A Trip Down Memory Lane

By: biacebaolck

Lash's POV

I'm here. After all these seasons, I'm finally here. But… Where is 'here' exactly?

"Where am I?" I ask aloud.

"You're at the place between the world of living and the realm of Hell Gates and the Dark Forest Gates." A voice behind me says. I jump. I know that voice. How could I not know my own father's voice?

I don't call him 'father'. Not anymore, that is. Ever since he died, I've been blaming him for making my mother so upset and I call him by his name, Flash.

"What's going on, Flash?" I demand. I want some answers, and he's not getting away until I get them.

He chuckles. What is so damn funny? I'm ready to start yelling, but I manage to keep my temper in check like Selena always asks me to try to do.

"You've no respect for your elders, Lash." He scolds. So what if I don't? It's not even true. I respect Selena's parents and mother! I only have no respect for you, Mr. I'll-die-early-so-I-can-make-everyone-I-know-a-nervous-wreck, a.k.a. Flash! "I am, after all, your father."

"Yeah, but even though you're seasons older than me, you're not a season wiser." I reply angrily. Right now, I'm getting sick of him.

He just smiles. No counter? This can't be Flash!

"What's wrong with you!" I demand.

"Nothing. I'm just here to tell you about your choice."

"What choice?" He stares at me.

"Your choice. The choice."

"About what?" Think calm, think calm, and think calm. I am not going to wring his neck. I am not going to break his back. I am not going to break his leg. I'm going to choke him to death! Wait… He's already dead so I can't do that… As a matter of fact… I'm dead too…

"Your choice to decide where you will go. Will you go to Hell Gates or will you go to the Dark Forest Gates?"

"Why does that matter!" I screech. He looks at me sternly, obviously unfazed.

"It's all your decision, son." And he disappears. He called me, 'son'. Damn it! Curse it! Of all the times to have said that while he was still alive, he chooses to say it now while he's DEAD!

I stare disbelievingly at the empty place in thin air where he used to be. I plop down on the cloud like floor I'm on, sitting and sulking.

"Fathers…" I mutter.

But somehow, it doesn't matter… There's a somebeast calling me. Coming from the world of living, where I once lived. It's…Backlash? The funny thing is, I don't hate her anymore. I grab some dirt from the ground. Somehow I know the dirt is special. But how do I know? Never mind. Backlash, I'll see you again. Wait for me, I'll be there, I promise…

Selena's POV

I'm here after all these seasons. Where? Just here. Okay… Where is here? I mean, where in the name of all the 4 Torquoi tribes am I?

I'm dead. I know that. Let me think. There's Hell Gates and the Dark Forest Gates you die. Where will I choose to go? Back to memory lane and live; I shouldn't really say this, I'm dead, with useless memories or go to either the Dark Forest Gates or Hell Gates?

I want to go to the Dark Forest Gates. Why? Because. I want to see Lash. And I believe that he'll be there.

Earth, she's there, in that light. Earth, founder of all the 4 Torquoi tribes… Please, grant him safe passage to wherever he's going. I hope he'll go to the Dark Forest Gates. And please, Earth, take care of my daughter, Backlash.

Teach her right and wrong, and help her while she's still living. Thank you.

I head towards the light, the Dark Forest Gates where Earth is standing, her eyes smiling at me. At long last… After all these seasons… I'm home and now, I can sleep in peace.

But… Somebeast's calling me. Who is it? It's… Backlash? Backlash! It's been so long since I've seen her, since I've hugged her that I want to cry. I can't cry. I have to be strong and not be the crybaby that Lash says I am. Wait a bit longer, Backlash. I'll be there. Hopefully, Lash will be there too and we'll be together again.

Backlash's POV

"Aunt Rhia, for the last time, NO! I won't use a dirk!" I yell. Aunt Rhia stands in front of me, her face still stubborn. Sheesh. What do I have to do to get her to stop stalking me? Jump off a cliff? Come to think of it, that's not a bad idea… But would Mom and Dad like that? I miss them. Well, maybe only Mom. I don't know about Dad, though.

"Do you want me to keep stalking you until you grow old and die or do you want me to leave you alone?"

"Leave me alone." I mutter.

"Then you'll have to accept the dirk and learn at least the basics!" She says. Grrr… She knows me too well…

"Fine," I sigh. "Let's get started."

I disarm Uncle easily, knocking him to the groundand smile. I have been practicing for the whole day and I can finally disarm my Uncle! Yes! "Had enough yet?" I ask, pointing the dirk point to his neck.

"Yessiree, young 'un," He says panting, pushing the dirk point away. "Better go back to the cottage and back to bed, 'tis nearly nightfall."

I look up to the sky. What do you know, it is nearly nightfall… "You go back, Uncle Emrys. I'll sleep out here, it's a lot more peaceful."

"Agreed, young 'un. I can't stand your snoring." He grins. I pick up a stone from the ground and fit it to my sling, thrusting the dirk back in its scabbard on the belt of my sling pouch.

"I don't snore!" I growl, but I know he's only joking… I bet he knows it too… I aim way above his head. Honestly, do you think I miss targets by accident? I don't do that. I miss sometimes, on purpose. I don't want to risk hitting Uncle Emrys. My stone hits a tree branch, knocking some leaves down.

Uncle stares, as though he still has eyes, where the stone is lodged in the branch. He's blind, didn't I mention? It's a redwood tree, the biggest of them all, so Uncle has to crane his neck for his senses to see for him.

