After the Storm
Chapter 5
Yuffie awoke early the next morning just before dawn broke. She'd had a strange dream last night, and she just couldn't seem to shake it off. She had had the same dream several times in the past couple of days - the shipwreck and the storm - but it had been different this time. Clearer. There had been someone else there, too, this time. Just as she had been pulled into the darkness she had found him, and she knew somehow it was a him, and they had clung together though all the waves had tried to pull them apart.
Getting up, Yuffie walked over to the smoldering fire and poked it with a long stick. The embers sizzled a little, but only half-heartedly. Putting down the stick, Yuffie walked a little ways away to collect some firewood. It was still mostly dark and she would feel a lot better if she could get the fire going again. Not to mention that it might impress Reno.
Laughing self consciously, Yuffie tried to block out the strange feeling that assailed her. Deciding to simply ignore it, she went out her task.
Taking an armful of wood back to the fire, Yuffie passed Reno. She looked down at him and felt the corner of her mouth crook into a small smile. He was still asleep and he looked very peaceful. Yuffie couldn't help but notice how different he was from when he was awake; that smirk and the mischievous look to his eyes.
She sighed and sat down next to the fire. In traditional Wutai fashion, the morning was quite cold, but the day would soon become very warm. For now however, it was important to get the fire started.
The sun poured over the horizon, it's pale light setting the area ablaze with color. Strangely, however, the light seemed to be swallowed up by the clouds. Almost as soon as the sunlight touched the ground it was hidden away again by the gray blanket that stretched across the sky. It couldn't help but dampen Yuffie's spirits a little, but she busied herself with breakfast.
When Reno awoke about an hour later, it was with great surprise that he found Yuffie setting out only slightly burned bacon and soggy oatmeal. After she leveled him a dangerous glare, he decided not to make any comments at all. Besides, he was actually quite grateful.
The day was definitely shaping up to be unpleasant with rain clouds moving in at great speed. Not wanting to waste any time, the two companions decided to move out before they got bogged down by the weather. To their initial surprise, however, it seemed content to stay simply overcast for the time being.
They tramped along, their feet getting wet quickly from the morning dew that seemed to have decided to take up permanent residence. The day had thrown its shadow over their spirits, and they didn't talk much. Each one was harboring their own gloomy thoughts about the upcoming day and the subsequent arrival.
The next leg of the trip would lead them through another expanse of forest and then to Wutai. If they traveled quickly then they should be able to reach the growing city by nightfall.
Walking along, Reno decided t pop the question.
"Hey, ah. . . babe. I was just wondering. . . How would you feel if I stuck around Wutai for a bit to, you know, help with the reconstruction?"
Yuffie suddenly felt her heart leap in her chest and start to beat a million miles an hour. She had to fight an uphill battle to keep her voice and face neutral.
"Well, we're always in need of an extra pair of hands. . ."
Reno grinned at her and Yuffie grinned back. It was impossible to stay angry with or about Reno - he was just too damned charismatic. Whether she wanted it to or not, Yuffie knew something was happening between them that might just become irreversible. She hoped they didn't get back to Wutai too soon. Reno gave her an enquiring look.
"Hey, babe? You said that you were evacuated onto the ship. What was that all about? Is something going down in Wutai?"
"I don't know totally myself. About a week and a half ago, some soldiers turned up at our gates demanding that we surrender or be destroyed. You can imagine how that went down." Reno chuckled.
"Undoubtedly. Especially after all the building you guys have been doing. But, still, that could be serious. Were there a lot of them?"
"About four dozen, or so I was told. They threatened to bring in the 'troops' if we didn't comply, but there weren't enough to actually worry about. My father sent down a group of workers to chase them off."
"So.? Does this actually go somewhere?"
He received a withering look.
"Well the ship arrived in Wutai shortly after, and there was word going round that there was a battle on the horizon. Well, Wutai's been training since the last skirmish with the Shinra, so nobody worried really. Except one night, my father and a whole bunch of the other warriors went from house to house and got all the other people out and onto the ship. I wanted to stay, but dad said that as the lady of Wutai I needed to be safe above all else to lead the people if anything ever happened to him."
"Sound reasoning, I think."
"It didn't matter what I thought. I was herded onto the ship with everyone else and given no chance to protest. The ship left immediately and we were all frightened. Nothing like this had ever been done before, but I think I've got why they did it."
