CHAPTER 4: Meg took a deep breath. “And that’s all!”, she said happily, as she guided Lucy back to the circle of trees where their exploration had begun. Lucy noticed that Meg looked tired. She had dark patches under her eyes and seemed about to fall asleep. “Thanks for the tour”, Lucy said. “Anytime!” Meg yawned and sat down. “So, I’ve told you my story” Lucy began. She wasn’t sure how to say this. She had a feeling the answer wouldn’t be good, but she needed to know. “Can you tell me yours? Why do you live in the forest? And where’s your family?” Lucy knew instantly she had said the wrong thing. Meg’s face fell, her smile vanished, and she suddenly looked as if she hadn’t slept in days. “I’m sorry”, Lucy said. “I didn’t mean to-” “No, that’s fine.” Meg said, cutting her off. There was something in her voice that made it very clear that it was not fine. It wasn’t mean, but it was a cold loneliness that Lucy had felt from the days after Sarah had died. “My family died when I was very young,” Meg began. “There was a fire in the forest where I lived, and I was the only one who survived. I ran away from that forest and never came back. I couldn’t bear it. But I didn’t know how to survive elsewhere. I had spent my whole life living in those woods and it was all I knew. So I came to this forest. It could easily catch fire like the other one, but what choice did I have?” Meg sighed as she reached the end of her story. “Oh,” Lucy said. She didn’t know what else to say. “Meg, I’m so sorry.” “No, it’s okay,” Meg said. Lucy was about to respond when she heard a cracking sound. Meg jumped and put her head between her paws, whimpering. Lucy looked down and realized that she had accidentally stepped on a twig. “It’s okay, Meg. It’s just a twig.” “Oh,” Meg said. “I’m sorry, I should be used to it by now.” She sighed again, and leaned into Lucy’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re here, Lucy. I haven’t talked to anybody else in a long time.” Lucy put her paw around Meg and smiled. “I’m glad I met you, Meg,” she said. Meg didn’t answer, and Lucy realized she was fast asleep. Smiling, she snuggle in next to Meg and closed her eyes, and the last thing she could remember thinking was, “I’m happy to be here.” Then she fell asleep, into the world of dreams.
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