15/06/2013

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Title: A Mother's Love
Chapter: 3
Author: Jade Tatsu

Time passed, as time tends to. Things changed, and things remained the same. Little Cloud grew into a sturdy lad who was serious but always had an easy smile for his mother. Raisa continued to work at the Mansion, much to the perceived horror of the villagers… who would pump her for information about the goings on in Shinra at every opportunity.

Of course, not everything was perfect. After all people make mistakes and Shinra's scientists weren't the most consistent of men. What they wanted one day changed the next and inevitably Raisa fell afoul of their changing ways. One scientist had given her instructions to clean and tidy the room during the day while they worked, another did not appreciate her moving the papers around.

And unfortunately for Raisa, the other was Professor Hojo. From her memories she was quite surprised to see him in the upper part of the Mansion but it made sense. Psychotic and delusional he may be, but he was still human, he still needed to sleep and sleeping in a Lab lost its appeal pretty quickly. She had been wrapped in cold terror when the suited people, who she remembered were called the Turks, had hauled her before the Professor as he paced in his tidied room, muttering to himself about interference in his important work.

"You! What have you done?" The distracted Scientist had hissed at her the moment she'd been brought through the door.

Raisa looked around, though she kept her blue eyes lowered. "I cleaned, Sir," she replied, and was proud that there was no tremor in her voice. Her future self had gone months back, becoming a part of her just as much as the memories of the future were. But her memories were clear on exactly how dangerous this man was.

"Cleaned! Cleaned!" Hojo repeated the word, his voice rising by an octave each time. "Snooped is more like it! You touched these papers!"

"Well, of course, Sir," Raisa tried to sound reasonable and there was no point in denying what she had done. "The former resident told me to tidy all papers, and to leave them neatly stacked on the tall boy."

Her reply seemed to make the Professor pause for a moment, as if he could not comprehend anyone daring to speak back to him. Raise kept herself calm somehow, but she could feel cold seeping into her arms and legs. This was dangerous. Even now the man before her was insane. She understood the dangers that the Turks represented. They would have no hesitation about shooting her if so ordered, but there was logic with their actions. Professor Hojo had no such logic and even Raisa could see how he acted was dictated by a whim. This was meant to be one of the most powerful men in Shinra? She could see why they needed the watcher, why they needed restraint and why things had gone so wrong when neither existed.

"You were snooping," Hojo said firmly, not even listening to her explanation. "Who are you spying for?"

Raisa blinked. Who was she spying for? She was spying for herself but that answer was not one that they expected or would accept. "No one, Sir," she objected before she looked down at the ground, with every evidence of shame in her posture. "I can't… Sir, I can't read," she added with a rush.

"What?" the demand was harsh.

"I can't read, Sir," Raisa repeated in a small voice. She couldn't read. Her future self could and had picked up the skill in the Lifestream and while they were now one being, the fact still remained; she could not read and there was no evidence anywhere for anyone to find of her ever learning the skill. Her future self had learned quite a bit more than mere reading, but there were some things that were in this Mansion that she needed to learn. Not yet, of course, not with Hojo watching. That was why she had years to collect the information, a piece here, a nudge to memory there. It would all fall into place in time.

But not if Hojo threw her out… or worse… kept her.

"Of course you can… everyone…" Hojo said though his voice did trail off and he began muttering to himself again. Raisa just stood, looking down at the ground and so she was surprised when a few moments later the Professor shoved a piece of paper under her nose. "Read it," he commanded.

"I can't," Raisa said, careful to let the tears forming in her eyes not fall on the paper. That would really arouse his wrath.

"All children are taught something of letters, even backwater, provincial children born in a pimple of a town like this, so read it!" The Professor obviously did not believe her and thought she came from Nibelheim… which would work for her, but a quick check of her records would show she was from Kalm… A town which should have a higher level of general education.

"I was not born here, I was born in Kalm," Raisa said, offering the information before one of the Turks could correct Hojo and put her deeper into trouble for 'attempting to conceal the truth' which was what a spy would do. "I do recognise some letters and words on this Sir," she continued. "We were taught, but only to the point where we could read and write our own names. That was deemed sufficient for our requirements."

"Yet your dictation is very clear," the Professor's black eyes narrowed, clearly showing his suspicion.

"My family worked as servants for the Mayor in Kalm and he expected his helpers to at least sound educated," she said, looking back at Hojo though still keeping her general gaze directed towards the floor. Looking him in the eye would be considered defiance and a challenge against his authority. She was not doing that. She would not do that.