"Go on."
"As I said, we've been getting ready for the next war since the end of the last one, and we're probably the most elite fighting force on the Planet now that Shinra's been disbanded. Still, open tactics have never been Wutai's strong point, and what's around Wutai? Open fields largely. We've built a large complex near the entrance that just goes around in circles unless you know what you're doing. I think the plan may have been to lure the smaller forces inside and then take them down from atop the walls."
"But aren't you worried that they could get in? I mean, what with all the new buildings a fire could be disastrous."
"It's impossible. No one could get in unless they were admitted."
Reno just walked along, thinking. Wutaians were known as fierce fighters and going up against them was largely crazy. And to do so with a smaller force. . . Well, he just hoped they knew what they were getting into. Maybe there'd be a few left to repent their deed. Maybe.
The path led into the thin forest once again, and the dark foliage overhead blocked out what weak light there was. It was almost like walking back into the night. Water dripped off the branches and splashed down the backs of their necks. Pretty soon they were both chilled and thoroughly unhappy with the state of the world.
The oddest part of the whole experience was that it seemed to be getting darker as they went on, instead of lighter. Reno was rather depressed by this. He kept waiting for it to rain, but it never did. That was the weather for you. It doesn't rain except when you least expect and want it to.
The morning passed in a damp and dark haze, and soon both Reno and Yuffie were starving and tired. The path had disappeared on them and they were constantly fighting their way through bracken that whipped and slashed at them as they passed. At one point Reno had yelped when a stinging plant had left a long gash across his arm. But, despite that he gritted his teeth and pressed onwards.
At about noon, they were both all too happy to set their stuff down in a clearing and have something to eat. Lunch sounded very good on a day like this. As they sat down in the wet grass, Reno looked around before settling down. Yuffie was curious.
"What's up? Something wrong?"
"No. . . Maybe. I'm not sure."
"C'mon, Turkey. What's going on?"
"I'm not totally sure, but I've been seeing some weird things in the forest. Not anything definite, mind you, just strange shapes just out of sight."
"You mean, like shadows darting through the trees?" Reno's looked at her sharply. "What? You saw them too?" She nodded. "This might be more serious then I though then. If had been just me, well, I'm used to seeing people hiding in the shadows and I'm known for my overactive imagination. But if you saw them too. . ."
He trailed off and picked up the sandwich he'd made. The two of them ate in silence. It wasn't exactly like it was a thick forest where monsters would be hiding. If there were any creatures out there at all then they should be small, fuzzy and cute.
After finishing lunch, Reno got up purposefully.
"Babe, I'm just going to go have a look around for whatever it was we saw. Probably just some squirrels or something, but I'd better check anyway." Yuffie climbed to her feet.
"Right."
"H-huh? Did I miss something here?"
"If there are evil creepy crawlies in this forest then your sure as hell not going to leave me alone here."
Reno sighed.
"Fine. Whatever. Just come on if you're coming then. We'll come back and get the stuff in a little while, okay?"
Nodding, Yuffie followed Reno into the trees once more.
The forest was dark and silent. Reno hated to use the cliché, but it was a damn sight too quiet for his taste. It was almost as if the forest was holding it's breath. Nothing stirred at all; not even the irritating mosquitoes that made this place so much fun. Frowning, he slid through the trees.
They circled around the little stand where their stuff was before going any further onwards. They didn't want to waste time, but with the large backpack and the sleeping rolls there was no way to go about undetected. It was better to lose some time and be safe rather than sorry. Reno had learned that the hard way long ago. He had the scars to prove it.
Just as he was about to propose returning, a tiny crack of a branch and the rustle of leaves nearby made him freeze on the spot. Yuffie opened her mouth to ask what the problem was, but Reno raised a hand and cut her off. After dropping the hand again, he raised a finger to his lips. He silently gestured for Yuffie to follow him.
Sliding behind a large tree, Reno stopped to observe whatever was going on. Yuffie was very impressed. She had thought she could move quietly, but when Reno was trying not to be heard there wasn't even the whisper of sound. He reminded her eerily of a predator on the hunt, and, she reminded herself grimly, he had been dozens of times before.
They stood in the shadows watching as the forms appeared. They moved quickly and quietly, always staying out of direct sight. There were about seven of them, maybe more. Reno was unable to tell because of the way he things moved. They were large, whatever they were, in fact about the size of a man. And perhaps that's what they were.
