"We're almost at our destination so be ready to disembark." Orchid explained, now standing in the doorway and I gave her a tiny nod. But as I headed towards the cargo hold I noticed she was staring at me, her eyes narrowed and I snorted. Ignoring her I walked away and she stepped towards her brother, grabbing his arm before he could follow me. "Jago, what are you doing? She might be helping us now but who knows when that monster could turn on us at any time."
Shaking off her arm, Jago raised an eyebrow at his sister. "She is an ally, nothing more." He muttered, turning towards the cargo door only to see me still standing there. Ears flattened against my skull I whimpered, eyes glowing with anger and pain. Before he had time to open his mouth I growled, crouching and the moment I picked up the sound of the plane landing I made my escape.
Without hesitating I rushed from the plane, racing towards a massive building in the distance, one I knew all too well. Before I charged towards it I raised my head letting out a ear-splitting howl that would have spent a chill down anyone's spine. Confident I raced towards the Ultratech building not knowing that someone was already alerted to my presence.
I made it as far as the front entrance when something hit the dirt inches from my feet and I yelped, skidding to a halt and as I raised my head I saw someone standing nearby. Laughing they landed and I leapt back to avoid a fireball. "So you're the wolfgirl ARIA keeps going on about? Are you going to actually be a challenge?" Cinder grinned and I snarled, fangs exposed as I leapt at ARIA's agent. He just stepped aside sending a fireball towards my tail and I yelped as the very tip of my tail caught fire.
I quickly extinguished it but while I was distracted Cinder attacked, a fireball slamming into my chest which sent me slamming backwards into a tree. I cried out, whimpering as my sight blurred. Shaking his head at me Cinder advanced and I raised myself up, snarling as my inner beast took over.
Furious my wolf side rushed at Cinder not even noticing the fire that ignited the ground below her paws, too intent on destroying her prey before she let out a roar.
A little shaken by the roar Cinder only just avoided her claws and as the beast rushed by he aimed at her back, a massive fireball smashing into her back. With a pained whine she collapsed, shaking as the flames burned the fur ridging her back. As I slowly regained my mind I found myself lying burnt on the ground, unable to lift my head due to the agonizing pain of my burns. "Pathetic. Why does ARIA want a beast?" Cinder taunted, watching with a smile as I tried in vain to raise myself onto my elbows only to see a fireball clutched in his hand. "Guess you're just a freak." He whispered and I closed my eyes, trembling.
Right then I heard voices and my ears pricked up as someone landed in front of me, forcing Cinder to back off. "Kayela, are you alright?" Jago's voice asked as I struggled to sit only to feel darkness at the edge of my vision. I could hear the sounds of shouting and gunfire but it sounded like it was underwater and my head soon ended up on the ground, my vision fading.
"Kayela?" Jago whispered, a hand pressed to my head. Groaning I forced my eyes open to find the warrior-monk standing over me, his eyes searching my face.
"What...happened?" I mumbled, trying to push myself up only to see Jago's hand move to my shoulder.
"You are still weak from your injuries. You need to rest." Jago advised but I shrugged him off, sitting only to gasp. "I have healed what I could but you need to stay here until your burns heal completely."
"Burns?" I whispered, holding a hand to my chest only to see my paws bandaged. "What happened to me?" I asked, Jago crouching beside me and I growled when he didn't answer.
"You rushed into the heat of battle with Cinder, one of ARIA's henchmen. You made us look like amateurs, beast." Orchid complained and I snarled, eyes flashing as I tried to rise from the bed. "Just stay there until we can find a use for you or I just might throw you out of the base." She added, glaring at me and I actually cringed as she left the room slamming the door hard.
"Do not listen to my sister. She's angry at Ultratech for making us retreat." Jago explained but I sighed, looking down at my feet to find them also bandaged. "Rest for a while as I speak to my sister." He told me, rising only to feel my paw on his shoulder. Despite the pain throbbing from my injuries I stared at him and he gave me a tiny smile.
"This is my fault. I will return to my castle and never bother you again. You were wrong to seek my help...I am only an unthinking, unfeeling monster." I whispered, closing my eyes as I relaxed my grip. "I blame you for this." I replied, raising my head despite the flutter in my stomach. "You pushed me into going after Ultratech on my own and that makes you responsible for my injuries." When Jago stared at me, looking confused, I let out a snarl.
Rising to my feet I started to pace, the pain of my burns momentarily forgotten. "You told your sister," I spat as I whirled around, "That I was only an ally and nothing more."
"Kayela, please calm down. I didn't mean it like that." Jago protested rising to his feet and I snapped at him, my fangs missing his bare chest by only an inch. "You need to rest your injuries."
"I don't give a damn about my injuries! First chance I get I'm leaving and you can take on Ultratech without my help, monk. I would rather spend the rest of my exsistence locked away in that castle than speak to you or your sister again." I snarled, moving towards the doorway only to wince as my paws flared with pain. I started to limp silently wondering if I would make it when Jago's hand lashed out, grabbing my shoulder. My wounds making me angry I tried to bite him only to have my chin knocked back and I yelped, pain making my eyesight blurry.
I stumbled to my knees and in a heartbeat Jago moved to my side only to stumble back as I snarled, fangs dripping with saliva. "Kayela?" He whispered as the werewolf advanced, all trace of his friend gone as it snapped. Drawing his blade was the only thing that prevented the wolf from biting him, its teeth clamping down on the blade. Letting out a pained yelp it stumbled back jaws dripping blood and Jago stared as it lifted its head, a howl echoing through the small room.