His glance towards the suited man standing behind her was telling and Raisa felt the other man nod. It didn't clear her, but at least it confirmed she was telling the truth.

The paper was snatched back and Raisa suppressed a grimace as the sharp edges cut small lines into her hands. Blood leaked but did not drip from the tiny cuts and she carefully turned her hands over so that the rich red liquid stayed on her skin.

Hojo's anger appeared to have abated somewhat but she was still wary. He was tempestuous and flighty but if he felt he had been slighted, Hojo held a grudge for a very long time. He was muttering again and she didn't like the tone. The few words she could hear where those you never wanted Hojo to say. "Experiment… could be fascinating…. an illiterate… …how does… find…." After several moments he looked up again, seeming to gaze into the distance. "But what purpose would it serve?" the final question came and both Raisa and the suited men behind her knew better than to answer.

Black eyes speared her and Raisa felt the weight of the world upon her. It took a supreme amount of effort not to tremble. "When I am in residence, you may clean and dust, make the bed and take down the rubbish but you may never touch the papers here? Am I clear?"

The blonde woman swallowed hard, despite the fact the movement would be seen, she didn't care. She was afraid, she had every reason to be afraid, especially with the memories of what this man was capable of, what Shinra would let him do. "Yes, Sir," she whispered clearly, not willing to have her nerves tempt him to any further punishment. "I will make the bed, dust, clean and take the rubbish out, but only that which is in the bin and I will do no further in your quarters while you are here."

Hojo's black eyes narrowed as he tried to deduce if the native woman before him was being smart with him but he decided not. He knew the signs of fear well enough, his subjects were imprinted with fear for him but it was gratifying to see it in another even if, or maybe especially because, the other was a mere menial. They should know their place. Her claim seemed to be reasonable, but he would have the Turks check her back ground again. There was no need to be sloppy and he would have her watched. He vaguely knew they'd put on a village woman as a cleaner but he hadn't really cared. They could not afford to have some Avalanche spy this close though.

"Get out of here," Hojo commanded and Raisa wasted no time in scrambling out of the room. She'd leave early today and make up any cleaning tomorrow. Not that the Mansion required much cleaning but it was her job. Today she'd go and spend time with Cloud because after dealing with Hojo, she needed the comfort only her son could give her.

In years to come, Raisa would think back on that memory and no matter the cold dread that had filled her at the time, she would laugh. Hojo was stupid. There was simply no way around that conclusion when you looked at the facts. In this world, or in the future only she remembered, Hojo was stupid. He was so focused on what he expected to find that he did not see the truth of the matter, the things that really mattered, the things that really held power. In some ways he was frighteningly easy to fool, though in others he was a monster. No matter how deluded his research was, there were aspects of that research where he was genuinely the world leader, and on how to enhance humans he was the best. Though his enhancements involved Jenova. He never considered alternatives.

Raisa had not read his notes. That day she genuinely had not had the time, but other days she had and it was on those days that she learned little things that would prove useful for the future. But the future is not born just of knowledge, it's born of actions, of memories and from people. Though for Raisa much of the time she didn't care, she was too busy raising her beautiful boy. It was odd, having one set of memories, replacing them with another but Raisa enjoyed that. This way she got twice as much joy from seeing her young Cloud achieve the normal things that growing children did. Of course, she always enjoyed the quiet time, just before he fell asleep. It was during that time as he nestled against her, his blond hair soft beneath her hands and his warmth snuggled comfortably against her side that she felt completely at peace. The pain and suffering in her memories were worth it then. She would change everything, all for the trusting boy at her side, all for her Cloud. She always had a story for him and while he may not completely understand the words, she made sure he understood the implications.

She always asked him one question, just before he fell asleep, every night and every night the answer was the same. "Who do you kill Cloud?"

"Jenova," was the reply, though sometimes his voice mumbled the name and when he was younger he couldn't pronounce it properly but the answer was always the same.

"Very good, Cloud. You kill Jenova. You always kill Jenova, even if you have a choice, always Jenova. I don't know if I can save him Cloud, but if Jenova is dead, perhaps he won't need saving."

Most of the time Cloud never asked who 'he' was, since her beloved baby fell asleep, but as he grew older, and more able to fight the sand demon, sometimes he asked.

Raisa always smiled at him then, brushing one hand over his blond hair, smoothing it down. "Not yet, my little Cloud, it's not yet time to know. I'll tell you when the path is clear."

And by that stage Cloud had usually fallen asleep.

