Come," Harley beckoned her with his tail, "I want to show you something,"
Liana hauled herself to her feet.
"This better be good," she growled playfully, "Because the sun is
about to rise and I should be sleeping,"
Harley blew air out of his nose, as if exasperated, and trotted out of
the den. Liana shook leaves out of her pelt and followed him. They
journeyed across a plain of nothing but grass, and then uphill, on
solid rock. When the rock gave way to forest, Liana finally caught up
with the other jackal.
"Where are we going?" she asked him.
"You'll see," was all he said.
Harley halted just above a sheer drop. It was a clearing in the woods,
and trees framed the pink sky.
"Okay, is this," Liana waved her tail in a circle, "what you wanted
to show me?"
"No," Harley answered, "But this is,"
The sky seemed to catch fire as a bright golden sliver of light made
its way into the sky. Liana yelped and jumped back. Harley chuckled at
her reaction.
"We came all this way for a prank?" Liana sniffed, cleaning her
pelt with her tongue.
Harley's head drooped, "You don't like it?"
"No, no. It's beautiful," Liana apologized.
Harley lifted his head so his resin-colored eyes met Liana's, "Just
like you,"
Liana grew warm under her pelt, as if the sun had made her icy heart
suddenly melt.
"LianaŠ. I love you!" he burst out, and then looked ashamed.
"Oh, Harley," Liana said softly, "I-I don't know what to say right
now,"
They shared a tense laugh before falling into silence.
The two jackals watched the sun climb higher in the sky without
speaking a word. Harley edged closer to Liana. She held herself erect
until they were so close their pelts touched, and then Liana leaned her
head against Harley and looked up at him. She loved the feel of his
fur, the way his jaw curved, how the fur on his head spiked upwards. It
seemed as if in that moment, not only their tails but their hearts were
twined together, and nothing could ever pull them apart.
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