Okay, it took me longer than I thought, but I got a new shiny beta and made this chapter as interesting as possible. Hopefully it's okay. There are only a few chapters left, four and then the epilogue. The epilogue will NOT be PG. try more 14.A. –hint- cough –hint- Those of you big W.O. fans will be very happy with the epilogue and so will I, cause right now that's the inspiration I need to keep writing. Next chapter is very difficult to write, so it might take a little longer.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the storyboard and the poem in the beginning, someone should tell me what they think about that by the way. I own Jay, Jake, Sasha, monks(this includes evil and ghost) and Blade. Song props go to Davey Havok and AFI, A Perfect Circle, and Sarah McLaughin. PLEASE NO SUE, this be free publication and your songs inspire me!
Thanks to: Much love to my new beta x-Teh-Skittles-Alchemist-x She did an awesome job with this chapter and it didn't take her long at all. –tips hat at Skittles- Thanks to Evergreen-baby for listening to me whine about the whole story and putting in her two cents! And as always thanks to the reviewers and the readers for putting up with constant cliff-hangers and for reviewing, The support you all give me makes me so happy, cause I really need it! THANKS ALL!
Chapter 13: And We Won't Go Down in History But…
Broken hearts
Bring broken minds
Kneeling in the sea, faith lost
Where the heart sees fit to bleed and die
Always being broken
Suffer the days through to another year
Burnt like the skin that won't mend
He broke it all
Revenge is substance in this broken mind of his
Where the time is less woven
And more cemented in place
Hell was on earth today
Back pained
Feet throbbed
Everything was falling apart
Then…
I closed my eyes and I was there
Transported to the past
Where the grass beneath my feet
Is so long
So lush
So soft
It seemed like falling into heaven
Cherry blossoms fell
Streams whispered ancient secrets
And my eyes shone
Tracing my fingers across the carved stone
Over the ancient words
Written in a language no one remembers
The present just a faint whisper in my ear
Then a windy, shuddering sigh…
Back into hell. – Writer-by-day
Fear ebbed it's way to the surface as Willow ran. Choked and shaking, as she asked herself how she was going to survive without him. He had been all she had left to hold onto in her life before; and now he was gone. Blade had had his revenge.
Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that will make it okay
There's always some reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
Sobs escaped her mouth and she was soon watching the world through swimming eyes. She heard Jay's voice yell from behind her but she kept going; not wanting to turn around and face what was behind her. An explosion was set off to her right hand side and she was almost blown off her feet. She couldn't have lost him; there was no way. Another explosion rang out to her left this time and she was thrown off her feet and hit the cold pavement below.
I need some distraction
Oh, beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
I may be empty
and weightless, and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
She obeyed her body's erg to cough and found herself inhaling dirt. All she could smell was overwhelming smoke, dirt and the blood of both her comrades and enemies. The side of her face that his concrete stung as tiny pins and needles raced through her cheek and down her spine. Someone stomped on her head, a boot rubbing her face into the dirt. It didn't matter… Oz was gone.
In the arms of the angel
Far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you feel
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
She couldn't fight back, it was too strong; she was dead, the weight was un-bearable, she could feel her ribcage collapsing under the weight of the other boot. The last thing she heard was a rumbling laugh, "And my little protégé comes to her deserved end…" a deep tenor snarled. As quickly as it had come into view, the world went black once more.
So tired of the straight life
And everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
Storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escape one last time
It's easier to believe
In this sweet madness
Oh, this glorious sadness
That brings me to my knees
Jay had watched both his friends fall from a distance helplessly, there was nothing he could of done. He had heard Xander let out a small cry and fall to his knees, he heard Giles stop completely, a sob escaping his mouth. He glanced around and saw Jake looking him directly in the eye. Jay wished he could feel emotion, any emotion, but he remained numb. His heart was wreathing and breaking in his chest.
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
Jake's russet/aqua coloured eyes pierced his, concern hidden briskly by all out seriousness. Jay just shook his head and glanced to the ground, covering up his own emotion before, motioning towards the two men falling apart behind him. Jake rolled his eyes. It was a funny gesture for one who thought of himself as above teenage actions. He then popped over beside Jay.
"You werewolves have to be the most idiotic beings on the damn planet. Shit, I don't even think your damned ex-leader realizes that what happened means nothing. Fuck Jay look me in the damn eye and tell me you are smarter than what I'm thinking right now." Jay said nothing and looked away, tears glimmering in the back of his eyes. The truth was killing him from the inside out.
