As we walked side by side back into the building, Jago looked at me.
"Kayela, why do you hate my sister?" He asked and I sighed, looking over at the monk for a few seconds.
"Jago, I know Orchid doesn't like me. She's made it pretty obvious that she hates the fact that a beast is interested in her brother." I replied in a small voice, looking at my claws for a moment. "I didn't chose to look like this but I have no choice. Unless I can find a cure to my curse I'm stuck in this form forever. Because of Ultratech I can't even change back to my human self anymore." I added, my arms resting at my sides.
"Once Ultratech is defeated we can search for a cure." Jago promised and I growled, lifting my head to stare at him. "Kayela, do not give up hope." He whispered and I flinched when he grasped my right paw.
"I'm so sick of everyone telling me that, Jago! You don't have to fear your inner self, that one day you could lose what makes you human forever." I snapped, not releasing his hand as I bared my canines at him. "I am afraid...I might wake up one morning and Kayela would be gone and only the wolf would remain."
"You are not the only one who has inner struggles. Besides we both know that you are too stubborn to lose yourself. Kayela, I promise that I will bring you back if your wolf takes over again." Jago whispered, resting my paw on his chest. When I tilted my head to one side he smiled and I managed a weak smile, exposing my canines.
"I'll hold you to that promise, monk. Now we should probably find your sister before she sends out a search party for us." I joked and he gave me a weak laugh, taking his hand from my paw. We resumed walking through the building with Jago in the lead and as I walked behind him I couldn't help tilting my head to one side, giving him a once over.
We found Orchid in a room with a single computer, one set into the back wall. I watched at Jago's side as Orchid kept her back turned to us. Being ignored really started to bug me and after less than a minute I started to growl and Orchid rolled her eyes, turning around to see me with my canines exposed in her direction.
"Calm yourself, beast." She sighed and I snarled, taking a step towards her only to feel Jago's hand on my left shoulder. Shaking my head I bit down on my anger and Jago nodded, releasing his hold. "Now are you willing to work together to take down Ultratech?" She asked and I snorted, giving her the slightest nod.
"They will not take me again." I growled and Orchid gave me a ghost of a smile before my ears pricked up. Going silent I listened carefully and Jago paused, about to speak until I let out a growl. I started to lope towards the remains of the door only to skid to a halt, my claws leaving deep scratches along the floor when I saw a flash of light. Instinctlively I shielded my eyes with one paw, whining softly as another flash went off in my face.
"Ultratech can't stop you? Really?" Someone chuckled and I raised my head to find the light had gone leaving someone who had my hackles raised in its place. "Remember me, wolf?" Cinder laughed and I crouched low snarling before I leapt at him. With a casual flick of his wrist he threw a flash grenade in my face and I yelped, skidding to a halt before my claws could connect.
Still laughing as I blink the spots from my eyes, Cinder flew closer his hand bursting into flame and I let out a howl as my shirt caught fire. I quickly pattered it out with my paws, burning the pads of my paws in the process. My paws throbbing I snarled as Cinder landed, his arms crossed against his chest.
"Poor little puppy. Did that hurt?" He taunted and my eyes glowed, my head thrown back as I let out a howl loud enough to bring Jago running. He reached us just as I leapt, all control lost in my single-minded pursuit of Cinder. He dodged to one side and I slipped right past him, my claws digging into the earth before I came to a halt. I spun around, fangs exposed and Cinder just laughed his hand glowing with another fireball.
Just as I rushed him Jago called out and I slowed, eyes moving to the monk instead of Cinder. Still chuckling softly to himself he knelt, grabbing a tree branch and when I remembered him he struck. The tree branch connected with my back and I stumbled forward, whining before he followed up with a savage blow to the back of my legs.
Blood flew, the impact sending me crashing to the dirt floor and with a grin on his face Cinder walked towards me tossing the branch into the bushes. Only to stumble back as the wolf emerged, canines exposed and dripping with saliva. Snarling loudly it tore through the grass and dirt, crouching down before it leapt at Cinder who barely managed to dodge.
While the wolf picked itself up from the ground, shaking its muzzle, Cinder took on an offensive stance. Standing behind the wolf his hands glowed and the wolf yelped the instant it turned its head, Cinder scoring a direct hit on its muzzle with a fireball he launched from his right hand. The second fireball came from Cinder's left hand and he grinned as he launched it towards the Wolf's eyes only to stare as a sword appeared, sending the fireball back at Cinder. The flame instantly merged with Cinder's body and he laughed, watching with interest.
Sheathing his sword, Jago's eyes followed Cinder who began to hop from one foot to the other. "Leave my friend alone." Jago told Cinder who just chuckled, nodding his head seconds later towards Jago's back. Jago had barely enough time to turn before something threw him backwards into a nearby oak tree, the blow hard enough to render him unconscious.
"Looks like ARIA was right. She's too uncontrollable. Better head back to base before she comes after me again." Cinder whistled as the wolf lifted its head, howling towards the sky.
When Jago struggled awake he found Cinder had fled and as he climbed to his feet, shaking his head to clear the ringing from it, he saw Kayela hunched over. Jago took a step towards his companion and she whirled around, blood splattering the dirt floor. For a brief moment he saw the open gash on her right leg and he grimaced, stepping towards her with his palms raised.
"Kayela, what did he do to you?" Jago whispered and she snarled, raising her head to howl again. As she lowered her head he saw the burns marking her muzzle and he sighed moving towards her in an effort to calm her. As soon as he moved closer she snarled, her eyes glowing in the darkness and he stopped when she crouched. Extending her arms, Jago could see her claws digging into the dirt and he froze. In the silence he could hear her labored breathing and he began to wonder if Kayela could still hear him.
