In Fang's Eyes
Before lifting up the curtain of vines, the black wolf pup looked over her shoulder. There, further back, was a white sleeping form with dabs of black on the front paws and ears. That form, was her older sister and the one who train the pup. For a minute, the pup watched her sister sleep then roll onto her side, making the wolf child grin. But that grin soon faded as she remembered why she was up at this late hour. She had smelled blood and the scentch of man. Before she could change her mind, the pup turned forward, lifted up the vines with her snout and stepped out into a winter's night.
Outside, everything was covered in a sea of snow. Trees stood with thick trunks, their branches covered with leaves, topped with snow. Making them the perfect housing for a small animal. Illuminated by the blood red moon that danced in a sea of blackness above the world. As the wind shifted its direction , the pup picked up the scent east from the cave and took off. With the moon at her back, the pup moved silently through the forest. The trees slowly thinning out as she traveled further from her home. The pup followed the scent five miles when she saw a light flickering in the distance.
No one had to tell her who was there. Men dressed in some sort of uniform stood around something, looking down. The fire from the light torches gave off shadows. They were yelling at one another, which the pup didn't understand why. With a sudden curiosity, the pup moved closer until she was a shadow among them. From this view, she could see carriages attached to horses in the background of the trees. Just beside that were big metal crates stacked on top of one another.
Some were empty while others held dogs either in perfect condition or bleeding. Realizing what this was, the pup remembered what her sister told her, "Man kind will draw first blood before its all over." Then she heard someone shout an order, followed by snarls. Ears forward, the pup listened as the two animals ripped each other apart. When it became too much, the pup moved out from the shadows and into the torch light. Curiosity consuming the child.
No one noticed her moving closer to the pit, even when she quietly sat behind a two leg. They were too focused on the bloody fight below. Looking down, she saw the walls were covered in old and new blood. In its center were dogs. One was a large black and brown Doberman with many scars on his body. The other was a medium brownish color with what looked to be a broken back leg. Then the two clashed with jaws open and saliva flying. This was clearly an unfair fight and she knew what would happen next.
As if to answer her thoughts, the larger dog wrapped its jaws around the brown dog's throat and snapped it like a twig. The dog fell limp and was thrown across the ring like a rag doll. There were curses and shouts of joy coming from the men. They were making bets on who would win. Shaking her head, the pup stood to leave, when she heard somebody cry,"Wolf!" The person she was sitting behind, turn and looked down at her. Shock written in his face, then it turned into a wicked grin.
Suddenly, she was kicked in the chest by the man's boot. She fell in, landing on her side and half slid with the wet blood. The next second, the pup was up on her legs, pissed off. She heard the man's voice, "Five hundred if the wolf wins." There was silence at first then someone answered, "Deal." From the other side, she saw the dog emerge from the crate it was held in. The humans only heard their growls turn to snarls, but actually the two animals were exchanging heated words.
"You'll be joining him soon," said the dog. His voice was deep and ragged as he spoke then he pointed with his paw to the dead dog to her left. "Will see who's worthy to live flea bag," she said, her words dripping with hate. Then bared her over sized fangs at him, letting a snarl escape her jowls. The male dog charged her fast, beginning the brawl.
The darkness of the dream world began to fade away as light of reality crept through my half opened eye lids. Blurry shapes danced in front of me as I tried to focus in on my surroundings. Then settled on looking up at the ceiling above me. My hands groped at the materials with confusion and fear of being back in that tank. But instead of water, I felt soft padding and what I assumed was a blanket covering my body. I was laying on a bed of some sort.
The sickening smell of medical supplies assualted my nose as I sat up with a body screaming in pain. The blanket fell away from my chest as I swung my legs over the bed side. Like the ceiling, the walls were a faded white with tile floors. Several small cots and bunk beds lined the walls of the medium sized room. Every one of them empty and neatly made with white linen sheets, except for the one I occupied. In between the beds were small tables. Each having a small cupboard and lamp ontop.
The sudden movement sent a fresh wave of pain telling me exactly were it was coming from. A pounding headache and a bruised back most likely. With closed eyes and hunched over, I placed a hand to my head. At first there was pain then slowly it began to go away. Allowing me to remeber the escape, the chase, and the man before the explosion. He carried the scent of lavender on him and told me to go to the States. For what I don't know. A red light flashed in my head, telling me this is a trap. It probably was but I had no where to go and I needed to get away from Germany. Then I heard footsteps coming from somewhere. My eyes lids shot open right when I heard the door open. My collar rattled as I jerked my head up.
