I don't know where to begin on the thoughts that rumble through my mind in super speed the moment my hind paws fail to reach the precipice of the other ledge. The moment in which my fore paws scrabble at the rocks and stone of the cliff, the darkness pulling me toward it as if it has a rope tied around my ankles, I could not tell you what image appeared in my mind. There were so many so fast. I couldn't catch a hold of any single one, too many to be filtered, to be expressed. They always say you see your life flashing before your eyes but for me it was more like a kaliedoscope of different scenarios, some in which I die, some in which my newfound acquaintance pushes me, some in which I somehow manage to get myself out of this and die in some other retched way later on down the road. Either way, none of them were that uplifting.

My body seems to be stuck in reverse and something tells me this is where it ends yet I can't just surrender to the darkness. Somehow I keep fighting even as my scrabbles against the rock are met with nothing in return. I see her head swivel and almost expect her to laugh at my situation. And yet she doesn't. Instead I see her moving back to me and like a ghost, she's suddenly before me, sharp stings in my skin telling me she has gripped the thick hide of my scruff between her jaws and is not trying to pull me up. I intake breath but don't hesitate to continue my struggle, trying to pull with her instead of giving into the instinct to drive myself away from her. The pain is tolerable compared to the fate that awaits me down below. I hardly care that she's pulling out my fur as she scrabbles backwards, trying to pull and yet she doesn't outweight me, making it almost a losing battle.

Of course I'm not giving up so easily. I pull with all my might, my fore limbs burning with the effort as I struggle to find foot holds on the surprisingly smooth surface of the cliff face I hang over. My hind limbs paddle like crazy but find nothing but purchase yet with a single growl from her throat, I find myself being pulled upwards anyway. Finally I'm able to find a single foot hold with my back paw and I thrive off of it, pushing myself upward with every fiber of strength I have left, my combined efforts with hers succeeding in pushing me up and over the cliff side where I lay sprawled out and breathing in heavy heaves as she stands over me, her own sides heaving as well. I almost expect her to scold me, yell at me for my stupidity but instead she offers only sharp words with bite. She has found my soft spot. While I do love a good adventure, she is correct in surmising I have not been on any as of yet. But oh, the adventures I have planned.

She offers words of wisdom next and I nod automatically, wanting to stow this information away for later. Thankfully she changes the subject, bringing up the sounds of water and I find my eyes pricking forward, wanting to hear this magnificent sound for myself. Surprisingly she seems to be correct on this as well. I can just hear the tinkling song of water on rocks up ahead. What have we managed to find? I slowly lift myself to my feet, my legs trembling at first with the effort before I straighten my spine and force my feet to walk as they should. My head stays low in shame for my misadventure but my tail offers a wag as if of apology.

"An adventure is only as good as the one who learns from it."

I start walking, brushing past her slowly, my words barely a whisper.

"Thank you."

I'm not even sure if she'll hear but I had to get it out anyway.