Savage Mate

3. The waiting

Ava

It's getting dark. The pickup truck left ages ago. I still feel bad for keeping the phone, they didn't even notice the missing cell phone, but I'm sure it won't take them long to notice it's missing. I just couldn't give it back, I'm still waiting for my parents to call back, they told me that they would ask for help and find a way to track the phone, but it's been hours, and I'm afraid that they won't find me.  

It had been a very difficult call to my mom. I had broken down at her voice and at some point I had disconnected the call. I had been too stressed and unable to call back, and when the phone rang, I had dropped it in my haste to answer. It had taken me a couple of tries to answer and by then my mother was just as frantic as I had been. My dad had tried to help, but he ended up trying to wrestle the phone from mom, disconnecting the call once again. If it wasn't so tragic and nerve-wracking, it would have been really fun. 

The second time they called I had been a little calmer, and dad had gone into problem solving mode, so we managed to talk to each other. He had asked me where I was, and I had told him I had no idea, so he said he was going to call for some help locating the cellphone, and that he would keep the calls short to make sure I didn't go out of battery. It had been hours and I still hadn't heard back from them.

I try to keep myself from calling them and getting assurance that they are coming from me. I had expected them to get mad at me for disobeying them, but they were more worried about finding me. I know they will ground me for the rest of my life, but at this point, I would welcome it. I hate that I'm afraid, and I hate that I left the boy behind. I can't think of what he is going through. He was human, and he was hurt, what I saw of him before the lights went out was a mess of bruises and cuts, and I could smell his blood and his fear. 

The phone rings, breaking the silence and startling me. Once again, I almost drop it, but I manage to answer it on the third ring.

"Hello?" I ask, not recognizing the number, afraid it's the owner looking for it.

"Are you Ava?" a man I don't recognize asks, and I don't know if I should answer. "Your parents asked me to track this phone, and right now I'm pretty sure I know where you are, but I need to ask some questions. Is that okay?" he asks. His voice is hard, but I know he is trying to sound reassuring.

"Okay?" I manage to say.

"Are you in a forest?"

"Yes?"

"Can you describe the terrain?" I can tell he is trying to sound gentle, but it's not really working, he is just to rough.

It's an odd question, and I do my best to tell him what I can. I'm nervous that if I don't do a good job he won't be able to find me and then I won't be able to go back home, that I won't see my parents ever again.

We keep talking on the phone, and then I heard a beep telling me that the battery is running low. "I'm about to run out of battery, and there's nowhere to charge it here," I try to explain, getting a little frantic, what will happen if they can't find me before the battery dies?

"Don't worry kid, I have your location. We will be there shortly. You will be back with your parents in no time," he says, and then the call cuts. I still have five percent charge, but I don't risk using the phone again, what if I need it later? Would five percent be enough to call my parents again? 

The light start going out, and my stomach growls, I was so worried about what could happen that I forgot to look for something to eat. I spent all my day just waiting to see what would happen. After watching the man and the kid go, I should have gone to fish something, but I didn't, I just hid and waited for my parent's call. 

I think of going for something to eat, but I'm nos sure if I should be moving or not. Why if my parents arrive and I'm not there? I try not to think about food, to focus on waiting for my parents. Eventually, it's not hunger, but thirst, what finally makes me leave my hiding spot. I go back to the stream and drink until I feel like I'm about to burst. I'm back in my animal form, and I'm confident I will be able to hear the phone if I get another call, so I decide to fish something while I have the chance. I need fuel, who knows how far I'm from my parents and how long it will take them to find me. 

Since it's late, it's harder to fish something, and I'm tired by the time I catch something, but it only makes it taste even better. Once I'm not focused on getting something to drink or eat, the noises become overwhelming. I'm just a cub, there are bigger predators that could be a problem for me. I need to go back to my spot near the parking lot to wait for help. I know that I'm prey in this place, and I need to take care of myself and be safe. Normal animals won't care if I'm a shifter, human or cat, if they are hungry they will come after me. I hadn't caught any predator's scent, but that doesn't mean anything, there could be a bigger cat stalking me and I wouldn't know. 

I make it back to my hiding spot without problems, but I'm getting worried again. I try to keep my eyes open, but I can't, I'm tired and fall asleep. I wake up startled, I know something happened to wake me, but I'm not sure what. I turn to the parking lot, but it's still empty. I notice that the place is eery silent, something is not okay. I try to focus on my surroundings, trying to find any signs of danger, but it's hard to find anything. A while later, I almost convince myself that it was nothing, and then I heard a noise just outside my hiding spot, and then I see a shadow moving, just a moment later there is a man standing over me.

"Hello there, little kitten," the man says. I don't know him, and I fear he is one of the bad men. I jump, I'm small and fast, but as soon as I get out of my hiding spot, I realize there are more people around me, it's not just that man. I'm surrounded, but I still try to dodge them. Usually humans are too slow to truly be able to trap one of my kind, but they react faster than I expect them to, and soon one of them has me in his grasp.

"Calm down, kitten, we have been looking for you. It's time we take you back."