Disclaimer: Hey everybody! As I'm typing this it's a beautiful summer day here in WI. If anyone has visited WI or lives in WI or are going to visit WI you should come when it's summer fest or the state fair it's the best! Well see you!
Chapter 11
By: BeautyandYue
Karone dashed into the snow laden tree grove. When she realized that he hadn't followed her to keep her there at the castle Karone slowed to a walk. 'Now which direction did I come from?' she thought looking at the different routes she could take. 'It looks all the same when there's snow on the ground.' Suddenly the long, eerie howls and growls of wolves started to fill the air. 'Great, there are wolves in here.' Karone thought as she broke a tree branch off to protect herself.
There they were. They came stalking into the clearing, hunger evident in their yellow eyes. Some leaped at Karone but she lashed out hitting one of them and kicking another. They growled. They didn't like their food fighting back. So they came even closer tightening the semi-circle around Karone. One came up and as Karone tried hitting it with the branch, it caught it in its teeth and snapped it. Karone shrieked in fear. Another came up behind and grabbed the back of her cloak. It flung her to the ground and in the commotion her hair ribbon came out. Karone shook snow out of her eyes as her blonde hair blew about in the wind. Karone cowered back. A wolf circled around then jumped in for the kill. Karone screamed covering her face with her hands. But the wolf never made it. Great paws picked the snarling animal up. Zhane-Beast brought it to his face and roared ferociously, showing a great number of teeth. Karone opened her eyes. Zhane-Beast threw it away from him and assumed a protective stance over the fallen Karone. For some strange reason Zhane-Beast felt an overwhelming desire to protect this girl. The wolves sprang at Zhane-Beast extremely angry that they were losing their dinner. Zhane-Beast lunged in front of Karone taking the attack.
Karone watched in utter horror and fascination at the whirlwind of white-blonde, gray ball of fur. Zhane-Beast was pulling, slashing, growling, roaring, getting scratched, and being bit. Finally the wolves had enough and fled, whining, tails between their legs. Karone got up slowly and as she was about to flee, Karone caught sight of Zhane-Beast. He turned to look at Karone, panting from fighting the wolves, a nasty looking scratch on his arm. Zhane-Beast groaned and slumped to the ground, out cold. Karone looked at the path home but what would happen to…him? Karone made up her mind in a heartbeat. Running over to him, she took off her cloak and put it on him. She then began looking for branches that she could make a temporary stretcher-sled to get him back to the castle.
"They both survived1 I will go down and destroy them!"
"No, Ecliptor. They are running out of time. She won't break the spell so easily."
"Of course my princess, I never doubted your plan."
"See that you don't ever. Now we need to plan for phase two."
"Yes my princess."
Karone poured hot water from Cassie into a bowl. She put a cloth in the bowl and lifting it gently wrung it out. Andros, TJ, Ashley, Carlos, and Cassie watched on while Karone went over to Zhane-Beast, cloth in hand. Zhane-Beast was sitting in his big chair licking his wounds on his arm. "Here now don't do that." Karone gently admonished.
Zhane-Beast looked at her and growled softly, here he had risked his neck for her and she was telling him what to do! Karone held out the cloth, Zhane-Beast moved his arm out of range of the reaching arm. "Just hold still." She said finally laying it on his arm.
Zhane-Beast threw his head up and roared at the stinging pain. Andros, TJ, Carlos, Cassie, and Ashley ducked out of sight. "THAT Hurt!" he shouted in her face, blowing her hair back.
Karone's temper flared "if you just held still it wouldn't hurt as much!" she yelled back.
"Well you shouldn't have run away!" Zhane-Beast argued pointing at her.
"If you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away!" Karone shot back crossing her arms as she turned around.
"I-, Zhane-Beast stopped at a lose for words. No one had the insolence to argue with him like this before, not that he could remember. (Stay away from Ashley! Why are you jealous…?) "Well you shouldn't have been in the West Wing!" he said thinking he would actually make her feel sorry for what she had done.
Karone whirled back around indignant "well you should learn to control your temper!"
Zhane-Beast looked shocked. While this exchange had been going on the others had been slowly inching back into sight. Zhane-Beast knew that he had lost that round so he rested his cheek on his fist in a pout. Karone firmly grasped his furry arm. "Now hold still. This might sting a little." She said placing the cloth on his arm. Zhane-Beast jerked his head away, letting out air through clenched teeth at the stinging, closing his eyes. "Humph!" (Poison…searching for someone…silver, red, and purple lights…)
Karone thought of something. As she patted his arm, cleaning the cuts, she tucked a strand of lose hair behind her ear, softening her voice Karone said, "I want to thank you, for saving my life."
Zhane-Beast opened his eyes and looked at the blonde before him in surprise. "Your welcome." He humbly said.
To Be Continued…