One thing Raisa didn't understand was that as her Cloud grew to understand the words, he also understood what she was not telling him. Her son translated her stories and looked at the implications and the requirements to make them real. While she was working she had to leave him, though when he was still a babe in arms she'd been able to carry him with her, discretely having him wrapped in her shawl at her back. Once he was old enough, she left him in the house. The blonde woman didn't like it, but she had no choice. As he grew older, he began exploring, first the village and Raisa was regaled with stories of what he had discovered in the villager's yards, and then later in the fields surrounding the village. Nibelheim's climate might have been unsuited to large scale agriculture, but they had a fair market garden around the village. They had to eat somehow. But what Raisa did not know was exactly how far Cloud's exploring was taking him. The flowers he brought her were beautiful, and if she'd been a local, she would have known that the Glory of the Snow only came from the high plateau and she would have known that her little Cloud was exploring far beyond the relative safety of the fields, that he was going into the true wilds.

The village children knew but they could seldom catch Cloud and their attempts to bully him to stay closer to Nibelheim, as their parents instructed them, just made him more of an outcast. Indeed many of the children secretly admired him though they would never say it. Cloud was an outsider to them, not that he noticed because he was usually so busy.

His mother had told him stories of heroes since he was young, of a warrior for the Planet who could swing a blade taller than himself with the greatest of ease, who could stand against armies and win. The imagery captured the active imagination of Cloud and he could see himself fighting. It was childish but it was a happy thought but as he grew older, he began to know things. Just little things that didn't seem to make much sense. He knew for example when there would be a frost so that they should cover the beans, he knew when the first snow was coming but he thought nothing of it. In the village of Nibelheim reading the weather was a skill many possessed but what Cloud didn't know was that he was reading further, seeing more in the natural land around him as he explored. He knew the marks of the wolves and how to avoid them, he knew the marks of the dragons and where to go so that they would not consider him either food or a threat. And he knew where the rabbits hid and the other small animals who sometimes came close to him. He didn't hunt, so he was accepted and he learned so much about the world that he could feel that change in the air that signals the seasons moving.

But there was one further thing he knew from his Mother's stories. Warriors were fit. Not just the fitness of the villagers who were strong and hardy, but fitness that came with exertion, with fighting day after day. He couldn't fight, but he could make sure he was strong, and that's what Cloud did. Once he was old enough and aware enough to start venturing out beyond the fields, every day Cloud tried to run just that little bit further, pass the markers on the route to the high plateau, just that little bit faster and once he was there, he tried, every day to move the rocks on the field. Most were too large for him, but one day, one day he'd be able to move them.

His Mother might doubt her ability to save 'him' but Cloud would help there. He'd be strong enough, he'd be fast enough that they could kill Jenova and save whoever it was that his Mother referred to. So that's why every day he trained, and every day he learned a little bit more about the world. He brought his Mother flowers, sometimes asking the older villagers about any special traits the flowers and other cuttings he brought back might have. If the other children weren't around, the old folk were usually happy to tell him. If the kids were near, they usually insisted that he go off to play. Still over time he began to know which were the useful plants and which weren't and he always brought some back for Jax, the old brewery Master who was also the best healer the town had.

For all that he was focused, while growing up there was a certain sense of loneliness about Cloud. He wanted to talk to the other children, to play with them but something always got in the way. Sometimes it was him, he didn't want to talk about the same things they did, and sometimes it was them, they were in awe of his ability to go beyond the boundaries of the village, something they never thought they would do themselves. Things remained as they were, until one day, when Cloud was seven, almost eight and it was early winter.

A storm came out of nowhere, a thundersnow storm. If Cloud had of been in the village he would have seen the warning signs, he would have been taken into someone's house for the duration since at the height of a thundersnow it was far too dangerous to even attempt to move between houses. Unbeknownst to Cloud, his mother was trapped at the Shinra Mansion where she thought her son was safely in the village while he was in reality caught on the high plateau.

His first mistake that day had been to ignore the rumble of thunder. But in the Nibel Mountains, the rumble of thunder was almost always present, or was merely a dragon roaring in the distance. But then the wind had shifted and Cloud had looked up at the sky and had seen the clouds. Dark heavy clouds, pregnant with snow yet lashed by lightning. If he had of been near the village he would have made it, but even if he'd seen the cloud's from the first moment, he was too far, too high in the mountains to make it back safely and Cloud wondered what he could do.