Feeling more confident with the realization that they were almost certainly just people, Reno prepared to go find out what they were up to. Seven or eight men were no match for a Turk, even an unarmed one.
That was when they heard the high-pitched squeal. The sound cut through Reno's brain like an ice-tipped dagger. In real pain, he stumbled around to see Yuffie with her hands clutched over her ears, on her knees. Her eyes were shut tight and she was trying in desperation to shut out the terrible noise.
And then, just as quickly as it had come, it was gone. It was a moment before either Reno or Yuffie noticed, however. His head screaming bloody murder, Reno got up from where he'd fallen not far from Yuffie. Turning slowly, his eyes followed the direction from where the sound had come.
Yuffie had also climbed painfully to her feet and walked over beside him. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Reno ventured forward again. Whatever had made that sound was nothing human, and most likely dangerous. If he could find it and take it down before Yuffie got involved they'd be a whole lot safer.
The strange black shaped had been not far from the tree where they had hidden, and Reno crept up towards the place. It was another small opening in the trees, not unlike the one they had left behind. It seemed empty now, whatever had been here before having left nothing standing that he could see. Cautiously, both he and Yuffie stepped out into the open.
That was when they saw it. A fully-grown bear lay stretched out on the ground, ripped open from throat to abdomen. Its skin had been pealed back and it's insides ripped to pieces. Yuffie clutched a hand to her mouth to try to stop the bile that rose at the back of her throat. Reno looked the dead animal over. When he spoke it was very quietly.
"Babe, we gotta move, and fast. There's nothing natural that could do this."
"But, the stuff. . ."
"We ain't got no time for the stuff. We gotta move. Anything that could do that to a bear isn't going to have much trouble with you or me. I may be a Turk but I've never seen anything like that before."
"Reno. . ." She stood quietly for a second. "Alright. Let's go."
That was when the howling picked up. From all around them a great, terrible noise rose from the throats of creatures no forest had ever seen before. Grabbing Yuffie's hand, Reno started to run.
"Looks like they're not going to give us a choice!"
They plunged into the trees, running as fast as they could. The uneven ground of the forest seemed to reach up to trip them with a hundred little obstacles, but neither stumbled or faltered. The baying of the creatures became more excited as they found a real chase at last.
If Reno didn't know better he would have sworn they were wolves, but the way their voices sounded hollow and above all, old, told him they were not. Tree branches stretched out like twining arms; trying to grab the two people who ran with all hell on their trail. Cold fear coursed through Reno's veins, a sensation he hadn't felt in years.
A huge boulder loomed ahead of Reno and Yuffie, and Reno swung to the right, trying to think fast. There had to be a way to throw the things off. He wondered vaguely how things had turned around so quickly. Not good.
Reno's trained eye spotted a large puddle/small watering hole. This might be their only chance to get away. He made a dash for the water and pulled Yuffie after him. She yelped and tumbled in after him. Running through the water Reno grabbed a branch and swung himself up.
Launching himself forward he misjudged and went flying over what he had thought was a small hill. Instead it proved to be a small ridge with a sheer drop into a briar patch. Yuffie came tumbling after him, and didn't even have time to scream as she fell into the darkness.
They hit the ground hard after the brief free fall. Yuffie found herself gasping for breath and thoroughly scratched up. She tried to get up, but Reno pulled her back down again. For a second there was silence, and then the baying started anew. And, true to everything Reno believed in, it began to rain.
* * * *
Night finally fell on Reno and Yuffie, shivering and miserable in the bramble bush. The howls and high shrills moving always around. The darkness and cold pressed in on them, and they tried not to make a sound. The rain continued to fall and they were both soaked and chilled to the bone.
Yuffie lay curled up on the ground, shivering continually. There were no stars or moon to judge time by, but Reno guessed it was about an hour before midnight. Yuffie looked so sad and cold, the rain running down her face and closed eyes; Reno felt a pang of sadness. He felt a strange pride for this young woman and now here she was. Her shivering was growing worse and he was a little worried.
Lying down beside her he wrapped his arm around her to give her what little warmth he could offer. Only now did he notice the scratches down her arms and legs. Closing his eyes he tried to imagine a world where they were somewhere warm and safe, but above all, together.
