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Novelest_Ninjagirl
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 Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:13 pm Post subject: Sheltered by the Transitioner-Updates the 1st of every month |
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Here's the prologue. I'd like you to read over it and comment. It has been very loosely edited, so I apologize for any errors.
Prologue: Now you see him
Aryana has always been strange. She just never knew it, and besides that, it always seemed minor. Once, when a cat got stuck up in a tree, all she had to do was call to it and spread her arms for it to get out. She'd been standing on the ground, and the cat jumped. Tell me, have you ever seen a cat jump out of a tree willingly? Not really? Well, none of the rest of the town had either. But they wrote it off as the cat slipping and Aryana being lucky enough to catch the cat. Or that one time the high schools lab was overrun with rats, and when they were going to kill them, she'd broken into the school, opened a window, and the rats had just left. Our Aryana Jones- her mother gave her an interesting spelling to make up for the plain last name- never once noticed that things acted. . . differently around her. The plants she nurtured never wilted- even in the winter. The animals no one could control would do what she wanted before she'd even told them to- not that she would, she always asked.
Our little miss Aryana seemed completely normal- even down to her appearance. Not blonde, not brunette, she had a head of hair that was shades away from being light brown, people kindly called it 'dirty blond'. Her eyes weren't really remarkable. Just a simple gray color. She had typical pale skin and dealt with her fair share of acne before she started washing her face ritually. she was even rather short, though she detested it. All in all, a completely normal girl. She have above-average grades, but that was only because she enjoyed reading. Her friends hung out with her because she was a soft touch to their rough edges. One thing notably strange- at least to all the other high school girls- was that she didn't really mind the fact that she'd never had a boyfriend. But that's beyond the point. Aryana Jones was 16 years old when she finally had to accept strange things were in this world, albeit not that bitterly.
It was a normal evening, with Aryana sitting on her bed, reading a book, and glancing out the window to her right every now and again. She heard the sliding, scratching sound that was the scrambling of claws, and wondered what it was. Curious, Aryana set aside her book and opened the window, leaning out and expecting to see a bird, rat, or maybe even a stranded cat. The rush of fur that leapt inside wasn't expected- certainly not considering what it was. As it pounced on Aryana, she fell back and hit her head on the wall, making a loud thunking sound. As she sat up and rubbed it, she glanced around, figuring it had been a cat that had just wanted in somewhere.
She was far from the mark. On her lap sat a shuddering wolf, with a gash along it's left arm- the kind that came from wires. Not taking the time to wonder why a wolf would bother being in her bedroom, she glanced around, looking for bandages. This poor creature was hurt! Just as she began to draw her legs free though, something happened- the sun set outside. The wolf that was still shuddering, and plainly avoiding looking directly at Aryana- was suddenly a boy. His hair was shaggy, a lot like the wolfs fur had been, and a deep black- just shades away from jet black, though it lacked the tell-tale blue sheen. He was fully clothed, though that seemed ridiculous, considering what had just happened.
A look of alarm entered the ice-blue eyes, and he leapt forward, pinning her down with a hand over her mouth. He was plainly frightened she'd scream at the sudden boy sitting on her lap, who had just been a wolf. Aryana's heartbeat pounded away, both from fear and something she couldn't identify. She stared up into the ice-blue eyes that were so close to her they almost were blending together in her eyesight. She watched as he lifted the hand that hadn't been covering her mouth, and gently lifted his finger to his lips- the universal sign of 'please be quiet'. When she nodded, his shock showed on his face, but he pulled back and sat on the other side of her bed. She sat up, tucking her legs under her, and stared at him in silence, the way he'd wanted.
As he sat there, this wolf-boy, his arm kept bleeding. She rushed to her feet, intend on going to the bathroom and grabbing the first aid kit- and felt the firm grip of fingers around her wrist. She hesitated, then glanced over her shoulder to stare at him. He had a soft, wounded look on his face. He thought she was running out of fear, she realized. She gave him a soft, reassuring smile, and he blinked a bit, unsure how to react. She turned to face him and pointed at his wound. She glanced up at him.