"This is bull shit! They aren't dead! They didn't die anywhere near silver, they weren't decapitated with silver… they aren't dead." Jake said a little louder than Jay felt comfortable with. He ran a hand through his soaking, ice cold, hair and brought his hand down. Jake was getting pissed off now.
"Will you talk to me?" Jake exclaimed, frustrated, staring through the veil of rain once again. Jay nodded, finally deciding to talk, not sure if he could however. "I get that they'll come back, hell I've seen it happen; but, you don't seem to know what can happen to those of us that go out in a time of crisis. You also don't seem to understand that, even though we're immortal, we can feel pain." Jay stopped for a second and realized he was shaking with emotion.
Jake's jaw was locked. Jay took a few more seconds to calm down before speaking again, taking another breath and slowly letting it out. Glancing around and noting that, Buffy, Faith, Connor, Dawn and Spike were all still in heated conflict with the lessoning army of creatures. If they had noticed their friends go down, they weren't showing much sign of it. If anything it was making them fight harder, feeding their internal fires.
Jay sighed and looked back up to his friend. "Oz already had a lot of silver in his system. You know that, even if you didn't, his breathing is a constant reminder to anyone who didn't know, that internally, he's injured. He may just act like it's a nuisance, but I can see it in his eyes. It's killing him a little bit every time he needs to get his lungs moving; and from the sound of them tonight…" Jay took a deep breath and glanced around him again, willing himself to keep forming words.
"From the sound of them tonight, it's not very likely that he's going to get up." Jay finished turning away from Jake and kicking the nearest corpse. Jake spat every word he had ever learned to be bad in rapid succession and looked over the battlefield in an attempt to ward off thoughts of his friend's funeral.
"That's not the worst of it…" Jay whispered. He was finding it easier to talk now. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Some say the best part about being a werewolf is the immortality, but no one ever mentions we still feel the same amount of pain, most of the time if we are mortally wounded most of us would rather die, the pain is unbearable. Willow's going to wake up with multiple fractures, in more pain than I'm going to be able to treat, pain that she shouldn't be able to feel, cause her body's supposed to be dead. Sure, while she's out it allows time for her body to heal a little bit. Maybe just enough to keep her together, not much else" Jay explained. Jake sighed. "This isn't going to help shit, you know that." Jay just sighed, the 'duh' moment going unrecognized by the two of them.
Jake motioned for him to pick up his sword again and disappeared just as a new foe came into Jay's view. Anger made his swing even more brutal and the head of one of his old friends hit the ground with a sickening thunk. Jay even didn't blink, much less, think twice about his actions, they had taken someone else from him now... he was done.
He felt someone behind him and turned swiftly. There was the man that had made this all possible. Kea. In the flesh, not over a staticy cell phone, but standing quite serenely on behind him, disconcerting, I think so.
"Hello Jayson." Kea stated mildly, in a voice that was more like greeting an old friend, then the person that turned his back on his family. Serenely Kea stepped over the body of the person Jay had just killed. Jay glared, ignoring the monk's annoying expression.
"I thought I should tell you… before ripping you're head off for the murder of a fellow werewolf and abandoning the Civilized Werewolves. That if you had carried out our initial order of termination of Daniel Osbourne you would have been appointed to my second, and later my processor. You don't seem to understand Jay, you were good, you have a good mind, followed instructions, and you are obviously excellent fighter. On top of that impressive standing you could take the risk. The only question we had been of your loyalty. Now we know that's where you stand. You've done a lot of stupid things since Daniel's mate died, and now you must learn that mistakes cannot be tolerated." Kea spoke delicately.
Jay stayed frozen, for 17 years of his life he had followed this man with out question. Idolizing him like the perfect model of himself, and now Kea disgusted him. He had to stop himself from snarling by looking away. "Aww you're just saying that to raise my self-esteem." Jay snapped. Kea chuckled.
So glad to see you well
Overcome and Completely silent now
With heaven's help
You've cast your demons out
And not to pull your halo down
Around your neck and tug you off your cloud
But I'm more than just a little curious
How you're plannin' to go about makin' your amends
To the dead
To the dead
Jay watched as he bent over to examine the body he had just stepped over, cold nothingness taking over his eyes before letting out a slightly annoyed sigh and closing the dead man's eyes. "I know you knew Edward, and yet you viciously murdered him like he was nothing but an annoying fly buzzing around your head. Comradely used to mean so much to you and you turn your back on all of them for a female mutt. You realize she did nothing for us to help us move ahead. She refused to join us and become one of the many proud faces of centuries of tradition and sanctuary to the newly turned." Kea glanced up at Jay from the ground and Jay almost snapped.
