Hiya! I hoped you liked my last chapter, since it took me FOREVER. I've just finished my exams, so I should be able to update more frequently. Thanks again, -Azalea ^-^
Baka/Baka's= Stupid/idiot in Japanese
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The snow swirled around in a furious tornado, ripping budding plants apart and making small mammals cower in their burrows beneath the ice. The sky was a harsh slate grey, blurring the vertices of objects that glimmered like beacons in the distance. I made my way towards them, since everything else was devoid of life in the howling wasteland. The snow blinded me, lashing my eyes like a thousand minute whips. I couldn't hear anything above the raging wind, and small shards of stone that hid beneath the snow sliced my pads as I trudged onwards. My vision began to glaze over, and it dawned on me I could not carry on much longer. With a defiant snarl I ploughed on, my mind awake and whirring, but my muscles ablaze with fatigue. Then I collapsed, unable to encourage myself to rise and carry on into the never-ending blur of action beyond my small cocoon of sanctuary-which was actually just a few foot underneath the fresh snow. I sighed, closing my eyes and dreaming of beautiful, heavenly flowers that bloomed everywhere; silvery rivers sparkled as they gently ran their course. I found myself muttering, trying to comfort myself in the white darkness.
"They say there's no such thing, as Paradise. Even if you searched to the ends of the Earth, there's nothing there. No matter how far you walk, it's always the same road, just goes on and on...But in spite of that, why am I so driven to find it? A voice calls to me, it says," I pause, hesitant despite the fact I was alone in the vicious wilderness.
"Search...for Paradise."
Summer strolled around town, the young girl shuffling solemnly a few feet behind. Her head was bowed, and in her wolf form Summer could see that her ears drooped and her tail dragged miserably along the grimy floor. Summer inwardly crumpled; there was nothing she could think of to break the awkward silence that hovered mocking between the two friends. A few minutes passed, countless shoppers passing by; monotonously going about their business without concern nor acknowledgement of the two disguised she-wolves sat a mere foot away. Suddenly Summer jumped up, crouching beside one of the many bags clustered around her ankles. She rooted through a few before producing a small package, handing it to the startled girl with a beaming smile. The girl accepted the gift gingerly; as though it was red hot and singed her fingers. She carefully unwrapped the pale purple paper, her eyes shining with genuine gratitude when she saw what it was. It wasn't to be considered a major gift, just a pair of earrings. Wolf heads. Wolf heads howling to a crescent moon, small diamante studded the edges and serving as the glistening eyes of the wolves. They were silver, nothing special. But the girl suddenly tensed up, her shoulders rigid and body frozen as though ice-cold. Her lower lip began to tremble, her eyes unnaturally shiny, hands shaking uncontrollably. Summer threw her arms around the girl, touched but confused. The girl buried her face into Summer's scarf, her sobs muffled by the thick material. A few passers-by looked on with little interest, but soon carried on walking.
"It's fine, let it all out. I'm here, it's okay," Summer whispered comfortingly, and laughed gently when the girl sniggered good-naturedly.
"Yeah, I'm totally happy you're here!" The girl teased, pulling away from Summer and wiping away a few salty tear stains from her cheeks. She stood up, stretched and offered a hand to Summer. Summer took it, grabbing a few bags and turning back the way they came, toward the Silver Stallion. The girl smiled cheerily and picked up the remaining bags, hurrying after Summer in an effort not to lose the girl in the ever-changing crowd.
After they had disappeared into the river of people, a large blue-black dog appeared in a darkened alleyway near the bench previously occupied by the two she-wolves. It had its long nose glued to the ground, and its ears perked up when it neared the bench. It sniffed all around for a few minutes, before sitting down pointedly. Waiting. A wizened old man- maybe 55-60+- stumbled from the alleyway the dog had emerged from minutes before. He clutched a bottle in one hand, a black briefcase in the other; a rifle slung haphazardly across his back. He was muttering under his breath, and a few passers-by swerved to avoid him, casting disgusted glances over their shoulders. He either didn't notice them, or chose to disregard their action. He dragged himself over to where the dog was sitting patiently, collapsing on the bench with a huge sigh of relief. He petted the dog absently, fiddling with the latch of his suitcase, flipping it from locked to unlocked, locked to unlocked, locked...
"They here, Blue?" The man croaked, the dog whining in reply. He lowered his head and smirked, unhooking the rifle from his back and rising with an aura of confidence. The dog led the way, dissipating into the crowd, the man following eagerly; his sharp, slate grey eyes narrowed with the thrill of the hunt. The hunt for the wolves.
"Autumn! We're home! Autumn...?" Summer cried as she opened the door, her cheery voice fading as she feared the worst. She padded in, but Autumn was nowhere to be found. Neither was the injured wolf. The rug was stained crimson, some of it leaking onto the hardwood flooring. The television was smashed. All the cups that had been drying on the side were shattered into a million pieces on the floor. There were deep gouges in the wallpaper, wounds half a metre long. There were bloody paw prints everywhere, on the walls, the floor, even on the cupboards. Summer's face contorted to an ugly mask of fear, while the girl froze; stock still in the scene of a massacre.
