"But you acted so fast. And you knew exactly what to do."
Meeko nodded, still wiping his tears. "Sorry. I'm not usually this emotional… I don't know what's wrong with me."
"It's okay. You don't have to feel bad for feeling."
He let out a mix of a sigh and a weary laugh. After taking a second to compose himself, he faced me. "Are you okay? I should've asked sooner."
I smiled. "I'm right as rain. All thanks to you."
Meeko's face was as pink as the crabapples.
I gasped again, except this time I managed not to choke on anything. "The apples!" I picked up a sad-looking specimen in my talons, frowning at the big dent in its side. "Man, I probably bruised all of them…"
A wry smile ticked at the corner of Meeko's mouth. "Well, you were trying not to die."
"Actually, I dropped them before I started choking." I grinned sheepishly. "When your foot slipped, I thought you were gonna fall, so I was getting ready to catch you. And then I fucked up."
Meeko's brows raised. "You were… Going to catch me? In my human form?"
"Sure. Why wouldn't I?"
Meeko regarded me for a moment before smirking. "Never mind. Thanks for the attempt, anyway."
"Thankyoufor saving my life. Seriously, Meeko. I mean it."
His throat popped as he swallowed visibly. Then he cleared his throat and grabbed one of the littered apples. "These are still good to eat even with a couple bruises. I'm starving."
I nodded and joined him in picking up our dinner. Except I realized one of my hands was still firmly planted on his shoulder.
And Meeko hadn't once tried to move away from it.
7
Meeko
A terrifying dreamjolted me awake. The last thing I saw before jumping back to reality was a pair of giant claws extended towards me.
I bolted upright, breathing hard. It took a moment, but once I settled back into reality, I calmed down. I realized I was strangely warm. It was the kind of heat that could only belong to another person's body.
Confused, I blinked and saw Cloud's creamy feathers all around me. A different kind of heat flooded my body. I stifled a squeak.
A squeak?
Right, I’d shifted into my mouse form before going to bed so the cold night air wouldn't keep me up all night. But I sure as hell didn't remember cuddling up to Cloud. Before we each curled up to sleep, we were very much separated. I distinctly remembered Cloud choosing to perch in a low branch for the night while I found a small hole in the tree to use as a den.
Embarrassment made my pelt prickle. I carefully picked my way out of his feathers. The slow, steady rhythm of his breathing implied he was still asleep. Thank the gods. At least I was the only one privy to this awkward incident.
The cool dawn air was uncomfortable compared to the sweet warmth of Cloud's feathers. I puffed out my fur and crawled down the tree. The sun wasn't quite up yet, but I needed to walk and clear my head.
My ears twitched at the sound of water. A nearby stream bubbled in the early morning quiet. Wanting a drink, I approached the stream only to stop when I heard voices.
Two identical shapes lurked by the water's edge. Coyotes.
I froze.
"This is a stupid hour to wake up at, Ry..." The coyote yawned, exposing the silhouette of his sharp teeth in the milky light. "How come you never let us sleep in?"
"Because, Tai, the early bird gets the worm."