A Havanese's Journey

Chapter VI

"We should stop for some lunch." Caramel announced. 

Ginger sighed in relief. After days of walking, his pads were scratched and swollen. He lapped up some water from the small creek before dipping his paws in. They felt much better after being rinsed in the cold water. 

"I'm going to hunt." Leafy had been sitting a little way off. "I'll be back soon." She brushed past Ginger.

"We'll wait here." Ginger called after her. After Leafy left, Ginger walked towards a dull green plant clustered with small black berries. He sniffed at them curiously, before plucking off a few with his claws. 

"Don't eat that!" A voice made him jump. He looked back and saw Caramel, whose blue eyes were wide. 

"Why?" Ginger looked at the tabby in surprise. 

"It's poisonous! Don't you know? Even a few berries can cause nausea and cramping!"

"How do you know?" Ginger was impressed.

Caramel mewed: "Flurry would force cats to eat it, as a punishment, if they ever challenged her place."

Ginger frowned. "Flurry sounds mean. Why do you follow her anyways?"

"She was the first to show me any kindness after Stream was murdered." Caramel's gaze darkened and she looked down.

Ginger felt fur on his spine rise. "Who is Stream?"

"My mother. I was just a kitten back then."

Ginger felt sympathy and pity stir inside him. So they were both orphans, that was something they had in common.

"My mother died after giving birth to us. That's why finding Birch means so much, he's the only parent we have left."

"What about the old dog? What was her name? Granny Onions?"

Ginger shifted closer to Caramel. "I love Granny Onions, I really do, but she doesn't understand me. If I told her why before I left, she would have never allowed me. I guess she'll just have to live on believing I took after my father. That I am a disloyal, unworthy dog."

Ginger sighed. "She'll be so sad now that Leafy left her too. She always believed Leafy would be the faithful child and that my sister would never leave her."

"We all leave our birthplace once we grow." Caramel mewed wisely. "I was raised with a cat named Pumpkin who took good care of me after Stream left, but when Flurry arrived and offered me a place in her tribe, well, it was too good of an opportunity to miss."

Ginger's eyes widened. "Pumpkin? She's the one who sent me a vision about you."

Caramel purred. "We were all so close, the three of us."

The bushes behind them trembled and Leafy arrived, carrying a vole in her jaws. 

"You two seem to be really getting to know each other." She commented.

Ginger nudged her. "Don't be so cold! Caramel is a orphan too, like us!"

Leafy just sighed. 

Her, Ginger and Caramel enjoyed the small snack before proceeding to the route. 

By now, Ginger had a unsettling feeling from what he heard of Flurry. Caramel mentioned how she would poisson any cat who dared challenge her authority like it was nothing. Pumpkin also warned him to be careful of who he trusted. What if Flurry was responsible for the disappearance of their father?