Hello…Yay! I finished! Sorry it took so long.

I don't own Escaflowne…but you know that already.

In Pools of Gold and Silver

In the darkness you can see…

The air was laden with rain clouds that suffocated the woods in humidity. The swollen air would soon release rain onto the heartbroken bodies of the cat children.

They had met this world in rain, they would say goodbye to their world in rain. So much was wrong in Gaea that the sky could never wash away the lives that were brutally sullied by the ignorance of the people.

The kittens had been protected and sheltered from everything that was bad in this world. They lived away from the tormented eyes of their own race and the hated eyes of the

Humans. They never experienced the bodies of the dead or the malice of the living.

Merle and Mieko walked quietly beside one another. Mai dangled in Merle's arms leaving a trail of deep blood behind her as it dripped from her eye. She was shivering all over and sweat was surfacing her forehead. She was beginning to have a fever.

Mieko had cuts all over him as him limped down the path. Merle had cuts to; but they were all made from her own anxiety. The blood from her bite tongue was dried; making her look like a bloodthirsty, tiger cub. And blood seeped into Mia's clothes from clenching her fist too hard when her claws were out.

Merle was the feisty type, but not the type that volunteered to fight in battles. She would always watch from the sidelines and worry about her loved ones, and aid them before time was cut short. She hated herself for that. She felt like a useless, timid and selfish girl. But people that meet her don't think of her like that. Merle is loyal, brave and passionate. She'd do any thing for her family if they ask her too. Was there any one left anymore to ask? All she had was her older siblings. They were what she had to depend on. They were what kept her feet moving and her heart beating.

Merle hung her head down low, as thoughts seemed reprimand and echo in her mind. The emotional pain was more difficult to bear than the blood that was appearing.

'I hope mom is doing all right, is dad really gone?

I failed to protect my sister, and my mother is still fighting for her live. My brother was left to fend for my mom by himself and I couldn't even protect my sister. My father gave his life for us. I don't even deserve it; I don't deserve being called a sister or a daughter. Mieko is probably mad at me and that's why he's not talking with—'

"Merle, I'm so sorry, I hope that you and Mai can forgive be one day."

The long predicted rain freed itself from the sky as it hit the tops of the trees. The siblings were dry under the sheltered path.

Merle's thoughts were cut short into the quietness of the night air. She was taken aback. She leaned over and rubbed her nose against his shoulder and purred softy in her throat hoping to hide the shivers that were coursing through her body.

"Why do you say sorry big brother," Merle asked. For some reason this apology eased her troubled thoughts. Mieko was good at doing that.

A solitary tear run down to young boys check as the darkest look consumed him.

"I left you too, I acted like a little kid. I should have protected you."

"You are a kid Mieko…we all are."

"But…I got this weird feeling in the ceremony. A feeling like there was a thread that was pulling us together." Mieko said quietly, looking at his feet.

"What do you mean?"

"Umm…Like a vine with three leaves, one for each of us. A vine that winds in different directions, but still stays connected. And when I left you there, I felt like I had fallen from the vine…Sorry…it makes no sense I know…I'm just confused."

"No… you're not. We are connected. I feel the happiest when we are together. I feel as though I have three parts to me. A scared and lonely side, a protective and bold side and then a bratty and sassy side all seem a part of me."

"But the last one is mostly you." Mieko said, forcing himself to smile.

"Hey! Not true. I'm three faced all the way!" she said sticking out her tongue.

The forced happiness was taking all the energy out of them that they decided to sit down. Merle placed her sister in a pile of leaves as she groaned in a deep slumber. Merle licked her on the forehead.

They couldn't see the form of rocks in the distance, which their home was buried in. Or the smoke that rose over the trees emitted from the camp. Mieko got up again and tore a long piece of cloth from his shirt to tie around Mai's stained face.

"From now on I will protect you two until I die. I understand what the ceremony meant. Our ancestors that have passed away were trying to tell me that we are one. I should treat my siblings with as much care as I would myself. If it means that I loose my life, it doesn't matter; I will keep on living within my sisters."

Mieko…don't talk like that…like you are going to die." Merle hissed.

Merle…I will never die as long as you two live."

Merle smiled quickly and then returned it to a crescent as her eyes sifted from side to side. Mieko had started to walk along the path with Mai in his arms and Merle had to run to catch up. She suddenly realized how dark it had gotten. Everything was dancing in shadows and black spots. This was always her greatest fear as a child. She couldn't stand the darkness. She didn't like the idea that anything could watch her and she wouldn't know it. Sure she could see better than humans; but not as well as other animals in the forest. She was half human after all. She swallowed in her throat and closed the distance between her self and her siblings. But not too close because she didn't want Mieko to know that she was scared.