There, in the threshold was a woman wearing a surprised expression on her face. Obvious she wasn't expecting me to be awake. She was dressed in different shades of green except for the tan boots she wore. An average height of five feet, light tan skin and a petite body fitted her perfectly. Her alburn hair was pulled back out of the way in one of those 'pony' tails people seem to like. A few loose strains fell in front of her face, which was now a light hearted smile. Her chocolate brown eyes showing kindness when I deserved none of it.
Immediantly my abused body relaxed as I watched her walk towards a sink in the far corner. I don't know why, but I felt at ease when she opened a cabinet to her left and pulled out a clear plastic cup. Placing it under the faucet, she filled it with water. I assumed she was going to drink the liquid, but instead she turned in my direction offering me the drink. Nodding my head, I realized how incredably thirsty I was when she offered the cup tp me.
She took a few strides and was at my bed side with the cup held out to me. A strain of alburn hair fell in front of her face as she leaned in some. "I'm Nayda Black," she said in an American accent as I accepted the cup of water. Drinking it thirstly as she continued to speak, "You were injured when we found you in the North Sea." She said as she sat on the bed opposite from me, pushing back the loose hair.
"Had to get you warm before you cuaght a nasty case of hyperthermia, too. You've been on the military ship Silent Night for threes days now," she added, basically answering my unsoken questions.
It wasn't until I had drained the cup of its liquid that I noticed the bandages on both my forearms. Small black dots of blood blossomed through the wraps. Which reminded me of the headache that was almost gone except for a small nagging pain to my left temple. As for my bruised body, well, it was difficult to breath at times but I'll live. Then I started to unwrap the bandages as Nadya watched me.
I let the bandages fall to my feet as they revealed small pink scarring among older white ones. I did the same to my right leg as it too showed the same results. Only the pink scar tissue was four inches long and half a centimeter wide. Nayda let out a gasp when she saw this gruesome display, startling me.
"Bloody hell woman!" I shout not meaning to sound angry at her. My voice was deep and powerful whenever I choose to speak, which might startle some people. But not Nayda. She flinched as if I was going to hit her.
"S-sorry," she says looking away from me.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?" Nayda asked confused.
"Apologize." I say to her before I stand up and walked in between the beds towards the door. My leg was still sore, so I limped instead of walked.
"I didn't mean to startle you, it just surprised me how fast you heal." Nayda said, amazement written in her eyes when she finally looked up.
"I have a fast healing ability. Nothing special, really," I say now turning the handle.
"What's your name?"
"Fang."
I had no clue as to where I was going, as long as it wasn't in here. Nayda stood up too and followed me out the door when we both heard my stomach growl. "Let's get something to eat." Then she took me by the wrist and with a grin, dragged me away.
Alexander
The jet landed carefully in the snow as the wind picked up. A door opened and a hooded man stepped out with a soft crunch underneath his boots. "Tell me why your doing this again Alexander?" said a man's voice over the ear piece.
"Just looking over something, Roger." Alexander answered now walking to the edge of the clearing. "Now be silent so I can think." Obeying, Roger went silent, waiting for permission to speak again.
They were already three days behind everyone but Alexander needed to check something at the clearing where he and his team chased the experiment. Behind him Roger killed the engine and sat quietly for his orders.
Examining the ground with a gloved hand, Alexander looked for anything that might lead to the basement escape. He saw the explosion took out thirty feet of the cliff, leaving a crescent shape dent to it. Which meant the masked man took time to place the dynamite carefully in the ground and wait for an opportunity. Finding nothing, Alexander stood up and walked back to the jet when he felt something under his boot. Lifting it slightly, he saw a black object buried in the snow. Picking it up, he examine the object in his hand. The object's center was cracked some, but not unrecognizable from the useless red button. Realizing this was the detonator from the explosion, Alexander carried a grin on his face. This was a clue he was hoping to find in his search.
There was a soft crunch of a twig behind him, making Alexander pull out his gun from its holster and pointing it at the stranger. "Come out or die." Alexander commanded as a figure slowly became visible between the tree line. The figure took the shape of a ten foot cream colored wolf with fades of black patches around the mouth. It was wearing a sturdy leather collar around it's neck. On the collar was a small metal box that hung close to the wind pipe.
"Look at the little hunter, always on guard and ready to kill." Said the wolf in a taunting manner. The box on the collar flashed red every time the wolf spoke.
"Better to be the hunter than the hunted," Alexander said as he put his gun back in its holster. He didn't worry much on the wolf attacking him, if he did then the collar would send out electrical currents throughout the body. The more the wolf fought against the collar, the greater the current.
