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Thunder (10 years ago)

"If you want, that's fine with me," Lily rumbled, "But you can't go venturing off into the world everyday like this. It worries me."

"That's because mothers always get worried," I chuckled. Lily hit the back of my head with her tail in annoyance.

"What? It's true!"

"You don't seem worried of anything," She cooed.

"I worry about you everyday," I replied quickly, smiling, and began rubbing my nozzle with her own. Shadow, Thud, and Fern rolled their eyes.

"Oh quit your weird faces you three," Lily moved her large T-Rex snout towards the kids, "You're gonna love somebody someday."

"You think?" Fern smiled, "Because I feel like I'm the only sensible female out of my siblings!"

"You're the only female Fern," Shadow turned to her, "And stop bragging about yourself."

"Like you could do better Shadow," Fern teased.

"Alright guys," I broke down the near-fight, "You guys can go enjoy yourselves out there, just don't be fighting each other, okay?"

"And come back safe!" Lily muttered.

"Yeah," Thud laughed.

"Boys?" Lily stared at us with a big eye. Shadow smiled, and I smiled at his smile.

"I promise we'll come back safe," he said, then rubbed his cheek with her large snout, along with mine, and felt comforted.

"And don't go beyond the forest boundaries!" She yelled as we took off.

"Do you think that they'll ever get tired?" Lily looked back at me. My eyes went wide.

"What them? I doubt it. But soon enough, they'll be adults, and they'll wish to be young, small, and energetic like us."

"Yeah, I don't know, I think it's better being an adult," Lily disagreed, "Because it's a dangerous world out there."

"Not if I'm with a beautiful female like you," I blushed. Lily smiled, and together, we were about to hug. Then we stopped. Our arms wouldn't reach.

"I hate my arms," I growled, as he pulled away, unable to reach for her arms. Then we both laughed.

"Oh the puns, enough with the puns honey!" Lily giggled, realizing the joke I created.

"If you're happy and you know it-"

"No, no-" She cracked up laughing.

"Clap your hands!" I continued, dying of laughter. After settling down, she looked at me with a smile.

"I love you Thunder," She whispered.

"I love you too Lily-" I began, before a sudden scream silenced the forest. I jolted to my feet as a reaction, and Lily did the same.

"What was that?" She whispered. We both went silent for a few minutes, before she talked again, "Could it be one of ours?" Without responding, I began walking forwards, weaving through the trees in the forest to the sight of the noise. I heard her follow a few seconds later, and together, we trudged through the forest, shaking the earth within each step. After a while of walking, I came across blood. Lily saw it too and gasped. I sniffed it quickly, taking in three deep inhales to take in the scent, then exhaled with a puff of hot air. My heart shattered when I smelled the blood puddle on the forest floor, and a darkness that I've never felt before fell upon me like rainwater. My soul got dragged down with it as I turned to Lily, unable to even speak.

"F-Fern..." I struggled to say. Lily's eyes went wide, backing up a bit, looking down at the puddle, up at me, and back down, before bursting into tears.