11- Decisions
Yue watched from the window as Aura and Keroberos flew over the woods, diving at small animals scurrying below. Kero came up carrying something in his claws.
'Now they'll fight over dividing it, and she'll try to grab it away from Keroberos. Keroberos will try to get it back, and probably get about half. Then they'll come home arguing about it and fall asleep.' He thought, watching Aura fly closer to Kero.
Indeed, they fought, wound up with about half each, and flew back to the window, growling and snarling over the kill.
'Keroberos tries to open the window; she laughs at him, opens the window and they come in. She says hello, then goes back to arguing.' He thought resentfully. The window opened.
"Hey Yue. But I'm saying that if you want the whole thing, fly faster." She yipped at Kero. Kero kept on arguing with her, as Aura flopped down onto the bed arguing back. Kero curled up in the pile of toy carnivores in the opposite corner.
Yue kept silent, and soon they were asleep. He looked up at the window and sighed sadly.
'This is nothing like it was when you were here, Clow…'
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Aura and Keroberos were both soundly asleep by now. The afternoon sun shone through the window as Yue rose and walked to it. He opened the window silently and rose into the air quietly. The moon was barely visible in the sky as he flew.
Below, in the field, rabbits scurried into their holes fearfully as his shadow passed over them. Yue watched them scurry as he flew past. He flew for a while, before settling on an outcropping of stone to watch the moon as it was rising.
As he watched the moon rise, a thin waning crescent, he began to remember and think about how life had been so long ago. Back when Clow had made him- just him- for a few years. Then Keroberos had come, and then, later, the cards. It seemed such a long time ago now. Too short then. Much too short now. And then one night, no warning, Clow…
He shook his head and looked back at the rising moon. Aura and Keroberos would wake soon. He had better get back.
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Aura was just stirring when Yue closed the window. He slunk back to his corner silently and settled in, just as she twitched and ear and cracked an eye open. She gave a big yawn and slid onto the floor, looking out the window for the time of night. She tapped Keroberos awake with her foot.
Kero snuffled a little and shook himself awake, plodding over to the window. She opened it and Kero slid out.
"I'll hunt down at the far field today, I'm still hungry. The rabbits are thicker there." He said, opening his wings and lifting into the sky. Aura spread her own wings a moment later and took off towards the clearing near the river. Yue watched them go, and then closed the window behind them.
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Aura surveyed the clearing form an angel. A few straggling rabbits grazed about. She sighted on the wrong side of the river, and tucked in her wings, sailing over to it silently. It squealed as she hoisted it higher into the air. Her claws let go of it, and it went crashing onto a rock below. She scooped it up and landed in a tree, munching her prey thoughtfully. Her face turned up to the thin sliver of the moon overhead.
She finished up the last of the rabbit and took off again, circling back home, scanning the horizon, but seeing Kero a retreating blip on the horizon.
'He'll be a while. Better get going.' She thought.
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Yue looked up as he heard a scrape of claws at the window. Aura slid in, licking the last scraps of meat from her lips. He sighed quietly. 'Anyone would have been better…'
Aura looked over and tilted her head. "Somethin' wrong?" She asked. Yue looked up.
'I can't lie to my master. But I don't think it would be a good idea to say I hate her…' He thought. "Maybe." He responded after a moments thought.
Aura walked over to the opposite wall, thumbing through the books on the extra shelf. She paused mid-way through the line, thinking.
"You don't like me, do you." She said. Yue looked up, somewhat startled she had pinned it down.
"No," he said slowly, "I don't… how did you know?" He stared at the floor as Aura traced her finger along the shelf absently.
"It's, you know, your smell; the smell around your area says that usually, you're pretty clam and relaxed and stuff," She paused in her tracing again, "But when I come in, it's like you get tense and a bit angry. Why don't you like me? Specifically, I mean."
Yue blinked in the dark room, then narrowed his eyes. She had asked, so why not say what he thought.
"You act like an animal." He started, "There's no structure or order here. You're ruthless and vicious. You misuse the cards, on a daily basis, and you never seem to care what anyone try's to tell you! You're arrogant and," He said bitterly. "There's nothing I can do about it either way. You don't listen to anyone, and it's not like I can leave..."
"…Why not?" Aura asked, tracing her finger down the next shelf. Yue looked up startled. "I mean," she continued, "I'd like it if you could find a way to stay here and be happy, but if you really hate it here, you're always free to leave. Anyone actually. Just as long as you don't cause trouble for the rest of the pack, or drag anyone with you kicking and screaming or something. I'm not forcing you to stay or go anywhere." She stopped tracing the bookshelf again, gazing at a book in front of her.
"I can leave?" Yue asked doubtfully.
Aura nodded.
'…'Yue got up and strode over to the window, looking back at Aura for a second. Then, he opened the window and took flight, his back to the waning moon. Aura looked up sadly after him for a moment, then sighed and closed the window behind him.
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"Hey Aura, I'm back! The hunting was great! I- hey, where's Yue?" Kero asked as he dropped to the floor.
Aura looked at the desk and was silent for a moment. "He left." She said simply.
Kero was stunned for a moment. Then, looking around, seeing Aura's sad expression, combined with the fact Yue wasn't in the room, he sighed sadly to himself.
"Is he coming back?" He asked. Aura shrugged and crawled over to her bed.
"I dunno, he wasn't happy here. When I told him anyone was free to leave if they wanted to, he left."
Kero stared down at the floor and walked silently over to his spot, flopping onto the floor tiredly.
"So, he left then, just like that?" He asked again. Aura nodded. Kero laid his head on his paws tiredly.
"Get some sleep Kero, tomorrows going to be a long day."
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Eriol rubbed his eyes tiredly. "No, this can't be happening. He can't possibly know what he's doing…" He muttered to himself. Spinnel gazed down at the portal and shook his head.
"Do you think he'll be alright? He's never been on his own before, has he?" Spinnel asked. Eriol shook his head and thought for a moment.
"Syoran! Can I ask a favor of you?" He called. Sayoran walked quietly over. "Yeah?" He asked.
"Could you follow Yue, make sure he doesn't get into trouble?" Eriol asked. Sayoran nodded.
"Yeah, okay." He said quietly, picking up his sword as he walked out the door.