He had to find shelter quickly. That meant he had to drop down from the high plateau into the forest where the trees would provide at least a little cover from the wind-blown snow and the biting cold that would accompany it. But where could he shelter? By themselves the trees would not be enough. Perhaps if he found a fallen one he could pile leaves under it but that was dubious at best. All the children of Nibelheim were taught from a young age how to survive as best they could but few needed to use that knowledge. It hadn't made much sense at the time, when they'd all been forced to sit down in the town centre and listen to the lectures. After all, none of them could even imagine being on Mount Nibel alone, with a snowstorm coming, let alone a thundersnow but Cloud was glad, even as he ran towards the edge of the plateau, towards the forest, that he had listened, and that the elders had insisted upon it.

The wind was intense and Cloud sent up a silent prayer to Odin that the main storm would hold off long enough for him to find shelter. He'd worry about food later, though with the storm being so early in the season it should hopefully be intense and short. Which made the need for shelter all the more important.

Almost before he knew it Cloud was racing through the krummholzed trees that marked the beginning of the forest, and then he was under them, his feet stirring up the scent of pine. It was usually dark in the forest, but with the gathering clouds the gloom was almost complete, but Cloud had run through this forest so many times in the past that he knew where he should be going which was a problem. The way back to the village did not have anything he could use for shelter. He needed to deviate from his path but he didn't know which direction to go.

All around him were trees and while a cave would provide the best and safest shelter, providing that there were no landslides, he didn't know where any were… at least not close. Cloud continued to run towards the village as he looked around and then he spotted it; wolf spore. It was relatively fresh and without thought Cloud changed his course turning to following it. The wolves would have a den and hopefully he could slink in on the outside of it. He should be able to ward them off, so that they didn't think he was a meal, the fragrant pods in his back pocket would help him be unappetising, and even if they did think of him as a meal, he had to take the chance. The heavy clouds were drawing closer, too close for him to waste any further time trying to find somewhere to hide.

With a grace seldom seen in humans Cloud ran, jumping logs and small ditches with ease always following the tracks of the wolves. As he ran he could see that there were more tracks which was good, that meant the path was well travelled and he was getting closer to their den. Perversely he wasn't worried, something whispered to him that he would be fine.

But just before he broke through the trees to the minor bluff where he could see the small opening that he knew was the wolves den he heard a small yip. Pausing, Cloud looked around, mindful of the increasing bite in the wind but it did not take long before he saw it, a small wolf pup, struggling under a branch. The pine needles were still green so it was obvious that the branch had fallen recently, trapping the pup and without thought Cloud was there, reaching through the branches, ignoring the way the needles pricked his flesh as he extended his arms. Carefully he pulled aside the tangled limbs and gently placed one hand on the wolf cub. The little hisses stopped and the pale yellow eyes looked up at him and young as he was, Cloud could see confusion there. He smiled at the cub but continued working and soon he had extracted the young wolf from the branches. It was injured. The fall of the branch had left lacerations but it appeared otherwise unharmed, no bones felt broken. He didn't really have time to check because the wind was picking up and carried on it were the first few snowflakes. They drove into him, wetting his cloths while the wind cut through to the bone. Cloud didn't hesitate and instead took the last few strides towards the den before he jumped into it, holding the squirming little wolf close to him.

He reached the cover of the den none too soon, for behind him the harsh wind drove the snow into the ground and there was a hair raising clash of thunder followed by the unmistakable roar of lightning hitting the ground where Cloud and the wolf pup had been but a moment before. The scent of ozone drifted to him.

Cloud closed his blue eyes briefly, bringing his breathing back under control as he squirmed away from the frigid cold just outside. The den was well situated so while the wind howled outside, the lip at the opening blocked the worst of it and kept the heat in. As his breath calmed he became aware of eyes watching him, some glowing yellow, blue, green, grey and brown. They were all watching him and in the darkness Cloud couldn't make out the individuals but he could feel them, and sense them all there. They weren't quite sure what to make of him and while it would usually make sense to let them smell him, and thus to make the first move, Cloud knew he had to show them he was friendly. He crooned at the wolves, low in his throat, nothing that sounded like a growl, but just a soft noise, one he hoped was soothing.

There was a snarl and Cloud caught the impression of teeth being bared at him. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there.

"No, no," Cloud said, his voice calm. "It's okay, I won't hurt you," he added though it was somewhat silly. These were Nibel Wolves, he could not hurt them… well he could hurt a young one but he was sure the pack leader was the one growling. He held up his hands, moving the young wolf pup that had still been held to his chest out to them. Their vision was so much better than his so hopefully they would understand that he was giving them back their puppy and from that, they would know he was a friend.

