Traveling

Neo was traveling from Phoenix to here. He was hoping to start over and needed a fresh start. This was his first time traveling in a bit of time. He would miss his sister, though he considered her a daughter, but she had people who cared about her. He hadn't met anyone he liked or liked him. So he was moving on to hopefully find someone who would. He walked and listened to nature as it began and continued to communicate with him. He just wasn't paying it much attention. Mostly because he was lost in thought of what to do. He didn't know it yet but he was being followed. Mostly cuz the plants just weren't telling him. He stopped and looked at the sky. "Gonna miss you Ru. Loved you dearly." He said softly.

"Mother… where are you taking me…?" Even though the young cub was a mere two years old, her voice was that of a young teenager, and she was still small compared to her mother when she was still alive. But she still had a lot of growing to do in the near future. When Ru lived her second year odd things started happening. A voice and random unexplainable happenings, but for a while she ignored them. Once she realized that it could be her Mother telling her something, and she soon followed after her. Cassie never did tell the cub where she was leading her, but she was sure that the cub will be surprised.

"Mother… please…" Ru whimpered as she moved across the land.. "I'm… I'm hungry.." She continued to whimper and whine.. Her mother hadn't said a thing for a long while, no signs… no voices.. It worried her. She felt lost and helpless.. She didn't know how to hunt for herself, at least not well. She did manage to get a few bites here and there from already dead animals, or kind people who realized that she would a wild beast. The cub escaped plenty hunters, and rival felines that owned territory that she has passed. The poor thing was just so worn out now, and wished she was somewhere that wasn't outdoors. Her beautiful fur was a mess; a few mats in places where her fur was longer and a few dried blood along her shoulder and back from recent encounters.

"Mom.." Her last plea towards the liger in the sky, even looking up in hopes for a sign.. but nothing. Her head dropped low as she stared down at the ground. Moving forward with that achy body of hers. Even the bottom of her pads hurt from walking so much.. Hanging her head as she wobbled and sway..

"I wish Neo was here…" She soon added in a softer tone before letting her legs collapse and letting the rest of her body fall.. Just a little rest before going on again, she thought while closing her eyes slowly and letting out a heavy sigh.. And suddenly a soft blow of the wind brushed up against her fur and back again.. Cassie's soft voice echoing the cubs ears.. (My angel…) Causing the cub to force her gaze open again but it wasn't doing too much, she was just so tired.. But before her eyes closed again, she saw a familiar figure passing by.. Breathing in sharply before letting out the loudest groan like roar she could manage. Hoping that she was noticed.

Neo was walking again when the plants said something about Ru. He just looked around in confusion. Ru was back in Phoenix with all those people who cared about her. Wasn't she? He hoped she was alright and safe. Then he heard it. The roar sound he knew so well. He turned around and ran in that direction. He stopped and pulled Ru into his arms. "Ru....what are you doing here?" he asked. Scratching her fur just like he usually did. "love you ru." he says softly. Picking her up and carries her in his arms. Taking her to a small empty hut he had seen. setting her on the bed. Still wondering why ru was even out this way.

She felt something touch her, but she didn't flinch nor try to move away. She knew who it was and instantly let out a rumble of a purr when she was carried. Such a big baby she was.. Her ears swiveling to his voice.

"Mother told me to.." She murmured tiredly.. "I followed her here.." She added, curling up when she was settled down but her nose flaring a little to find where he was.

"I missed you.."

Neo looked at her. Stroking her ears a moment as he stood up and got some rags he found. Soaking the rags in running water and begins to clean the injury areas. "So....Cassie told you to come this way. I knew your mother Ru. She was like a mother to me. I loved her like one." he nodded his heaf. "I guess she was following me or something. Its the only explanation i can think of. Since you had all those people who cared about you. Never found anyone but you Ru." He cleaned her up as best he could without giving her a full bath. "She took care of me like I was one of her own." He said as he remembered it well. He kisses the top of her head. Sitting on the bed next to her. "I missed you more than words could ever say Ru. I love you like family. Like sister. Like daughter. I loved you as both because to me you are both." He covered her up with a small blanket. "I'm glad you and I are together again." He said truthfully. "Do you hear Cassie often? I saw her a couple of times. She was a ghost but I still saw her. She gave me courage to keep going."

