The only bit of confidence he had quickly dwindled away, though, when he saw Diggs and Maud approach them.

"Oh, look, the brave adventurers, Quasimodo and Derpy," Maud said sarcastically.

Diggs stared at One-eye in disgust. "Why did you even come back after you encountered those humans? You're going to bring them here! We'll all end up being stuffed, thanks to you guys!"

One-eye felt anger surge through him. Not this time! Not with Silkey here! He took a deep breath.

"Not now, guys! She just lost her fahter! And the humans didn't see us! They won't come here!" he then shouted at his bullies.

Maud rolled her eyes. "How can you be so certain? Humans are capable of the impossible! They can fly without having wings, they can tame beasts and force them to stay on their black paths, they now apparently have quiet Pangs, and they will also find us all here, shoot us and mount us!"

"Stop it! Come on, Silkey...let's just go." One-eye got up and nudged his friend, who blindly followed at his side.

"You're going to be taxidermied first!" he heard Diggs call from behind.

"If he's even going to be taxidermized. I don't think humans find him good-looking enough to be stuffed... He'll probably just be their dinner," Maud added.

One-eye and Silkey left the Main Base to go to a quiet place nearby. There, they cried for a bit, though it was mostly One-eye consoling Silkey. After that, the two youngsters fell asleep, lying next to one another.

***

"Wake up you two!"

One-eye and Silkey gasped as the loud sneer awoke them.

"Huh, what?" One-eye got up, confused.

He looked around. At first he only noticed that the drizzle had stopped and that it had become night. But then he noticed Arrow standing only a meter away from him with a look as stern as ever, and yelped. "Yahaah!"

Silkey also got up. "MOM!" she cried out.

One-eye tried to cower away to the right, but Arrow had her eyes locked onto him.

"Don't worry, Silkey...there is nothing you have to fear..." she then said, oddly calm for the situation.

One-eye heard Silkey's confused "But what—" before Arrow suddenly let out a mighty scream and was on top of him.

"HELP!" he cried out as the huge catamount pushed him to the ground and dug her claws into his chest.

"YIAAAAH!" One-eye cried.

"You asked for it! You knew you're supposed to stay away from my daughter, mutt! You had it coming!" Arrow snarled as she suddenly retracted her claws, grabbed One-eye by the scruff, and threw him away roughly.

"Gah!" One-eye quickly tried to think of all the lessons Silkey had taught him, including the tree dashing ones.

With a rapid movement he managed to gain his balance in the air, landed on the nearest tree trunk, turned around in the process, and jumped away.

He didn't even know where he was going, but in a sudden burst of anger he noticed that he had aimed himself straight for Arrow.

The cougar looked around quickly with a gasp when the deformed pup seized her.

One-eye had aimed just for her, not for any particular body part, but, now that he had his only chance, he bit Arrow in her right ear as he flew past her.

In the force of his jump, he dragged her head partially with him, until the ear started to tear and One-eye lost his balance mid-air. He landed on the ground clumsily, and quickly spat out the tip of Arrow's ear he'd torn off.

He panted, and looked up as he heard the deputy's cry of anger and pain.

"AAARH! YOU IDIOT! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" She covered her right ear with her paw, and One-eye was pretty certain he could see blood coming off from behind it.

Did I really tear off that much? He looked at the ground, where he'd dropped the remains of her ear. Guess I did. Not bad for a random attack.

One-eye didn't try to feel good over the fact that he'd just injured someone, but he somewhat did. Not only had he hated and feared Arrow to the bone, but she had also disgusted anything that wasn't perfect. Now she had a torn ear that would never heal, and no longer be "perfect".

The young pup snapped out of it when the catamount suddenly rushed for him and threw him over, bellowing loud in the process. She clawed swiftly between his hind legs in utter rage, mercilessly hurting him.

One-eye kept yelping and crying in the process, but was unable to fight back against such a ruthless opponent. He could do nothing but scream for help whilst enduring the pain.

"ONE-EYE!" He vaguely heard Silkey's cry of horror, though it sounded oddly far away.

Arrow then stopped. She panted, her paws bloody, and walked away.

One-eye was paralyzed by the pain, but from where he lay, gasping for air, he could see the catamount walking over to her daughter, who was looking at One-eye with eyes the size of pineapples.

Then, she suddenly yelled, "He didn't do anything wrong! Mom! No! Why would you this to him?" Tears streamed down her cheeks once more.

Arrow shook her paws firmly to let the blood fall off. The scarlet drops fell on the small piles of moist snow that had remained.

"Because he's ruining you! Now, go to the den! This has been the last time you will see each other. If I ever get a report of you being together again, I'm afraid One-eye won't get away without some severe, really severe wounds. Like another eye. Or a leg, perhaps." Arrow glared at Silkey with her severe gaze.

"But, Mom—" the cub protested.

"Enough," Arrow cut her off. "From now on, you are going to listen to me very carefully. Do exactly as I say, otherwise I'll find your one-eyed friend and show him what true pain is. Let's go."

One-eye heard it all, and tried to get up, but the pain was too much. He wheezed and dropped down again, groaning.

He saw Arrow leave through the woods, heading for the Main Base. Silkey lingered behind for a bit, confused. She looked awfully sad as she gazed at One-eye, tears in her eyes.

"S...Silkey..." One-eye wailed softly.

"I..." His only friend looked at him, and took a step towards the scarred pup.

"Silkey!" A loud call from Arrow made her jump in fright. The cub shook her head in confusion, looked at One-eye once more, and then bolted off into the bushes towards her mother without looking back.

Silkey... Please... My friend... Goodbye... One-eye felt that, after this, everything would be different.

***