Outside the wind howled and whistled and the wolves crowded closer together.

"Shhh," Cloud soothed. The little puppy was disoriented for a moment when he felt his own kind around him, but then he squirmed around and made his way back to the boy who had rescued him. Cloud felt the warm from the pup under his hands as the small wet tongue licked at him. It was nice that none of the wolves had bitten him yet, but he still had to do something. Without knowing what he was doing he began to sing. "Day is done, gone is the sun," he crooned gently, smiling at the irony. Day was not done but the sun was definitely gone, covered by the thick clouds and snow that were outside. "From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky, all is well, safely rest," he hoped he could safely rest here, just while the storm raged outside. "Odin is nigh," he sang, finishing the short little lullaby.

The wolves still watched him but Cloud sensed that they were calmer and he felt a moment of panic before he realised he should keep signing. While he did that, they seemed quieter, and likely to accept him. Outside the wind continued to scream and he could hear the clash of thunder and feel the boom of the lightning that was lashing the land but here in the den there was only humid darkness and the glowing eyes of the wolves. He remembered a song his mother sometimes sang about winter and wolves. It seemed appropriate. "The wolves howl and the ravens croak, the waking of a new dawn, campfires and their black smoke, time to store the wheat and corn," He could use a camp fire right now with the wind howling at his back. "Winter approaches with freezing wind, the realm of lords of hunting, hares and deers were skinned, and back in the farm the pig's grunting."

The wolves growled softly at him and from the way they sounded they were being calmed by his voice. Not even the loud crash from the world outside seemed to be concerning them. They seemed to be clinging to his words and Cloud had a vision of them watching him with their ears pricked up and eyes half closed. He kept singing, not even sure what he was saying as he continued the ballad. Though as he sang he moved a bit closer into the den, feeling the brush of fur under his hands. He was surprised at how soft it was and the warmth it radiated.

The wind outside screamed, the snow and the lightning pounded into the ground and Cloud sung, his voice tender and around him the gently glowing eyes of the wolves closed and they allowed him to move further into the den, into the warmth that their bodies gave him. The storm raged outside and the young blond boy snuggled deep into the den, drawing comfort from the wolves around him. As time passed he formed fewer words and his voice became just a croon and eventually his eyes became heavy and his breathing levelled out and he felt asleep, warm and content and safe from the wind and cold outside.

Raisa had thought her son at home, or in one of their neighbours' homes during the early season thundersnow. She had been trapped in the Shinra Mansion and had therefore completed her days, and the next day's duties early and she'd fallen asleep there, huddled in the kitchen with a blanket wrapped around her. When the next day dawned, and the sun had spilled into the valley that held the little village of Nibelhiem, she had been one of the first out the door, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun on snow but determined to reach her Cloud.

She wasn't worried, he would be fine, but she needed to see her son, needed to see his smile and feel his soft blond hair under her hands.

When she reached her home and he wasn't there, the first stirring of worry crossed over her mind but she ruthlessly suppressed it. It was early. Cloud was probably with a neighbour and they wouldn't let him go until giving him breakfast and so she made her own meal and waited. An hour went by and he was not there so she waited some more and despite her iron will, the worry grew. This was not something she remembered but she also knew that while she had made no overt alteration to the present, even the small change of her working at the Mansion, saving every last gil she earned there, was bound to cause ripples. But no ripple was meant to endanger her son!

She forced herself to wait further, watching the old clock as time travelled with infinite patience. But Raisa was not patient. She needed to see her Cloud, needed to know he was okay yet she knew that haring over the village, looking for him with everyone would raise more questions than it answered so she sat, and waited, and waited. If he was not back by mid morning, then she would search, Raisa decided, though the waiting was hard. The thought of her Cloud shivering in the snow was worse.

Time passed and her worry grew but just as Raisa was heading towards the door to raise the alarm, there came the soft crunch of small feet moving in the snow and her heart sored. The last few steps towards the door were taken at a run and heedless of losing the warmth from the house she flung it open to see her Cloud, walking up the path, bathed in the blazing sunlight.

That was all she needed and the next instant her arms closed around her son, pulling him upwards as she swung around. He was almost too big for her to lift him, but she needed this and in the blazing light of the sun she laughed, pure relief echoing through the tone. "Oh Cloud," Raisa breathed.

"Mum!" Cloud objected, though he could sense his mother's relief. She had been worried about him and he knew that for the next few days he'd be kept closer to the village.

