The Sleet Aleena Chronicles: The Bounty Hunter And The Queen
(A/N: First up today. I looked up a group called the Wolf Pack in the Sonic series. Apparently they were based after the Native American People, which made Sleet even more of a favorite, though he never acted like any of the wolves in the Wolf Pack. So I touch on that briefly in this chapter. Enjoy.)
Why?
Aleena's eye fluttered open. A young girl's voice was saying, "Your majesty, your majesty, wake up."
She blinked a few times then squinted, making out the forms of a rabbit and a crocodile. "Vanilla, Vector, what is it?" she whispered.
"Dey're asweep Queen Aleena," Vector stated.
"We can get you out of here," Vanilla excitedly added. The two kids ran towards the window, opening it. Aleena suddenly realized that she was sitting up. She wasn't chained!
Aleena looked sharply at her captor. Memories of the night suddenly were coming back. She was ready to run, to escape, to tell her family everything. However, on seeing the kneeling canine slumber, her face softened. He looked so innocent, handsome? No, not handsome! He was her enemy, evil! But he had saved her from Drago… Besides, as a bounty hunter he was on the side of good as often as evil, wasn't he? He just, preferred to follow his own rules. If it meant breaking the law, then too bad, the law could suck it up.
He stirred lightly. She felt a gentle smile crossing her face. She reached down, stroking his muzzle. She moved to his ears and scratched behind them, curious as to his reaction. His ear twitched and he moved his head closer to her. His breathing sped up. Panting? That was new. She giggled, teasing further, seeing what other reaction she could bring out by scratching under his chin. Soon enough his tail, much to her delight, began to wag.
The spell was broken, though, when Vanilla suddenly said, "Uh, Aleena, hello? We can get away." Aleena turned, startled. The rabbit and crocodile were looking at her blankly, standing in the window. She felt herself blushing. She was having too much fun. She must be crazy.
She looked back at the wolf. Vector's eyes lit. He giggled, singing, "Aleena's got a crush."
"Oh don't sicken me!" she shot passionately. She looked back at the wolf saying, "You two go. If they wake up I'll make sure they don't come after you." As if they would, she knew, but she was banking on their childish innocence. Why wasn't she going anyway? This was her chance. Something, though, some part of her, didn't want to leave. Why? The palace? No, she loved her home dearly. Once more, though, why wasn't she leaving?
"We can't leave you," Vanilla was saying.
"I'll be fine. I'll find a way out," Aleena stated.
Vector and Vanilla shot looks at each other, then back. "When? Your parents must be worried," Vector said. "You can't stay wif him forever."
Aleena blushed at the insinuation the child hadn't even known he'd given. "Soon," she replied.
"I guess. Be careful Aleena," Vanilla said uncertainly. The two then jumped from the window and left.
Aleena looked back at the wolf once more and smiled, scratching his ears, trying to prompt him to pant and wag his tail again. She began to scratch under his chin too. On almost instantly achieving the goal, she chuckled, then carefully climbed from the bed. She silently left the room only to see Dingo snoring on an easy chair, feet up. He must have let Vector and Vanilla sleep in his bed, the softy. She had a feeling that Sleet would have never allowed it. She doubted that before she had come, anyone had been allowed in his room. She quickly made her way to the kitchen.
Dingo soon smelled the air and slowly awoke. "Bacon?" he asked aloud to himself. He quickly rose and went towards the kitchen. He gasped and exclaimed in shock, "Aleena!"
She looked back at him in mild surprise. She smiled on seeing him then said, "I'm making breakfast. Sit down. Vanilla and Vector left early."
"Uh, okay?" Dingo said, completely lost and confused.
Sleet slowly revived with a groan. Where was he? Oh yes, Drago and the Queen. Sleet's eyes flew open and he gasped, exclaiming, "The Queen!" He leapt up and saw the bed was empty, the window wide open. He was a dead man! He raced to it and cried, "Dingo!" Just then, though, he heard laughing. "Huh?" he asked. He ran to the door, racing from the bedroom towards the voices.
He slid into the kitchen and gasped, eyes wide in shocked disbelief. Aleena and Dingo turned to face him. "Oh, hey Sleet," Dingo casually said.