Minutes, quarter of an hour, half an hour, one hour. Time dragged, and Summer busied herself with wiping off the worst of the drying blood, sweeping up broken glass and removing the rug. The girl did her best to help, but her attention wavered when she had time to pause. Her eyes were guilty, and it was clear she blamed herself for the disappearance of the young Red wolf and Autumn. Summer was silent, shock setting in with the vanishing act of her sister. She couldn't help the girl, so she just tried to distract herself from the problem, keep her mind off it, for awhile at least. Everything was clean and tidy to soon, so the girls just sat side by side on Summers bed, silent, glazed eyes, shaking hands.
They sat there for ages, or for what seemed like ages. Time seemed to have given up, gone somewhere else and left the room in a desolate standstill. Voices. In the shop. Both girls' heads snapped up, tensing their muscles for an upcoming attack. The door creaked. Then slammed open to reveal two towering silhouettes, threatening, and one holding what appeared to be a knife. The girl jumped up, snarling and raising her fists. Summer reached for a pole that she always hid down the side of her bed. They both took defensive stances, eyes glaring and teeth bared.
"Bloody hell kid...OW! STOP STANDING ON MY TOES!" A girl's furious voice announced the duo's entrance. Summer smiled incredulously, the girl dropping her fists.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." Came a meek reply.
"AUTUMN!" Both girls shouted together, the anxious twin throwing herself upon the startled teenager. Summer hugged her so hard she couldn't breathe, only reluctantly letting go when she begged her for air. The girl just beamed happily from the sidelines, before turning to the bewildered Red wolf behind her. They stared at each other for a moment, before the girl awkwardly embraced him in and embarrassed hug.
"I, uh...um..." The boy stuttered, his cheeks gaining a slight red tinge as he did so. Summer and Autumn exchanged an amused glance, unbeknownst to the younger wolves.
"C'mon Autumn, let's leave these two lovebirds alone." Summer nudged Autumn suggestively, and they both burst into a fit of raucous laughter; both Toboe and the girl jumping apart as though they had been burnt, their cheeks a vivid crimson.
"Sh- SHUT UP!" The girl yelled out of pure embarrassment, but the twins took no notice and just cautiously backed out of the room; making cheeky innuendoes as they retreated.
"B-baka's..." The girl muttered darkly, though there was no real threat in her tone, only an awkward joke.
"Um, I just want to ask..." Toboe trailed off, his gaze falling to the floor. The girl looked around, a bemused but curious smile creeping across her dainty features.
"What?" She asked innocently. Toboe hastily shuffled his feet and took a deep breath.
"What's your name? I mean, you haven't told us, and Summer and Autumn haven't mentioned it either, so..."
"That's because I haven't told them." The reply was blunt, and Toboe was a little taken back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, you know, intrude or-"
"No, no, I didn't mean it that way, I just never told them because, 'cause after the first time we met-it seemed we wouldn't cross paths again. I was originally going to leave this city, but for some reason, I stuck around."
"Did you smell it?" Toboe asked; his curiosity piqued.
"Smell wha- You mean you smelt the Lunar Flower too?" The girl took on a bewildered tone, her face portraying pure astonishment.
"Yeah! I mean, I've been here many times before so I kinda know my way around..."
"You've been here before?" The girl looked puzzled, and Toboe remembered that she was unfamiliar with the many adventures he'd had, travelling with the pack and Cheza, trying to find Paradise.
"Ah, well, not exactly... It's complicated."
"Oh."The girl looked crestfallen for a moment, but she brightened up in a split second; almost as though her childish expression had never changed. An awkward silence threatened to descend between them, and Toboe's brain was whirling to attempt to produce a solution. In the end he came up blank, and resorted to the original topic; her name.
"So, what was your name? If you don't want to say that fine-"
The girl interrupted him with a simple, sweet, heart-warming smile. It made his face heat up to what seemed like a thousand degree's, and caused his heart to miss several beats. At that moment the sun streamed in through the half obscured window, lighting her up in a golden, otherworldly glow. Her soft, shoulder-length, midnight-black hair flowing gently in an uplifting breeze, her face becoming a statue of beauty, petite and immaculate. Her tanned, bronze skin glowed heavenly, her carefree smile one that even the goddesses would envy.
Toboe was speechless, his heart racing, cheeks burning. For some reason he felt as though he needed to know her name, to be sure that she was real, not a tempting figment of his wildest imagination. The wind dropped, and the girl opened her sea-green eyes, sparkling with untainted happiness. Toboe began to feel impatience, longing to know her name; the girl flashed him a cheeky grin before skipping out of the room, only paused to make one last statement over her slender shoulder.
"Katia."
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That's chapter 3, sorry it was so short. I thought it was time to tell everyone the girl's name, since it has taken me so long to think of the precise time and setting. Anyway I hope you enjoyed it and I hope to be updating soon, though I am going on holiday in a week; so it'll take awhile!
Please review, it's always nice to get compliments and encouragement, though if you have constructive criticism I'll be happy to hear it; as I am always open to new tips and ways to improve my writing style, thanks again and bye! ^-^