"Cloud!" Raisa repeated and then laughed again when her son's stomach growled and he blushed. "Come inside," she said, putting Cloud back on the ground and turning back towards the house. "I'll fix you some breakfast." She could talk to him about where exactly he had been while he ate because through her relief she had not missed the dirt and grime that smudged his clothes. She knew what that meant. He'd been on the mountain and her gut had twisted with fear. On the mountain in a thundersnow… but he was back with her… That was all that mattered.

She was so intent on her son that she almost missed the soft crunch of snow following them back into the house… Almost missed but she had been in Nibelhiem long enough to know you did not ignore those warnings and Raisa spun, turning back with her arms raised to protect against…

To protect against a very small Nibel Wolf cub that looked up at her with soft yellow eyes, mouth open in almost a smile, revealing small white teeth.

"Cloud, go back into the house," Raisa ordered, her eyes never leaving the wolf. It might only be a cub but the Nibel Mountains weren't known for their ability to breed cute and fluffy animals. Everything living on the mountains, including the humans were tough and strong and it was a battle between all to survive. It was not a malicious battle, it just was and while this cub was young, and fairly weak, it would attack her if able.

"No." She almost didn't hear her son's reply against her but she did feel his hand on her elbow. He tugged at her but she could not look away. The cub might be alone, it might not but she had to deal with the danger she could see. It should not be in the village but with a thundersnow who knew what animals might have gotten lost.

"Cloud, now!" Raisa insisted, trying very hard to keep the worry out of her tone but she knew her son had heard the stress.

"No," he repeated and before she could stop him, Cloud dodged around her, heading for the cub.

"Cloud, no!" She didn't know what to think! Cloud was more familiar with the wilds around Nibelheim than she was. He knew how dangerous the Wolves were! He could not be doing this.

All she could do was watch as her precious Cloud reached out one hand to the wolf cub who tentatively sniffed it before licking it. And then her Cloud did the most outrageous thing, he picked up the cub and turned back to her, looking all the world like a boy with his puppy. "See?" he asked her, his blue eyes wide with innocence. "It's all okay. He followed me back."

"Followed you back?" Raisa heard herself ask in a daze. Not even having several years worth of future memories imposed in her head had been this surprising.

Cloud looked to the ground and she recognised his guilty movement. "I'm sorry Mum, I was on the mountain. I couldn't get back down in time so I had to find shelter," he began the explanation and she knew where he was going. "I found a wolf den."

The fact that the Nibel Wolves hadn't eaten her Cloud was before her but Raisa could not help the stab of worry that pierced her at his explanation. It made sense, it was logical. If her boy had been on the mountain when the thundersnow came then he would need shelter and a wolf den was shelter… even with the risks it had.

"And now the wolf has followed you home?" She asked, raising one eyebrow to add emphasis to the question.

Cloud nodded, his head still downcast.

"And I suppose you want to keep him?"

Blue eyes looked up at her, startled and Raisa suppressed the smile. Apparently she wasn't meant to have anticipated that question. Ah, the logic of children. It was so sweetly direct. "We will discuss this, after we discuss your punishment," she said, as she turned back towards the house trusting that Cloud would have let her know if there were other Wolves about.

She heard him sigh before his feet followed her, crunching more heavily than usual through the snow that blanketed the ground with the weight of the wolf cub in his arms. But he followed without a hint of disobedience and as some of her memories surfaced, Raisa suppressed a smile. This was her son. This was her boy who would help anyone and anything and who could always be counted upon to find the most unusual solutions to problems, so perhaps she shouldn't be shocked that he found shelter from a thundersnow in a wolf den, and perhaps she should not be surprised that one of those wolves found its way back with her son. If the cub could be trained it would be good company for him. She could not deny that, and would provide him with some protection against the wilds of Nibelheim. He was not going to escape punishment, but perhaps it might not be as dire as he was no doubt expecting. Taking care of a young pup would be challenge enough… And would keep him closer to home.

Raisa smiled, holding the door for Cloud as he stamped the snow from his boots before entering. Perhaps this was for the best but she would not let him know that, not yet but in time. And perhaps this was the will of the Planet… Her past self always said the Planet loved Cloud but never said anything more than that and Raisa had not found the answers in memory. Imperceptibly she sighed. Shinra, the Planet, Cloud… there was so much going on that even she did not understand. But she would. And she would change the future.

At the moment, the present had all of her attention.

Song taken from: www . odins - gift . com and is 'Surpassing the Winter' by Arith Harger

Thanks for reading and feel free to give me something to read in return!

Jade