For a fraction of a second, she was airborne.

Then, their hands met. A loud, fleshy slap echoed through the trees as their palms locked.

My father grunted, his powerful shoulder muscles bunching as he absorbed her weight. The tree we were on creaked, but held firm. With a slow, steady pull, he hauled her up onto the thick, stable branch beside him.

Keza collapsed against him, panting heavily, her wet fur pressing against his dry back.

“Thank you,” she breathed, her face buried in his shoulder.

Safety in the Deep Forest

Once the danger had passed, we didn’t stay on the exposed ridge. My father led us down into the thicker, protected heart of the valley, where the ancient trees stood close together, forming a natural shield against the howling wind and rain. 🌪️

We crawled into a hollow beneath a massive, moss-covered root system. It was dry, smelled of rich soil, and was completely hidden from the storm.

My mother took me back into her arms, pulling me close to her chest. She began to groom my damp, wild hair with her fingers, her touch soothing and repetitive. It was her way of telling me that the danger was over, that we were safe.

I looked up at her, my eyes still wide from the adrenaline of the fall. I raised my tiny hand, looking at the fingers that had almost slipped into the void, and then looked over at my father.

He had settled himself at the entrance of the hollow, his massive back acting as a windbreak for us. He looked back at me over his shoulder, his expression soft and calm. He reached out a single, massive finger, and I wrapped my entire hand around it.

“You were brave today, little one,” he seemed to say with his quiet, steady gaze.

Clinging to his finger and wrapped in my mother’s warmth, the sound of the rain outside slowly faded into a soothing lullaby. I closed my eyes, safe in the embrace of the mountains, knowing that no matter how hard the wind blew, my family would always be there to catch me. 🦍💚