“Root, stop in your tracks.” Lyre called into the fog as he trotted after the faint scent trail that intermingled with the still damp earth. The fog had thinned a little, so he could see the two wolves speedwalking away from him. He tried not to let the memories of getting lost in that stone clearing prevent him from moving forward. Light yellow beams of light filtered through the thinner parts of the fog, lighting the wrong way.

  Root was behind the wolf pup as they muttered occasionally into its ear. They disregarded his demand.

  “Root!” Lyre called again.

  Root stopped and turned to the side, baring their teeth at him, hackles raised. “I know what you did to me when I tried getting the pup back. I won’t let it happen again.” They growled.

  Lyre widened his eyes as the memory of that night appeared in his mind. He had Root dangling off the side of the wide, dark gap, and forced the rest of their packmates to choose between them and the wolf pup.

  “I haven’t forgiven you, and I never will. I’ll go and find friendlier cats somewhere else.” They stopped baring their teeth.

  Lyre slightly lowered his head. “...Root, I don’t get it. Cats can seriously hurt you, and you still insist on meeting them.”

  Root growled back. “Curiosity doesn’t kill the wolf. That’s why I got lucky no cats injured me.”

  He stopped directly in front of Root and looked them in the eye. “Don’t forget my message.”

  “Then I’ll give you one!” Root lunged forward at a fast speed and cmped their jaws around his face. Their nails skidded against the first as they nded, flinging small, wet clumps of dirt.

  Lyre was taken too off-guard to see it coming, and squeezed his eyes shut as he felt hot breath attack his face. The longer teeth touched his throat, but didn’t pierce it. The other teeth touched his skin; it also pressed against the solid surface that protected the other parts of his throat.

  Suddenly the pressure released.

  Does Root still…? No… Lyre slowly opened his eyes to see the wolf pup coming up from behind Root, whimpering and pawing at their still body. Root’s sides were rapidly rising and falling.

  Root was blinking rapidly, shock and fear reflecting in their light emerald green eyes. Their jaws were wide, all the way open, and trembling as if struggling to close them. Their paws were rooted to the ground, unable to move or be moved.

  The fur on their body suddenly froze, as did their sides. A retively loud, ugly whimper-yelp of distraught sounded from Root’s throat as their white teeth slowly began darkening into a gray-ish color. The odd coloring quickly spread like spilled blood over to their bck gums, then their tongue and muzzle and nose. Their eyes, fully gzed with fear were also beginning to desaturate. The light tan and gray fur turned more gray than light tan; even the bck tail-tip was lightening.

  Then the noise stopped. Root was standing still, in the same, mid-crouch posture as their pried open jaws looked as if they were about to bite down onto someone. The fearful expression in their eyes, however, made them look more like they were yelping loudly. Their entire body, from nose to tail-tip, was stone gray. Even the inside of the nostrils and mouth were stone.

  The wolf pup, seeing Root’s forever unmoving body, froze as if they too were getting turned to stone. The pup let out a long whine, followed by a few whimpers.

  Lyre looked at the wolf pup as he fttened his ears. “”Come on. We’re leaving this pce for good.”

  “No! You say cats and wolves can’t be friends, so why are you bringing me along with you? What do you want with me?” It cried.

  Lyre’s patience was long gone from speaking with Root. “I never intended for you to be my friend. What I want is for no more innocent cats to get killed by you thoughtless wolves.” He growled softly.

  “But that doesn’t make sense. We-”

  “Shut up, mutt!” Lyre snapped, shing his tail. “From now on, you are to listen to me, and not go anywhere without my permission!”

  The wolf pup immediately shrunk itself into the ground as it met his deathly gre. “Yes,” it squeaked.

  Lyre turned and broke into a trot, using his shing tail to beckon the pup over. I’m tired of this annoying pup. All it does is whine and compin and disobey.

  You’ll still need help raising it though, even when you get to your new home.

  Shut up, I’m not talking to you. Lyre wished he could growl at the voice.

  You are now.

  He groaned.

  As Lyre left behind the wolf statue as he felt a light shudder pass through his body. I don’t want to use this often, but I have a feeling I might have to. It unsettles me to see someone just get turned into stone like that.

