The Mating Run by Leeka

Run

Darkness surrounds me.

I hear echoes, fragments of sound, and the world flickers in and out like a dying flame. Zeke’s voice, a distant murmur, reaches me like ripples in a quiet pond. I try to focus, to make sense of the fragments, but everything slips away like sand through my fingers.

I feel the rhythmic beat of Zeke’s steps, a steady cadence that carries me through the darkness. His arms around me, a secure cocoon in the disorienting haze. I’m aware, on the edges of consciousness, that we’re moving, running somewhere. Zeke’s growls, low and protective, punctuate the darkness like distant thunder.

In and out.

That’s how I drift.

Sometimes the darkness swallows me whole, and other times I catch fleeting glimpses of the world outside. Zeke’s growls become a familiar lullaby, a comforting melody that cuts through the confusion. I want to ask where we’re going, what’s happening, but the words remain trapped in the fog that envelops my mind.

I feel the jostle of movement, the sensation of being carried, and Zeke’s growls intensify. Are we running from something? Are we running towards safety? The questions linger, but the answers remain elusive. All I know is the rhythmic beat of Zeke’s steps and the growls that weave through the darkness like a protective

shield.

Zeke’s rumbling, a deep vibration that resonates through his chest, reaches me in the cocoon of his arms. It’s a sound both primal and comforting, a reminder that I’m not alone in this disorienting journey through the unknown. The darkness threatens to pull me under, but Zeke’s presence becomes a lifeline, a connection that anchors.me in the tumultuous sea of uncertainty.

I hear him muttering, the words a blend of reassurance and urgency.

“Hold on, Alina,” he says, his voice cutting through the fog. “Just, hold on!”

Hold on to what? I wonder, but the question dissipates like a fleeting dream. Zeke’s arms tighten around me, a protective embrace that shields me from the unknown dangers that lurk in the darkness.

In the moments of consciousness, I catch glimpses of Zeke’s face. His eyes,

focused and determined, meet mine.

“We’re almost there.”

He murmurs, and I nod, or at least I think I do.

The fog within me is thick, a swirling tempest that blurs the edges of reality. But Zeke’s words become a guiding light, a promise of sanctuary in the midst of

chaos.

We keep moving. Running, perhaps towards safety, perhaps away from danger. The darkness clings to me like a heavy cloak, and Zeke’s growls become a protective shield that guards against the unknown.

My arms feel heavy and limp, like they’re not really mine.

I try to lift them, but they resist, as if they belong to someone else. There’s a fog in my mind, a persistent haze that blurs the edges of everything. I long let of

the makeshift bandage I pressed against the wound on my neck. It lies somewhere, discarded, forgotten.

anchor in the disorienting fog. I can feel his movements, his hands working. He presses a new cloth against the wound, against the

the steady

can’t.

distant echo. Words

the effort of keeping them open feeling like a monumental task. I let them

new cloth is cool against my skin, a welcome contrast to the warmth that lingers beneath. I try to make sense of it all–the wound, the blood, the fog that envelops me–but everything feels like fragments, pieces of a puzzle scattered in the disarray. I focus on the rhythmic beat of Zeke’s movements, a steady pulse in the midst of

he murmurs, the words a soothing melody in

layer of reassurance to the symphony of sounds. He’s pressing a kiss to the side of my head, a tender gesture that ripples through

tempest. That’s what they’re doing–chasing us. The footsteps are

roar, cuts through

away from us!” he screams, the words a fierce declaration that reverberates through the air.

Keep away. Mine.

of possessiveness, a claim

time, in the midst of pursuit, I melt into his

Run

snarls–they’re like distant shadows the periphery of our shared sanctuary. I feel Zeke’s arms tighten around me, protective embrace that shields against the

let them hurt you, Alina,” he murmurs, the words like a gentle breeze

more than understand. In this moment, I let go of the

feels like a heavy cloak. My breath catches, a sudden startle that jolts me into awareness.

Where am I?

in my mind, a

wince, a sharp pain shooting through my neck. It hurts.

for the source of the pain, my fingers grazing against something unexpected. Leaves pressed against my neck, a makeshift bandage that hints at a story I can’t quite grasp. I press on it, feeling

warmth beneath.

settles in, a foggy disorientation that clouds my

“W–what…?”

slow, as if testing the solidity of my surroundings. The fire dances in the corner, casting flickering shadows that play on the cave walls. The warmth of

TL-

handaand

for any sign of life, any clue to the mystery that shrouds me. But the cave

say, I’m

like a sudden gust of wind, a whirlwind that tugs at the edges of my consciousness. I’m alone in a cave, my surroundings unfamiliar, and my neck throbs with pain. Questions cascade through my mind, each one

I inspect the leaves, running my fingers over their edges, feeling the way they are carefully arranged. Someone did this for me, I realize, a surge

clue in its dancing flames. A bag. That’s what I see a bag placed by the fire. I reach for it, my fingers fumbling with the clasps. The bag feels heavy, and my

contents. Items–a medley of objects that offer no immediate explanation. A water flask, a few supplies, and a

A map.

in like a tidal wave, and I can’t help but flinch. I let go of the map, groaning in frustration as

of the approaching presence until a sudden shuffle disrupts the tranquility. The sudden jolt propels me to my feet. Panic grips me like a vice, tightening with each heartbeat. The cave, once a sanctuary, feels like