This is the 2nd part of my romance fic, which will
explain in detail of Tiger and Rosa's past together. But still, I'm wondering;
am I keeping Tiger in-character for this fic to make sense? R+R if you
think I'm not or I am, I'm curious...
Two more poems are used: at the beginning is Differences; the ending
uses my poem Dunes of Sorrow. Both are copyright©
Jasper Belen, a.k.a ME, got that?! Ok
then...
In case Part 1 didn't make
sense, note that Tiger did NOT die. You think I'd be evil like that? Weeeeeelll...
*evil grin* I would, but I couldn't. Ya know? ^_~
I'll make Part 3, soon as I know what else to show,
ya know? I just want to post short parts, one at a time... ^.^
Gone With Thy Wind
A reunion of memories and rediscovered love- Part 2
By Tiyanu
[This is from Tiger's consciousness.]
This I felt eternally.
Among the illusion
Of the mists of our souls
Enveloping us
Is truth exposed in the clearing…
This isn't how I really feel
This isn't for real
How do I feel of reality?
How do I feel about you?
You are you,
I am me
Is that how we really
Want it to be?
No matter how I
Feel for you,
There's nothing, truly that
I can do.
I hate to admit it
But it may be true
I wasn't really
Meant for you…
With all the differences
That we both see,
Maybe we weren't just
Meant to be…
I wonder how long...?
*****
The impact of her actions did not affect her until it happened.
But was it really unstoppable? Was it really unavoidable?
And if it wasn't her blow that would kill her lover, the emotional wound could perform the same job.
At the very sight of him thrown back from her rush, the scarlet lupine felt as if she awoke from a treacharous nightmare, for after she opened her eyes to the vision of her love, sprawled and profusely bleeding from the direct head bash, her first thought was,
I woke up from one nightmare, only to fall in another.
***
"No...NO!" Rosa rushed to the fallen lupine, checking for any fatal injuries that would confirm her worse fears. His head was slightly bleeding, and there were no other marks on his body that seemed to leak of the crimson blood. It's only a minor head wound, she tried to calm herself, he's going to be all right...
She placed the unconscious ice wolf on her back and began the brief soujourn back to her camp, a short trip on the opposite side of the lake, a good distance from the Searchers' own camp, who were all unaware that Tiger disappeared...except for one.
***
"Tiger?"
The distraught rabbit looked frantically from his
perch upon the bare apple tree. Not usually did he care for minor details
of the environment around him, least of all 'him', but something was not
correct of this particular hour...
"Where'd you go?"
He leapt from his sleeping perch, and had to decide,
'Should I go at it alone to find him, or wake up everybody else...?'
'Matter of fact, why do I care...?'
That question was more haunting to him than the last.
***
Inside a hidden cave, apart from roads miles away...
"This is all my fault..."
Rosa gazed worriedly at the sleeping blue lupine,
who was lain upon a makeshift bed of straw and wood. After ensuring that
her mate was completely covered within the tattered blankets, she took
her seat next to the warmth of the campfire. "I wish I didn't have to do
that..." she muttered remorsefully. "Why do I have to be so damn distrusting...?"
Ugh...I can't move a muscle.
Tiger's ears perked up slightly at the familiar tone of his lover's voice, though could do nothing more than listen. He was unable to open his eyes, nor move any of his joints...the agonizing pain would increase in his head if he did. He silently sighed and decided to simply rest his body...
"But I'm sure he's been through worse," Rosa spoke out to no one. "That scar on his face proves it."
Yeah, he thought in reply, I've been through experiences like that.
She breathed a hopeless sigh and threw another piece of kindling in the bonfire, her back still turned to the listening ice wolf. "I wish I stayed with him to protect him..."
I couldn't do much even with my brother...or even feel new emotions that were completely foreign to me.
"By his side...forever."
That's how I wanted it too.
Rosa fondled with the emerald necklace around her neck, the gem glimmering in the firelight. It emitted an aura of sadness of its own, despite its great exterior beauty, as if sympathizing with the two lovers' strife. "This...was proof of us. This...was proof...that you would still be alive...the very memory that never fades...this was proof: our love would never perish, no matter who tries to put an end to it."
It came from my heart...evidence of us, the both of us.
"And just like the bandit that you are..."
Yeah, I knew I stole that necklace from someone. But that was all I could take. I know there's better treasures worthy of you.
"You stole my heart..."
...and you stole mine.
"And that was when..."
...we fell in love.
"Yeah...the best years of our lives, weren't they..."
The very epitome of happiness...
***
In the past years of Tiger's life, about five years ago....
"Is that really her, brother?"
"If our sources weren't lying, Gray, that's got
to be the leader."
"Are you still that surprised it's a female?"
"...don't get your hopes up."
Two observing wolves hid in the greenery of the tall bushes, their eyes spying on the flame-furred lupine watching, daydreamingly, over the solitary crystalline lake. One was blue-furred, a rare purebred of his race. The other was silver, an even more rare type of the species; it was very unheard of a silver Tiger.
"What's the plan, Tiger?"
"I'll go and talk to her, but easy...you just keep
watch over anyone that might try to ambush us."
"Right, bro."
The icy wolf started to leave, but his ears were raised over suspicious growling that seemed to be coming from behind them...
"I think we've been had, brother."
"Huh?" He spun his head to the source, and found
out the exact reasons.
Three other hybrid Tigers, all of different colors,
were snarling accusingly at the duet of the overtaken lupines. At the corner
of the blue wolf's eye, he could see the fiery one's eyes glaring at them
as well. How did we get ambushed?, Tiger thought in discontent.
"Change of plans," he stated to his silver sibling,
"I got the leader; you're taking on these three. Go!" Then he took off
from the bush, to meet the once-dreaming red wolf in mock combat. Gray
Wolf simply shook his head. "Just great...you're the one getting the girl,
and I have to babysit these three dodos..."
***
Back to the present...
I lost badly in that melee, Tiger thought
in reminiscence. He then slowly opened his eyes...had he fallen asleep?
He then looked over to the lain hybrid near him, and the gradually deteriorating
campfire. Slowly rising to his feet, he leapt out of the straw bed, pulled
the blanket that he was covered with his teeth, and placed it over the
sleeping winged lupine. He settled down on the floor next to his mate,
nuzzling her face ever so slightly under the covers, and licked her softly
on her cheek, so as not to awaken her.
"I never got to say this to your face," he whispered
in the ears of Rosa, "but..."
"I love you."
As he closed his own eyes to sleep, he missed the
ruby lupine secretly smile in content upon the three words.
As frail winds cycle the sands
And the continual withering of creatures lost
Venture onward in the infinity of time
Life hath no meaning with hope non-existant.
Careless it remains
A permanent scar upon the earth
A living mistake
Which shall never pass away.
As does my spirit,
Wondering and searching
Desiring correction, seeking redemption
For the unpardonable crime for existing.
My hope fades with the vaporizing water
Of an oasis long sentenced to death
Can't adapt, can't relent
Can't submit to the harshness of its surroundings.
Where giving up is a stone's throw away
Where continuing on is a futile statement
to say
Where I voyage onward for answer
Where my love for her remains untouchable
Like the mirage before the oasis of paradise.