Ch.8 Wolf and Storm

Hel dropped back onto the grass shocked by the size of teleportation that just appeared to suck up Sell. Growling made him realize he wasn't yet done with their company. Looking around he counted twenty-five glowing red eyes that burned through him with malice. One of the werewolves stepped forward, drool coming from his snarling maw. "How could you let her go?"

"Not something I could've stopped if I wanted too," Hel replied calmly. The werewolves barked and snapped at him for the reply. It wasn't good enough for them. Nothing ever was.

Hel was an outcast to the werewolf brethren, a half breed that werewolves didn't tolerate at all. He learned this a long time ago when he was still just a pup after he had come into the care of Sell's father. None of his werewolf kin would accept him back when he didn't want to be with the Master any more. Over and over again the werewolves would attack him, force them off their territory, cause him much grief and pain, and accuse him of not being loyal to his blood. In the end he would return to the mansion doorstep, bloodied and bitten with tears running down his face.

Rien accepted him back with a smile that told Hel that he had known all along of what would happen. Hel found out that the only place he belonged was beside Rien. He couldn't return to the wild anymore. All that time he thought Rien had done something so wrong that Notch wouldn't even forgive him. It wasn't until later, after sneaking into the lab where Rien did his testing on monsters, that he found out what he was really used for and why.

Hel closed his eyes at the memory. The wolves pinned their ears back snapping at him.

"Are you listening to us, half-breed? We put up with you living in that mansion for quite some time! We deserve payment!"

Hel looked at the alpha of the pack. The alpha was in on the plan. Why was his kind like this? Why were they so hateful towards Minecraftians? "Payment? What good is payment when you don't use money? You live off the land like beggars!"

The werewolves arched their backs with fur bristling. "How dare you insult us? If anyone's the beggar in this it's you! Backstabber!"

Hel's eyes grew to be a darker shade of red towards these words. "What will it get you in life if you bring back an heir to them? Nothing! You just get used! I don't care if I'm being used in this deal but at least I know what I'm doing in life!"

The alpha snapped rising up on his hind legs to tower over Hel. Drool dripping from his muzzle, the great werewolf heaved in his chest from anger. "Half-breed! We know what is expected of us in life and where our loyalties lie! That is to whoever has the greater hand in life! We always end up as the winners!"

Hel smirked tossing a lock of hair from his face. "You're not even playing the game. Pawns."

All the werewolves leapt for him at once. A huge mass of black and brown fur coming together all around Hel. There was a tugging sensation at his feet then a jerk. The ground fell away sucking him into the spiraling dark that was eaten up by the vast blue. He allowed his air to be taken from him and fall into unconsciousness.

Where he would end up he didn't know. But he did know that it would be near Sell. That was how the collar system worked. His body fell back lifeless as he floated through the vast blue. He had experienced teleportation only once before when he was small and following around a young girl with purple short hair.

"Why must you be so slow, Hel?"

"I'm not slow! You just run too fast!"

"How am I too fast for you? You just don't know how to run!"

"That's such a lie! I'm coming for you…!"

Who was he chasing? Why couldn't he remember the girl? Had she been a werewolf like him? That got along so well. His mind went fuzzy and focused on a huge mighty oak, the little girl with purple hair looking off into the sunset.

It was there that he had gotten his first kiss. Where was she now? He stood within the dream watching his smaller version kiss the little girl. He remembered she had a very caring heart. Deer would even come up to her and eat from her hand.

Whereas the deer would run from him. He watched as his smaller version grew up and become the guard for Rien's secrets. It was before he became the guard, before he grew up and met Rien that he met the girl. She had been the same age as him or was he older? Surely by a few months?

He would see his smaller version call her name but when he said it the name would be mute. He sighed leaning against a tree. He had visited every memory, every dream that took place from them seeking answers but with no luck. He remembered seeing Sell for the first time. Why couldn't he remember the girl?

