sure how much longer I can keep meaning it before I give up hope forever.
"Maddy!" I turn around to find Jana running up to me, her long crimson curls flying behind her as she leaps deftly over a fallen log. I change back to human form as she catches up to me with huge, shining eyes. "Guess what!"
"What?" I ask, curious at her enthusiastic face.
"I just used Eolas Maddy, and I saw something very exciting." She hops about a bit, tingling with excitement. "You wanna know what it is?"
My heart immediately begins to pound faster. Could she have seen…him? I stare at her, nodding, hardly daring to breathe in case I miss the words she says.
"My dad's coming here Maddy, and he's got a new cub!" She pauses ecstatically, waiting for my reaction. I stare at her face before exclaiming loudly "O-Oh, that's great Jana! That's really good! They're coming here?"
She nods and starts to chatter happily, and I make the appropriate noises of interest as I feel my heart slowly sink back to its normal pace. I feel the familiar sadness weight my stomach. That's about the hundredth time in three years that I've got my hopes up, all for nothing. I take a deep breath and zone back in to Jana's babble.
"Wait-so Alric's coming here? I thought he was exiled. Will the pack even let him visit?"
"That's why it's a secret." Jana stops abruptly and whirls around, holding my shoulders. "You have to promise not to tell anyone." She looks earnestly into my eyes. "Do you promise, Maddy?"
"Yeah, of course. That's what friends are for!" I grin and playfully shove her backwards. "Come on, I'll race you back to camp!" And grabbing my rabbit, I make a run for it.