Recall the deeds as if they're all
someone else's
Atrocious stories
now you stand reborn
before us all
so glad to see you well
"She saved all of us from being murdered by Blade. She didn't have to, as you mentioned she wasn't apart of our society, but she did out or respect and mutual friendship. She withstood months of torture and rape without saying a word about where we were operating. I now see that she had the right idea about joining the C.W.s. You guys are doing a good thing by taking werewolves off the street and teaching them to control what's inside of them. But after that you don't give a shit. Someone tried to help you, someone most definitely saved you a lot of bloodshed and you left her there to die without honour. If it doesn't affect you personally, Kea, or the way your operation works than it doesn't matter to you. That's not the way to run something that means so much to so many people." Jay spoke determinedly through gritted teeth.
And not to pull your halo down
Around your neck and tug you to the ground
But I'm more than just a little curious
How you're plannin' to go about makin' your amends
To the dead
To the dead
"You didn't honour her memory, you didn't even try to go talk to Oz about what he thought. You snapped Oz like a twig and left him alone to god knows what end would have happened. You sent me, his best friend to go kill him. 'Get rid of the problem' you said. You think you're fighting the monsters that threaten us, but you should have been more careful you didn't become one yourself. So many werewolves give into their wolf's natural instinct and you took them out. You're just one of them now. Granted, you aren't living on the street, living off yourself to hunt and survive. You have everything you've ever needed brought to you on a golden platter. Most of them watched their regular lives rot and fall away. You can't even see yourself anymore." Jay continued ruthlessly as he watched Kea slowly get angrier. He didn't care anymore. This guy needed a wake-up call, pronto.
With your halo slippin' down
your halo slippin'
your halo slippin' down
your halo slippin' down
"You don't even seem to realize that you have with you, the man who murdered thousands of us. Instead you two seem to be becoming quite good friends." Jay finished, and looked down realizing he had been clutching his Kantana so hard the handle had been slightly crushed. He swore.
Your halo slippin' down
I'm more than just a little curious
how you're plannin' to go about makin' your amends
"He has changed." Kea stated watching Jay coldly. "He is helping us reveal ourselves to the world. Then we shall get the recognition we have always deserved. Humans will beg us to be turned." He added his eyes glimmering with anticipation.
I'm more than just a little curious
how you're plannin' to go about makin' your amends… to
Jay wasn't sure whether to laugh of shake his head. He settled for both. "You really don't know what you've walked into have you?" Jay asked, enjoying the look of contempt of Kea's face. Jay shook his head.
With your halo slippin' down
your halo's slippin' down to choke you now
"The humans aren't going to worship you. They're going to kick your ass. It's like you haven't noticed that we are living in the United States of America, the land of the scared puppies hiding behind their guns and nuclear weapons. If you tell the world monsters that can kill them without a second thought are living amongst them, they are going to go ballistic. Have you not seen X-Men?" Jay asked. Then he realized Kea probably hadn't and sighed.
"I've put my trust in Blade. Like you should have put you trust in me and killed Daniel when you had the chance." Kea sneered. Something in Jay snapped.
"Don't call him Daniel." Jay growled, his eyes flashed and he felt the familiar pangs of the change up and down his arms, legs and back. Kea stepped back, watching with cold eyes, as Jay dropped his sword and began the change, but he stopped part way. So the wolf and the human shared the body fifty-fifty. Kea blanched, he had never seen that done before.
"You want to kill me. Let's go." Jay growled. Kea's gaze stiffened and he picked up Jay's dropped sword. Without warning he jabbed it in Jay's direction, but Jay had been ready and jumped out of the sword's path before it had time to plunge into his stomach. "Too slow." Jay commented as they circled fierily. Kea snorted and swung again, barely missing Jay's neck.
Sighing Jay ducked and grabbed his mentor's legs and thrust his body forward, knocking the four hundred year old man to the ground. He got up swiftly and they then engaged themselves in lighting fast hand to hand. Jay was moving faster than he had ever moved in his entire life. His movements were swift and fluid as he caught every blow Kea managed to swing his way.