Feeling his touch had kept her mostly awake.. Shifting her head against his hand before flinching a little when she felt the rag touch one of her injures. Her instant reaction was to groan and growl a little, but that was all she did. She just laid there and let him, giving her head a slow nod to answer his question.

"How come you didn't tell me you were leaving? It was so boring without you.." Her voice murmured as she continued to groan in annoyance. Lifting her head up when the extra weigh landed on the bed, and settling her head down right on his lap. Even stretching a paw up and around to cling to his leg. Swiveling her ears to the sound of his voice.

"I hear her sometimes.. sometimes it's faint or just one word.. She disturbs nature a lot as well.." She loosened her hold on his leg and dozed off with a rock of her head. Not even moments later a small gust of wind brushed up against Neo's shoulder, and soon the collar around Ru's neck would glow a solid white. Different from its usual green color when Ru would use it to speak.

(I'm so sorry…) A soft motherly voice echoed out into the air, straight from the collar itself.. (I wanted her to be with you… but I didn't expect her to run into so many problems..) The voice sounded worried as well as apologetic.

Neo stroked her ears lightly. "I didn't want you to lose all that family you had following me. It was the hardest thing I ever did." He says softly. He heard her groan of annoyance and shook his head. He held her with an arm around the part of her middle not hurt. He smiled as he felt relief that she had come through it all without too much harm to her. He felt bad that she had felt any harm at all. He chuckled a bit. "I think nature can handle a bit of disturbance. It is too opinionated anyways." He says with a light laugh. He shifted them so he was laying down.

He had just closed his eyes when the gust of wind and looked around. "Cassie?" He said softly. His eyes filled with hope. He looked to the solid white glowing collar. "Its alright Cassie." He said when she apologized. His eyes widened for a moment at the next part. Then he filled with a proud and relieved happiness. His eyes were really soft. "I know. No mother would want their child to encounter many trails and dangers."

He touched the collar. "I love you Cassie as if you were my own mother." He told her. "You were the first person to treat me like I was loved as if I was their child. I wanted to thank you for that." He smiled a bit. "I will take good care of her Cassie. I'm sorry I left you guys without a word. I just saw she had so many people who cared about her. I only had Ru and wasn't even allowed to see her a lot." He said with a soft voice. "I tried to take her as my child as you had me. You know that." He said with a soft smile.

"She had so many people who loved and cared about her...I thought it best if I didn't tell her. I wasn't sure her following me would be best for her. I just wanted her to have the best she could have." He explained. "I knew if I told her she would automatically follow me. I am glad you trust me to take care of her Cassie. I love her so much." He said. Lightly stroking the alright fur. "Thanks for guiding her back to me." He said. Scratching behind the ears like he used to.

He stopped a moment later. Closing his eyes. "I'm going to fix up this cottage for me and Ru to live in. It has lots of open field for me and Ru to play around in. She'll be able to run around and burn off energy. I'll teach her as best I can to hunt. I'm sure if there is any lycans anywhere in this realm they can help Ru to learn to hunt like a pro." He said in a thoughtful voice.

(Of course they don't.. but it will happen in more ways then one.. And Ru is a stubborn girl to boot..) A soft chuckle emitted from the collar, and right after a steady yet soft purr.. Listening to what Neo had to say. It would seem that the spirit that is Ru's mother had gotten quite emotional after awhile. It was just enough to affect the sleeping feline and cause the big cub to have tears fall from her eyes.

(Neo.. I will always see you as my son.. and I am very happy to have met you.. I just wish I was strong enough. I.. I could have still been with you, the both of you..) Her voice went silent and the collar dimmed out shortly… But only two seconds has passed before the collar brightened up again to show that Cassie was still lurking around.

