Saxa sat with a blanket wrapped around her and her naked feet close to the fire. It wasn't until she had gotten over the surprise of having stepped into another world that she felt how the cold was really biting into her. She was only wearing that short nightgown and a pair of panties. She wouldn't have survived many hours if Xavier hadn't been there to find her. She took a look around the small cottage. He had made a home there. For 23 years he had lived in this little room with a fireplace, a bed, a closet and a few other items.
"What happened to you?" She asked.
"The same as you," he answered. "I was goofing around one afternoon when the portal opened. I was curious and stepped through. I shouldn't have."
He sat down next to her. His lip was quivering.
"How are my parents?" He asked.
"I don't know. They moved a year later. I don't know where they went. I hate to sound cold but the world went on without you. Some of us never forgot you. Others don't remember you. It's just how the world works," she said.
"You remembered me," he said.
"I did. You were part of the reason I bought the house. I wanted to solve the mystery. Well, guess I solved it. Who's gonna solve mine now? I'm missing too. I wonder how long it'll take for people to find on. My therapist might try to reach out when I don't show up for our next appointment," she said.
"Therapist?" He asked.
"I'm a dreamer. Sometimes I dream too much," she shrugged. "And I talk to myself. I also think that everyone needs therapy every once in a while to make sure everything is good."
He nodded in agreement. She turned her eyes to the fire again.
"How do we open the portal to get back?" She asked.
"We don't. Someone else controls it," he answered.
"Who?" She asked.
"The tribal chief of this place," he answered.
"Tribal chief?" She snorted. "What a weird title. Is he a gangster or something?"
He looked at the fire too and let out a sigh.
"His name is Roman Reigns and he's a dangerous man. His entire family is. They're in control of this place. If you got something to offer that he wants, he might open the portal for you. His cousin Rock was in charge when I came here. They open it randomly to lure people through. I don't know what they do with those they catch. I found this place and hid here when they came to see if anyone was left half dead in the snow to pick up easy," he said.
She placed her hand on top of his and caressed it.
"So there's no system and therefore we can't wait it out," she sighed. "What can we do?"
"We can kill him," he said.
"You wanna kill the leader of this land?" She asked shocked.
"No, you'll kill him," he said.
She snorted in laughter but quickly stopped when she saw that he meant it.
"I've never killed anyone," she said. "Why don't you do it?"
"They know I'm here. They know my scent after all the years. They've accepted me living here. I can't get close to Roman without him sniffing me out. But you're unknown to them for now. It won't last long. Soon they'll send out their wolves to sniff around this place to see if anyone came through. We need to work quickly," he said.
"What if we kill the wolves?" She asked.
"They will send others. They control everything. You can't hide here for long," he said.
"Damn it, Xavier! Why did you have to be a stupid kid and go through that portal? I never would have bought that house if you hadn't gone missing," she said.
"I'm sorry," he said.
He got up from the floor and went to the window to look out.
"Fuck!" He muttered. "The wolves are here."
She got up too and looked out. There were two wolves sniffing around. One was dark brown, the other was red.
"Seth and Dean," he said. "Roman's trusted allies. As soon as they catch your scent and sniff their way to here, you're doomed. We won't ever get out of here."
"Do you have any weapons?" She asked.
He looked at her and smirked.
"Do I have any weapons? Please!" He said. "You won't survive in this place without weapons."
He walked over to the bed and pushed it up on the side. Under it was a lot of different weapons.
"Sweet!" She grinned.
She grabbed a crossbow and loaded it.
"Do you even know how to use that thing?" He asked.
"You've been away for a long time, Xavier," she said. "I won second place in nationals when I was 20. First place when I was 21. A place I kept for four years before finally being beaten. I'm still good though. Like really motherfucking good. Now open the god damn door and let me deal with the puppies."
He opened the door and she stepped outside in the snow. Once again the cold bit through her skin but she ignored it. She whistled and the two wolves looked up.
"Here, boys!" She called. "Come get it. Come to mama."
She wolves sneered and the red one ran towards her first.
"Open up, big boy," she said.
She fired an arrow and watched it go through the wolf's mouth. It fell down and started bleeding out in the white snow. She quickly loaded the crossbow again. The other wolf let out a howl and turned its dark brown eyes towards her.
"I will chew your legs up to a point where you'll never be able to walk again, then drag you through the snow and dump you in front of Roman. He won't show you mercy for killing Dean," Seth said.
"It talks?" Saxa asked surprised.
She lowered the crossbow for a moment and looked back at Xavier.
"We're gonna die now," Xavier said.
Saxa quickly turned back to face the wolf Seth. He went into a jump to attack her. She raised the crossbow and fired an arrow into his chest. He fell down with a whimper. She looked at the wolf fighting to stay alive while he too colored the snow red.
"You will die," Seth said.
"I don't agree with that," Saxa said.
"Xavier!" Seth growled. "After all we've done for you! I should have eaten you when you first got here!"
"Kill him!" Xavier yelled. "His howl will attract others."
Saxa placed a foot on Seth's body, loaded the crossbow again, and fired an arrow directly into his temple.
"Goodnight, puppy," she said.
She turned around and stared at Xavier.
"That wolf talked!" She said loudly. "Anything else you forgot to tell me?"
"This place is so fucked up," he said.
"No shit!" She yelled.
"Please, don't yell. Others might hear you. Come inside and let's figure this out," he said.
She stepped inside and he closed the door again. He walked over to the closet and pulled out a long fur jacket.
"This should keep you warm outside," he said.
"What about my feet?" She asked.
"I don't have any shoes in your size," he said.
"So cut up those two fucking wolves and make me something I can walk in," she said.
He opened the door again and looked at the dead wolf in front of it. He slowly turned his eyes back to her. She could see he wanted to ask but he was too afraid.
"I'll kill Roman for you," she said.
"You will?" He asked.
"If you guarantee that fucking portal opens for us to get home when he's gone, I'll fucking dance on his corpse, alright? Make me something for my feet and I'll kill that ugly ass bitch," she said.