Finally both men parted, Kea was panting, his old body contorting with effort. Jay wasn't much better, his arm was bleeding, and Kea's leg had a long gash running the entire course of his calf, and half way up his leg. Seconds passed by as each man sized up his opponent. Jay watched as the gash on Kea's leg healed completely and suddenly didn't feel as bad. This man had lived 400 years, and still had the weaknesses of a man the age of twenty-one. He let his greed over through the abilities and daftness he contained and it turned him into the monster that everyone thought of when they thought of a mutt. Something that Sasha was so far from, he couldn't even begin to fathom.
Kea lunged at him in a swift motion and Jay pulled the only weapon he had bothered to carry with him, (other than his sword) and swiftly stabbed his old master in the back. Just like his master had done to countless other individuals that had remained nameless faces in his foggy memory. With that, Kea was dead, the silver dagger he had kept hidden for five years now, since he had met Oz.
It was over like it had started, abruptly. Jay stared at the motionless body of Kea, angry tears filling his eyes. Then he glanced at the body of his best friend. It was bittersweet, and it would remain bittersweet. His gaze then went to those around him still fighting. It wasn't over yet; his troops weren't looking too good anymore, so he decided to call a bit of a meeting…
Willow woke up slowly; the world came into view through her dazed eyes. Rubbing her head she wondered where all the noise had gone. She prayed silently that it had all been a dream. Then she realized she was looking a blue sky. The world around her smelt lush and green and she got up abruptly.
This definitely wasn't where she had left off. Sorrow filled her chest as the memory returned to her, as she watched Oz fall in her mind's eye. Was… was she dead? She pondered this thought for a moment, biting her lip. She stopped when she tasted blood. No, she couldn't be dead, everything felt… solid.
She took a few deep breaths before opening her eyes to view her surroundings again. A warm, light, wind tickled her face and she had to blink once more to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. Bamboo chimes sounded in the breeze and she felt herself calm a little.
She was in a courtyard, a beautiful courtyard. Lush, bright green grass covered the ground below her bare feet. Cherry blossom trees loomed above her and caught the breeze lazily, leaving her in what looked like a snowfall of pink petals. For a second her heart soared and she twirled in the storm of pink, forgetting for just a fragment of a second where, or even who, she was.
She caught a petal and felt it, just to make sure it was real. It was, and it was also slightly wet with a few drops of pure water, so soft it was like velvet. Willow glanced around again; to her left was a small pond, complete with lily pads and large orange and white Coy. A wooden building surrounded her and intricate carvings covered the walls and banisters leading to the small courtyard. It was done in a bit of an Asian style; the roof was covered in small red brick slates. Everything was clean and well kept.
Willow was weary of the place, it seemed like a bit of heaven that she had never thought would come to her. She came to sit by the pond and watched the large fishes swim lazily around the pond for a while, to ease her confused mind buzzing with-in her skull. So many things had happened in such little time.
Someone cleared his throat behind her and she nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning slowly, she found that a bald monk, complete with orange toga, was sitting behind her quite placidly on a white sheet. He was holding a clay mug filled with tea from a teapot already lay out. Questions zoomed in and out of her brain. How did he, and all of his stuff, get into the courtyard with out her hearing.
She was a werewolf now, and the extra hearing was a bit of a perk. Unless she was around monks, she decided after a second. Slowly she stood and backed a few steps away. Now unsure this wasn't just another trick by the monks to get rid of her.
"Please, come sit, have some tea." The monk offered, giving her a bit of a smile. Willow made eye contact with the monk. He was indeed Asian, and if she smelled right; he was a werewolf.
"What is this?" Willow asked her eyebrows knitting together. She made no move towards the monk. "This is a bit of a dream," the monk said frowning for a second. "And… you're a werewolf?" Willow asked, refusing to move from her spot. The monk nodded "Just as you are." He stated, raising an eyebrow.
Willow dropped eye contact. "So what are you going to do?" Willow asked uncomfortably. "I'm thinking of having some more tea. Again, you're welcome to join me." The monk stated easily. Willow glanced up and glared for a second before glancing back down.
"I don't support what Kea is doing." The monk stated purposefully. Willow looked up again a question in her eyes. "Where am I?" she asked quietly. "The first headquarters of the C.W.'s." The monk stated. Willow raised her eyebrows. "But I'm not evil." The monk finished dully.
