Chapter Five

Continued Deception

After escaping from the museum, Blue had wandered around town for a while, before sinking into a conveniently placed bench. She reached up with a hand and kneaded her forward, information and ideas swimming through her head. She had no idea what to think of Felidae know. She knew the little cat had always been something else, but it was different to see it writing. And what was this Book of the Sun? She had only ever heard of the Book of the Moon, and that was rare enough. To find it's paradox would be highly impossible and improbable.

She had to find answers. Clearly, Felidae wasn't as uneducated as she first appeared. Blue clenched her hand into a fist, ready to leap up when she felt a presence beside her. She tilted her eyes to the other side of the bench and bite her lip to keep from shouting. Jeb was back.

"So, where's the boyfriend?" He asked casually, turning to Blue. She could smell the beer on his breath and recoiled.

"Late. But I'm used to it." She tossed back at him. "Probably got the time or place mixed up. He does that frequently." Come on, Hige! Now would be a perfect time to drop in.

"That's a shame," he replied, patting her arm. "He should be more grateful of you." He leaned in closer, and Blue shuddered visibly. "I would certainly be faithful."

Her eyes cold and dark, Blue stood up coolly and made to walk away. "Yeah, good luck with that." She was to start walking when Jeb latched a chubby hand onto her arm. She whipped around, throwing it off and startling the drunken man.

"Hey now, Honey, no need to get feisty." He said, his words slurred.

Blue narrowed her eyes, trying to keep the wolf in her back. It was a losing battle, and she would have been all too glad to let it go, but not yet. This town seemed to have too much information on Felidae's type, and she needed to find out all of it.

"Look, I appreciate your kindness to strangers, but I have things to do and people to be with." She said shortly, her hand still in a fist. "This would be a lot easier on you if you walk away now."

Jeb merely staggered to his feet and groped at Blue, who retreated several more steps. "Don't be like that now."

Blue swung her hand up in a swift movement, breaking Jeb's nose, and sending him flying backwards on the sidewalk. Already, blood gushed out. Without waiting for the retort, Blue took of running. She turned sharply whenever she saw a corner, dropping to a walk when she arrived back in the main part of town. She didn't pay attention to anything in particular, just pulled a door open and walked in.

It was a library. A bit too convenient, really.

"Excuse me, Miss, but we close in ten minutes." It was a local man, chewing noisily on gum and dressed in a collared shirt and pants.

Blue smiled sweetly, "I only need five." She walked on before he could protest.

There were a couple of high tech computers bunched in the corner, but she didn't approach them. She had no idea how to use them, and didn't care much to learn. She went to the nearest shelf, running a finger over the volumes before moving on.

The only thing she knew was that the Book of the Sun was banished, yet the museum seemed to know what was in it. Surely that meant the library would have something on it. Blue glanced over the names of titles absentmindedly, not really expecting to find anything. That is, until one title caught her eye.

She reached a hand out and removed it from it's spot, wiping the dust from the outside cover. The volume was all black, hardback, and the title was printed only on the spine. It was called "What You Don't Know About the End of the World".

Blue flipped open the thick book, but found no table of contents. She skimmed through pages, but there was no time left. The library was closing now. Blue glanced around her, checking to see if anyone was watching, before slipping the book inside her jacket.

She made it through the door before she heard the inevitable cry. "Hey! Come back here!" She took off running, again turning corners when ever one popped up in front of her, before sliding out of a back alley. She was getting pretty good at this.

&!--

Stuffing a generous hotdog into his mouth, Hige savored the tastes that filled his mouth. One bite and the thing was gone. He held two others in his left hand though, and prepared to eat another as his stomach growled pompously.

Hige himself was walking down a sidewalk, leaving behind a confused hotdog vender who had just noticed three of his links missing, and three buns gone from an unopened bag. Cars drove by, ignoring the 'innocent' bystander walking on the path.

The wolf felt bad for leaving his mate behind, but he had been hungry beyond belief and didn't want Blue to see his atrocious eating habits. The thought was a bit amusing, but certain things had grown on him after traveling with a she-wolf, instead of only males.

Hige rounded the corner, not particularly worried about finding Blue, when he saw the cat, Felidae. He frowned, the half the dog hanging from his mouth, the other still in his hand. The cat was actually in a store directly in front of Hige, which he could easily see through, and he approached it, peering into the window. He was actually down on his knees, leaning in from the side so that anyone from the inside would barely be able to see him.

Past the glass, Felidae was standing on a check-out counter, conversing with a store clerk. She looked bold and confident, and Hige decided to risk entering the store to hear what she had to say. Luckily, Felidae had her back to the door, and the clerk barely inclined Hige's presence. The wolf wandered purposefully off to a shelf, pretending to browse about the contents (cans of spam and pickles in jars), while casting his ears over to the private conversation.

"Surely you can do me this one favor? After all the times I've filched for you, I deserve one thing in return." Felidae growled, but her was a whisper, and perhaps all the more menacing.

The store clerk was shaking his head before she had finished. "I will not be one to deny all that you have brought to me, but this is… out of proportion. Isn't there anything else? Anything at all?"