"Did you find anything out there?"
"No, both scents have vanished into the sea," said the wolf.
"Well, your search is not all lost," said Alexander as he tossed the detonator at the wolf. "See if you can pick up a scent on it."
The object slid and landed at the wolf's feet. With a quick movement of the head, the wolf had caught a scent and took off. Ending the conversation with a snarl. The pilot, who was watching them, fired up the engine again as Alexander approach the jet. Then took off into the air when he was seated. He waited until the ground had faded from view before he spoke, "Go northwest."
Several times I tried to pull my wrist free from Nayda's grip but to no success. She was hell bent and determined that I had something decent to eat. Unlike me, Nayda could be shy at first but an outgoing person afterwards. As we climbed the stairs from the fourth floor, she talked about unimportant things like the weather or a great the day was. Until we reached the kitchen's double doors, then she fell silent and mousy.
"Just follow me to the food and we'll find a table," she said then placed a nervous hand on the door and pushed it open. Immediately, the smell of food cooking turned my stomach as we walked through the doors. The kitchen was small and stood off to the right. It had silver cabinets lining perimeter except an ice box, a deep freezer, a stove and a sick that ran on the far wall. A counter top with pans hanging from the ceiling stood in the middle with stools. Every now and then I would see white bare spots of wall and the floor had burnt orange tiles.
Opening the ice box, Nayda grabbed a package of pulled pork and a loaf of bread down from a cabinet. "Help yourself to whatever you want," she said setting two slices of bread on a plate.
With a few short steps I opened the ice box door and peered in at its wonders. Each rack was filled with different foods and drinks I never heard of before. The ones in the door labeled Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Dr. Pepper I never heard of before so I just grabbed a bottled water. Then looked through the forgien foods until I spotted a pack of meat labeled T-Bone Steaks. With a grin, I pulled them out and set them on the counter top next to Nayda's plate. She looked at her two sand witches then at the six pack of steaks, "Are you going to cook those?" She asked bewildered as some of the blood splattered the plastic wrapping.
"No, I don't eat anything that's been cooked." I say now walking out the kitchen and into the cafeteria. She probably found this very odd and I wouldn't blame her. But it was true, cooked foods grossed me out and I was raised like the wolf I am.
Everything was a faded white and the floor had blackish-gray tiles unlike the kitchen floor. Long rectangular tables sat parallel from the double doors we just entered. I noticed there were a couple of small square tables near the back of the room, where large circular windows let in sunlight above them.
We picked a table near the window somewhat in the corner and set our food on the table. As soon as we sat down, I cut the wrapping with an extended claw then bit into the cold and bloody meat. Each half chewed bite sank deep into my stomach like a dead weight in a pool of acid. We didn't speak either until I was slowing down on my sixth steak.
"I do have questions," Nayda said breaking the silence.
"Like?" I asked waiting.
"Why were you in the North Sea to begin with?"
"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." I say setting the last half eaten steak back in the yellow package. Then licked the blood from fingers before looking at her. She still had that nervous look in her eye when she spoke.
"Try me," she says resting her chin on her hands.
"To make a long story short, I was escaping from the facility that held me prisoner for nearly four centuries. On my way out I meet this mysterious guy. He told me to go to the States then blew out the cliff side where I jumped into the canal below but not before I passed out." I say choosing my words carefully. I didn't like talking about my past, but it didn't mean I wasn't going to tell them. I would only tell those who asked and sat long enough to listen.
A minute of silence went by then "Lucky for you we are going to Canada to stock up on supplies. You can depart us from there and I'll point you in the right direction of your destination."
"Wait, you actually believe me?" I say leaning in some.
"In some small way, yes I do." Nayda says sliding her plate a side and leaned forward. When she spoke again it was in a hushed whisper.
"Over the years rumors have spread of illegal experimentation on creatures both human and animal a like. At first no one believed it was real until a body was discovered in the 80's near Washington. Not much was said except it suffered a long time from causes unknown before it died. Ever since then under cover spies have been searching the globe in hopes of putting a stop to it."
"To any success?" I ask speechless and dried mouth all of a sudden. Then I remembered the untouched water bottle and uncapped it, taking huge gulps. The cool water soothed my itchy and dry throat instantly.
"I wouldn't know. Only high ranking officials would know that and much more about the situation. Course I'm just repeating what my father once told me when I was a child." She said leaning back a bit.
