Author's Notes: Finally writing Chapter 3. I am terribly sorry for taking
so long!! Thanks for all the reviews though. I promise to make this chapter
a bit longer. Then I'll try to get chapter 4 in soon. = Thought speech.
ENJOY (
~BuBbLeS
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸
FROZEN FEELINGS- CHAPTER 3 - the Forest no longer Sleeps
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸
The hand turned Chihiro around gently but irresistibly. Scared out of her mind, Chihiro slowly turned to face the most peculiar stare that she had ever received. It was like looking into a green meadow or a well of memories. She could actually see herself in the meadow, looking upon the memories of the strange creature.
Ahh . the creature itself was another mystery. It had strong long arms covered in brown smooth skin. Its massive feet had seven toes each and upon its face there was a beard made of twigs and leaves solemnly perched under its rather large nose. At present, Chihiro noted little but its eyes. Deep and rich, they were. She was completely lost in thought, until it spoke to her with a voice like the rumbling of the Earth itself!
"Who are you?" it boomed.
"I am but a lost bath house worker seeking to find my beloved friend," Chihiro began.
"Who is this friend of yours?" the great tree asked her. She swallowed her surprise and hastily replied,
"His name is Kohaku, and he has been captured by the evil snow witch, Rikka. Do you know where I can find her?" She hoped that the tree understood what she had been saying. She also realized that she hadn't even asked the tree herder his name! Nevertheless, she was interrupted by the deep, earthy voice of the tree,
"Aye, I have heard the tale of this Snow White and of how she works her evil."
"Oh? You must tell me . please my friend is ." Here she paused. What was Haku to her? Was he only a friend and nothing more? No, he must mean more to her then that! However before she could truly come to a decision, a loud rumble once more disturbed her trend of thought.
"Hoom . hoom . what are you pondering little one? Come, your face looks troubled and weary. Let us dine and drink, then we can discuss your quandary after. Be merry and sing, for then you shall be clear and strong enough in mind and body to overcome your sorrow."
"If you don't mind me asking sir, what name do you go by?" Chihiro tried her best not to sound rude, but Haku was in some unnamed danger and she HAD to save him. Plus this conversation was meaningless and time-consuming.
"Hoom!! Hoh!! Call me Aiken." Aiken seemed to have sensed Chihiro's distress and quickly he led her through the many boughs of trees. They were gnarled and old. The forest itself seemed to be buzzing in the quiet stillness of the sunshine. Finally Chihiro found herself in a glen. There was a large stone table in the centre of the grassy plain covered with vines and moss, and a bed that seemed to be made from leaves, twine, and various wildflowers to left of the table.
"Hee . hoe . sorry but there are no chairs, but you may sit on the table if you like." When she nodded her head, Aiken lifted her delicately and placed her on the table. Then he moved towards three strange looking barrels.
"Would you like to dine young one?" Aiken questioned.
"Yes, if it is not too much trouble Aiken sir. Oh and please feel free to call me Chihiro. It is so very gentle and sweet up here. It's . sort of haimish." Chihiro fondly remembered the times she had spent when she was last in the Spirit World with Haku.
"Okay, Chihiro, please don't call me sir and thank-you for your find description of my home."
If trees had porcelain skin, Chihiro mused, Aiken would surely have been blushing! She smiled inwardly, to herself before asking Aiken the question that had been on her lips ever since the conversation had begun,
"Whose side are you on Aiken?"
"Side?" The old tree seemed to be brooding for awhile over this question; in the mean time his hands were not idle. When he presented Chihiro with his answer he also gave her a rather large bowl of liquid.
"I am on nobody's side because no one is on my side." Chihiro drank deeply from the wooden bowl and found the liquid surprisingly quite filling.
"Now child tell me of your trouble." Aiken kindly readdressed Chihiro after she had drained all the liquid from her bowl. Chihiro then explained to Aiken the series of events that had occurred prior to their encounter. When she had finished her rather long tale, Aiken lifted his tree head and sighed deeply.
"What news is there of this evil snow queen?" Chihiro cocked her head in confusion.
"Aye, I know that she longs to rule the spirit world and all its inhabitants. Lately she has been housed at the bath house. It is being said that she is plotting to achieve her dream of covering all the lands in the darkness of her rule. I know not what her conspiracies are, or to whom they make concern, but I do know that many spirits have been disappearing. The missing spirits include Konnichi-sama, the sun god, and Shadoo, the goddess of shadow. Kaika the leader of the wood elves is very angry; her anger wakes all of my kin and the forest beasts. She is gathering a last alliance of spirits, animals, and all the creatures known to the Spirit World."
