{OPEN} WATER..

[Maztli]

There had been few things in her lifetime that she had felt truly terrified. But, the recent events she was dragged through had managed to do just that. It had gone so fast. Too fast, even. One minute she was living in pure bliss with her new found mate with the promise of a family and a future that she would treasure in her heart, and in the next, she was being locked away in a barred cavern, No-Furs prodding at her and sticking her with long, claw-like objects. Maztli had endured enough from the hands of the loud, but careful No-Furs that had wrapped a strange vine around her neck. She hadn't known what it was for, their words meaning nothing to her, but they had at least been gentle. They kept returning, though, even after they allowed her to return home. When she became heavy with kits, they came more and more. She couldn't understand how they found her, though. She always hid, always moved whenever she could, and yet they still found her, tying new vines around her neck with each visit. But, one visit didn't seem to end. She was suppose to be left alone, suppose to be taken home again. But, this was anything but home. The No-Furs she had been taken to were much different from the ones that usually cared for her. They were careful, but harsh and seemed to hold little concern for her. It frightened her beyond reason. It wasn't her life she feared for, though. It had been for the life of the cub she carried. Maztli had remained almost untouched, though.

This new land...it was far different from her home. The mountains were all but gone, the warmth and humidity, gone, vanished. Where was she? Why was she here? She didn't understand. They were suppose to take her back home! Ears pressed back against her head, golden eyes nervously flickering from one side to the other, the she-cat tentatively padded through the thick foliage of this foreign land. None of the scents were familiar to her. The dead, rotting leaves were bitter, leaving a horrible scent in her nose. It masked her ability to sense others around her, leaving her nerves on end. Whiskers quivering, Maztli ran her small pink tongue over the corners of her muzzle, the fur along her shoulders bristling with fear as she padded on. There was so much that confused her, that left her in a stumbling daze, but she had to focus on what was important. She had to find food, water, a shelter. Her cubs depended on her to do so. But, for the last sun, she hadn't been able to find a single scrap of food or source of water. She had stumbled upon one pool of water, but it had been muddied and reeked of sickness. There was no way she could drink from there, not when she had the risk of falling ill. She couldn't allow that to happen when she was alone in this unknown world. Her tail flickered behind her as she pressed on, her rounded form growing tired from her trek. She didn't know how long she would be able to go on. She felt so weak...so tired. Swallowing hard, her paws came to a slow stop, her shoulders slumping forward. She had to rest. She couldn't keep going...not even for her cubs. Panting, her jaws parted as she sucked in breath after breath, she sunk down onto her hindquarters, her ears remaining pressed back against her head before it finally hit her. It was the quiet rushing of water. In an instant, her head shot up, eyes wide as she struggled to get back onto her paws, but she could only stumble forward in her attempt. No...she had to get to the water..