~*
Chapter 5
Yuffie awoke early the next morning just before dawn broke. She'd had a strange dream last night, and she just couldn't seem to shake it off. She had had the same dream several times in the past couple of days - the shipwreck and the storm - but it had been different this time. Clearer. There had been someone else there, too, this time. Just as she had been pulled into the darkness she had found him, and she knew somehow it was a him, and they had clung together though all the waves had tried to pull them apart.
Getting up, Yuffie walked over to the smoldering fire and poked it with a long stick. The embers sizzled a little, but only half-heartedly. Putting down the stick, Yuffie walked a little ways away to collect some firewood. It was still mostly dark and she would feel a lot better if she could get the fire going again. Not to mention that it might impress Reno.
Laughing self consciously, Yuffie tried to block out the strange feeling that assailed her. Deciding to simply ignore it, she went out her task.
Taking an armful of wood back to the fire, Yuffie passed Reno. She looked down at him and felt the corner of her mouth crook into a small smile. He was still asleep and he looked very peaceful. Yuffie couldn't help but notice how different he was from when he was awake; that smirk and the mischievous look to his eyes.
She sighed and sat down next to the fire. In traditional Wutai fashion, the morning was quite cold, but the day would soon become very warm. For now however, it was important to get the fire started.
The sun poured over the horizon, it's pale light setting the area ablaze with color. Strangely, however, the light seemed to be swallowed up by the clouds. Almost as soon as the sunlight touched the ground it was hidden away again by the gray blanket that stretched across the sky. It couldn't help but dampen Yuffie's spirits a little, but she busied herself with breakfast.
When Reno awoke about an hour later, it was with great surprise that he found Yuffie setting out only slightly burned bacon and soggy oatmeal. After she leveled him a dangerous glare, he decided not to make any comments at all. Besides, he was actually quite grateful.
The day was definitely shaping up to be unpleasant with rain clouds moving in at great speed. Not wanting to waste any time, the two companions decided to move out before they got bogged down by the weather. To their initial surprise, however, it seemed content to stay simply overcast for the time being.
They tramped along, their feet getting wet quickly from the morning dew that seemed to have decided to take up permanent residence. The day had thrown its shadow over their spirits, and they didn't talk much. Each one was harboring their own gloomy thoughts about the upcoming day and the subsequent arrival.
The next leg of the trip would lead them through another expanse of forest and then to Wutai. If they traveled quickly then they should be able to reach the growing city by nightfall.
Walking along, Reno decided t pop the question.
"Hey, ah. . . babe. I was just wondering. . . How would you feel if I stuck around Wutai for a bit to, you know, help with the reconstruction?"
Yuffie suddenly felt her heart leap in her chest and start to beat a million miles an hour. She had to fight an uphill battle to keep her voice and face neutral.
"Well, we're always in need of an extra pair of hands. . ."
Reno grinned at her and Yuffie grinned back. It was impossible to stay angry with or about Reno - he was just too damned charismatic. Whether she wanted it to or not, Yuffie knew something was happening between them that might just become irreversible. She hoped they didn't get back to Wutai too soon. Reno gave her an enquiring look.
"Hey, babe? You said that you were evacuated onto the ship. What was that all about? Is something going down in Wutai?"
"I don't know totally myself. About a week and a half ago, some soldiers turned up at our gates demanding that we surrender or be destroyed. You can imagine how that went down." Reno chuckled.
"Undoubtedly. Especially after all the building you guys have been doing. But, still, that could be serious. Were there a lot of them?"
"About four dozen, or so I was told. They threatened to bring in the 'troops' if we didn't comply, but there weren't enough to actually worry about. My father sent down a group of workers to chase them off."
"So.? Does this actually go somewhere?"
He received a withering look.
"Well the ship arrived in Wutai shortly after, and there was word going round that there was a battle on the horizon. Well, Wutai's been training since the last skirmish with the Shinra, so nobody worried really. Except one night, my father and a whole bunch of the other warriors went from house to house and got all the other people out and onto the ship. I wanted to stay, but dad said that as the lady of Wutai I needed to be safe above all else to lead the people if anything ever happened to him."
"Sound reasoning, I think."
"It didn't matter what I thought. I was herded onto the ship with everyone else and given no chance to protest. The ship left immediately and we were all frightened. Nothing like this had ever been done before, but I think I've got why they did it."
