Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Soul Calibur


Chapter Five: Crying Wolf

Siegfried was lying on the forest floor in the Forest of Spirits. He opened his emerald eyes and saw that he was surrounded by lush green trees that seemed as if they touched the sky. Everything was silent. Siegfried looked up at the sky. There was a full moon out and no stars were around it or in the sky at all. Siegfried was confused.

'But...it was only the crescent moon a few days ago...'

Siegfried stood up. He wasn't shackled to the floor in the cavern. He must have been freed!

But something didn't feel right. Ookami wouldn't have just left him alone in the forest. Even Siegfried, who was only in the forest a short time, knows that the Forest of Spirits is a very dangerous place.

Siegfried looked around for Ookami or maybe Sappho, Teranika or the other guardians..

Suddenly, he heard the loud cry that seemed to come from a woman. He, knowing that he should come to the aid of a woman in distress, ran in the direction of the cry. In no time at all, he was in the middle of a clearing that was surrounded by the trees.

Siegfried looked to his right side. He saw two people. The shadows were to dark so he couldn't see the details of either person. But he could see that one of them was holding something in their arms. The other person seemed to be shielding the one who was holding something.

He looked to the left. There he saw a large nine-tailed fox that towered over him. Each of its nine tails seemed to stretched to at least half way up the tree behind it. On the beast's head was a beautiful head dress. Colorful feathers and beautiful gems were on the golden frame in a breath taking fashion. Red rings were around each of the fox's ankles. A white aura was emitted from the fox's body. The fox had a snarl on its face.

The people and the fox seemed to be having a conversation with each other, for they hadn't even noticed Siegfried, who was inbetween them. Siegfried couldn't understand the dialouge between them. It sounded mumbled and in a completely different language.

Then, the fox charged at Siegfried. Siegfried tried to yell something, but nothing came out. The fox ran, actually ran through Siegfried. He didn't even feel a thing. He turned around saw the one person holding something drop the thing on the ground and flee with the other person. The fox slid to a sudden stop in front of the bundle. It lowered its large head and sniffed the bundle. The fox did something Siegfried couldn't see. Then, it turned around with the bundle in its jaws. It turned out to be a baby in a blanket.

"No you beast!" Siegfried yelled. "Leave the child alone!"

But the fox couldn't hear him. The beautiful creature just walked elegantly through the clearing, passed Siegfried, who was still unnoticed and into the bushes.

Siegfried was bewildered beyond comprehension. Why couldn't the people or the fox see him? Was he dead?

Then, he felt a rough jab to his side and a familiar voice.

"Hey Sieggy! Wake up!"

Siegfried opened his eyes and quickly sat up. He was back on his bed of hay in the turned to see Sappho right next to him. Her blue eyes were glowing with concern.

"You were yelling your sleep," Sappho told him. "Are you alright?"

Siegfried took a few breaths and nodded his head. "Just had a nightmare...that's all."

Sappho took a sigh of relief.

"Stupid human....waking me up in a middle of a good dream," growled a different voice.

That voice came from Teranika, the short tempered wolf spirit. She was just walking out of her den, her white hair messy. The wolf walked over to the rocky stairs that led to the cavern's mouth.

"Its about time you got up," Sappho said teasingly.

"Oh, shut up you stupid furball...." Teranika growled as she exited the cavern.

Siegfried yawned and looked around the cave. It was surprisingly quiet.

"Where are the others?" He asked Sappho as she sat down and began to clean herself.

"Well..." Sappho said as she licked her chest fur. "Teranika probably went to go get something to eat. Kallias and Morag are probably helping Delano get herbs."

"Where is Ookami?" Siegfried asked. He didn't care about where are the other guardians.

Sappho stopped licking her paw and looked at Siegfried. "Um...she's hunting. Why?"

Siegfried took a heavy sigh. Sappho tilted her head and squinted her eyes. Then, a mischievous sparkle came to her blue eyes. Siegfried didn't notice it. The tiger began purring. Siegfried looked at Sappho, who had stopped purring when he looked at her.

It has been over a week since Siegfried first came to the cave as a prisoner of war. But over the week, he and his captors began getting better acquainted. Now, he was treated like one of the group, besides the fact that he had to remain shackled to the floor. When Ookami was at the cavern during the day, the two would usually talk or play a game. When Ookami was gone for whatever reason, he and the guardians would usually talk or he would help them out with tasks.

For each of the animal guardians, he noticed that each had their own distinct personality. Kallias, the beautiful golden eagle, was very kind and motherly to him from the start. Siegfried, whenever he has something that's bothering him, he would always tell Kallias because she didn't judge him for being a human. Morag, the dragon, was a strong dragon that had as nice as Kallias. Even though he could get angry, Siegfried liked the dragon's inner strength. Delano, the elderly horse, was a very wise beast. He was by far one of the smartest creatures he has ever met in his life. Sappho, the blue striped tiger, was an outgoing hyperactive tiger. Her bright personality could put a a smile on Siegfried's face, even if he was angry or sad.

