Chapter 3

It was late in the morning, and although the sun was high in the sky, a blanket of clouds had rolled in from the sea and cast the city into a dull haze, stifling the warmth that was coming with the change of season. A cool breeze blew by, making Kiran regret leaving his cloak behind as he shivered. As if reflecting the state of the day and his now sour mood, the city itself was less lively than usual, and the foot traffic entering and leaving the city was sparser than it had been in weeks.

This wasn't unexpected though. Kiran had noticed that travel had been on a decline ever since his arrival in Warfang, and rumors of dangerous roads were spreading faster and farther throughout Warfang with each passing day. Kiran was a direct witness to this, both from his own travels and from his time skulking around the city. After Amber had vanished, he had been searching for her almost every day by looking in bars, roaming the streets and mingling in the crowds. He hadn't found her, but he had heard more than his fair share of stories murmured in hushed voices. There were tales of strange monsters appearing in the night, whispers of potential ape movements in the north, fear over a growing number of missing citizens, and a general rumbling discontent with the state of the city that was particularly strong with Cheetahs.

He wasn't quite sure what to make of it all, though he knew that none of it was good. If this world was anything like his, then something was coming that would threaten the life that everyone was accustomed to. The peace that Warfang claimed to have seemed to be supported by a weak foundation, and if anything hit it too hard, he felt that it would collapse. That idea alone made his whole being tremble with terrible anxiety, and Kiran prayed that his fears would never come to fruition.

Along with this overhanging sense of dread was the disappointment that came with being unable to find any hint of Amber. It was as if she had vanished entirely the day they last talked and not even Ruby, who had commented that Amber had sought solitude for blocks of time before, knew of her whereabouts. It was disconcerting to him that she could be gone without anyone seeming to care, and the more he heard from the city around him, the greater he worried for her.

That problem, however, was not his focus. Right now, he was leaning against an old and sturdy stone tower by the Northern gate, ignoring the occasional glances others sent his way. He was waiting for someone, but they had not arrived as of yet, and his nerves were beginning to fray.

He sighed, glanced at the clouded sun to ascertain the time, and switched feet to keep one leg from falling asleep. Close by, a cheetah mother tended to her child, comforting her after she had tripped and fallen along the road. Kiran watched the pair for a few moments, a strange feeling welling up inside, and looked away when it became too much.

C'mon, he thought impatiently. Where are you? I won't be able to wait all day, and I don't know if I can muster the courage to try this again. Nova barely convinced me to do this once.

A flicker of a smile appeared on his face, only for it to vanish a moment later. A pair of small specks appeared in the distance, just over the horizon, and all his attention shifted to them. Over the course of an hour, the specks morphed into shadowy shapes and eventually became recognizable as a small group of traveling cheetahs. Each one of them carried supplies and weapons, but thankfully, it looked like their trip had been uneventful.

That must be them. But where is she?

The cheetah heading the group drifted to the side and revealed a smaller, hunched cheetah walking behind him. Kiran snapped to attention and pushed himself upright. As the group finally made it to the gate, he slipped his hands into his pockets in an attempt to feign a calm demeanor and hide the feelings churning inside.

Leaving without a goodbye had been a mistake, though he wouldn't have admitted that before. Now, with his changing outlook, the action made him want to smack his past self because he had truly been an idiot.

If only I had listened sooner, Kiran lamented. Why was I so stubborn?

He already knew the answer. Years of doctrine and philosophy formed the person that he would become, and it was difficult to break out of that mold. He finally had, though it had been a costly journey to reach that point. Now, it was his duty to make amends for his mistakes, just as he would with Luna.

Today, hopefully, he'd be able to do so with Leah.

He watched as most of the group reached the gate and checked in with the guard, while Leah looked on toward the city wistfully. There was a pain in her gaze that Kiran had never seen before, but it only lasted for a moment before she spotted him. Her eyes filled with a shine that overshadowed the pain underneath, and a toothy grin spread across her face.

Kiran couldn't hold her gaze. He did not understand why she could be joyful to see him. He remained still even as the soft patter of paws against stone signified that she was coming closer. He tried to ignore them, thinking rapidly about what he would say, and closed his eyes. It was only when the steps ceased that he dared lift his head and open his eyes again. Two gray paws filled his vision, and with them came Leah's voice.