"You're still scared of the dark, aren't you?" Mieko sang in a mocking voice. He had been watching her the whole time.

"No!" Merle spat back.

"Then why are you walking behind me?"

Merle realized that she had fallen behind Mieko again and lessen the distance quickly.

"So what if I am? I can't see anything, aren't you scared of the dark at all?"

"Nope. I try to trust my instincts. Relying on what you see in front of you is a human thing. Try to open your senses and feel everything around you. You'll notice all kinds of things you never did before. For example, on a windy day you notice that the leaves and the branches are blowing, but if you close your eyes, you hear the movement of them instead. Dad taught me that."

They both fell quiet for a moment as thoughts of their father ran through their heads. It had stopped raining and the clouds were beginning to clear. It luckily was just a midsummer shower. Mieko continued to speak,

"Most people mistake the darkness to be evil. Darkness is just the absence of light, and people believe that light is pure. But light can burn and blind people. People are afraid of the dark because they aren't certain what's in front of them. But if you're always stuck on what's in front of you, you'll miss out on the greater picture. You will end up tripping on the things that are thrown at you suddenly because you didn't see them coming. That's why I believe that light blinds you and hides what is important…"

The two siblings had reached a clearing were Zebra grass stretched itself in pools of gold, showered by the silver stars that hung above. They could see the tips bowing gracefully and freely to the wind. They could hear the noise of the breeze fingering its way through the long strands. And they could smell the fresh sent of wet grass and soil after the rain.

Merle had never seen such a beautiful sight. The stars were spread like diamond dust in every direction.

"The light hides the stars. With eternal light, we could only see what is in front of us. With darkness, our view is widened. I understand now."

"Yes, the light puts a cap onto our world alone. If we only see what is pure, we will never understand life. We also must experience darkness in order to see what is truly hopeful."

Merle bent down to her sister,

"Mai, you're missing the view. Please enjoy it with us."

Mai opened the one eye that was not covered and blinked into the open space around them,

"Mer-le…Mie-ko…what happened. Were is mum?"

"Mai! You're awake!" Merle gave her sister a flattening hug. Mai moaned with the new weight that was thrust on her.

Mieko smiled and gave a sigh of relief.

"Mom will be with us shortly. How is your eye feeling?" He said gently.

Mai groped her hand onto the makeshift bandage and let out a whimper,

"They wouldn't let me go see mom…I was…I was…" she then closed her eyes and slept again. Merle and Mai gave each other a stressed look. Merle could see his eyes burning a maroon shine behind his long strands of black hair. It seemed like a fire was lit inside his being,

"I will revenge the humans that did this to us. They will pay for hurting Mai and the rest of us. And I will kill the one who killed our father. And because I didn't see who it was, that means all of them. They too will feel pain, they will beg for mercy. Just wait until I'm older, I won't be weak anymore…"

Merle felt a shiver go down her spine. This wasn't the sweet brother she knew. It was almost like he was bloodthirsty.

"Mieko, don't become like them because then they have as much of a reason for killing you as we do them." is all she could respond.

"Merle. I won't let this go. They destroyed everything, and now they should be destroyed!"

Merle jumped back in worry as she saw malice grow in his eyes, just like the humans that had invaded their lives. They were like two drops of thick blood that lit his darkened face. Merle sprang to her feet with tears falling freely from her face. She threw her arms around his rigid body.

"Mieko… please, this isn't you. Where is the brother that wouldn't hurt a bug? Were is the brother that used to bring wounded birds and animals home so you could fix them. I don't like you talking like this, it's scaring me."

"I'm sorry Merle. I don't feel myself anymore. I think we should rest here for awhile."

Merle let go of him as he averted his burning eyes. They both sat down on either side of Mai in the grass with the stars blinking above them. and in pools of gold and silver, they slept away their worries.

Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

By William Blake

First stanza

Preview:

A candleholder that holds three flames

When one goes out, the others remain

They may burn dimmer than before

Your eyes adjust to darker more

And life goes on without your brother

And with your flame you light another

I know this one took awhile to update. I was away on a long trip in a different country. Well, I hope you liked this one. It was a little longer than the last few chapters and less intense. I would like to know whether you enjoy fast pace and intense chapters or slower chapters.

I would like to also thank Shinju and Macky for reading and review so far into the story. It encouraged me a lot! And thank you to any new readers! Flames are welcome.

Thanks again: )