  They’ll live. You’ve seen that with Molly.

  Lyre shook out the uncertainty in his fur as his annoyance slowly died down. He knew Quartz would no longer be here with him, and even though he saw it coming, he still felt a faint sense of missing her.

  Stop it, Lyre. He told himself. He looked down at thee ground and felt his body run cold at the stone pawprints that were in a trail that faced him, but led away from him. His fur prickled at the wolf-shaped paw-prints. He followed them until he reached where they begun; the dirt entrance whose stone lining was long gone.

  He turned his attention to the slightly blurred cat sitting on the bridge. His heart sank as he recognized who it was.

  “Heya,” she meowed casually. “I’ve decided to leave those guys and return home. I had to stay with them to take care of that Petrifier cat. But he’s gone, so…yeah.”

  Lyre blinked as he forced a frown onto his face. “I’m…busy at the moment.”

  “Yeah, that’s what they all say. You just looked like you finished traumatizing a poor baby.” She tilted her head at the wolf pup, looking into its bright yellow eyes. Her gaze softened a little before it flicked over Lyre’s shoulder, where it cooled.

  Lyre gulped as the rge, patterned cat gred at The Stone Colr. His tail-tip twitched nervously. “If…if you know I’m wearing this…uh…why are you going to follow me?”

  Molly’s slit pupils immediately widened as she looked at him with innocence. “Me? Following you? I could never! You’re simply…guiding me. On our walk, maybe we can talk about something.”

  He frowned for real this time. She was right- there was no way the two would be walking in silence for a day’s walk; she might not be able to walk in silence, but Lyre already has a pn to.

  “Okay…but don’t talk about…the, um…this pup.” He stammered. His heart started racing as he watched the she-cat walk over to him. He knew what she was waiting for, and if he were honest, it was something he was waiting to do for the past month.

  Lyre, Molly, and the wolf pup were trotting along the edge of the still foggy bck pit. Most of the fog was gone, and Lyre could really feel the burning rays start to heat up his pelt. The wolf pup was heard dragging its paws behind him.

  Molly was confidently striding ahead, her head and tail held high. She was exuding confidence that Lyre hadn't felt since the time he “went hunting” with Calico and Root.

  Well? Aren’t you going to start asking who I am, where I am, what I did, and literally anything else but how I am? The voice asked after many hours of silence.

  I don’t care how you’re doing. And thanks to Quartz, I already know who you are. What I want to know is why you’re specifically bothering me and not anyone else.

  Funny thing is, that’s exactly what your father said to me. So here we are.

  Okay, that’s it- how do you know about my father?

  He is Quartz’s brother. He ran away and bumped into me during what he called an “escape”. And I mean literally bumped into me, like you did. We then became good friends and bh bh bh. Anything else?

  Lyre snorted. None of that sounded even remotely true. It was hard to believe his father being friends with anyone. Fine, I’ll ask where you are.

  Somewhere with a bunch of stones. Nah, just kidding. I’m watching you. Always have been ever since your father left The Stone Forest. You can hear how excited I am to finally meet you personally. There wasn't a hint of excitement in the tone.

  Lyre was unsure whether he should be scared. And if whoever was talking to him- however they were talking to him- was somewhere in his alleged new home, then he wouldn’t know what to do. I can’t believe I’m actually speaking with one of the most dangerous cats here…I don’t know what to make of this.

  Let’s just hope when you do meet me, you don't end up getting along with me as well as the others do. The voice said sarcastically.

  I’d be lying if I said I was looking forward to it. He sighed.

  Suddenly Molly broke into a sprint, and Lyre had to run after her.

  “What are you doing?!” He yowled after her.

  Molly’s ears were perked up. “Making the trip faster!” She called back. “At this rate, It would get dark by the time we even reach the river!”

  So where we’re going is where Molly’s home is; not a new home where I would live. You lied to me. Lyre felt upset at both the voice and at himself for falling for this well-disguised lie.

  Why must you immediately jump to conclusions? Her home is very far from where I’m bringing you. I have it prepared just for you.

  Lyre felt a slight chill along his spine. How do you even know what I like? A moment of silence passed, long enough for him to realize how the voice knew what it did.

  Exactly. I’ll see you until then, Lyre.