"Kiran… it's good to see you again."

Kiran looked up and was met with a warm smile that he didn't deserve. His mouth formed words, but they didn't come forth. Without missing a beat, Leah stepped up to him and started to prod and poke him with her paw, analyzing him like she had in Farleigh.

"My, my, you look much better now," she said, her voice soft and measured. "I was worried that traveling would cause you to fall ill again, but I suppose my worries were misplaced. You seem healthier than ever."

Kiran managed a weak smile and shrugged. He stood patiently as Leah finished her inspection but lifted his hand to wipe his eyes. Shortly thereafter, Leah set her paw atop her walking stick and struck the ground twice, grinding the wood into the stone. Her smile faded and her tail became as taut as her face as it swung back and forth.

"Shimmer wrote to me," she said. "There was an honest attempt to reassure me of your safety, but I must admit that I've worried about the two of you regardless."

"You don't have to," Kiran said softly. "We're capable."

"That's true, and I have faith in you both, but long forgotten instincts plague me at times. There's little I can do."

"I'm sorry. I didn't intend to worry you."

Leah chuckled lightly and looked toward the city. "Don't apologize. It's been a blessing, of sorts."

How could that be a blessing? All I've caused you is grief. There was a long pause before Kiran responded. "I'm glad you made it safely to Warfang. I've been waiting for you."

Leah brightened. "You received my letter, then?"

"I did," Kiran said, shifting in place uncomfortably. "I… haven't read it, though."

"Ah." Leah's paws gripped her staff firmly, and her voice became firm. "Well, I'm glad that you were able to keep Shimmer safe on the road and protect those that needed help. However, you need to be cautious. Shimmer would be devastated if anything happened to you."

"...I know. She's a better friend than I deserve."

Leah's brow furrowed. She cleared her throat to speak, but her companions called and waved for her. Something settled onto her shoulders, as if weighing her down, and she sighed. "I apologize, but I must go. There are matters we must attend to."

She turned to leave, but Kiran lunged forward in a moment of panic and grasped the sleeve of her cloak. "Wait!"

Leah froze, then turned back with bemusement. Her paw reached up, settled on Kiran's hand, and gently pushed it away. He pulled his hand back as if he had been struck, and her ears fell flat. "Kiran, forgive me, but I must go."

Kiran stared at his hand for a moment before letting it fall to his side. "I… Could I have a moment? There's something I need to say."

She considered his question with veiled eyes. After a moment, she whistled softly then waved to her party to go on, earning a few nods. "I will hear you. However, before you say your piece, I would request we go somewhere less intrusive."

"Do you have a place in mind?" he asked, with a voice that was a sliver away from trembling.

"I do. Follow me."

Leah began walking along the city wall, but it only took a few long strides for Kiran to catch up. To his confusion, Leah followed the wall to the western side of the city before turning and walking down a worn pathway. This led to a cozy cove of houses that were packed together tightly, and it soon became clear after a few minutes that a majority of the citizens here were Cheetahs.

Kiran's curiosity and trepidation manifested through his hands as they fiddled with his kunai pouch. He had no clue as to where they were going, but he was certain that Leah wanted somewhere private to scold or yell at him. With growing resignation, Kiran followed respectfully, even as the worn paths faded away and dirt took their place. Soon enough, grass, flowers and other plants began to dominate the ground, and trees filled the empty space until the city couldn't be seen through the veil of vegetation. They then crossed through an overhang of trees that led directly to a well-maintained path that cut through the wooded area, and followed this path for over ten minutes until they emerged out into a large clearing that stretched out as far as he could see.

Inside of the clearing, the city of Warfang ceased to exist. The sounds of the city were non-existent, the buildings and walls were blocked from view by the canopy above, and the air seemed heavy, leaving Kiran with a sense of vague familiarity that made his gut twist uncomfortably. He had been in a place like this before. But for what? And why?

It only took a moment for Kiran to remember. Ahead of them, in meticulous rows, were gray, chiseled stone markers that circled around a granite monument. This monument sat in the center of the clearing and glowed pleasantly under the sunlight, standing brightly in contrast to the markers that seemed to be dulled by the earth they touched.