"Is that why you're in the Army?" I ask storing that bit of information into my brain even if it wasn't true.
She nods, "Yeah but he was killed in action when I was seven. He died trying to save a wounded man from a night ambush." Nayda's eyes darted around the room as she talked about the subject. "And to get away from my abusive step-father."
"My mother never was the same afterwards. She re-married when I turned ten. Always took his word over mine whenever I tried to tell her he was hitting me. Later that day when she wasn't looking he would beat me for it," Nayda continued. Now I understand why she flinched when we where in the infirmary earlier and her mousy behavior.
"I never known a parent's love before except the one given to me by my sister." I finally say, not knowing how to reply. "She raised me until the day we were separated." I was going to add in something else when two guys both dressed in the same uniform started walking this way. Also distracting my train of thought. If it wasn't for their height and different hair colors they could easily pass for twins. Nayda saw who I was looking at and whispered, "Those are the Vostro brothers Jason and Freddie. The tall one is Jason and Freddie is the short one. Whatever you hear, don't say anything and they'll go away."
As soon as she said that, they were at our table. Freddie pulled up a chair next to Nayda while Jason stood over her. It was clear she was scared of them. "Looks like you managed to find a friend that doesn't think of you as trash," Jason said with a grin. His brother snickered and poked Nayda in the ribs hard for fun. Making Nayda flinch away from him without saying a word. I felt my anger mounting and then, "No I don't! I think she's a wonderful person unlike you cocksuckers." Nayda must have heard the growl within my voice because she started to push her chair back slowly.
"Shut up bitch! We didn't ask your opinion," Freddie said.
Jason walked around to my side of the table, leaned in close to my face and whispered. "What are you gonna do about it? Slap me?"
"No, I actually fancied doing this..."
My hand cupped the back of his neck, forcing his face into the meat. Which caused the blood to spray the front of my chest and drip off the table. Before he had a chance to recover I left my chair to stand at the ready. Face dripping with blood from the meat, Jason came at me swinging left and right madly. Each step his feet took towards me, mine countered them by backing up and avoiding his blows. Then delivered a round house kick to his right side, sending him to the floor. Before he could get up I had already advanced on him, jerking him up by the collar with both hands and sent him hurtling into the table. His head hit the wall hard and a second later he was unconscious.
"Watch out!"
I turned to see a fist hit me square in the nose. Nayda had tried to warn me but I was slow to respond.
As Freddie's fist retreated I saw my blood spray the air, raining black drops all over his shirt. The shock of the blow made me daze and confused for just a second. While the pain brought me back a second later...only less human than a second ago.
I felt my teeth slowly grow into fangs, my nails into claws, and I am sure my eyes started to glow just a little. During this, Freddie landed a couple more blows, which I didn't remember. Then I dropped to the floor. Not a second later, I had tripped Freddie with my left foot and pounce on him. Each blow he delivered I returned. They were blows to the face and this time it was his blood that sprayed the air as mine dripped into his eyes and mouth. For just a few short minutes I was focused on my enemy. Pounding him into a bloody pulp until I felt several hands wrap around my waist and pulled me from him.
The room came rushing back to me in a blur of noise and shapes. First I saw Nayda's very panicked face, then the people around us. They had crowded around to stop the fight. Some stood between me and the two brothers, afraid I might go ballistic again. I sighed and headed for the door. As I did so people parted to let me pass them, flinching away at the sight of me. I didn't care and I was use to this behavior by now.
"If you value his life, treat him for hemotoxins. Or he dies," I mumble under my breath. Then left a bloody hand print on the door as I pushed past it.
Nayda found me on the deck a few short minutes later. Her boots clanked against the cold metal deck as she walked towards me. She leaned on the guard rail, concerned. The whole time I didn't look at her. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I was still nursing a bloody nose and I wasn't sure if Nayda could handle the sight of blood. Most of it had dried to my skin by now, thanks to the cold wind. With a sigh, I placed my head on shaky arms and looked down at the icy water below. The chain attached to the collar I wore rattled when the wind picked up again.
"You ok, Fang?" Nayda asked after a second of silence.
"I'll live," was all I mumbled out.
"Why didn't you defend yourself back there?" I say with a breath of fresh air. I was finally able to calm down enough for my claws to retract and plus the shaking stopped. "You let them walk all over you."
Bloody nose or not, I turned my head some when she looked away. "Because they are stronger than I am and they threaten me if I don't do what they say."
"Horse s***," I say without realizing what I said. There was something Nayda wasn't telling me.