"I have bandages to bind this. I'm just helping you. "
He stared at her a bit, something in his sad eyes. She gently detached his fingers from her wrist, and he seemed like he didn't want her to leave at all. She wondered first why he was so scared, and second why he wouldn't- or couldn't- speak. She nodded a bit, took a step back, then rushed into the bathroom just down the hall. The carpeting and her socks kept her family- who were downstairs watching TV- from knowing she'd left her room.
When she returned, the wolf-boy was gone. But there was a dog with similar coloring to the wolf- even if it had shorter fur, it's teeth were duller, and it's paws seemed softer. He seemed to be trying to stay away from everything, by cowering in a corner. Aryana stopped, a bit confused, until the dog looked at her. She already could recognize the ice-blue color of the wolf-boys eyes on this dog. Unsure what to do, she glanced at his left 'arm'. Sure enough, blood. She shifted to crouch in front of the scared dog, and pulled out some cream that was supposed to clean the wound, and disinfect it. She glanced up at him. Deciding not to mince words, Aryana said it simply.
"This is going to sting. A lot. "
The dog stared solemnly at her, then nodded a bit. Just as she prepared to open it though, the wolf-boy-dog was a boy again. She jumped a bit, since he was now a lot bigger, and in a corner, so that put him closer to our little Aryana. She shifted back, and straightened a little bit. She gently put the cream on his large gash- and noticed he didn't even wince, merely started at her with those hurt eyes. She quickly bandaged up his wound, then stood up. She watched him a moment, until he stood up too. Then she said softly questioned,
"Are you hungry?"
The wolf-boy-dog nodded eagerly, even if his face kept the same hurt expression. Something horrible had happened to this wolf-boy-dog, Aryana was sure of it. She wished she had meat- something she knew all three of what he was commonly like eating- but all she had in her room were crackers. She pulled the box out of it's hiding place, and he tilted his head. She poured some into her hand, then offered it to him. He took it, and began to eat them. When he would finish, she would pour some more, and hold it out to him. By the time he was satisfied, he'd gone through the whole box. Aryana offered him some water, and he downed it. She sat down in front of him as he ate and drank, and when he was done, he sat down too and just. .. stared at her. Most people would be unnerved, and Aryana, well, she was no exception. She just was better at hiding it. She watched him a moment, then finally stated,
"My name is Aryana. My mom spelled it weird though. "
He tilted his head and, feeling compelled to explain how it was that was, she did so, with a chuckle.
"Typically it's got an I and two N's, but mines A-R-Y-A-N-A. "
He gave a soft smile, and Aryana felt relieved. The smile didn't make the hurt eyes go away, but it lessened their impact. She'd just started to stand when he snatched her again- though this time it wasn't in a frantic attempt to get her stay quiet. It took her a few moments to realize he was hugging her, and hugged him back. She felt him put his nose next to her neck, and stiffened up. But once he pulled away, with a friendly smile, she realized he was more animal like then she'd thought. He'd been sniffing her to get and remember her scent. She had felt uncomfortable- but at least he hadn't tried to sniff her butt. She felt a giggle bubbling up at that thought, and shoved it down. She stood up, and glanced out at the sky. When she glanced back over at him, he was a dog again. She watched him a moment, and noticed he looked embarrassed.
"Can you not control it?"
He glanced up at her and shook his head. He glanced down, then laid down. She realized he was tired. Aryana glanced at the clock. All the chaos had taken up just thirty minutes, but then again, he'd come from somewhere. She pulled the comforter off her bed, deciding she'd sleep with just two of her three blankets, and folded it up on the floor to make a square big enough for him to lay on. It wasn't a mattress, but it'd be better then the floor. When the wolf-boy-dog got on it though, hesitantly, as if he expected to be kicked off any moment, he treated it like a feather pillow. And that's when it hit her. The wound, the hurt look, the hesitation, the shock at anything kind. She stared down at him as he closed his eyes.
"Someone captured you, huh?"
He stiffened, and the look he shot her as his head jerked up was one cold and full of hatred. Aryana was so shocked, she fell backwards onto her bed. The look of shock and, yes, fear, on her face made the wolf-boy-dog's ears flatten back, until she moved to face him.