"You do realize how weird that sounds?" Willow asked. "Coming from me, or just in general?" The monk asked. "I think a little bit of both." Willow ran a hand through her still-wet hair and sighed. "Look, I'll understand if you don't trust me, but you should. I started the C.W.'s five-hundred years ago to help new werewolves learn to control and understand what they are."
"You're dead." Willow stated simply. "I believe the term now is 'duh'." The monk stated. Willow smiled slightly. "When I appointed Kea he was still very young, I thought he would grow out of his thirst for recognition. Obviously he didn't. I failed our association." The monk went on. "What you and yours are doing is the right thing." The monk stated. Willow snorted.
"I'm Chiyo." The monk offered his hand and Willow bit her lip, she felt quite comfortable with the man in the courtyard, but looks could be deceiving; she of all people knew that best. Finally she stepped foreword and shook his hand. He smiled slightly and handed her a cup of tea.
Willow nodded her thanks uncomfortably and took the warm cup in her hands. "What about the fight?" Willow asked sniffing her tea. "It's blackberry." Chiyo commented. "I know, but I'm trying to figure out what else is in it." Willow said taking another sniff. The monk sighed, took her cup and took a sip. "Satisfied?" He asked, handing it back. Willow blushed and then nodded, she then took a sip. It was quite good.
"As for the fight, it's been taken care of, your body will be relatively un-harmed if all goes well." The monk said placidly. Willow felt a little better, Chiyo was reminding her a bit of Jay. "How do you know?" Willow asked.
The monk chuckled. "We sent someone to replace you, so you don't miss the action, don't worry. I wanted to have a chance to talk to you, as did the one in Sunnydale at the moment." Chiyo commented. Willow visibly relaxed, "So what did you want to talk to me about?" Willow asked.
Chiyo raised an eyebrow, "Do you know what you have inside of you?" He asked seriously. Their eyes met and Willow put down her tea.
Somehow Jake had managed to round up the entire group and they all surrounded Jay, soaked and panting, most of them were bleeding. They were in rough shape. "We aren't going to make it too much longer… not without Oz and Willow." Faith commented adjusting the leather on her ripped jacket. "Hell we aren't going to make it through the night." Jake said looking around at the group of depressed faces.
"No…" Buffy said quietly. She was paler than the rest of the group. She was clutching her torso and she wasn't standing too good. Jay nodded. "We aren't going out tonight." he commented. Spike snorted. Jay and Buffy Glared.
"Heaven knows this is just the beginning. Somewhere in a galaxy far far away… maybe it's the end. Maybe they've had their last hurrah, but we haven't yet, we're not done, hell, they aren't even threatening the world. It's like Xander said, this is small scale compared to what we do for a living. If we let them get the better of us, get us down, and then they're doing a damn good job kicking our sorry asses. Block it out and focus on what needs to happen, not who's down. Chances are they'll get back up." Jay spoke with enough sureness that no one questioned his statement.
Giles sighed and ran a hair through his soaking hair and cocked his gun again and aimed it at the nearest vampire. Spike got there first. "C'mon, don't loose hope yet. Both of them are getting back up." Jay said softer than before hoping to whatever God was up there that they truly would. He followed Xander's gaze to where the two bodies lay and a small grin spread across his face, Willow, back in wolf form, was getting up. He decided to point that out,
"There she goes see?" He commented towards the stirring werewolf. "Oh yeah, as if on cue." Jay commented slapping Xander on the back almost gleefully. It felt so good to see her up and moving again, what shape she was in was another story.
Jay watched with medically trained eyes as she got to her feet. A loud growl escaping her lips as the nearest werewolf made it's way towards her, Jay found inside himself a burst of energy and made his way towards her to help.
Mid-sprint he stopped however, realizing full well that somehow, inexplicably, she didn't need help. She was now in the process of landing on the opposing wolf's back and biting viciously on the back of its neck. The opposing wolf went down with an audible thud and Jay watched speechless as she walked past the fallen enemy. He had never seen a new wolf do that with such ease before. It was like it wasn't even Willow.
A white bird flew just above her head and Jay blinked, confused. Then both their eyes met and the remaining colour drained from Jay's face, he knew her. It really wasn't Willow, he realized as chocolate brown hit moss green. She then broke eye contact and was off after another foe, feathery ginger tail swishing behind her. Jay couldn't help but let out a whoop before going after his own foe, something about her presence made him feel like it wasn't the end yet.
