Restlessly, she checked his wound, blood continuously dripped out of his chest. The village was far, and risky. She thought whether the dangerous journey would work.

Harper was sure that her family would be worried sick, but she had to stay with the panther. Harper  knew that the least she could do was find the gateway for the panther.

The panther slept on;Outside loud voices echoed down the corridor . Staring through a crack in the wall, she saw a group of guards were trying to get in the shop. Scared, Harper tapped the panther awake. The panther stared up, his eyes glowing like the moon. She indicated the panther to be quiet.

Creeping across the dusted floor, Harper  signalled the panther. Ducking down, they hid under a tarpaulin.

The door creaked open, Harper and the panther were no longer alone. A pause filled the air, as if something was listening. Light flooded the corridor, each footstep they took getting louder and louder. The soldiers began to search. Harper stuck her head out, black figures stomped around. A gust of wind blew through the empty corridor. Pierced by the temperature, she moved closer to the panther. Harper believed they could wait it out and leave after the guards. 

It felt like hours, the guards were in the distance while the panther lay asleep. Harper thought about the gateway, where it could be, and how they would get there.

Harper wondered,” The gateway could be under the bridge, where few people ever went.

The panther woke, Harper told the panther to run, run with his head down and try not to draw any attention. “ On three we run, One! Two! THREE!” Harper called as she ran, with the panther, towards the bridge.