"That is terrible! What does Rikka do to the spirits she captures?"
"This is a question that even I cannot answer. The information you seek in is the bath house itself, even Kaika herself, does not know the answer."
"Where is the bath house . pardoning my ignorance?" Chihiro shyly asked.
"Well keep straight on this path. I warn you now, DO NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH, because the other trees are not as friendly as I am. Many of them have turned wild over the years. Wait, before you go, here." Aiken handed Chihiro a green emerald outline with gold.
"I cannot accept this ." Chihiro whispered. Her eyes were wide and surprise was etched on her face.
"Please, as a token of my respect. I foresee that it will be of use in the near future."
"All right . thank-you!" Chihiro ran to the tree and gave it a warm hug, "Will we meet again?"
"Of Course child, now flee! May the grace of the forest be with you! Remember DO NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH!!!" Chihiro waved and nodded her head to Aiken's advice.
After a few hours of walking, Chihiro felt tired. The sun had just set, and the sky was beginning to fade a navy blue colour which was littered with new constellations of stars that Chihiro didn't recognize.
I am sure that Aiken wouldn't have minded if I were to rest alongside the path . I mean it isn't really straying from the path, right? Chihiro mentally convinced herself, for she truly was very tired.
Perhaps it was that rather heavy liquid Aiken gave me. Chihiro concluded. By now she had wandered deep into the dense forest and the sky wasn't even visible through the thick overgrowth. She finally spotted a bed of tendrils under a large oak tree.
I'll just rest here for a bit. I won't actually go to sleep. Just rest my eyes. Chihiro promised herself as she laid down into the rather soft tendril bed.
She awoke much later to the sound of voices.
"I think that it's alive ." the first voice began roughly.
"Really?" the second mused from Chihiro's right.
"Yeah, maybe it's one of Rikka's goons! You know she probably brainwashed it and sent it into the forest to die! What a brute!" the first voice continued once more.
"At any rate I think we should convert it and let it start a new life . a life with us. You know Merle would really be thrilled with it! She has been looking for a playmate for a long time!" the second chattered, excitedly.
"Oh yes! Let's fetch her!" Then the delicate padding of feet could be heard and the creatures bounded out of earshot. Why, they sounded just like cats walking away! Chihiro exclaimed.
In no time Chihiro heard the padding of feet once more, and the voices started up again.
"Here it is Merle! Tai and I think that it's a girl! Like you!" the first voice pointed enthusiastically.
"Yup . we thought you'd might like her." The second voice, apparently Tai, muttered.
"Ohhh!" a high pitched voice squeal, "It's just my age too! Thanks guys! Hey, do you think that we should convert it Kouji?"
"Yeah . I do . it's probably miserable anyway." Kouji replied, sadly.
They talk about me as if I were a thing! I think that I should have my say too! Chihiro mentally screamed, but she gathered up her courage and crack open one brown eye.
Two extravagantly, night-sky blue eyes stared back at her and bushels of short, curly rose hair framed its face. Its eyes were full of joy and gleamed with vigour. Chihiro's eyes adjusted to the patches of sunlight that shone through the trees and as she took a closer look at the being in front of her, she nearly fell over with laughter! For the creature had a long slender cat-like tail, two rather large catty ears, a small, sweet little face and tiger stripes that littered her cheeks, thighs, forearms, and most likely her stomach, but Chihiro couldn't be sure of that because the cat-girl was wearing and orange dress that stopped shortly above her thighs. The girl had white powder puff balls on her ankles, right above her sandals, her shoulders, her wrists, and at the end of her tail. A red pendant hung around her neck.
That must be Merle. Chihiro thought.
Her companions, Tai and Kouji, looked the exact same as her except they had short straight hair, (blue for Tai and green for Kouji). They also had cat- like features, but they were both bare-chested and wore shorts (grey for Tai and yellow for Kouji) that stopped where Merle's dress did.
"It's alive!" Merle caterwauled. Just then a loud meow sounded and all of the cat-humans stood alert.
"Time to go back ." Merle pouted, "Let's bring her with us!" As if on cue, Kouji and Tai scooped Chihiro on their backs and bounded off on all fours with Merle in the lead.
What's going to happen to me now? Chihiro wondered as she tried to hold on the cat-boys' hair so she wouldn't fall off.