She twisted her whole body to face me, searching my eyes to see if I was joking. I wasn't. Finally, she dropped her eyes with a heavy sigh "Can you keep a secret?"
"Yes."
She leaned closer and whispered, "When I was first recruited to the Army, they ganged up and raped me. If I tell they'll kill me."
This made me lift my head up off my arms and stare at her, my anger mounting quickly. So much for being calm. I tried to talk, but I was so mad that my words came out in a grumble of saliva and curses. I turned, taking two steps to the door when Nayda stepped in front of me, palms out.
"Please don't do anything rash, Fang! I can handle them, honestly." But her voice dropped when the door opened to a young man with tan hair and brown eyes. He must have saw my bloody face and cloths because he started to stutter some.
"T-the captain wishes t-to see you."
Groaning, I slipped under Nayda's arms and lead the way inside. The young man who spoke backed away, allowing us room to pass him. Inside, Nayda lead the way to the office, which was on the second floor. She pushed through a door saying Captain's Office in black letters. Instantly, my nose was assaulted with the smell of cigarettes and coffee, making me sneeze. There were two leather chairs place in front of an oak desk with a third leather chair standing behind it. Sitting in that chair was a woman smoking a cigarette. She wore a green uniform with different metals of achievement pinned to the left shoulder. Her pale skin and blond hair reminded me of a ghost with a bad fashion sense. Posters of maps, pictures, and even reports hung all over the walls. Covering up all that white paint.
"Sit," she barked.
Nayda did as she was told, but I refused. Instead I lead up against a file cabinet still fighting my anger.
The captain must have saw through my eyes because she didn't even argue with me.
"Cigg? Coffee?" She offered us and I refused both the offers with a simple head shake. Then she sat straight, folded her hands together, and changed from nice to serious.
I didn't like her already.
She cleared her throat, "I'm Captain Irene and while you're on my ship you will behave yourselves." Then she knew what happened earlier. But why address Nayda? She wasn't the one who had tunnel vision and went ballistic.
She now faced Nayda as she spoke, " I suggest you take care of your problems before your friend takes out my crew."
Irene turned to me, her eyes like daggers when she spoke, "You! Stay the hell away from my crew. I know what you are and what you are capable of." she snapped at me as she shuffled some papers.
'Just keep cool. You'll soon be out of here' I tried to tell myself.
"You stupid Nazi," I heard her mumble under breath.
That did it.
"Nayda leave us," I say through clenched teeth. She hesitated at first but eventually left, shutting the door as she went.
'Why was Irene bringing up the past, especially mine?'
I didn't know nor did I care. Except, I lived way too long to take anyone's bullshit. Once Nayda left the room, I walked to Irene's desk and dumped her piping hot coffee all over her then shoved her still lit cigarette down her throat. Then I wrapped my hand around her throat so she couldn't swallow or breath "Call me that again and you'll see what I can become." Every word was spoken with a low growl into her ear. Underneath my hand, I felt her tremble with fear. Then I released her, "Smoking is bad for you," I say over my shoulder as I stormed out the room. The sweet sound of Irene choking made me grin.
I let the door slam behind me, but by the time it shut I was down the hall with Nayda on my tail. She raised questions I didn't answer. When she finally realized I wasn't talking she fell silent and lead the way to her room. Come to find out, it was the only one on the fourth floor where the infirmary was. The ones above us where all taken so Nayda managed to get this one. Unlike the others, Nayda only had one bunk bed instead of three, witch left most of the floor open. It was pushed to the far corner at an angle closer to the window with a small tv resting on what looked like a table. The bathroom was at the other side of the room.
"I know its small, but they ran out of room upstairs." Nayda said as she sat down on the bed, "You can have the top bunk.
I sat on the bed corner and finally told Nayda what I did to Irene. When I was done she looked at me horror struck.
"Are you crazy?! No one tells off the captain."
"Well I did and she deserved it for calling me a Nazi," I say folding my arms.
Silence filled the space between us until Nayda let out a sigh and looked over at me, "Promise me you won't kill anyone before we even get to the loading docks?" She asked me with pleading eyes.
"Can't make any promises I might break," I mumble out knowing good and well I can't keep promises for the life of me.
"Well try then," was all she said.
That night Nayda made me take a shower because I smelled of too much death in her opinion. No matter how much I struggled, Nayda still managed to win in the end. First she kept asking me, then threatening me which I couldn't help but laugh. My favorite threat from Nayda so far was 'Bath or I'll shoot you!' which I nearly died laughing. She finally gave up...or so I thought.
