Chapter 13

Protect the chosen.

Stay with them until their destiny is achieved.

Ensure of their survival.

These were the three rules of the guardians. Our protectors. Our guardian angels. They are the ones who keep the important people alive long enough to achieve their destiny. If little Tommy Walker is destined to be the next president of the United States, then he will be kept alive by the guardian assigned to him. If he is supposed to die in a war, then the same thing will happen. While there have been instances where the guardian grows too attached to the human it is protecting, most have continued to do their duty. Regardless of the ending. Aniu had heard of guardians refusing to end the life of a human that had seen them, come in contact with them, whatever the circumstance, they had refused to end their life because of the bond they now had. That ended the guardians position, and its "Afterlife". It would then be sent to be the pet of that human.

Overseers just watched and gave advice. Guardians did the actual work of making sure that one human lives. Aniu was beginning to like Daniel, she couldn't explain it. Perhaps it was in admiration to the ease of his transition into the life of a wolf? Maybe it was that she was attracted to him somehow? Or maybe it was just that she had gone through what he had. The loss of something dear. She had lost her son, Balto, in a blizzard and died shortly after. From what Ethan had told her, Dan had lost his dog to a bear. While most would consider it pointless to mourn, he did. From what Ethan had told her, before the dogs death he had no other friends. Now, were they making his life worse by forcing a decision upon him?

"Aniu, you must not grow attached" the voice of Ethan echoed in her head "you know what would happen..."

"Yes I am aware of what would happen Ethan, but it is something that can not be helped..." Aniu replied looked at the ground "He is so much like the other..."

"So I am not the only one to notice?" Ethan asked "But the only question in my mind is, will he turn like the other?"

"He has what the other did not" Aniu replied.

"What would that be? A brain!?!"

"He has a friend"

Dan looked at the two animals and then back at Sonja. By his look anyone would realize in an instant that he wanted an answer that, unfortunately, no one could give him. His head was on fire, and he was breathing heavily. He didn't know what to think anymore, he was now in a plot to make a decision to change the universe! The best part was at least he could say no...but would he? Was he a wolf? Or was he a kid? Did he have a place in heaven? Or was he reserved for hell?

"You wanna know my answer?" Dan finally spoke up.

There was a silence that extended even longer than it had been as everyone waited.

"My answer is that I am not making this decision! I am fucking 14 for Christ sake!" Dan yelled "How can you expect me to do what you want me to?"

"That is exactly what the other said, before he..." Ethan began as he was cut off.

"AND WHO THE FUCK IS THIS 'other' PERSON!?!"

Ethan bowed his head "He is the one that you killed, the one that terrorized the ones he was supposed to help, he was the wolf you sent over the falls, the other was Marcus"

Dan suddenly stopped breathing. He was trying to piece everything together but he just couldn't.

"Does that mean that...he could do what I can?!?" Dan stammered.

"He used to" Aniu replied "Then he lost the ability from being a wolf for too long..."

"So...he refused as well?" Sonja cautiously asked.

"He used to be like Daniel, kind, understanding" Aniu answered "The power of people looking to him for hope got to him, and he was corrupted"

"Dan wouldn't to that!...would you?" Sonja asked looking at Dan.

"I don't want to be like Marcus...no...ill make a decision once I know what I have to make it on!" Dan said looking up.

"That will have to wait for the right time Daniel, so be patient and wait!" Ethan yelled back.

"How can I be patient when you tried to get me to make the decision when I didn't know what I was supposed to make it on!?!" Dan yelled louder "Tell me that Ethan! Tell me when is the right time?!?"

"Ethan, you attempted to get Daniel to make his decision pre-maturally? You know what can happen if they find out" Aniu asked turning to face the raven.

"Yes he did, and I want to know what I need to make this decision on...right now" Dan continued.

"I cannot do that Daniel, I am sorry" Aniu stated turning to face the wolf.

"And why not?"

"Because, even Ethan knows, that we must wait for the right time"

"And when will this right time be?" Dan asked.

"When the moon turns blood red, and in the sky no stars can be seen" Aniu answered before turning around "You shall know when it is time, don't worry"

"Life doesn't make sense anymore Sonja..." Dan said as they walked through the door into David's home "Why is this happening to us?"

"Life works in mysterious ways, learn that" Sonja replied "We just have a role in life..."

"What is that role Sonja? Can you tell me that?"

"I'm sorry Dan, but I can't..."

Dan sighed and sat down on the couch, he was tired as heck. He had slept a total of five hours since the cave, at least five hours of clean sleep. He laid down, and closed his eyes, which immediately opened. He couldn't sleep. Marcus' face kept showing up in his eyes. His biggest fear was to be someone like Marcus. No matter how long he had to see his face, Dan needed the sleep more than anything. But he couldn't keep from wondering. What was his life intended for? Did it have any point? Or was he just a way for god to have some fun.

No, god wasn't like that. If destruction of someones life was fun for him then Hiroshima was a party. And if that was the kind of god that he believed in for so long, he suddenly didn't want to believe in him anymore. But he didn't think that god would do that, but he had been wrong before. He closed his eyes once more and saw things that he just wanted to go away. Including Ethan and Aniu. Now he was going to decide the fate of something, he knew it. But why is the the one who has to make this decision and be the hero? Why couldn't it be someone who wanted to be the hero.

Guess that life does work in mysterious ways. But what bothered Dan was that Sonja, she was here like him. Why was she here? Why were any other of those animals here? As he slowly, but surly, fell asleep. Guess who showed up to give him some information. None other than Aniu, the white wolf.

Aniu stared at the boy sleeping. As he turned around and yawned, he noticed the golden eyes peering at him. He jumped and then realized who it was. He then sat up and asked "Why are you here at...5 o clock?"

"Because there are things that you must learn" Aniu replied "About Sonja, about many others"

"Well yes I know that, so now your going to help me out with my love life?" Dan said laying back down "Not interested..."

"About why she is here Daniel, about why SONJA is here"

Dan's head turned slightly "Go on..."

"After you lost your...battle rap? She got slightly depressed at the fact that you would not talk to her, at home her life was miserable. Her father was working overtime and her mother was working under the same conditions. She was expected to take care of her sister. One day, her mother died of exhaustion. And her sister got deathly ill. Her life without someone like you to brighten it up was getting darker. She was sent here...to meet Balto and the others, to give her something to live for" Aniu explained "Once you got here, she went back to her old self"

"I didn't know that..." Dan replied "So that is why shes here?"

Aniu nodded "Depending on what decision, you will be able to go home..." her image began to dissolve and Dan found himself getting off the couch in an attempt to grasp the fading wolf.

But his attempts were in vein as the image completely went away. Dan fell back on the couch and began to cry. Things were getting so complicated now, too complicated. Why was all of this going on? Whatever the reason Dan was trapped in it, and he couldn't say no. But what he could do was say an answer that they thought he wouldn't say...but he didn't even k now the question...so what did he do? He went to sleep, he went to sleep to think of everything that has been happening. He went to sleep to ponder what he would do when the time came.