"Go on."
"As I said, we've been getting ready for the next war since the end of the last one, and we're probably the most elite fighting force on the Planet now that Shinra's been disbanded. Still, open tactics have never been Wutai's strong point, and what's around Wutai? Open fields largely. We've built a large complex near the entrance that just goes around in circles unless you know what you're doing. I think the plan may have been to lure the smaller forces inside and then take them down from atop the walls."
"But aren't you worried that they could get in? I mean, what with all the new buildings a fire could be disastrous."
"It's impossible. No one could get in unless they were admitted."
Reno just walked along, thinking. Wutaians were known as fierce fighters and going up against them was largely crazy. And to do so with a smaller force. . . Well, he just hoped they knew what they were getting into. Maybe there'd be a few left to repent their deed. Maybe.
The path led into the thin forest once again, and the dark foliage overhead blocked out what weak light there was. It was almost like walking back into the night. Water dripped off the branches and splashed down the backs of their necks. Pretty soon they were both chilled and thoroughly unhappy with the state of the world.
The oddest part of the whole experience was that it seemed to be getting darker as they went on, instead of lighter. Reno was rather depressed by this. He kept waiting for it to rain, but it never did. That was the weather for you. It doesn't rain except when you least expect and want it to.
The morning passed in a damp and dark haze, and soon both Reno and Yuffie were starving and tired. The path had disappeared on them and they were constantly fighting their way through bracken that whipped and slashed at them as they passed. At one point Reno had yelped when a stinging plant had left a long gash across his arm. But, despite that he gritted his teeth and pressed onwards.
At about noon, they were both all too happy to set their stuff down in a clearing and have something to eat. Lunch sounded very good on a day like this. As they sat down in the wet grass, Reno looked around before settling down. Yuffie was curious.
"What's up? Something wrong?"
"No. . . Maybe. I'm not sure."
"C'mon, Turkey. What's going on?"
"I'm not totally sure, but I've been seeing some weird things in the forest. Not anything definite, mind you, just strange shapes just out of sight."
"You mean, like shadows darting through the trees?" Reno's looked at her sharply. "What? You saw them too?" She nodded. "This might be more serious then I though then. If had been just me, well, I'm used to seeing people hiding in the shadows and I'm known for my overactive imagination. But if you saw them too. . ."
He trailed off and picked up the sandwich he'd made. The two of them ate in silence. It wasn't exactly like it was a thick forest where monsters would be hiding. If there were any creatures out there at all then they should be small, fuzzy and cute.
After finishing lunch, Reno got up purposefully.
"Babe, I'm just going to go have a look around for whatever it was we saw. Probably just some squirrels or something, but I'd better check anyway." Yuffie climbed to her feet.
"Right."
"H-huh? Did I miss something here?"
"If there are evil creepy crawlies in this forest then your sure as hell not going to leave me alone here."
Reno sighed.
"Fine. Whatever. Just come on if you're coming then. We'll come back and get the stuff in a little while, okay?"
Nodding, Yuffie followed Reno into the trees once more.
The forest was dark and silent. Reno hated to use the cliché, but it was a damn sight too quiet for his taste. It was almost as if the forest was holding it's breath. Nothing stirred at all; not even the irritating mosquitoes that made this place so much fun. Frowning, he slid through the trees.
They circled around the little stand where their stuff was before going any further onwards. They didn't want to waste time, but with the large backpack and the sleeping rolls there was no way to go about undetected. It was better to lose some time and be safe rather than sorry. Reno had learned that the hard way long ago. He had the scars to prove it.
Just as he was about to propose returning, a tiny crack of a branch and the rustle of leaves nearby made him freeze on the spot. Yuffie opened her mouth to ask what the problem was, but Reno raised a hand and cut her off. After dropping the hand again, he raised a finger to his lips. He silently gestured for Yuffie to follow him.
Sliding behind a large tree, Reno stopped to observe whatever was going on. Yuffie was very impressed. She had thought she could move quietly, but when Reno was trying not to be heard there wasn't even the whisper of sound. He reminded her eerily of a predator on the hunt, and, she reminded herself grimly, he had been dozens of times before.
They stood in the shadows watching as the forms appeared. They moved quickly and quietly, always staying out of direct sight. There were about seven of them, maybe more. Reno was unable to tell because of the way he things moved. They were large, whatever they were, in fact about the size of a man. And perhaps that's what they were.