"I have a wolf inside of me." Willow stated confused. Chiyo's eyes danced with humor. "One could say the wolf has you in it. Not the other way around." Willow frowned, a crease forming across her forehead. "You are not two separate beings, but one. Jay and Oz are doing an ok job teaching you to control one side yourself, but you don't seem to realize that the wolf needs to come into your human side or there cannot be balance, you will never be able to control the wolf side." Chiyo stated. Willow paled.
The man had just named her worst fear. "You and the wolf have to work together, not struggle to control the other." Chiyo stated. Willow shook her head. "I-I don't know if I can." She stated, looking elsewhere. She didn't, couldn't believe in herself right then. Her life had seemed to fall apart that night. The memory of Oz hitting the pavement was too strong. That very second had seemed to zap all the energy she had away from her.
Chiyo sighed, "You have been in many battles young one, but you must maintain hope, believe in yourself, and your cause. I cannot help you with that, but they are crucial to your new immortal life. I need you to believe that you can, to believe that what ever is out there that you can handle the next step." Chiyo commented, knowing filled his eyes and Willow let out a shuddering sigh.
"You cannot fight with yourself anymore, nothing good can come out of that. Believe in yourself and believe in your wolf. We all have our inner demons, we can't tame them but we can use them to make ourselves better. That is the difference between Kea and Oz. That is the difference that separates the parties fighting and dying tonight, most importantly, that is what separates man from monster." Chiyo spoke quietly.
Willow nodded taking in the man's words in quiet reverence and absorbing the information. It was silent for another moment and then the man began talking again. "What is your greatest fear Willow?" he asked calmly.
Willow frowned at the strange question, "Other than having no control I guess…?" She questioned. Chiyo nodded. "Drowning I guess, I never learned how to swim properly, I'm ok going in the water, but if I get in over my head, I panic." Willow commented biting her lip. Chiyo nodded, "Wise to fear what you cannot control." He commented. He took another sip of tea whilst pondering this new piece of information.
Suddenly the sun was gone, Willow was still warm, but she wasn't in the courtyard any longer. It was dark outside. She was surrounded by forest and she was… in the middle of a deserted lake, fully clothed. Her first instinct was to scream; which she did, and then she realized that that probably wouldn't help, she was already in a dream. Well at least she hoped she was.
The water was warm enough, a silver crescent moon hung above her head, like liquid, reflecting in the calm water of the black surface of the lake. Slowly she felt her heart beat slow back down to a normal pace and she decided the only thing she could do for the moment, was attempt to swim for shore. Taking one last calming breath, she began to kick, attempting something like the doggy paddle in order to get her to shore.
Her jeans heavy in the dark water, she wasn't going anywhere fast. Slowly she was being sucked under the water, as the strength in her legs began to diminish. She finally panicked, thrashing in the water, it enveloped her and she didn't manage to take a breath before she was completely under, being pushed further and further from the surface.
She could hear her panicked heart thud in her ears as she was sucked further and further under the dark waves. The water kept getting colder as she fell through the depths until it was ice-cold; she felt goose bumps form on her arms. She could no longer see the moon through the surface. She flared around panicking in an attempt to bring her closer to the surface. Her brain screamed that she was going to die, her lungs screamed for air. Looking down all she could see was the crushing blackness, so dark and cold that she couldn't stand it.
She could feel her body shutting off. Her lungs ached for air, panicking her further. Suddenly she felt the wolf pull her back from a point of almost no consciousness and begged to come to the surface. She refused it afraid of what might happen. Even more afraid of what waited for her on the bottom of the black lake.
Her numb body finally hit the weeds growing on the bottom and she couldn't take it anymore and opened her mouth to take in whatever she could get. She gave into the wolf and felt her leg get wrapped up in the weeds. Her vision was failing, not that she needed it, in the crushing darkness, her ears popped and stars danced behind her eyelids.
Without knowing what she was doing, she felt her legs kick upwards, her arms begin to move, she felt the weed around her leg break and she realized she was moving up. She was swimming, her wolf, was swimming. It was saving their lives. Her chest was on fire but she was refused the right to open her mouth, the surface was coming up fast but not fast enough, her lungs gave a threatening cry for air and just when she couldn't take it anymore she felt her self propelled past the water line.