Author's Notes: Yep! There it is folks! Hope that you like it! REVIEW PLEASE!!!! Tell me what you think of Merle and her crew! I'll update as soon as I can! ~BuBbLeS! (
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸
FROZEN FEELINGS- CHAPTER 3 - the Forest no longer Sleeps
¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ ø,¸¸,ø ¤º°`°º¤ø,¸
The hand turned Chihiro around gently but irresistibly. Scared out of her mind, Chihiro slowly turned to face the most peculiar stare that she had ever received. It was like looking into a green meadow or a well of memories. She could actually see herself in the meadow, looking upon the memories of the strange creature.
Ahh . the creature itself was another mystery. It had strong long arms covered in brown smooth skin. Its massive feet had seven toes each and upon its face there was a beard made of twigs and leaves solemnly perched under its rather large nose. At present, Chihiro noted little but its eyes. Deep and rich, they were. She was completely lost in thought, until it spoke to her with a voice like the rumbling of the Earth itself!
"Who are you?" it boomed.
"I am but a lost bath house worker seeking to find my beloved friend," Chihiro began.
"Who is this friend of yours?" the great tree asked her. She swallowed her surprise and hastily replied,
"His name is Kohaku, and he has been captured by the evil snow witch, Rikka. Do you know where I can find her?" She hoped that the tree understood what she had been saying. She also realized that she hadn't even asked the tree herder his name! Nevertheless, she was interrupted by the deep, earthy voice of the tree,
"Aye, I have heard the tale of this Snow White and of how she works her evil."
"Oh? You must tell me . please my friend is ." Here she paused. What was Haku to her? Was he only a friend and nothing more? No, he must mean more to her then that! However before she could truly come to a decision, a loud rumble once more disturbed her trend of thought.
"Hoom . hoom . what are you pondering little one? Come, your face looks troubled and weary. Let us dine and drink, then we can discuss your quandary after. Be merry and sing, for then you shall be clear and strong enough in mind and body to overcome your sorrow."
"If you don't mind me asking sir, what name do you go by?" Chihiro tried her best not to sound rude, but Haku was in some unnamed danger and she HAD to save him. Plus this conversation was meaningless and time-consuming.
"Hoom!! Hoh!! Call me Aiken." Aiken seemed to have sensed Chihiro's distress and quickly he led her through the many boughs of trees. They were gnarled and old. The forest itself seemed to be buzzing in the quiet stillness of the sunshine. Finally Chihiro found herself in a glen. There was a large stone table in the centre of the grassy plain covered with vines and moss, and a bed that seemed to be made from leaves, twine, and various wildflowers to left of the table.
"Hee . hoe . sorry but there are no chairs, but you may sit on the table if you like." When she nodded her head, Aiken lifted her delicately and placed her on the table. Then he moved towards three strange looking barrels.
"Would you like to dine young one?" Aiken questioned.
"Yes, if it is not too much trouble Aiken sir. Oh and please feel free to call me Chihiro. It is so very gentle and sweet up here. It's . sort of haimish." Chihiro fondly remembered the times she had spent when she was last in the Spirit World with Haku.
"Okay, Chihiro, please don't call me sir and thank-you for your find description of my home."
If trees had porcelain skin, Chihiro mused, Aiken would surely have been blushing! She smiled inwardly, to herself before asking Aiken the question that had been on her lips ever since the conversation had begun,
"Whose side are you on Aiken?"
"Side?" The old tree seemed to be brooding for awhile over this question; in the mean time his hands were not idle. When he presented Chihiro with his answer he also gave her a rather large bowl of liquid.
"I am on nobody's side because no one is on my side." Chihiro drank deeply from the wooden bowl and found the liquid surprisingly quite filling.
"Now child tell me of your trouble." Aiken kindly readdressed Chihiro after she had drained all the liquid from her bowl. Chihiro then explained to Aiken the series of events that had occurred prior to their encounter. When she had finished her rather long tale, Aiken lifted his tree head and sighed deeply.
"What news is there of this evil snow queen?" Chihiro cocked her head in confusion.
"Aye, I know that she longs to rule the spirit world and all its inhabitants. Lately she has been housed at the bath house. It is being said that she is plotting to achieve her dream of covering all the lands in the darkness of her rule. I know not what her conspiracies are, or to whom they make concern, but I do know that many spirits have been disappearing. The missing spirits include Konnichi-sama, the sun god, and Shadoo, the goddess of shadow. Kaika the leader of the wood elves is very angry; her anger wakes all of my kin and the forest beasts. She is gathering a last alliance of spirits, animals, and all the creatures known to the Spirit World."