"No." The reply was quick, a snarl.

"I just can't, not this time. It's illegal and not worth the punishments." The clerk's voice trembled, but he pushed on. "Please understand, Accalia."

Hige froze. What had that guy just called Felidae? He waited for the cat to snap at him that her name was Felidae, but it never came. Instead, there was hesitation.

"You know me well." Though he couldn't see them, her words sounded submissive to Hige's ears. "Now I need you to understand for me."

The store clerk hesitated as well, surprised by the new attitude she took. "Very well. I-I have it buried outside. I was fearful of being caught and forced the memory out. Your presence has brought it back. Now follow these instructions carefully. Fetch the book in the fading light; the town will have their monthly meeting at that time."

The door opened with a soft ding and then it was silent. Hige grabbed an item at random, coming up to the store clerk who was now sweating furiously. He held up the can of olives to show the clerk. "Does this come in any other brand?"

"That is the only one we serve here," the man replied coldly, waving his hand to the door. "If all you are buying is olives, then I need you to leave. It's closing time."

It was indeed quite dark outside. Hige dropped the olives on the counter, exiting without another word. Now would probably be a good time to find Blue anyway. He pushed the door open, wondering about the name Accalia when he remembered that it meant 'wolf.' But, how had he known that?

"Hige! Thank God I found you." He had barely taken a couple steps when he heard the familiar voice. He spun around, a grin on his face. He was surprised when she nearly plowed him over in an attempt to hug him.

"Anything wrong, Blue?" He asked, pulling back slightly so he could see her more clearly.

Blue cleared her throat, her grip still taunt. "Just heard a few things that weren't pleasing. It's about-" She stopped sharply, untangling herself and stepping back. Hige managed to throw her a confused look before he saw what had made her stop.

"You guys don't to quit on my behalf." It was Felidae, squeezing between them and grinning up at the wolves. "Though if you wouldn't mind, some food would be appreciated."

It was difficult for Hige to look back at the cat without glaring, and she seemed to sense this, for her own eyes became guarded. "I could catch us a rabbit a few miles out." He licked his lips, looking inquiring at Blue. "Deer even. I thought I scented some coming in."

Blue nodded distractedly. "Sounds good. Next time you can teach me." She smiled, but it looked miserable on her. Hige regarded her carefully, then shrugged once himself.

"Let's go then." He seized Blue by the hand, tugging her forward next to him. She obliged easily, and before long, Hige had his arm wrapped easily around her waist, and she around his. Felidae was padding around up ahead, pretending to be a stray and not care about anything. Neither Hige nor Blue were fooled.

&!--

It was closing in on dawn by the time a kill had been made and eaten. The two wolves had tracked a herd of deer for about five miles before finding an injured female with a broken leg. They felled her easily, as she had no antlers to defend herself with. Blue had felt the greatest joy possible as she brought down the animal. She had never hunted in the formality of a wolf before, and Hige had insisted that she get a chance to experience the thrill. She had been doubtful, but her instincts pulled her into the hunt and soon, she had become part of it.

But the wolf had not ended there in her. The wolves fell upon the meat with a ravenous blood lust; gnawing away the skin to reveal delicious meat. Bellies distended, they now relaxed in the rising sun's path, laid out on the ground.

Felidae was now eating her own share of the deer. For even she knew not to interfere with an eating wolf. She picked her way through the carcass, eating only the softest parts. By the time she had finished and the scavengers descended, her wolves were dozing lightly, their heads bent low to the ground as they pressed against each other. Envy tugged at Felidae's coat, for, even if she came out alive, there would be no chance of finding a mate. She truly was the last of her kind.

The small cat circled a few times before laying down herself, her head rested gently on her paws and tail covering her nose. She had to get back into the town that night. But the wolves wouldn't have any reason to, and if Felidae snuck off, there was a chance she wouldn't be able to catch up.

Sighing, she closed her eyes, forgetting herself for a moment as she entered the world of her mind.

&!--

It was early afternoon by the time the two hunters rose. They greeted each other in the traditional way, sniffing and licking the other's muzzle; a lot had happened yesterday, but it had seemed to span several days. Hige and Blue had been reunited for the first time in a couple days, only to break out then and fight off several soldiers. From there, they had come across a town, each discovering his own secret.

Even though they had rested for several hours, Blue still felt heavy with tiredness. She nibbled at her paws, trying to make them less sore and lighter. It was unusual, but after spending most of the night like a true wolf, she enjoyed living and thinking like one now. The idea of being human sounded strange.

For the first time, Blue honestly wondered if she ever had a chance to start a genuine pack with Hige. Just the two of them until Blue gave birth to pups…

The idea faded from her mind, though. She had no idea how to raise pups or if it was even possible to have them. It was dangerous for wolves just now and not the time for new mothers to emerge. Even so, the thought of never going anywhere saddened her.

"Blue," Hige began, swinging his head around, "where is Felidae?"

Blue, too, swung her head around from side to side in search of the cat, but couldn't find her. Blue frowned, taking the form of man. She reached in her coat and removed the lumpy shape- the book. She flipped to the page of contents as Hige continued his surveillance. She had to flip to almost the very last chapter, which was entitled, rather bluntly, "The Hidden Book of the Sun".