Stars twinkled overhead and she took in large gulps of air, recovering slowly her motor skills and brainpower. After a few moments she glanced around at the empty forest and at the fifty or so meters she had to swim to get to shore. She couldn't do it, she couldn't swim, and her wolf had just saved her life. Without prodding she gave herself to the wolf after a moment of hesitation and watched through shared eyes as she swam to shore.
As she reached the shore she felt the wolf pull away and she collapsed onto the rough sand. She allowed the wolf to feed her the energy she needed to stay awake and shook with cold on the ground. A white bird flew overhead and into a near-by tree, where it sang a long mournful note. Tears streamed freely down her pale cheeks and for the first time in months, Willow was whole. It was cold and warm at the same time. The wolf watched through her human eyes and told her to stand.
She obeyed willingly and with shaky knees she started through the forest, the moment she broke the tree line she felt sleep tug her into a warm embrace, and she watched through both pairs of eyes as the world blurred and fell away.
Oz woke up in the most pain he had ever been in. A groan escaped his lips as consciousness pulled him from the dead once again, he felt his heart begin to beat again and air fill his lungs again. His head felt light and his lungs took in shallow painful breaths.
He heard a savage snarl in front of him and painfully opened his eyes. A ginger blur was standing in front of him. Snarling at a group of multi-coloured werewolves, surrounding them both. A groan escaped his lips once again, and the ginger wolf he now recognized as the Willow wolf jumped on the nearest opposing wolf, a savage snarl ringing through the air.
The opposing wolf went down and she easily tore out its throat. The other wolves surrounding her began to close in on her and she twisted herself easily in each direction and snapped at each of them in turn before taking a running leap, and knocking two wolves at a time onto the hard ground.
Oz hadn't seen a werewolf ever fight with so much planning before, except one. He shook his head, Willow was a smart wolf, he questioned his reasoning, considering he had just woken up from the dead it was probably quite likely that he was just seeing things.
She wasn't that smart, not without any definitive control. Maybe one day, but not today, not during her third change, it was impossible. But there wasn't any other answer to his question; something in Willow must have embraced the wolf, while he was out. That was the only explanation his pained brain could come up with at the moment.
Then he spotted a huge black wolf sneaking up behind her and was on his feet without a second thought. Which, as life would have it, wasn't the best idea. He was in human form, and had no weapon. His head spun, and he struggled to stand, but he managed to get the wolf's attention long enough to allow time for the Willow wolf to finish her other kill, and turn around.
However, it wasn't enough time for Oz to find something to hurt the wolf with. He ended up doing the only thing he could think of. His foot shot up and he kicked it in the face, not hurting it, like he had hoped, just pissing it off more. Okay, so he wasn't up to full brain capacity yet.
The big pissed off looking wolf took a step towards him now; Oz took a step back, glancing around for something to hit it with. The ginger wolf pounced onto the black one just in time, it fell to the ground, giving Oz enough time to pick up a lost gun and shoot a round into it's head with a shaky hand.
The ginger wolf turned to him and their eyes met. Oz's heart almost stopped for the second time that night. That WAS NOT Willow. He knew those eyes that style, those graceful movements.
"Sasha…" he whispered. The wolf snorted quietly and dipped her head once, before they made eye contact again. She then took a few steps towards him and rubbed her head against his knee, before turning and jumping on the next wolf she saw. Tears formed in Oz's eyes and he followed her, and back-to-back, they began fighting once more, a joint effort, and a joint heart.
I've seen the light that emanates from you,
and it makes me feel proud, a voice of reason above the muffling crowds.
Such will to live and you've got so much to give, long lost sincerity.
Lost in a world that's been scorched to black.
Lost in myself until I finally find.
A guide in you, and gratitude is mine; I admire the way you shine.
Stare down the day from which others shield their eyes,
with complete clarity, and no trace of apathy.
So positive, and your heart you freely give, long lost vivacity.
Lost in a world that's been scorched to black.
Lost in myself until I finally find.
A guide in you, and gratitude is mine; I admire the way you shine.
-"The New Patrons Saints And Angels." By AFI
That's all! My sketch of Jay is now accessible by use of a link on my profile page so check it out! I'm working on making it in colour, BUT PLEASE TAKE A LOOK!!! –Shiny eyes- REVIEW??? Please… -points to shiny purple-ish box- spare a click? Anyone else love that AFI song? finishes rambling. THANKS FOR READING!