Quickly glancing at the door Jago made his move launching a kick that impacted with its chest knocking the wolf into the far wall but it was on its feet in moments snarling though before it could attack Jago had pulled the door open and jumped through it, slamming it shut just as the wolf leapt at the door. He cringed at the sound of claws tearing into the wooden frame but the door was made of solid steel as well and he knew it would hold.
For now at least...
"Aren't you tired of listening to that monster tear the room apart?" Orchid asked, finding her brother sitting cross-legged outside what was once a bedroom. "I told you she was a beast but you wouldn't listen."
"Orchid, she is not a beast. Besides she is not the only one who struggles with her darker impulses." Jago sighed and Orchid rolled her eyes, kneeling beside her brother as his eyes rested on the door inches from where they sat. Saberwulf continued to growl and claw at the door in a vain effort to escape not knowing that someone, namely Orchid, had stuck a chair under the doorknob to keep the door closed.
"But you won't turn into a werewolf, brother. Once we finish our plans for Ultratech we should tranq her and dump her back in that castle of hers." Orchid answered, rising and with a shrug she walked away leaving Jago staring after his sister.
"No, I will not allow Kayela to lose what humanity she clings to even in this form. Even if I have to face her fury alone I will." Jago whispered noting that the room that contained the werewolf had gone eerily quiet. "Kayela?" He called out as he climbed to his feet, hearing nothing except the sound of his own voice. Slowly he moved towards the door and after listening for nearly a minute Jago carefully pushed the chair away before he reached for the doorknob.
At the spund of the doorknob being turned the werewolf raised its head eyes glowing as the door slowly opened to reveal Jago. Narrowing its eyes the werewolf crouched and Jago froze noting its heavy breathing and the way its ears were lying flat against its head. "I did not come to hurt you, Kayela." Jago whispered and its growled, eyes focused on him as he stepped fuly into the room. The second the door clicked shut behind him Jago saw the werewolf bare his fangs and his eyes widened, sensing its fury at being imprisoned.
A low growl rumbled from its throat as the monk approached though he raised his hands and it tilted its head, confused to find his hands empty and the eyes of a stranger staring back at it unflinching.
Noting the lack of a threat it stared back as Jago moved closer, allowing the monk to come within inches of its muzzle. Though when he raised his head to look around the room the wolf snarled as all eye contact was lost and Jago froze, realizing his mistake too late. With a low growl it leapt and Jago reacted on instinct, bringing his fist up just in time. He watched as the werewolf slammed into the wall, yelping and Jago cringed at the pain in its voice.
Kneeling it whined the painful burns left by Cinder causing it to lick at its paws only to recoil as they throbbed. Hurting all over the werewolf curled up into a corner not even paying Jago the slighest attention. Even when he knelt beside it it whined and Jago sighed, reaching over to rest his hand on the top of its head. "Kayela, I am sorry I have caused you pain. It wasn't my intention to make you suffer more." Jago whispered gently rubbing her head but the wolf just whined, not understanding why this human showed no threat before it attacked. Still whining and deeply confused it lowered its head to the cold floor, shivering when Jago rubbed between its ears.
It took a few more minutes before I regained control and I growled at Jago, warning the monk to leave me in peace. He didn't react to my warning but continued to gently rub my ears and I snorted, unimpressed by the monk. Too tired I lay there despite the cold seeping into my paws though as I did I felt Jago lower himself onto the floor behind me and I snorted again as he buried his face in the soft fur of my back. Realizing he wasn't going to leave I sighed to myself letting him snuggle against me.
Now convinced I wasn't going to attack him again Jago reached up and when he started to lightly tug on the tips pf my ears I rolled my eyes, not impressed by Jago's playfulness. Though as time passed I actually allowed him to remain with me and Jago grinned, his hand moving to his mask before he tugged it free. "Jago, this is not standard behaviour for a monk." I pointed out not that he seemed to care when he nipped the very tip of my left ear.
"Kayela, I am sorry you thought I was trying to harm you." Jago explained, kissing my shoulder next. "I never meant for you to be harmed and now you're burned."
"Then maybe you should kiss them better." I joked, raising my paws from the floor and Jago chuckled. He turned me over onto my back and I gasped from the shock of the floor though it soon became a contented growl when his mouth moved to my paws. He lightly licked my burned paws and just the feel of his warm tongue sent a shiver through my stomach. "Okay you do realize I was kidding about that?" I muttered though I doubted Jago was listening when he lightly licked one of my claws and I grinned, my fangs showing.
Still grinning I pushed him back enough to escape, climbing to my feet as Jago raised an eyebrow at me. "What are you doing, Kayela? Aren't you still in pain?" Jago asked raising himself up on his elbows and I briefly wagged my tail.
"I heal fast, Jago. Besides if you want me that badly fight me in the dojo and maybe I'll let you claim me. Unless you think you'll lose?" I taunted as he climbed to his feet, silently retrieving his mask. This time I raised my eyebrow at him and for a brief moment I heard a very faint chuckle.
"It is a deal, wolf. Meet me there in five minutes." Jago answered and I gave him a nod, already looking forward to our second match as he walked away not even sparing me a glance.
"You can bet I'll win this match, warrior-monk." I whispered, growling low in my throat.