Silver Eyes

~Chapter Nine~

Silver and Echo limped their way through the forest. She looked over at him with a gentle reassuring smile. Echo looked at her with a straight face, then returned his gaze to the ground below.

" I can't believe you did that back there."

" Did what? Stood up for you?"

Echo shook his head.

" No. I can't believe you told Alpha that we are leaving Tynder."

Silver looked away, stopping in her tracks.

" I'm sorry. But I couldn't think of anything else to say."

" Of course not."

Silver jerked her head at him, her mood changing from sympathetic to defensive.

" What's that supposed to mean?!"

Echo leaned back in surprise of her raised voice.

" Well, of course all you can think of is leaving Tynder! Everyone here hates you!"

Silver's ears folded back in humiliation. Echo immediately felt regret for what he said. Silver lifted her ears and bared her teeth.

" I'm not the only one at fault here! You promised that we'd leave as soon as the storm passed! Now look at you! Injured and bruised!"

" I'm sorry about that! But we fell asleep! I can't help-"

"- Shut up!!"

Echo's eyes widened.

" Excuse me??!!"

Silver began to groan painfully, scratching her head. Echo suddenly went from angry to concerned.

" Silver? What's wrong?"

Silver shook her head vigorously.

" My head... it hurts..."

Her words were shaky. Echo nuzzled her for comfort. Soon, Silver began to shake from the unbearable pain in her head. Her eyes shut as she collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

Echo lay next to her and grew worried. He waited patiently for her to wake up, knowing that she was only unconscious and not dead.

About an hour later, Silver woke up. Her eyes shot open and she immediately closed them again.

" Echo!!"

Echo jumped up.

" What? What is it?"

Silver faced his direction but kept her eyes closed.

" I saw something."

Echo looked around but couldn't see anything.

" I don't see anything."

Silver slowly opened her eyes and caught her breath. She stared blankly as she looked around in shock.

" I... I see... color."

Echo looked around and saw only grays, blacks, and whites. He looked back at Silver's shiny eyes.

" Color?"

Silver nodded quickly as she looked around and saw the blue sky, the green leaves, the brown bark, the green, grassy ground.

" I don't see grays and blacks and whites. I see everything in their natural, true color."

Echo was amazed at Silver's power. She looked to the right of her and found herself looking at a den.

" There's a den!"

Echo looked in the direction she faced but saw only trees.

" Where?"

Silver stepped forward and began limping through the trees. Echo followed her confusingly. Minutes later, they came to a den just outside of Tynder. Echo stopped and looked at the den then back in the direction they came from.

" You... you saw this den from way over there?"

Silver nodded.

" I guess my eyes can see color and long distance."

Echo was amazed by her newfound ability, and although slightly jealous, he was excited.

" This is awesome, Silver! You found your power! I told you you'd get it naturally!"

Silver looked around and took in the colorful scenery.

" You were right."

Echo jumped around happily.

" Can you turn your powers on and off?"

Silver strained her eyes but could only turn the distance off.

" I permanently see in color. But I can switch the distance on and off."

" Awesome."

Silver nodded and walked into the den, finding it free of scents from other animals. She smiled happily at their new home before she lay down.

Echo followed, laying next to her. He felt guilty from their argument earlier.

" Silver? I'm sorry about what I said in our argument. I really didn't mean it."

Silver nuzzled him.

" I forgive you. And I'm sorry too."

They nuzzled until Silver broke it with a question.

" So... now that we know how my power came in naturally... how did yours come in?"

Echo gulped loudly at her sudden question. He looked away and rested his head on his paws.

" It's kind of personal."

Silver gave him a suspicious look.

" Receiving your power is personal?"

Echo lifted his head and looked at her. Silver tilted her head curiously. Echo looked into her eyes and wondered what she might think of him after learning his backstory. His very selfish, regretful, heartbreaking backstory.