"It was just a guess. " She hesitated, then added, "I won't tell anyone you're here, alright."
Aryana stared at him as he nodded, put his head down, and fell asleep. Aryana read her book until she was tired, then she killed the lights, rolled over in her bed, and fell asleep.
When she woke up, there was no sign of the wolf-boy-dog. And no proof he'd been there, except the folded up comforter, and the strands of dog hair still on it. Aryana wouldn't know it without scientific equipment, but in those hair was the DNA of a human, a wolf, and dog. Aryana, sure that she'd want proof of the strange night later on, put the comforter in a box she had laying about her room, taped it shut, and put it in the top of her closet. She still didn't know that she was strange, our little Aryana, but she now knew other strange things existed- putting her one step closer.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Alright people. Tomorrow I'll update the first chapter. As with the prologue, I'd like you to read over it, see if you catch any errors that I missed, and comment on what you think of the general storyline and plot. Thankies!
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| Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:27 am Post subject: |
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Alrighty, here ya go. That is, if anyone's actually reading this.
Chapter One: The Lucky Quarter
The years passed without another appearance from this wolf-boy-dog, and Aryana soon pushed it from her mind. She graduated from school, college, and went on to work at a vet’s office as a secretary. Aryana got asked out on dates from time to time, but she turned them down. Aryana still remembered, at the oddest times, a pair of bright, ice-blue eyes.
Aryana lived in the city now, just on the outskirts of New York. Her life seemed perfectly normal, but it wasn’t. The animals in the vets clinic all adored her and calmed down when she touched them. The plants outside bloomed far longer then normal plants. Even the people working there seemed more upbeat after she started working there. Soon her 23rd birthday came up, and passed by.
~¨~
Aryana Jones was walking down the street, her bag over her shoulder, when it happened. ‘It’ didn’t seem like much, but it was. A quarter dropped at her feet, and Aryana stopped and bent down to pick it up. From the other direction- an arrow flew over her head.
Aryana felt the breeze on the back of her head, moving her hair. She straightened, still holding the quarter between her thumb and forefinger, and stared blankly at the arrow embedded in the soft wood of the shutter of a home. Staring at it, Aryana slipped the quarter into her purse, forgetting that someone had thrown it to her feet at just the right moment. Aryana slowly turned her head to where the arrow would have had had to come from. No one. Nervous and alarmingly edgy, Aryana rushed away, intent on heading to work.
Aryana opened the door, prepared to call out a cheery greeting- and noticed how subdued everyone seemed. Stepping into the waiting room, Aryana tilted her head. Something clicked- this morning, Dr. Ericson was supposed to have done a surgery on Anna, a little calico kitten . . . Aryana tossed her purse on her desk before she rushed into the back room- and saw Dr. Ericson’s face.
“Oh. . . Oh no.”
“Yes. She didn’t make it. “
“Poor little Anna, and poor Emily.”
Aryana went through the procedures of the day, taking paperwork, arranging appointments, filing, sorting, typing. She was used to death, she had to be, but it still saddened her.
~¨~
Aryana was running the quarter from the morning between her fingers as she walked home. Deciding to walk the back way, because of what happened earlier, Aryana was totally alone. Her face was drawn into a sad expression and she seemed to be thinking. And she was. She was wondering why people, and animals, had to die so tragically young. Wondering why, simply why, Aryana didn’t see the man creeping up on her.
Aryana’s lungs expelled her breath when she was slammed against the wall. Tilting her head up, Aryana was granted with a vision of a dark silhouette from above.
“Ehehe. Straying from the path, little kitten? Tsk, tsk, tsk, a Ma’Leav should know better.”
“W-what?” Aryana struggled for breath as this mysterious He pushed her against the wall.
“Ma’Leav, you know what you are.”
The mans voice had gone from teasing to angry. Out of the corner of her eye, Aryana saw a gleam of metal. Oh god. . . A knife. Aryana squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for sharp pain, bright red blood, and death. Growling, a rush of fur jumped at the man still pinning Aryana to the wall.