"That is terrible! What does Rikka do to the spirits she captures?"
"This is a question that even I cannot answer. The information you seek in is the bath house itself, even Kaika herself, does not know the answer."
"Where is the bath house . pardoning my ignorance?" Chihiro shyly asked.
"Well keep straight on this path. I warn you now, DO NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH, because the other trees are not as friendly as I am. Many of them have turned wild over the years. Wait, before you go, here." Aiken handed Chihiro a green emerald outline with gold.
"I cannot accept this ." Chihiro whispered. Her eyes were wide and surprise was etched on her face.
"Please, as a token of my respect. I foresee that it will be of use in the near future."
"All right . thank-you!" Chihiro ran to the tree and gave it a warm hug, "Will we meet again?"
"Of Course child, now flee! May the grace of the forest be with you! Remember DO NOT STRAY FROM THE PATH!!!" Chihiro waved and nodded her head to Aiken's advice.
After a few hours of walking, Chihiro felt tired. The sun had just set, and the sky was beginning to fade a navy blue colour which was littered with new constellations of stars that Chihiro didn't recognize.
I am sure that Aiken wouldn't have minded if I were to rest alongside the path . I mean it isn't really straying from the path, right? Chihiro mentally convinced herself, for she truly was very tired.
Perhaps it was that rather heavy liquid Aiken gave me. Chihiro concluded. By now she had wandered deep into the dense forest and the sky wasn't even visible through the thick overgrowth. She finally spotted a bed of tendrils under a large oak tree.
I'll just rest here for a bit. I won't actually go to sleep. Just rest my eyes. Chihiro promised herself as she laid down into the rather soft tendril bed.
She awoke much later to the sound of voices.
"I think that it's alive ." the first voice began roughly.
"Really?" the second mused from Chihiro's right.
"Yeah, maybe it's one of Rikka's goons! You know she probably brainwashed it and sent it into the forest to die! What a brute!" the first voice continued once more.
"At any rate I think we should convert it and let it start a new life . a life with us. You know Merle would really be thrilled with it! She has been looking for a playmate for a long time!" the second chattered, excitedly.
"Oh yes! Let's fetch her!" Then the delicate padding of feet could be heard and the creatures bounded out of earshot. Why, they sounded just like cats walking away! Chihiro exclaimed.
In no time Chihiro heard the padding of feet once more, and the voices started up again.
"Here it is Merle! Tai and I think that it's a girl! Like you!" the first voice pointed enthusiastically.
"Yup . we thought you'd might like her." The second voice, apparently Tai, muttered.
"Ohhh!" a high pitched voice squeal, "It's just my age too! Thanks guys! Hey, do you think that we should convert it Kouji?"
"Yeah . I do . it's probably miserable anyway." Kouji replied, sadly.
They talk about me as if I were a thing! I think that I should have my say too! Chihiro mentally screamed, but she gathered up her courage and crack open one brown eye.
Two extravagantly, night-sky blue eyes stared back at her and bushels of short, curly rose hair framed its face. Its eyes were full of joy and gleamed with vigour. Chihiro's eyes adjusted to the patches of sunlight that shone through the trees and as she took a closer look at the being in front of her, she nearly fell over with laughter! For the creature had a long slender cat-like tail, two rather large catty ears, a small, sweet little face and tiger stripes that littered her cheeks, thighs, forearms, and most likely her stomach, but Chihiro couldn't be sure of that because the cat-girl was wearing and orange dress that stopped shortly above her thighs. The girl had white powder puff balls on her ankles, right above her sandals, her shoulders, her wrists, and at the end of her tail. A red pendant hung around her neck.
That must be Merle. Chihiro thought.
Her companions, Tai and Kouji, looked the exact same as her except they had short straight hair, (blue for Tai and green for Kouji). They also had cat- like features, but they were both bare-chested and wore shorts (grey for Tai and yellow for Kouji) that stopped where Merle's dress did.
"It's alive!" Merle caterwauled. Just then a loud meow sounded and all of the cat-humans stood alert.
"Time to go back ." Merle pouted, "Let's bring her with us!" As if on cue, Kouji and Tai scooped Chihiro on their backs and bounded off on all fours with Merle in the lead.
What's going to happen to me now? Chihiro wondered as she tried to hold on the cat-boys' hair so she wouldn't fall off.
Author's Notes: Yep! There it is folks! Hope that you like it! REVIEW PLEASE!!!! Tell me what you think of Merle and her crew! I'll update as soon as I can! ~BuBbLeS! (