Sleet felt his eye twitch. He shook his head then began, "What…?"
Aleena cut him off, saying, "Good morning Sleet. I've made breakfast."
"It's great mate! She's a good cook," Dingo said.
"But-but, why?" Sleet whined, completely lost.
Her smile became serious as she said, "Because of what you did for me."
Sleet blinked. He couldn't argue that. He had gone out of his way and nearly died for that little stunt. This was the least she could do. He relaxed and went to the table. "Vanilla and Vector took off already Sleet. Aleena decided she didn't want to go," Dingo said as Sleet suspiciously looked at the food and began to take a bite. However, on hearing this, he nearly chocked, pulling it away from his mouth. She hadn't just gone! He became instantly suspicious of the food.
"It's not poisoned," she stated with a smirk, as she purposely took some of the food from his plate and ate. She went back to her seat, saying, "By the way, I find it cute when you pant and wag your tail." This time Dingo nearly choked. Sleet spewed out the juice he had been drinking.
"What!" both men exclaimed, Dingo in disbelief, Sleet in embarrassment.
"What did you do to me!" Sleet demanded. Dingo looked from him to her, flabbergasted.
She burst into laughter at Dingo's misinterpretation of their words, and Sleet's realization. "It's not how it sounds Dingo," Aleena said through laughter. Dingo collapsed back into the seat in relief. In answer to Sleet's question, Aleena replied casually, "I scratched behind your ears and under your chin." She was enjoying this game she had accidentally stumbled upon. The ears and chin must be his sensitive spots. If she had known all of this when they had danced so long ago at the banquet, it wouldn't have gotten so violent. Sleet groaned, embarrassed.
"Come now Sleet, it can't be that bad," she said teasingly. He scowled at her.
"Don't you have a bed to be chained to?" he asked.
Her eyes clouded for a second, though her smile remained, but quickly she let it slide, replying, "About that, why didn't you chain me to it last night again? If I had escaped it would have been your own fault."
He answered her question with his own, saying, "Why didn't you leave with your little friends?"
She hesitated then answered, "I'm not sure. I didn't feel like it? Now answer my question."
He harrumphed then answered simply, "I forgot."
"At least one of us has finally had an answer to the question why," Aleena remarked.
Time passed. For some reason they had refrained from chaining Aleena to the bed by both wrists and ankles, though they took away any means of lock picking. Now only her ankles were trapped, and then only at night or when Sleet left. Aleena was curious, confused, and her eyes betrayed as much, though she didn't dare ask her captors why. Dingo wouldn't know anyway.
She busied herself taking care of the house, Sleet or Dingo once in a while helping, Dingo by her request, Sleet when he felt like it. Just now he had joined her spontaneously to help her with dishes. He hadn't said much since Drago was disposed of. She looked at him worriedly. He caught her gaze. She smiled gratefully. He quickly looked away. Another thing, why was he acting like this around her, and was she one to talk? Neither had said much to each other. Besides the rare conversation or battle, their communication was limited to eye contact or smiles, on Aleena's part. Well, now was as good a time as any.
After a moment Aleena asked suddenly, "What is your position on your species?"
Sleet froze. She looked up at him, trying to read his expression. He said nothing for a long moment. Soon she focused on her task again. Soon enough he replied, "It's not important."
"Yes, it is," she replied solemnly. "You are rare, Sleet. I have never seen a wolf here or anywhere, despite my travels, only heard stories, and I want to know so much. I want to know, too, if the knowledge that you are alone, saddens you, frightens you, or angers you."
Sleet was silent. After a moment he mused, "A lone wolf, literally. Better that then stuck with Drago, I admit." He looked to her and answered, "They lived off the land, the wolves did, always in packs, running wild and free, taking only what they needed and when. Then things began to get difficult…Interesting, how I'm nothing like them, not falling to instinct. Yes, knowing there are so few left angers me. It saddens me too, though rarely. I'm not one to get upset. The knowledge, it… it frightens me… but I've learned to deal with it, and I don't take kindly to being reminded about my people, Aleena, so just please leave it."
Please? He'd said please? "That's a rare word you use," Aleena said in surprise. "You know, please."
"Don't expect it often," Sleet replied bitterly.
"All right," she said, agreeing to both requests.
