Wham!  A heavy body slammed into me, crushing me to the ground.  I let out my puppy growl as I spun around, lashing out a paw with my sharp claws extended at the attacker.  I let out an annoyed, indignant grunt when I saw that the enemy was only Rhea, my obnoxious sister.  Sitting on my haunches, I licked my shiny gray, almost silver fur.  Rhea shot me a smug smile.

            “I scared you that time, Sasha!  You should be more alert.” 

            I shrugged with as much indifference as I could muster and continued to smooth down my ruffled pelt.  Have I mentioned that my sister is quite obnoxious?

            “Besides, it’s sunset, so get ready!” Rhea announced excitedly.  I swiveled around in pretend confusion.

            “Get ready for what?” I asked, my hopes plummeting as I realized she had not forgotten that we had yet to fulfill our mission planned for tonight.

            “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!” Rhea huffed and rolled her eyes.  “You can’t be your old practical self this time, Sasha.  With you and your cautious mind, you must have at least noticed that the trees are disappearing. And all because of those selfish humans!”  She snarled the last line.

            Humans.  I shuddered at the word.  The pale-faced beings that had come to take our home and our pelts.  My voice shaking, I attempted to dissuade her from going, “Do you think we should go?  Mother wouldn’t have wanted us to.” 

            I immediately regretted my last sentence as Rhea’s blue eyes filled with pain and anger.  “Mother has gone with the dead spirits,” she growled viciously.  “If she ever even loved us, she wouldn’t have left us so abruptly.” 

She paused, gulping back tears.  “Anyway, I’m guessing you’re too scared to come with me, as always.”

           Despite her harsh words, I pushed my muzzle into her fur comfortingly.  Rhea shrugged me off and turned away. 

            “Well?  Are you coming, to help me save the forest?”

             I glanced uncertainly at my adventurous littermate.  How could I go with her to confront the foul-smelling rifles?  The ones that could kill us with one shot?  But even though I knew we wouldn’t stand a chance against the humans, in my heart I couldn’t allow her to go alone.  Though Rhea would never admit it, she didn’t want to go to save the forest, but to get her revenge.  Revenge on the humans who had taken our loving mother. 

            I could still picture the day when Mother never came home, the day when we patiently waited by our cave until we heard a loud gunshot and Mother’s cry of death and pain.  The day when our customary routine of greeting Mother with warm licks was over, and the day when Rhea resolved to get revenge.  Since that lonely, gloomy night, the respect and friendship between Rhea and me had become indispensable.  And now she needed me.

            I sighed, with only a bit of regret.  “You know that I would always have gone with you. You’re my sister.” 

         Rhea’s shoulders sagged in silent relief, and we padded off side by side, ready to face the dangers that were awaiting us.  Tilting my head up, I gazed one last time at the flawless shades of blue, pink, and yellow beginning to dot the cloudless sky.  As I turned back around to face the forest, I knew we wouldn’t make it out unscathed. 

         As we ventured deeper into the forest, the bright light from the sun began to dim as the wide, strong tree branches spread themselves over us.  I felt myself tense up, wincing as a twig snapped beneath Rhea’s paws.

          Suddenly Rhea halted, raising her brown muzzle to sniff the tangy air.  As I raised my nose too, I heard footsteps - human ones.  The heavy clink of boots on the tender ground rang in my ears.  I felt my spine tingle in fear. 

        Paralyzed, I didn’t have time to stop my careless sister.  Without thinking, Rhea’s fur spiked up in anger and she leaped away in the direction of the sounds. 

            “No!” I finally cried out.  But she was long gone by then. 

            After a minute or two of standing still in shock, the loud boom of a gunshot filled the air.  Immediately the smell of blood sent a jolt down my spine, and I found myself running after Rhea.  I stopped as I reached a clearing in the forest, and I listened carefully.  Nothing.  Just silence.

            Then, I spotted a brown-furred animal lying in the center of the clearing, a bullet lodged deep into its shoulder.  Curious, I padded over softly, all my senses on alert mode.  All thoughts of finding Rhea were gone, due to my strong curiosity. 

             Nudging the body gently, I strained my head to look at the face.  I forgot to breathe.      

The dead animal I was looking at was Rhea.