Sable placed Bluey down on the ground of the tree cavern. The cub sniffed the new territory thoroughly. She cautiously explored the three woven baskets, sniffing each single one. Ignoring the basket of arrow shafts that were half-completed with flint arrowheads, Bluey was interested in the next basket. She nosed around the strong-smelling dried herbs as if they were fresh flowers. The last basket of grass completely caught her interest.

Bluey knocked it over, and the grasses scattered like confetti, revealing pieces of dried venison, which landed on the ground. Sable yelped, quickly moving over to pick up the pieces of venison, and scolded the cub. While she was placing them back inside the basket, the cub managed to snatch away a piece of meat. With her little teeth, Bluey tried to gnaw the hard food, but she could not eat it. The dried venison continually dropped out of the cub's mouth, and Bluey eventually ended up pawing it on the ground as if it were a dead mouse.

Sable chuckled at the sight. "Poor you, Bluey. Let me help you with that." She tried to pick up the saliva-covered meat, but Bluey hissed at her. The cub quickly grabbed the meat in her mouth and guarded it possessively with a growl.

"Very well, kitty, if that's what you want." The ranger intended to rip the dried meat into little pieces for the cub, but it seemed the cub didn't want her touching it at all. "I'm going to take care of that brute and then hunt afterwards, okay? You stay here and don't move." Sable also grabbed her muddy boots to wash them at the stream. She kept turning around to check if the cub was following her while she walked out of the tree cavern, but it appeared Bluey was still trying to eat the dried venison.

Sable frowned as she heard rustling behind her. Turning around, she glanced down at Bluey whom apparently abandoned the dried meat.

"You can't come with me," Sable said. "It's too dangerous. I will also have to keep watching you when I hunt."

The pupils of Bluey's cerulean blue eye grew as round as moon saucers.

"Trying to convince me, Bluey?" Sable asked with amusement. "Well, that trick won't work on me." Scooping up Bluey in her arms, Sable carried her back inside the tree cavern and placed her down on the ground.

The more the ranger walked away, the more the cub followed her. Soon, Sable sighed and surrendered, allowing Bluey to pad along happily with her to the stream. Throughout the walk, Sable wondered about alacat behavior. Do alacat cubs always follow their mothers? If so, where do the cubs do when their mother hunts? Do they stay behind and watch her hunt?

At the arrival of the stream, Sable scrubbed the mud off her dirty boots. Meanwhile, Bluey entertained herself with the cool water by testing them with her paws. Once all the mud was rinsed off, Sable was disappointed the wash did not get rid of the brown stains that were left on her originally white boots.

I'll dry them tonight by the fire, Sable thought. 

I should be able to wear them tomorrow.

Sable and Bluey headed back to the tree cavern to drop the boots. "Since you're going to come with me to find the brute, I'll have to carry you," Sable said. "Hopefully I will still have strength carrying you by the time we find him." Without a protest, the cub allowed herself to be picked up by the ranger.

It did not take long for Sable to find the rouge at his camp where she had visited earlier. The scent of blood was strong within the forest since he was currently preparing to cook a fresh rabbit kill by the fire while humming a song. The sight of the skinned alacat carcass beside the wire cage caught Sable's immediate attention which was next to his bag.

Bluey started to squirm in her arms.

"Bluey!" Sable whispered quietly. "Keep still." The ranger was not sure whether the cub was focusing on the smell of the rabbit or her dead mother. She had a feeling that if she dropped Bluey down, the cub would run up to his camp. Continuing to fidget in Sable's arms, Bluey cried out a desperate mew.

Orson flinched at the faint sound as he roasted the rabbit. "Did I just hear somethin'?" he muttered. Straining his ears, he heard the same sound again. He ceased his cooking and fetched out his skinning knife.

Sable wanted to growl at the cub for alerting the rogue. 

It's too late. I'm going to have to kill him now. Releasing Bluey out of her grasp, Sable unstrapped her bow.

As the ranger predicted, the alacat cub scampered toward the camp disregarding the rogue's presence. Orson gaped at the alacat as it appeared it was charging toward him. The cub whisked past him as he was a ghost and headed toward her dead mother.

The rogue laughed as his eyes shifted between the cub and the alacat he had skinned. He could not believe a cub just ran into his camp to be with a skinned carcass. Perhaps it was the cub's mother. Anyhow, Orson did not care for he was too overwhelmed by luck again. First it was the 'free fur,' and now it was the cub. When he was about to seize the cub, he gagged a chockfull of blood. An arrow was lodged through his throat, ending his life as he stumbled to the ground.

Sable stepped out the bushes, staring at the pool of blood submerging Orson's body. Her eyes remained cool as she thought of the men she had killed. 

I have killed three men, including him today. Why can I kill humans more easily without feeling much pity? I can only feel mercy for the animals I hunt… though, this brute mostly deserved it.

Sable gazed sadly at Bluey whom was trying to drag her mother out with her teeth, attempting to wake up her mother. Although her mother was 'washed', the cub still recognized her distinctive smell. Her head was still intact as her copper eyes stared back dully into space.

The ranger did not intervened Bluey's interaction with her dead mother. The cub deserved to have one last moment with whatever familiar part of her mother was still left. Bluey finally gave up trying to wake up her mother and climbed on top of her back, kneading and purring on top her. After some time had passed, Bluey gave away to sleep.

Sable wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry, Bluey," Sable whispered. It was tragic to see the cub attached to her mother with false hope that she was alive. It brought back the times when her grandmother passed away although they were not blood-related. Sable herself had never cared to seek out for her birth parents that had abandoned her in a bear's den. She could not despise them either if they were still alive. How could she when she had never known them? 'Judging others you have never met is foolish,' her grandmother's voice replayed in her head. Besides, it did not really matter to Sable; she had her grandmother's spirit, the Ajar Forest, and now Bluey.

The vibrant warm hues in the sky indicated the sun was going to set in a few hours. Sable noticed the fire was still going, roasting the rabbit, and put it out. Now they would not need to hunt since the dead rogue already prepared a meal, additionally saving the ranger from hunting on bare feet. Sable also searched inside his bag, finding a pouch of coins, an empty green cloth, and a half full waterskin. These will be mine now, Sable thought.

The rabbit was carried back to the tree cavern, becoming their dinner. Before Sable brought back Bluey and the rogue's belongings, she did know what to do with Bluey's dead mother. It would be disrespect to use the fur since she was Bluey's mother, so Sable buried her in quicksand instead. The ranger also retrieved the rogue's sword from the thorny blackberry bush, occasionally getting pricked on her fingers.

Now, Sable and Bluey were resting by the fire inside the tree cavern with the cub sleeping on her lap. It was a long tiring day. The wet fur boots were drying beside the fire, creating flickering shadows on the wooden walls. Sable's attention switched to Orson's sword lying down by her feet.

The sword was a great trophy that was left by the rogue. It was not too light or heavy, fitting perfectly in the ranger's hand. Sable did not have much knowledge about swords, but she assumed it was used by one hand. It would become useful to her in the future when she knew how to use it. Sable's thoughts went to Elia, wondering if she had made it to town. She also thought about Cathan whom the rogue referred him as the fur trader that hired him. If that was so, the two other men she had killed were most likely hired by him too.

Closing her eyes, Sable tried to rest. Hopefully Elia would find the information for her.