"Kayela, listen to me. My sister thinks you're a beast..." Jago began and the wolf growled, glaring at him with yellow eyes. "I didn't mean it like that. Right now you're a beast but that isn't you..." He trailed off again when the wolf whined, staring at Jago with a hurt expression. Then still whining it rushed towards him and Jago braced himself just as the wolf leapt, landing past him before it ran into the nearby trees.
The wolf raced along on all four paws, heading deeper into the trees. But after running for several hours the wolf slowed, a burning pain radiating through its right paw. Panting it crouched on the dirt floor, whining softly as it gazed as the injured limb. The paw slowly dripped blood onto the ground and its jaw moved close, its tongue licking at the gash in an effort to soothe it.
After a minute the wolf lifted its head, letting out a low mournful howl before it started to limp, sniffing the air as it begain to search for a spot to rest. Limping it soon came across a tree, a large piece ripped from it and after spending a few seconds clawing into it the wolf made a hole big enough to fit inside. Growling softly it climbed inside and after a turning around, sniffing the inside of the tree the wolf curled into a tight ball. Giving the gash in its paw a final lick it closed its eyes, settling into sleep.
"Brother, that thing you call a friend is long gone. Good riddance." Orchid commented and Jago growled under his breath, taking a step towards the remains of the door before his sister shook her head at him. "Why do you insist on looking for that...beast? Face it, Jago; she can't control herself." Orchid told him. Shaking his head, Jago walked outside and Orchid stared after him for a moment before she returned her attention back to the computer screen in front of her.
Standing outside Jago looked up as a single drop of rain hit him right between his eyes, followed by several drops more as the sky opened up. Rubbing the rain fron his eyes he stared ahead, looking for any trace of Kayela and after a pause he cracked a tiny smile, noting the claw marks dug into the ground. But the smile faded when he saw the blood splattered across the dirt, Jago rushing into the forest thinking a silent prair that his friend wasn't as badly hurt as he feared.
The wolf lay curled into its new home, its left leg occassionally twitching as its paw throbbed in time with its heartbeat. For a while it slept, regaining some of its energy lost during the attack from Cinder. But its ears moved as it picked up a scent, one eye soon cracking open as a familar scent filled its nostrils. Still weak it growled softly, closing its eye before it shifted to relieve some of the pressure on its injury. Content it soon fell back asleep unaware that someone was tracking it through the forest.
Jago followed the claw marks deeper into the forest, his pace quickening while his mind wandered.
Maybe Orchid is right and Kayela is lost forever. No, I can't believe that the wolf has taken over. Once I find her I can tell her how sorry I am.
A few hours passed and as the rain started to let up Jago found that the tracks ended and he frowned, kneeling to try and pick up any trace as to where Kayela had fled to. It wasn't until he saw a tree bearing a large tear in it that he straightened, wandering over to find a drop of blood smeared across the tear in the bark of the tree. The gap proved big enough for him to squeeze into but he hesitated by the entrance, listening carefully for wolf growls.
Instead he heard what sounded like a large animal snorting and after staring directly at the gap he stepped inside freezing once he saw the form of his friend curled up on the dirt floor. Moving very carefully Jago stepped towards Kayela, still cautious of her wolf side and after he reached her side one eye opened.
The wolf stared at the monk, a low growl making its throat rumble as it raised its head. Standing perfectly still Jago watched on as its jaws slowly opened revealing wickedly sharp canines that dripped saliva onto the dirt floor.
"Kayela, it's me." Jago whispered and the wolf growled again, raising itself onto its front paws. But as it set its back paws on the ground it whined, the still healing wound causing it to limp. "Shh...take it easy. I'm going to help you." Keeping his voice low he took a step towards Kayela but the wolf, ignoring the pain in its leg, snapped at him and the warrior-monk took a step back.
Kayela's not a mindless beast like my sister keeps telling me.
"Don't you dare talk to me, monk. Orchid wanted to abandon me and you even agreed I can't be controlled. I might be a beast but I still have a heart...even if you don't understand that." I snapped at him, growling softly as I turned my back on him. I heard him moving towards me and I growled, whirling around to find him staring at me with both his palms raised towards me.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Kayela. I was trying to get through to your wolf side and the words came out all wrong." Jago whispered, keeping his voice low and I snorted. I wanted to launch myself at him, to see how he liked being the one hurt but my leg buckled and with a whine I lay on my side.
Curling up again I breathed through my nose, the burns on my muzzle stinging as Jago watched from a distance. I just stared at him, eyes glowing faintly before I closed them so I wouldn't see Jago's face anymore.
I stirred awake sometime later when I felt my injured leg move. Growling softly I cracked open an eye to find Jago kneeling beside me and once he saw I was awake he gave me a faint smile, not even flinching when I growled even louder.
"What are you doing now, monk? Haven't I suffered enough at Ultratech's hands?" I muttered and he sighed, resting my foot on the ground. On closer inspection I found the paw bound tightly in a white bandage.
Seeing me staring Jago gave me another smile. "You needed medical attention for the gash in your paw and since my sister refuses to help you..." He trailed off with a shrug and I gave him a tiny nod in return resting my head on my right paw.
"Your sister hates me." I muttered, curling into a ball. "I am just an unthinking beast." Whining softly I could feel hot tears running down my fur. Jago moved closer but I chose not to notice, covering my eyes with my two front paws.
"Kayela, you need to calm down. Letting your frustration get the better of you brings out your beast side more." Jago soothed, gently rubbing the fur between my ears until I stopped whimpering.
"But how, Jago? I try and try but my inner wolf keeps taking over." I sighed, uncovering my eyes and Jago's lips curled in a tiny smile. "Do you something in mind?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.