It was short, one page chapter, but still contained more information than she could ever hope for. The chapter began as so:

'As previously mentioned in chapter two, the Book of the Sun coexists with the Book of the Moon, but is less known of. In olden times, anyone found with the book was burned at the stake along with the item in question. Soon, no more of these accursed books existed. Or so the government believed.

Extensive studies have found out the basis of the Book, but scantly so. In the Book, a prophecy is foretold; in essence, what happens after the opening of Paradise by the wolves (see chapter five). No one knows of the process of opening Paradise works, but the book takes up where the empty pages leave of. Now there is the process of purifying Paradise so that it may never be corrupt and tainted like current society.

Further analysis has revealed that the prophecy revolves around too subjects. Only one is currently known by man- a Sand Dune Cat. Upon hearing this, many scientists believed the idea of a perfect Paradise is impossible, as the Sand Cat is extinct. While it hasn't been proven, the second subject is believed to be a wolf. The only being able to open Paradise and possibly lead outsiders to the inside.

Barely any of this information is veritable and follow-up studies are still being made. Only the future can know if a perfect Paradise truly exists.'

Blue stopped reading. Quietly, she snapped the book shut, nearly dropping it in her loose grip. She had no idea whether to believe this or not; the book itself said the information wasn't veritable. But what if it did happen to be true?

Slowly, she titled her head up, shielding her eyes from the sun. She could make out Hige's figure in front of her, still perplexed at the missing link in their group of now two. He noticed Blue watching him and held up his hands in a shrug. He trotted back to her, and she had time to hide the book and appear normal before he stopped.

"I have an idea of where she may be if it isn't here." He began, almost reluctantly. "I think she went back into town."

"Town? But, why?"

"Not sure, but I came across her scent and went right back to where we came from yesterday." He looked a bit sheepish now. "I was checking her sleeping spot and the scent seems relatively fresh. My guess is she left not even an hour ago."

Blue massaged her temples with her fingers, but nodded. "Alright, let's go then. We have no other leads, and something tells me she might need me- us." A bitter note entered her voice, and Hige looked at her curiously. "I can tell you what I found out yesterday along the way."

&!--

Felidae certainly wasn't doing poorly on her own. It had taken some persuasion, but she was riding safely on a buck in the direction of town. She had over done it a bit, for his quick steps and bounds were too choppy and off beat. Felidae growled in frustration at herself; the deer was intoxicated.

Damn it! Don't I ever get a break? Her claws dug into the tough skin beneath her and drops of blood welled up underneath her paws. Growling again, she impatiently wiped the scarlet tears on the buck's pelt and added more pressure on him to ignore the sudden pain.

Felidae was getting cocky with her powers. She was over doing it more and more frequently. It really shouldn't have come as a surprise that nothing was working out.

Earlier, the cat had woken up, dismayed by the position of the sun. Her dream had been confusing and nothing seemed to make sense now that she was awake. Barely a few minutes of her wakening, she had decided to risk leaving the wolves. She could not afford to miss this opportunity and to believe that the wolves would follow her; if the prophecy was correct and if she had guessed right, they would.

&!--

"Accalia? But that means-"

"Wolf, I know."

As they had run, following the scent of the cat, Hige and Blue had exchanged their stories; Blue leaving out a few details at the expense of Hige. Both know knew everything that was happening now, and for that, they were even more confused. In a way, everything made sense, which was exactly why it was baffling.

Blue had fallen silent upon the completion of Hige's story, but more for her benefit in thinking straightly.

"I feel like my head is going to explode, Hige." She growled, wincing at a stab of pain through her head.

Hige glanced over at her, smiling grimly. "Yeah, I would know the feeling."

Blue turned her eyes towards the missing collar, wincing even more at the bitter memory. She had honestly thought Hige was going to die of that chronic headache. But Hige was already moving on to the issue at hand.

"I still don't get why we are the ones to be a part of this. The Book of the Sun…. it doesn't ring a bell in me at all. I feel as though I should know the name, but nothing." He shook his wolfish head impatiently. "Damn."

"It's the same with me and the name Accalia. I should know what the hell it means besides 'wolf' but nothing comes to mind. I wish I could say you misheard, or Felidae was trying to cover up for herself, but I can't." Blue replied, unable to offer comfort to Hige or herself.

They ran on in silence, too distracted to notice that a deer had run the same trail as Felidae; the same swerves, steps, jumps. Finally, they stopped at the edge of the forest, a mile out from town. Felidae's scent was now gone. Blue looked with her eyes for any signs, while Hige did so with his nose. Neither had any luck.

"Maybe she doesn't want to be found. She might have known we would chase after her." Blue tried to reason.

Hige walked back over to her, taking slow, careful steps. "Either way, once we find her we have a few questions that need to be answered." His amber eyes glittered uncharacteristically coldly.

It was leaning towards evening now, and little did they know that Felidae was preparing to find the answer to everyone's questions, hers included. For she was going to unbury the Book of the Sun.