But Teranika was a different story. While all the other guardians trusted him, Teranika made it apparent that she didn't trust him. The wolf spirit would often growl at him and glare at him with as much hate as she could muster up.

When Sappho finished cleaning herself, Siegfried looked at her.

"Hey Sappho....do you know how I can get Teranika to stop hating me?" Siegfried asked.

Sappho looked at him with huge eyes. "Teranika doesn't hate you....she just doesn't trust you."

"But how can I get her to trust me?"

Sappho looked at the cave's ceiling, trying to think. Several moments passed before she said anything.

"Well...you can try talking to her," Sappho suggested. "But I don't know how far you'll get with that."

That'll do, Siegfried thought. It might work. If he could just win Teranika's trust, then maybe she'll stop being mean to him.

"Do tonight," Sappho continued. "On the night of the half moon, Teranika will sit on the roof of the cavern and look at the moon. There you can talk to her!"

Siegfried nodded. Okay then....Tonight, he'll make peace with the wolf spirit.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Day had turn into night. Ookami still hasn't returned today from hunting so Kallias and Morag went to look for her and make sure she was okay. Sappho released the shackle on Siegfried's wrist.

"Mind you," Sappho whispered. "Don't do anything stupid or Teranika will have your head."

Siegfried nodded and walked up the stairs to the cavern mouth. The half moon was in the sky, bright stars twinkled around it in the endless dark sky. Siegfried walked around to the side of the side of the cavern and saw something on top of the cavern.

It was Teranika. She was sitting proudly as she looked up at the moon. Her white fur would dance in the occasional soft breeze. Siegfried slowly and quietly climbed up the rocky cavern sides. Teranika seemed to not have noticed. He got to the top with no problem.

"I know you're there, human," Teranika growled. Siegfried saw her ears go back.

Siegfried striaghtened his back and stood tall. "May I sit next to you?" He dared to ask.

"I guess so...." Teranika muttered coldly.

Siegfried exhaled his breath and walked over to Teranika's side. He sat down on the rock next to her.

"So...what are you doing?" Siegfried asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Looking at the moon. What does it look like?" Teranika answered coldly. She looked at him. "What do you want?"

Siegfried looked over at the white wolf. "I want to know why you don't trust me. Why?"

Teranika let out a cold laugh. "Because, humans are nothing but garbage on this beautiful planet. Just because my master and the other guardians like you doesn't mean that I have to."

Siegfried felt takened back. How dare this wolf talk to him like this? He wanted to hit the wolf but something kept him from doing that.

"I have nothing left....Mistress Ookami took me in and gave me a home. All that matters to me is my master's happiness!" Teranika snarled. Then, her red eyes widened, as if she said something she didn't want to say.

Siegfried looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. "What happened to you, poor creature?" He asked.

Teranika sighed, feeling as if she was found out. "A long time ago...humans attacked and killed my parents. I was still a pup then. I had no one...absolutely no one. Then, Mistress Ookami found me and brought me home. That's when...I felt wanted and loved again. I vowed that I would protect her, even if I risk my own life."

Siegfried couldn't believe it. Teranika, the hot tempered wolf, had such a lonely pup-hood. Parents were murdered and all she had left was Ookami. Siegfried looked at the wolf, who looked as if she was about to cry. He lunged at the wolf and wrapped his arms around her neck. Teranika tensed up at first but after a while, her tension loosened and she rested her head on the boy's shoulder.

"I'm sorry..." Siegfried whispered.

"It's not your fault..." Teranika whispered back. "I should be the one who is sorry."

He pulled back and looked into the wolf's red eyes.

"I shouldn't have been such a jerk to you," Teranika continued. There seemed to be a small gleam of happiness in her eyes. She bowed her head and Siegfried bowed his head in return. "Come on....lets go back to the cave."

Siegfried smiled and nodded. Teranika stood up and told the boy to get onto her back. Siegfried at first didn't know is he should or not, but Teranika insisted. He jumped onto the large wolf's back and grabbed hold of some of her fur. It was soft to the touch. Then, the wolf jumped down from the roof of the cavern and landed on the ground. Siegfried jumped off of her back and patted the wolf gently. Teranika smirked at him before walking into the cavern.

Siegfried smiled, feeling as if he accomplished something great. Now...he had gain the wolf spirit's trust. A trust given only to the very lucky. Siegfried felt his heart flutter in his chest as he walked into the cavern.