Maddie, I'm sorry for forgetting your name

The brown and white rat jumps at me and I use the tree limps to brush him to the side. I run through the opening so I'm no longer on the cliff's edge. The moon light lights the way for me between the pine trees. The light is just good enough I can see where rocky edges and for the most part cliffs.

"I'm sorry guys for eating your friend! If I had known, I wouldn't have done it!" I plead to the rats chasing me. "I really don't want to hurt you. You guys do look kinda cute when your not snarling."

I keep running through the forest and continue to brush the rats away from me with the tree. I keep calling it a tree but it's barely as tall as me. It's more of a glorified stick but it's protecting me so I shall not complain too much.

I run past a cave in the cliff face. From the corner of my eye I see the tip of a green dragon tail. Sonja's dragon is in there. At least I hope it's her's. What was her name again? I circle back around.

May? Madeline? Madelyn? Maddie? Maddie! It was Maddie!

"Maddie! I'm sorry for forgetting your name earlier but I could really use some help right now! Pleeeeeaaaaasssseee!!" I yell running past the cave entrance.

A scoff comes from the cave. She lumbers out and lazily plops down to cut off the rats from chasing me. All but one.

The white and brown one is still on my heels snarling. I continue to beg for forgiveness while dodging tree limbs and jumping over fallen trees. The rat sprints up a downed tree that curves up and over to my right. I close my eyes and swing behind me. I feel the contact of hitting the rat and then it is flung over a cliffs ledge.

"Oh no." I say. Yes I don't want to be attacked but I... I can't kill it!

I peeked over the ledge to see the rat biting onto a tree root. It squints at me and makes a low irritated squee noise. The rat's squinted eyes are brown like Potato's. The root gives a little and the rat hangs on while it bounces. 

"Just hang on!" I cry. "What can I do?" Adrenaline is coursing through my veins. I can't let it die but getting attacked... No! He's a creature just wanting to live like me! I look to the glorified stick I have been carrying. The branches are cradle like, I think I can scoop him up.

I lay on my stomach and reach down to scoop him up. He was a lot heavier than he looked but I was able to get him into the branches. Til a few snapped on him and we both held on for dear life. Then I pulled him up the rest of the way.

I sigh with relief til I see his jaws coming for me. I shoot backwards using my hands and feet to propel myself until I collide with a tree. A gaint coconut sized purple fruit slams into the ground in between that rat and me. The rat let's out a high pitched squeal and dives onto this semi squished fruit. I slowly move away from the rat and tree.

"Were you just hungry by chance?" I ask picking up my stick again. The rat slows down on eating and then sits on its back legs and cleans it's face off a little. "Well it's been real, not terribly fun and it for sure was not real fun so I'm going to leave now." 

I start making my way towards where Maddie should be since I'm not entirely sure where Sonja's shack is anymore. Rustling of small foot steps padding behind me makes me look over my shoulder. The rat is following me while carrying the rest of the fruit in it's mouth. 

"Better the fruit than me." I mutter. I slow down a little and the rat matches pace beside me. He actually is pretty cute with his whiskers and little ears. 

"Should I name you now that your friendly?" I ask the rat.

It perks it's ears up at me and tilts its head as best it can with the huge piece of fruit. 

"I can't call you the rat and your cute like a mouse but if I call you mouse would that be disrespectful?" I pounder some more. Teddy? Maybe if he had more brown. I look to his side and make out a marking that looked just like a potato chip. "How about Chip?" I smile.

Chip squeals a high pitched squeal while looking at me. Then bounds off to his buddies hiding in the brush around Maddie. After they eat the fruit they all start scurrying toward me. I back up again hitting a tree and a few more pieces of fruit drops. What is up with that? The rats happily munch on the fallen fruit. I on the other hand escape the hoard and sprint for Maddie.

"Phew." I sigh beside the dragon.

"Scratches..." Says Maddie.

"What?" I ask.

"Scratches. You owe me scratches." She looks down on me.

"Oh um." I say holding out my hand hesitantly.

"Oh don't be all shy now! You where clinging to my body practically the whole evening not too long ago." She scoffs.

"I guess you're right." I slowly step closer and run my hands over her cool scales. 

"Scratches, not rubs." She demands.

"R-right." I say running my short nails over her scaly skin.

Maddie soon starts making noises I wish I did not hear. Then she gets quiet. And she is asleep on the ground. The rats have already started to go home themselves. Chip gives me a nod before leaving.

"I thought I would know which way for sure Sonja's shack would be from here but I'm not seeing it." I try squinting into the dark. "I'm pretty sure it's that way."

I grab my glorified stick and start walking toward Sonja's shack. Or... at least I thought I did.