Losing Her:
Humphrey could feel the sun hitting his face, making the insides of his eyelids turn red. He could feel Kate's body beside him. Opening his eyes and stretching Humphrey felt different. Sure he had slept out under the stars and morning dew made everything slightly damp, but this was something more. Blinking his eyes to adjust to the now brightening day, Humphrey ran a hand through a mess of hair that was falling in his face. Wait. Shaking his head he looked at his paw, except it wasn't a paw anymore. He wiggled the fingers that now extended from the palm, lines creasing the skin and nails cut short. He stood shakily and looked down at his body, it wasn't فر, سمور covered like he was use to. It was pale and covered in skin imprinted where rocks and other bits of debris had pressed into it overnight. He looked at Kate who had changed as well. Honey coloured hair fell down a slender back in waves, reflecting the rising sun. Her skin looked smooth, pocketed with two dimples just above her tailbone. Humphrey covered himself as she stirred, not knowing what else to do.
Kate woke with a start, surprise on her face at seeing a man before her on a cliff in the middle of Jasper park. She glanced down and blushed a deep shade of red, covering herself the best she could with her hands.
“Kate what happened last night?” Humphrey moved to take a step towards her but she backed away.
“How do آپ know my name?” Her defenses cranked up as she stood up and glared at him.
“Very funny, I suppose آپ also forgot that we're mates.” He laughed and moved towards her again.
“Leave me alone!” Kate turned and ran down the path they had taken last night. Humphrey went after her awkwardly tripping over things that would have once been so easy to overlook.
Hours had passed and Humphrey had found no sign of Kate anywhere. He had stumbled across a campsite where he found some clothes to cover up with while the occupants were away. He had then followed a hiking trail to a parking lot where he waited for a bus. He rode the bus until it reached a city. Staring out the windows at the tall buildings and streets bustling with people Humphrey couldn't help but miss ہوم and Kate. Tossing a few coins in the bucket, he stepped off the bus and was immediately swept into the crowd of people along the streets, crosswalks and shops. He peeked into the windows of the shops as they passed; some held clothing, others cakes and sweets. He was finally tossed out of the tide in front of a small coffee shop.
Humphrey pushed the door open, ringing a گھنٹی, بیل over the door as he entered the little cafe. A carpeted floor muffled his steps, leading up to a cracked counter where an old looking registrar sat. A young girl stood behind the camera, her name tag identified her as Lina.
“Hello stranger, how may I help you?” She asked Humphrey when he reached the counter, one hand in his pocket.
“A small coffee I guess.” He read the first item from the فہرست behind her. Lina disappeared behind a chugging machine, pouring a dark liquid into a chipped mug. Humphrey took this time to take in his surroundings. The walls were a faded blue with paint peeling around the windows full of تصاویر and newspaper clippings. One تصویر showed a young couple smiling at the camera which reminded him of him and Kate. He took the coffee and handed over the last coins in his stolen jeans. He found a low میز, جدول in the corner of the shop, a faded newspaper neatly placed at it. Humphrey picked it up and flipped to a random page, not taking in any of it as he scanned the black and white text.
A few منٹ later Humphrey noticed that someone else was sitting at the table. He looked over the paper to see Lina leaning back in her own chair.
“Sorry, am I bothering you?” She set her chair back on four legs. “Its just that آپ look like آپ needed someone to talk to. I mean, I don't know آپ but آپ look like someone who just won the lottery then lost it again.” Humphrey wasn't sure what she was talking about but she seemed nice.
“I lost someone today, someone special to me.” He looked out the window at the people carrying on their days like they didn't have a care in the world.
“Do آپ have anyone to go to right now?”
“Not really.” He didn't think he could return to the pack, not like this.
“How about آپ come with me after work, I know a place آپ can stay as long as آپ need.” Lina stood and returned to the counter as a few people came into the shop.
Humphrey could feel the sun hitting his face, making the insides of his eyelids turn red. He could feel Kate's body beside him. Opening his eyes and stretching Humphrey felt different. Sure he had slept out under the stars and morning dew made everything slightly damp, but this was something more. Blinking his eyes to adjust to the now brightening day, Humphrey ran a hand through a mess of hair that was falling in his face. Wait. Shaking his head he looked at his paw, except it wasn't a paw anymore. He wiggled the fingers that now extended from the palm, lines creasing the skin and nails cut short. He stood shakily and looked down at his body, it wasn't فر, سمور covered like he was use to. It was pale and covered in skin imprinted where rocks and other bits of debris had pressed into it overnight. He looked at Kate who had changed as well. Honey coloured hair fell down a slender back in waves, reflecting the rising sun. Her skin looked smooth, pocketed with two dimples just above her tailbone. Humphrey covered himself as she stirred, not knowing what else to do.
Kate woke with a start, surprise on her face at seeing a man before her on a cliff in the middle of Jasper park. She glanced down and blushed a deep shade of red, covering herself the best she could with her hands.
“Kate what happened last night?” Humphrey moved to take a step towards her but she backed away.
“How do آپ know my name?” Her defenses cranked up as she stood up and glared at him.
“Very funny, I suppose آپ also forgot that we're mates.” He laughed and moved towards her again.
“Leave me alone!” Kate turned and ran down the path they had taken last night. Humphrey went after her awkwardly tripping over things that would have once been so easy to overlook.
Hours had passed and Humphrey had found no sign of Kate anywhere. He had stumbled across a campsite where he found some clothes to cover up with while the occupants were away. He had then followed a hiking trail to a parking lot where he waited for a bus. He rode the bus until it reached a city. Staring out the windows at the tall buildings and streets bustling with people Humphrey couldn't help but miss ہوم and Kate. Tossing a few coins in the bucket, he stepped off the bus and was immediately swept into the crowd of people along the streets, crosswalks and shops. He peeked into the windows of the shops as they passed; some held clothing, others cakes and sweets. He was finally tossed out of the tide in front of a small coffee shop.
Humphrey pushed the door open, ringing a گھنٹی, بیل over the door as he entered the little cafe. A carpeted floor muffled his steps, leading up to a cracked counter where an old looking registrar sat. A young girl stood behind the camera, her name tag identified her as Lina.
“Hello stranger, how may I help you?” She asked Humphrey when he reached the counter, one hand in his pocket.
“A small coffee I guess.” He read the first item from the فہرست behind her. Lina disappeared behind a chugging machine, pouring a dark liquid into a chipped mug. Humphrey took this time to take in his surroundings. The walls were a faded blue with paint peeling around the windows full of تصاویر and newspaper clippings. One تصویر showed a young couple smiling at the camera which reminded him of him and Kate. He took the coffee and handed over the last coins in his stolen jeans. He found a low میز, جدول in the corner of the shop, a faded newspaper neatly placed at it. Humphrey picked it up and flipped to a random page, not taking in any of it as he scanned the black and white text.
A few منٹ later Humphrey noticed that someone else was sitting at the table. He looked over the paper to see Lina leaning back in her own chair.
“Sorry, am I bothering you?” She set her chair back on four legs. “Its just that آپ look like آپ needed someone to talk to. I mean, I don't know آپ but آپ look like someone who just won the lottery then lost it again.” Humphrey wasn't sure what she was talking about but she seemed nice.
“I lost someone today, someone special to me.” He looked out the window at the people carrying on their days like they didn't have a care in the world.
“Do آپ have anyone to go to right now?”
“Not really.” He didn't think he could return to the pack, not like this.
“How about آپ come with me after work, I know a place آپ can stay as long as آپ need.” Lina stood and returned to the counter as a few people came into the shop.