Kiran stopped, feeling a wave of unease pass over his body and shuddered. He now understood why he felt horrible. They were in a graveyard, a place that only served to remind others of what they had lost. He had visited the grave of his mother a few times after her death, but the pain of her memory became too hard to bear, and he had stopped visiting. Why go somewhere that would only cause pain? It didn't make sense to him, which is why he didn't understand why Leah had decided to come here of all places. She even appeared as sullen as Kiran had in the past, though her face softened when she noticed Kiran's reluctant posture.

With a swift movement of her paws, she tapped her staff against the ground. "You may leave if you'd like, but I wouldn't mind the company. Regardless of your choice, I won't be long."

Leah waited a moment, then walked to the graves. Her staff tapped against the stone with each step, sounding like a clock that was ticking down each second until a decision had to be reached. Kiran felt as if he had to do something, but uncertainty clouded his mind.

There was no standard to compare to, no ideal to reach for. This was an entirely new situation that left him reaching blindly for an answer. Doubtful of what action to take, he wrapped his arms around himself as a chill ran along his spine and eyed the graveyard warily. Memories of long forgotten moments were rising up, but he didn't want them to. He wasn't here to remember. To regret. Right now, his focus was on Leah, and he wouldn't let himself be distracted, no matter how much his heart yearned to be. Pushing aside his thoughts and discomfort, Kiran decided that if he wasn't sure, he would do what Nova or Shimmer would do. They would go and comfort Leah if they could. Each would have their own words, but their goal would be the same.

This thought made it a little easier to move his feet. Though feeling as if his feet were bricks of lead, Kiran strode forward until he was next to Leah and walked beside her until she stopped at a pair of graves that had inscriptions chiseled into the stone. Kiran couldn't read the inscriptions on them, but Leah must have known them because her eyes filled with glistening tears.

"Kiran." Her voice rattled with grief. "Could you help me? It can be hard for an old cheetah like me to move like I used to."

"Of course."

Kiran helped Leah as she produced two flowers from her cloak and set one of them on each marker. Once they were set, she closed her eyes, knelt down, held her hands together and whispered words that were lost in the gentle wind drifting by. She remained this way for several minutes, until her voice trailed off and nothing was left to be said. She reached a paw out, and Kiran helped her to stand and back from the graves. Kiran waited politely as she collected herself, then listened as she began to speak.

"My mate and son died during the war with Malefor. Both of them were dear to me and were taken far too soon."

Kiran didn't have to say anything. He knew exactly what it felt like to lose someone in a bloody war, having lost his mother that way. There weren't words that could cover that type of grief.

Leah let out a heavy breath that seemed to carry years of weight with it, and her head sank down to rest on the end of her staff. "It is difficult for me to deal with the grief that my memories bring. That is why I live out in Farleigh, instead of here in the city. I can still live a life with purpose instead of dwelling on the past, though that decision has cost me in a way that I deeply regret."

He wasn't sure why she was telling him these things. As if reading his thoughts though, Leah turned and tapped her staff again. "When you were brought to me, I wasn't sure what to think. Once you were awake, however…

"You reminded me of my son. He held onto his convictions with a strong paw and often didn't listen to my council, much like you."

Kiran's cheeks ran red with shame, and he bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you."

"It's in the past now. I did not bring you here to speak poorly of or to berate you, but rather to talk." She paused for a moment. "I'm glad to hear you apologize though. It seems you have matured since we last met."

"I've been trying," he said sadly. "It took more than it should have to make me realize what I've been doing wrong."

Leah playfully tapped her staff against his head, smiling softly. "It must be that thick head of yours. Most young males have one, and it takes time to break through."

"Maybe," Kiran said, rubbing the spot where he was poked. "But that doesn't mean I should have ignored you before. I truly am sorry."

"You are forgiven. Your apology means more to me than you know. In fact, let me continue with what I was saying before. There is something I need to apologize for as well."

Kiran stopped rubbing his head, astounded into silence by that admission. He couldn't think of a single thing she had done that was wrong, and he wracked his brain for whatever it could have been. "I… I don't understand."

Leah pulled her staff closer and gripped it with both paws. "Then allow me to explain. Do you remember asking me why I helped you without question?"

It was a vague memory, but Kiran nodded. "Yes."

"Then you remember my answer?"

"Yes?"

"Then you should know that I only told you a partial truth. Yes, I had an innate desire to help, but there was also a part of me that was unintentionally filling the void that had formed; that is, I was treating you like I would one of my own and wanted that fantasy to be real."

