Heart of the Alone
Chapter 2
"Toad!" Magneto's deep voice sounded in his hall of metal. The caped mutant strode along easily, his eyes hard and defined as he searched for his eager servant. "TOAD!"
The green skinned beast crept from the shadows under his masters dangerous gaze. "Yesss, sir?"
"Sabortooth is going on a mission to retrieve a very powerful ally. I need you to do his guard duty for the night." He stated plainly, turning his back to gaze through the circular window across the calm sea. Anger lined his face.
Worry.
"What . . . k . . . kind of ally?" Toad was almost too afraid to ask, crouched low with his eyes averted.
"A very powerful one, Toad. Very powerful."
Mystique's deep blue body slid along next to her master in silence, her yellow eyes staring down the toad as he slinked away into the darkness. Licking her lips lusciously she leaned towards Magneto's ear and whispered softly. "What about this new creature has you so worried?"
"That is none of your concern, Mystique." Magneto frowned.
"She is like me?"
"Yes, but unlike you can change into any animal at will and possess their powers." He did not even look at her. "And then some."
"As can I!" Mystique said jealously. "And I already serve you."
"Not as she can, I'm afraid. She possesses even more powers than you, my dear. She is young yet, she has not even reached her full potential. I cannot let Xavier convince her on their side."
"And what makes you think she would have joined you?" she hissed.
Magneto clenched his fist. "I have my ways. A child so young can be easily persuaded to do as I wish."
Scowling, Mystique turned away. "You should have sent me instead of that animal."
"Oh, you shouldn't say such things about our Sabertooth. He is more at home in that desolate forest that mutant hides than you will ever be, my dear. He will find her before Exaviers team does or we shall have his head."
The woman's heart skipped a tentative beat at her masters proposal. Never had she seen him so determined . . . so sure . . .
*******
The X-Jet hovered softly over the isolated northern Canadian forests, the breeze from the engine swayed the snowy topped trees as they searched the earth for life. None were sure what they sought, none were sure what they would come up against.
"I guess I'll just land here." Scott sighed as he tenderly dealt the controls.
The jet door fell open and an icy wind blew across them dappled with snow, Jean shivered. Scott placed a gentle arm around her as they stepped out into the bitter clearing, the blazing sun who looked so warm and loving above an illusion with the numbing winds.
Storm peered against the blinding snow capped mountain rising towards the heavens, the coniferous forest rolling down its slopes towards the white valley glittering against the suns brilliant rays. "This place is so beautiful." She gaped.
"What exactly are we lookin' for here." Logan barked impatiently as the jet stuttered into a landing, pushing himself to his feet. "There's no way a kid can survive out there alone!"
"Maybe she isn't alone." Jean mumbled knowingly, the team drifting into silence. "The poor girl . . ." she frowned. "There isn't a human around here for miles and . . ."
Wolverines hand flew back to stop them, then shushed them quickly. All four of them stood still in the whispering forest as they listened quietly for something.
Anything.
After a few moments, Scott finally broke the silence. "What are we listening for?"
Wolverine sniffed the air slowly. "There's something out here with us."
Storm and Jean scanned the shaded forest with worry. Storm whispered, "What is it?"
It was a full two minutes before they were answered in a voice low and strange. "I don't know. Something weird."
"Sabertooth?" Scott put his hand to his visor, looking off straight ahead to where Logan's eyes were fixed.
"No, it's not that bad." Wolverine gave a half grin to his own small joke, taking a bold step forward. "It smells human but . . . but it ain't. No – this is something different."
"Look!" Storm said suddenly, pointing in the vague distance. "There!"
A lone white wolf stood against a snowy-misted horizon, her liquid black eyes focused intently on the intruders in her families domain. Shades of silver ran through her face and back, black lined her erect ears and tail, holding her head low . . . she stood and just stared.
"A wolf?" Jean
began with a tinge of worry as Scott stepped before her. "A wolf!"
Scott readied his visor to shoot,
but Wolverine quickly put his hand over the window to stop him.
There was lingering silence. Lingering worry.
"There's more than just that one." Logan whispered in a very low voice.
After a moment Jean spoke up. "She's just curious."
"That's what I smell." Wolverine said sternly. "That wolf."
The wolf took a small step forward, unsure of what to do. She wanted to meet the new creatures, but then again, her family called to her in whimpers and worry. There was something about them that drew her to them but she could not tell what it was.
Her heart beat harshly as she tried to make the choice . . .
"Could that be her?" Jean asked, kneeling down onto the snow-covered ground. "Come on - lean down, we don't want to scare her!"
Scott followed to the kneeling position then Storm. Wolverine grunted and hesitated, but knelt down as well. All quiet and still they waited, staring . . . but the wolf still did not move.
"This mutant is a wolf?" Scott snorted. "I think Wolverine is losing his mind."
"No, that's her!" Jean assured softly, putting a hand on Scott's shoulder. "It's her . . . I can feel it!"
"Hey, kid." Wolverine called softly.
The wolf's ears perked up curiously.
Logan's heart skipped a beat as he held his hand out as if coaxing a dog. "Here! Come here, we're not going to hurt ya."
The wolf's tail wagged slowly, very slowly as she thought it over. Lowering her head she took one slow step at a time towards them, but always keeping her distance . . . but she finally got close enough to get a better look at the strange humans.
"Hey kid." Wolverine said, filling up with pride. "We're not gonna hurt ya."
Jean smiled warmly. "That's good." She whispered. "She's responding."
"Is that really that kid we're looking for?" Storm asked softly, not taking her dark eyes away from the creature.
Closing her eyes, Jean used her budding telepathy powers the Professor was in the process of teaching her to find out for sure who they were dealing with. Her hair fluttered in the slight wind as she probed the creatures mind . . .
The wolf stopped and stared, shaking her head and backing away.
"Hey!" Wolverine growled. "Stop that! You're scaring her away. Tryin to make contact here."
She backed up a step into Scott. "Sorry."
"Hey, be a little nicer." Cyclops grumbled.
"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah." He continued to coax the wolf closer.
The dark, sparkling eyes continued to stare at the strange group. They were so odd, those that stood on their hind legs, crouched as they were . . . so odd . . . except for the one on the ground with the funny hair. He was good, the wolf sensed. Had a nice heart.
Something about him . . . something she sensed in him . . .
Something familiar . . .
The others were skeptical and strange, the girl with the fiery hair was nosey and intrusive . . .
But they meant her no harm . . .
At least, not that she could see . . . each a little strange in their own way . . .
Strange like . . .
"Come on kid." Logan went on. "Come on, we know who you are."
The wolf's ears perked when she heard his voice. There was truth and honesty there . . . a kindness that she did not expect . . . The form of a human looked familiar, like something hidden away in her past . . . deep within her thoughts . . .
Her tail wagged a little, but then stopped . . .
Wolverine sniffed the air. The wolf's ears perked up and nose followed.
Cries from her family echoed across the clearing . . .
The atmosphere froze solid . . .
Wolverine bristled . . .
*** Okay – here's chapter two – sorry the first chapter was so short!! Please review!! Please let me know how I'm doing! Thanks!!!***