"I teach you too well." He mutters quietly, but I hear him anyway. I have my father's good ears, or so I'm told. I even heard, Uncle's whispered, 'Good luck, young 'un' yesterday without even trying!

I watch as he leaves. Then I climb up the redwood tree. Even though I'm a hare, I can climb as well as any squirrel. Aunt Rhia says it's because I'm half-Torquoi, whatever a Torquoi is.

"Goodnight mom. And goodnight to you too, dad, even though I don't like you." I close my eyes, and in my mind's eye, I see my dad, a black furred hare scowl and a silver furred haremaid giggle.

How do I know what they look like? Aunt Rhia used to be a painter, and painted a picture of them and me a few seasons before they died. I still can't believe that scrawny little babe was me.

And I thought she was only a healer. Healer and herbalist are basically the same occupations, but a healer is a more experienced beast with more knowledge in herbs than a herbalist. I still like to be considered a herbalist because I still have a long way to go until I can memorize every single cure created from herbs. Trust me, there's a lot!

I stick my tongue out childishly at my father, and in my mind's eye I see him stick his tongue back out at me. The silver furred haremaid is now smiling and she smiles in my direction. My breath is caught in my throat. Her smile. It's… so beautiful… It makes me feel warm all over. "Mom…" I whisper.

"And what am I? Chopped Liver?" He retorts. I can't help but laugh. Mom is laughing too. Her laugh… It sounds so much like mine. Our laughs are in harmony, like only one haremaid is laughing.

Maybe there's really only one haremaid. After all… Mom's dead. I now know who my father was talking about when he said, 'If it weren't for you, she'd still be alive'. He was talking about my mother. Tears appear in my eyes and I wipe them away, my eyes still closed.

Mom sees. In my mind's eye, that is. Suddenly, I feel her arms around me in a tight hug. "I miss you, Mom." I whisper, tears now flowing freely from my eyes.

"I miss you too, Backlash." She whispers back. She pulls away. My mind's eye shows her, tears in her eyes too, stepping back. "I have to go now. Will you be good for me?"

"I'll try."

"Thank you." Her eyes are watery, reading me like an open book. "And if you can, take care of Rhia and Emrys. Rhia's my sister and I love both her and Emrys very much."

"Okay, Mom." I wipe my eyes with the back of my paw. My eyes are still closed so I can stop telling you that. Dad steps forward and gives me something in my paw. I can… feel it? It's…. dirt. "Dirt?" I ask him.

"For you to disguise yourself as a boy." He says. "After all, boys are usually as clean as you are." I smile and he smiles back. "Jump in a creek/brook/river and come out immediately after you've gotten yourself all wet. Sprinkle the dirt on you, over as much wet fur as you can, and then jump back into the water. It's a special dirt and it won't come off when you come out the water for the last time. The dirt will stick to your fur in clumps." He instructed.

"Okay…" He hugs me awkwardly, as though he's never done this before. I bet he has. I bet he hugged Mom plenty of times while they were still living. But… It must be the first time he's hugged me.

But… How can he give me anything? How can he hug me? How can Mom hug me? They're both transparent, like…ghosts… Oh, who cares? I want to savour this moment, remember it forever. After all, I might not have another chance to see them again until I'm dead.

"Goodbye." They say, together in unison, and they disappear. I open my eyes and I stare at where they had been and sit on a boulder, just as high as my waist when you look at its height. I'm still staring; tears are coming down my face yet again. Why can't I bloody well stop tears from coming?

"I miss you both." Then, I break down crying. Why did they have to die? Why? Why? I feel guilty. But… Why? I don't know… Wait… I look down at my paw. It's still clutching the dirt. A slow smile appears on my features and I wipe away my tears.

"I'll make you both proud." I whisper to two stars in the sky. The stars are the ones my aunt and uncle say that my parents loved the most. The stars twinkle in an answer and my smile widens. "Thank you," I whisper a bit louder. "For everything."

For most beasts, they would have thought they've have gone crazy by the time Mom and Dad left, but…for me… It's just another wacky day of my life, except this day…is like a trip down Memory Lane because my Mom and Dad's faces haven't changed. Not one bit.

Well, Dad's facial expressions have become more caring, but don't try to change it, Dame Fortune, because I like it! In fact, I love it, and nothing can make me hate my Dad ever again.

Oh yeah. Fate, Destiny… If you two can hear me, I just like to say something to you. Give me your toughest, because I want to be stronger than my father ever was! It's ok if you don't want to do it, but sooner or later, I'll become even stronger without your help.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring? I'll wake up extra early so I can say goodbye to Aunt Rhia and Uncle Emrys before I go, even if they're still sleeping and I have to write a letter to them for them to find out.

Goodnight Earth, founder of the 4 Torquoi tribes. Even though I don't know you, please grant my one request: While I'm gone, will you take care of Uncle Emrys and Aunt Rhia for me? Thanks!

Third Person

Before going to sleep, she jumped into the river, which was right next to the boulder she was on, and came out just as quickly. Then she began to roll in the dirt, the dirt clinging to her wet fur. After she had done this, she looked like…well, your average hare. Right now, she was as dirty as a boy would be.

She gathered some stones for her sling; she would need it for her journey, the journey to Death's Gate. Then, she practiced walking like a boy. Like her Uncle had said once before: 'Death's Gate is strictly a no-female zone!'

To be able to go to Death's Gate and unravel several mysteries, she would have to go herself, and no one would stop her.