Kiran's breath caught in his throat as a plethora of confusing emotions coursed through his mind and body. Leah, if he was understanding this correctly, had considered him a son without saying a word.

His hands clenched unintentionally, and he found himself shaking his head in denial, not fully being able to process what she had said. "No, there's no way that's true. Why would you, let alone anyone else, think of me that way? It just doesn't make sense. I'm some stranger from another world, without any connections to you and anyone here! Why would you, of all people, care so much!?"

Leah drew inward at Kiran's outburst and wilted, much like a sunflower would with the sun. "Kiran, please, forgive me. I hadn't realized what I was doing at the time. I formed a connection with you that only existed in one direction. For a brief time, I was acting out a role that you had never agreed to. I feared that you caught onto this and left for Warfang without a word, making it so that I pushed you away. This crushed me, and even if it wasn't true, I found myself dealing with monumental grief."

She took a shaky breath and placed a paw on her chest.

"Your silent departure wounded me because of the way I viewed you. If I had treated you as I would anyone else, there wouldn't have been bitterness in my heart. As it stands, however, I am distraught and have myself to blame for it."

There was a long silence between them. Kiran opened his mouth several times, only to close it moments later without a word. The monumental weight of what she was saying was not lost on him, and he found himself both guilty and angry. What should he say? How should he react? Wasn't what she wanted something he had wished for in the past? A family? Was it so wrong to want to be loved? Was it wrong for him to look for someone to fill the space that his mother had left behind?
He didn't know, nor could he say if he should be angry with Leah, or happy that she had felt the way she did. It was all too much; thoughts whirled through his mind so quickly that his head was beginning to hurt. Eventually, though, he gave up on trying to understand what he thought about Leah's admission and clung to what he knew he wanted to do. There was a reason he was here, and it was time that he set aside whatever was going on and said his piece.

"I want to apologize for leaving like I did. It wasn't anything that you did that pushed me away, rather–" Kiran wrung his hands in his pockets, and bit the inside of his cheek. "I was afraid to say goodbye. I hate saying goodbye. I didn't want to deal with the pain that it would bring because it would force me to admit that I cared about you. So, like an idiot, I left without a word. I regret that choice now and am terribly sorry that it hurt you, but I'm trying to be better. I'm trying to change, which means admitting my mistakes and asking for forgiveness."

Leah stood motionless, but her eyes glistened, holding rapt attention as Kiran continued.

"I've had time to consider the things you've said, and with the help of my friends I now realize how right you were." An empty laugh escaped his lips and his shoulders fell. "All this time alone… I should have reached out sooner. I should have shared my pain, my struggles-"

Kiran took a shaky breath and felt a paw fall onto his shoulder. "Please forgive me, Leah."

Kiran waited with fearful anticipation for her response. He refused to make eye contact with her but heard her gasp softly to herself. "You've changed so much since I've last seen you. Bless the Ancestors for your change of heart."

The paw moved from his shoulder and to his cheek, nudging his head toward her. Kiran didn't resist and placed his hand on the paw with his eyes closed.

"I forgive you," Leah whispered. "Don't let the weight of your mistake hold you captive any longer, and if you can find it in your heart to forgive me as well, I ask that you do."

"Of course," Kiran said, the words rolling off easier than he had expected. "Yes, I forgive you."

There was nothing left to say after that. Though he didn't understand their relationship entirely, he knew this was the right step forward. Awkwardly, Kiran took a low bow, figuring it was the best thing to show his respect for her. As he stood back up, he found himself being embraced in a surprisingly strong hug. For a moment, his worries melted away, only to be replaced by a warmth that brought memories of a time long forgotten. Without hesitation, Kiran's hands wrapped around Leah, and his eyes became misty as cool relief washed over him.

Hey everyone! Here's the latest chapter, hot off the editing presses! I'd like to let you know that I'm hard at work, so chapter 4 should be out much faster than my previous updates. Thank you to everyone who reads my story, and if you could, leave a review! I'd love to know what you think!

Jordan 213123: I'm glad you're enjoying part 2. Do keep an eye on it and if you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them! As per your suggestion, I updated the last chapter of part one to let people know that part 2 was out. Thanks for letting me know!