Breaking free

Breaking free

After Tifa and Yuffie explained the events to Cid, the pilot was shocked. "You mean this @ยง%&$ beast over there is actually Cloud?" "Watch your mouth, Cid, you are talking about my man here." Tifa told the pilot while Yuffie was busy with putting healing salve on her friends swollen face. Sometimes Tifa would flinch when Yuffie brought too much pressure on the bruise, and Yuffie would apologise. Cid had to sit down and looked at the unconscious werewolf again. "I can't believe it." he stated. "Look at his neck." Tifa told him. Cid walked over to Cloud and took a close look at his neck. The thin gold chain Tifa had given him for his 24th birthday was glistening in the light. The dragon-shaped pendant on it was proof enough for Cid. "Dear God." the pilot breathed, too stunned for swearing. "First I thought you two," he looked at Tifa and Yuffie, "are on drugs or sumthin', but now...scary." Cid went back to his seat and stared at Tifa. "Unbelievable." "But true." Yuffie explained. She finally finished tending to Tifas face and looked at Cloud. "The tranquilliser is rather strong. He should keep him out cold for the rest of the...." The ninjas words were interrupted by a low growl that came from Cloud. "Or maybe not." Yuffie said. Just then Cloud broke the chains and attacked Cid.

Later Tifa couldn't tell what had happened exactly. She just remembered Cid flying out of the window and Yuffie crashing against the door before she found herself lying on the floor, with the growling werewolf bending over her. "Cloud....Cloud, please...stop..." Tifa tried to talk to her boyfriend, but either Cloud didn't want to understand or he couldn't. He growled at her again and bared his teeth which looked as if he could bite Tifas head off with one snap. Hot tears welled up in Tifas eyes as she continued to beg. "Cloud, I love you...don't do this, please..." The tears started to run down her cheeks. Cloud stared at her with salvia dripping from his hairy chin. "Oh dear God, no..." Tifa sobbed desperate. "I love you Cloud...I love you..." She continued to say those three words as if they were a chant to stop the werewolf from killing her. And suddenly, the expression in Clouds eyes changed. The hate slowly faded to be replaced by...recognising. Tifa decided to hold on now, maybe she could get Cloud into turning back to normal, or at least to be a good werewolf. "Cloud, remember our first date." Tifa started. Cloud growled, and she changed the term. Not knowing what to say, Tifa hugged him. He gave a growl, but to Tifa it sounded surprised instead of threatening. "You'll be okay, Cloud. I promise you'll be..." Her words were interrupted by a terrible ripping sound and a painful howl from Cloud. Tifa looked up in shock, just to see Cid standing behind the werewolf. His spear was plunged deep into Clouds back. "No!" Tifa screamed while Cid pulled the spear out. The wound closed immediately, due to Clouds increased healing factor, and Cloud quickly turned round to face the pilot. But instead of attacking him, he just let out a low growl before jumping out of the window and dashing off into the darkness. "Cloud!" Tifa yelled. "Come back! Please, come back!" She turned round to Cid and glared at him. "See what you did? Cloud's out there now! God knows what will happen to him!" !I'm sorry." Cid mumbled. "But I though he was attacking you...it looked as if you would try to fight him off or something like that." "It's okay." Tifa finally said. "I just hope no one sees Cloud and tries to kill him."

The next morning, Tifa found Cloud in the garden, asleep under a tree. His blue jeans were completely torn, his bare chest was covered in blood, and some of the red liquid was smeared around his mouth. Tifa knelt down next to him and gently shook his shoulders. "Cloud, wake up!" Cloud moaned and opened his eyes to look at her. "What...what happened?" "I'll tell you inside the house. Come on, get up." She pulled him to his feet and guided him into the house. To her relief, she found out that it wasn't Clouds blood that covered him; but on the other hand that fact also made her worry. If it wasn't the blood of her lover, whose was it then? Tifa told Cloud to take a shower while she turned on the radio. "A dead deer was found this morning near the Midgar forest. The called vet told us that the deer was killed by a wolf." Tifa cut the announcer short by turning the radio off and sighed in big relief. Cloud hadn't killed any people. Behind her the door opened and a soaking wet Cloud entered the living room. Tifa greeted him with a smile, but Cloud didn't return it. "Tifa, I want you to tell me everything that happened last night." he begged her. Tifa told him to sit down, also took a seat and started to talk.