I was resting on the top bed when Nayda came running out of the bathroom screaming. "SPIDER!" I jumped down and walked into the bathroom looking for it. Little did I know she had put it there an hour before she said she was bathing. I was bent over some, looking behind the toilet. It was there alright, but when I went to pick it up, I felt Nayda's hands push me into the bath water head first cloths and all. Some of the soap entered my mouth and down my throat. So I came up coughing and gaging on soapy water as Nayda poured something in my hair and lathered it in. It smelled of berries and the bubbles that Nayda mixed in the water smelled of strawberries.
I tried to get out but Nayda simply pushed me back, "Oh no you don't!" She said laughing and turned on the shower head to wash the soap out. Warm water rained down on me as she washed the soap off. That's when I plotted my revenge. I grabbed the showered head from Nayda and started spraying her, "Take this!" I say now laughing as I threw a soap bar at her and some bubbles. She screamed and tried to take cover but ended up getting a bath too. Then a fight broke out as she threw the soap thing back at me. I don't know how long we kept this up but by the time I finally managed to get out of the tub the bathroom was a mess of soap, water, and whatever else we had thrown at each other.
I was soaked to the bone and slipping in the puddle we had made. Nayda threw me a towel and I began to dry myself off.
"See? Baths are not evil, they can be fun." Nayda said while towel drying her hair.
"Oh yes, I liked being pushed into a tub every time I look for a spider," I say dramatically.
"Oh come off it Fang, it's just water for heavens sake!" She said trying to act serious but didn't because she was still giggling.
After we dressed in dry cloths we went to bed shortly after we cleaned the bathroom because Nayda had to get up early in the morning. Someone had came during the afternoon to report that Nayda was no longer working with the first crew but the second. No one said why just be there and such. But I knew it was because of my little incident. So it was lights out at ten.
Over the next few days, Nayda and I was left alone by most of the first crew, the Vostro brothers, and the captain. This was nice because Nayda lost her mouse-like behavior and began to enjoy herself more. Nayda was assigned to clean the kitchen and help in the boiler room from now on, which she didn't mind. I busied myself with the work too, since I couldn't behave with boredom. In the kitchen we got to know each other better and ended up inseparable since we both followed each other around out of habit. The boiler room was a different environment to work in. It was mostly hot and if you weren't careful you could get burned on the pipes. The crew down here loved Nayda immediately and enjoyed showing her what to do whenever she asked.
I didn't talk much, unless it was Nayda or if someone asked about the fight. When I told them what happened they just laughed and said, "They deserved it. They're bullies to everyone and the captain has them as her favorites." Then I would tell them what I did to the captain and again they laughed. I even showed Nayda how to defend herself in case she needed to when I'm gone. We practiced mostly in her room because I didn't want people asking me where I learned to fight. I showed her every defensive move I knew then switched to out smarting the attackers. This was just basic stuff but Nayda mastered them all by the end of the day.
Over the next two weeks Nayda practiced the moves I showed her. She didn't bother to trick me into taking a bath anymore, but she did expect me to shower which I did but not without griping and complaining like a two year old. Soon we where arriving in Nova Scotia's loading dock. Nayda walked with me into town because she had to buy supplies. She surprised me when she bought a hunting jacket and handed it to me. It was like looking at a forest but on cloth with different colors of browns, whites, and greens.
"A departing gift," she said smiling as I put it on. It fit well and had a few secret pockets on the inside.
"It's wonderful, Nayda." I say zipping it up.
"It's nothing really. I want you to be warm wherever you go," she says and we continued to walk through the little town.
When we reached the outskirts of town Nayda and I stopped and listened to the sounds of the forest for a minute. Then Nayda slid off the backpack she'd been carrying and handed it to me. Again, this surprised me.
"I packed you some provisions. Mostly food, water, and some cloths."
I took it and slid one strap on a shoulder, then Nayda did something I never saw coming. She gave me a bear hug. At first I didn't move then I wrapped my arms around her, returning the hug.
"Thanks for everything Fang. I'll miss you terribly," she whispered in my ear. Then "Ow", she had forgot about the collar I wore that lay under the clothing.
"You saved my ass, its the least I can do. Just don't forget it what I taught you and you'll do fine," I say and let go of her.
"Good-bye," she said now with sadden eyes. I knew Nayda was thinking if we would meet again someday, but I didn't address it aloud.
I gave a nod and then said "auf Wiedersehen," which meant 'Until I see you again' in German. Then I turned and walked away into the woods without looking back.
It was time for me to come home...where ever that may be...