He gripped the tree in the dream leaving claw marks in the wood. Turning away he walked off through the woods; his memories playing out between the trees as if several movies were going at once. Rien stood over him staring down at him in one memory.

"Do you remember? Can you remember? Hel? Can you?"

Hel stared at Rien's middle aged face. What had he meant by that back then?

"Will you remember?"

What had been my response to that?

"You must remember!"

Hel gasped sitting up panting. He blinked and realized he wasn't being teleported any longer. He was in a forest somewhere. Where was Sell? Sniffing around him he caught a faint smell of her walking away through the woods.

Standing up he strode off ducking the limbs and making his way through the trail she had chosen. "What a way to walk. This is more of a hassle than a trail."

"Hel?"

He perked up at Sell's call. He quickened his pace.

"Hell? Hel where are you?"

"I'm coming!" he yelled out. "Sell! Hang on!"

"Hel?"

"Sell, stay where you are!" he ordered out as he heard her voice getting farther away. But how could that be? He was following her scent. "Sell, I'm coming!"

"Hel? Hel?"

He growled going into a run. "I said I was coming!

Running through the woods he figured there would be an opening somewhere up ahead. As he ran on and on he noticed the woods were getting thicker. He slid to a stop. What was with these woods? Her calls were very faint now.

Had she come this way from her teleportation? He spun around and sprinted back the way he came. 'I'm such an idiot! How could I just run off like that and not notice?'

He came to his teleportation spot and listened. Her yells were getting farther. "Sell?"

Silence now.

He sniffed for the scent like before and noticed it went another way. He had been following her scent to her teleportation spot. He struck out to the North. The trees flying by and getting thinner. She had found a way out. "Sell!"

Fear was in her scent. There was suddenly a musk smell with dried blood. Something was chasing her! He quickened his run.

"You don't know how to run!"

He suddenly saw a figment of his imagination running ahead of him. The little girl with short purple hair. Wavering in and out getting farther and farther head. Laughing at him. He growled at her.

"I can run! I'm coming to get you!"

His left arm reached out for her shoulder. She was getting closer to her. "I've got you now!"

The girl spun around looking fearful. Her hair grown out and waving behind her as she ran. "Hel?"

He saw what was reflecting in her eyes. He turned back in time to see a bear lunging for them. He lunged in a step scooping her up and leapt up flipping backwards. She looked down to see them flip over the length of the bear as it charged on ahead.

I couldn't believe he would rescue me again in such a short time. I couldn't think of anyone else to call but him. He must think I'm such a trouble bringer and be annoyed with me. I watched him as he landed on an upper branch of a tree and sprang off back through the woods so that the bear couldn't chase us any longer. Why hadn't I thought of that?

He finally stopped and checked around us before jumping down into a meadow. He let me down onto my feet and straightened back up. I saw his red eyes had changed back to brilliant blue. He was calm once again. He hunched slightly and frowned.

"What's the matter?" I asked looking up at him.

"Rain."

Sure enough the sky fell down upon us. Thunder and lightning boomed and cracked the sky in two. He took my wrist and led me to a huge oak tree that had many limbs sprouting in many different directions. I stared up at the tree taken back by its beauty, looking up at its core through its branches.

"Wow. This is a beautiful tree."

Hel looked up at it and nodded. "Let me guess. It'll be our home?"

I smiled. "Yup!"

He lifted me up and sprang onto a nearby branch and placed me there to sit. The rain never touched us as we sat inside its sheltering leaves listening to the rain fall. It was a peaceful moment. Long enough for me to see a gentle side to Hel as he slipped off into a small nap. He enjoyed listening to the rain fall as much as I did.

"Why do you seek trouble wherever you go?" he muttered in his sleep. "It's not that I don't mind. I don't. I just wish it was a more safe place for you to live."

I listened to him leaning against the oak. I smiled staring up at him. 'You really do have a soft side for others than you portray.'