(Ru was a bit of a wreck when you left, but I'm sure she can tell you when she wakes up..) A feeling warmth filled the room, caused by the spirit of Cassie. Who was smiling quite lovingly even if it couldn't be seen..

(Please take care of her, and please do take care of yourself as well..) The warmth slowly left, while the collar slowly dimmed out. (I love you..) And soon the collar went back to normal. Leaving a highly frustrated cub who was struggling with her snooze.

Neo smiled and wiped the tears away. He was happy she met him too. He was happy he had met her. She was the first person to treat him like he was important. Like he really was family. He shook his head. "Its alright Cassie. Just knowing that you would have been with us if you could have been is enough in itself." He said with a soft voice. "We would have loved you being with us. I know I would. That short time I had with you were the best days of my life."

He frowned a moment later. "I didn't meant to make Ru into a wreck. She just had so many people who loved her...I didn't wish to steal her from it. I wanted only for her to be happy." He felt the warmth and settled down a bit more. "I promise I will always take care of her Cassie. I promised you in Phoenix I would try to do just that." He paused "Love you too Cassie." He said softly. He rested and soon fell into a light sleep himself.

When about four hours passed he began to stir. Having curled up into Ru's warmth a bit so her head was laying on his side. He had one arm wrapped lightly around her. He held her protectively and lovingly. He wanted her to feel safe. To feel loved. To feel happy and secure. His eyes slowly opened and he just watched Ru sleep.

Ru had felt movement, and she stirred a little with a light snort and stretch of her legs and toes. Her brain contemplating on whether she should fall right back to sleep or just plain wake up.. But she really did wanted to know what was moving, thus causing her eyes to peek open before opening them up fully. Purring heavily with a bit of a feline smile and tilting her head in a position so that her forehead was facing Neo's and bumping them together lightly. She churred and chirped with swiveling ears. She had nearly forgotten that she had found Neo, and just thought all of that was a dream.

"Hi!" Her voice called out excitedly, maw dropping open afterwards and panting lightly.

Neo watched her eyes open fully. Laughing a bit as she bumped their foreheads together. Scratching her ears lightly. "Hey Ru. Morning." He says with a light laugh. Shaking his head a bit and kisses her forehead. "Sleep well?" He asked. Checking her injuries over lightly. He was happy to see that they were healing up well. He smiled in relief. He had been worried about that. "Hungry Ru?" He asked. He was no gormet chef but he would be able to get them some food. He already had some meats and other foods stored in the fridge slash freezer he plugged back in. He was just fascinated with the new technology he had figured out. He looked at the cottage walls. Looking back at her. "Glad you are excited to see me. We'll be together forever Ru. I'm going to take care of you and me." He says with a smile and a light laugh.

"Very well!" She shoves her head into his hand with a heavy purr all while sitting up with a 'thump thump thump' of her tail. Letting her tongue loll out the side of her maw. Both ears lifting straight at the mention of food and bouncing in a complete circle on the bed.

"Food! Food! Food! FOOD!" She chanted happily. She couldn't remember the last time she actually ate! Hopping and jumping, twisting around in her twirls before pausing suddenly with a straight tail. Letting her head tilt low to give Neo another one of her head butts. Chuffing loudly as she tilted her head, her tongue lolling out the other side.

"Family take care of family.. I take care of Neo too!" Licking Neo's hair upright; a cackle of laugher echoing.

He laughed as she shoved her head into his hand. Scratching and petting her head lightly. He stopped petting once her ears stood up straight. He laughed a bit. Sitting up fully and watched her hopping and jumping and twisting around in complete circle. Laughter rolling from his lips at her reaction to the word food. He ruffled her fur lightly. "Alright Ru. You can help take care of me too." He said. Kissing the top of her head and gets up but not before she licked his hair upright. He laughed and pressed it back down. He leads her to the kitchen.

(EXIT TO COTTAGE)