OHMYGODSHE’STOUCHINGME.

I’m going to die, right here, right now. At least I’ll die happy.

Her voice is like a warm hug. I latch onto it, barely focusing on the words and instead admiring the how soft and lively her tone is. I barely have time to process this before she hops towards me, elegant and graceful on her long legs. My heart stops for a moment. That’s when she presses her damp nose to my forehead, running it along the line of fur. I swallow, certain that she’ll feel the heat emitting from my face like a raging fire. Are my paws sweating, or are they just still damp from the river?

She runs her nose down my neck, making my skin tingle wherever she passes over. Can I just say, right now, that I will never complain about being unlucky ever again. I feel more lucky right now than I ever have in my entire life.

Almost immediately, the tiny part of my brain which isn’t entirely overcome by mush kicks back, fighting against the total lack of logic with this entire phenomenon. What the heck is happening to me? I’ve only just met this girl, and I feel worse about the prospect of leaving her than I did about leaving behind my entire family. I mean, sure she’s beautiful, and has a great voice, and is kind, and saved me from certain death, and she’s audacious, and smart, and…

…

What was I saying again?

Her words penetrate now and I almost laugh at the absurdity of them. How could she ever hurt me? She could pummel me to pieces and I’d go down smiling.

“I – uh – yes. No.” Get a grip, Lefty. “I mean, I’m not hurt.” Just stupid.

I’m pretty sure by this point that there’s no way I can claw this situation back. I must have looked like an idiot being washed down the river and I definitely sound like an idiot now. Relieved from the pressure of having to pretend to be cool, I relax a little, some of the tension dropping out of my shoulders. I realise I’ve been staring at her this whole time and quickly prise my eyes away, turning them down to the soggy ground.

“Um, I’m Lefty.” Alright, good start, now she knows my name. Now I just need to get a sentence out without saying ‘uh’ or ‘um’. I swallow, making a conscious effort. “Thank you for saving me.”

LEFTERIS
homeless two year-old cub. bugs suck.