Feeling more confident with the realization that they were almost certainly just people, Reno prepared to go find out what they were up to. Seven or eight men were no match for a Turk, even an unarmed one.
That was when they heard the high-pitched squeal. The sound cut through Reno's brain like an ice-tipped dagger. In real pain, he stumbled around to see Yuffie with her hands clutched over her ears, on her knees. Her eyes were shut tight and she was trying in desperation to shut out the terrible noise.
And then, just as quickly as it had come, it was gone. It was a moment before either Reno or Yuffie noticed, however. His head screaming bloody murder, Reno got up from where he'd fallen not far from Yuffie. Turning slowly, his eyes followed the direction from where the sound had come.
Yuffie had also climbed painfully to her feet and walked over beside him. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Reno ventured forward again. Whatever had made that sound was nothing human, and most likely dangerous. If he could find it and take it down before Yuffie got involved they'd be a whole lot safer.
The strange black shaped had been not far from the tree where they had hidden, and Reno crept up towards the place. It was another small opening in the trees, not unlike the one they had left behind. It seemed empty now, whatever had been here before having left nothing standing that he could see. Cautiously, both he and Yuffie stepped out into the open.
That was when they saw it. A fully-grown bear lay stretched out on the ground, ripped open from throat to abdomen. Its skin had been pealed back and it's insides ripped to pieces. Yuffie clutched a hand to her mouth to try to stop the bile that rose at the back of her throat. Reno looked the dead animal over. When he spoke it was very quietly.
"Babe, we gotta move, and fast. There's nothing natural that could do this."
"But, the stuff. . ."
"We ain't got no time for the stuff. We gotta move. Anything that could do that to a bear isn't going to have much trouble with you or me. I may be a Turk but I've never seen anything like that before."
"Reno. . ." She stood quietly for a second. "Alright. Let's go."
That was when the howling picked up. From all around them a great, terrible noise rose from the throats of creatures no forest had ever seen before. Grabbing Yuffie's hand, Reno started to run.
"Looks like they're not going to give us a choice!"
They plunged into the trees, running as fast as they could. The uneven ground of the forest seemed to reach up to trip them with a hundred little obstacles, but neither stumbled or faltered. The baying of the creatures became more excited as they found a real chase at last.
If Reno didn't know better he would have sworn they were wolves, but the way their voices sounded hollow and above all, old, told him they were not. Tree branches stretched out like twining arms; trying to grab the two people who ran with all hell on their trail. Cold fear coursed through Reno's veins, a sensation he hadn't felt in years.
A huge boulder loomed ahead of Reno and Yuffie, and Reno swung to the right, trying to think fast. There had to be a way to throw the things off. He wondered vaguely how things had turned around so quickly. Not good.
Reno's trained eye spotted a large puddle/small watering hole. This might be their only chance to get away. He made a dash for the water and pulled Yuffie after him. She yelped and tumbled in after him. Running through the water Reno grabbed a branch and swung himself up.
Launching himself forward he misjudged and went flying over what he had thought was a small hill. Instead it proved to be a small ridge with a sheer drop into a briar patch. Yuffie came tumbling after him, and didn't even have time to scream as she fell into the darkness.
They hit the ground hard after the brief free fall. Yuffie found herself gasping for breath and thoroughly scratched up. She tried to get up, but Reno pulled her back down again. For a second there was silence, and then the baying started anew. And, true to everything Reno believed in, it began to rain.
* * * *
Night finally fell on Reno and Yuffie, shivering and miserable in the bramble bush. The howls and high shrills moving always around. The darkness and cold pressed in on them, and they tried not to make a sound. The rain continued to fall and they were both soaked and chilled to the bone.
Yuffie lay curled up on the ground, shivering continually. There were no stars or moon to judge time by, but Reno guessed it was about an hour before midnight. Yuffie looked so sad and cold, the rain running down her face and closed eyes; Reno felt a pang of sadness. He felt a strange pride for this young woman and now here she was. Her shivering was growing worse and he was a little worried.
Lying down beside her he wrapped his arm around her to give her what little warmth he could offer. Only now did he notice the scratches down her arms and legs. Closing his eyes he tried to imagine a world where they were somewhere warm and safe, but above all, together.
~*