The mans hands, clenched on Aryana’s shoulder, dragged her along with him as the rush of fur forced him to the side. His hands let go, but Aryana kept going, spinning until she hit the ground, rolling until she hit a wall. Aryana kept her eyes shut a moment more, before she slowly opened them. Aryana had thought herself braced for blood, but the sight of the mans blood leaking on the ground proved her wrong.
The man lay still on the ground, still breathing but out cold. Over him stood a man, not an animal, but Aryana could have sworn she saw fur. The man was wearing dark clothes, designed to blend into the night. A stark white with spots of red glared bright against his clothing though , wrapped around his neck. The man had dark black hair that went to his chin in shaggy disarray, blocking his face from view.
Aryana staggered to her feet, unsure if she was safer or in more trouble than before. She stared at the slightly hunched figure of her savior, and gently eased herself into an erect position, staring at him. Then he turned to look at her. Aryana’s breath, so recently regained, gasped out of her lungs again. She knew those ice-blue eyes. She would never forget them.
“My god. . .” She whispered.
“You A’ight?”
The wolf-boy-dog from Aryana’s memories had the kind of accent where they simply left out sounds, as if they weren’t used to speaking. Recalling how he hadn’t spoken once that one night, Aryana wasn’t really all that surprised. Abruptly remembering she hadn’t answered his question, she nodded. Then, unsure if he could see her, she spoke.
“Y-yeah. I‘m fine. Thank you.”
“It’s no’ safe ‘ere. C’mon. “
The wolf-boy-dog rushed forward, grabbing Aryana’s wrist, and began dragging her along to, Aryana assumed, a safe place.
~¨~
Canis glanced back once or twice at the pale girl. He thought of the knife, of the blood he nearly saw. Glancing back in front of him, he swerved between buildings and through alleyways. There was a place were she would be safe, would be accepted. He was. Unable to resist, Canis glanced back at her again. His little savior. Canis knew that he probably would have survived the cut, even without her help- but he would have had a limp in wolf and dog form. That might’ve killed him in of itself, let alone any fights he’d get into. Plus, she had offered him enough kindness to make it through. Little Aryana, spelled weird.
He remembered the pure, unbridled fear he’d felt. He’d just escaped from there. He thought he’d be hunted down and found at any moment. Finally, he was driven to find shelter. Left with no alternatives, he’d run up the roof of a house. Canis remembered the moment he’d fallen on Aryana’s lap.
Canis stopped by the door, knocking. He watched the old fashioned panel slide open.
“Password?”
“’Ocolate. “
“What?”
“Ocolate!” Canis sometimes wished he could speak normal, so it would be easier for the guard to understand him.
“Oh. Who’s with you?”
“Ma’Leav. “
The door was pulled open hurriedly, the guard nearly tripping over himself. He was a fat man, sitting on a stool to reach the panel. But he had an inert ability to tell when someone was lying.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m.”
“Positive?”
“Yes!” Canis pronounced it slowly so that the guard would know exactly what he meant.
Canis glanced around, searching for Adrian. Finally, he spotted him and rushed over, still dragging Aryana along behind him.
~¨~
Adrian was the leader of this safe house for misfits. He’d never really told anyone what he was, but no one could beat him in a fight, and everyone respected him. Adrian had well groomed red hair, just long enough to hang into his eyes. Glimmering with an inner humor, his eyes were a bright grass colored green. Adrian’s gaze went over to Canis, whom he’d found as a dog in a ditch, gently licking his bandages, about 6 years ago. He noticed that Canis looked somewhat frenzied, and was. . . Was tugging someone behind him.
Getting to his feet, Adrian walked over, and went to the side so he could see who it was that Canis had brought. He stopped in his tracks at the first sight of her. It wasn’t how she looked, with that wide-eyed innocence. It wasn’t how she seemed with the slight, tiny steps. It wasn’t even how she appeared to be moving towards Canis. It was. . . Adrian knew it immediately.
“Ma’Leav.”
“M’hm.”
Adrian stared, amazed, at a being that shouldn’t exist. The Ma’Leavs had all died out. . . Hadn’t they? Adrian glanced up at Canis, who was staring intently at him. Having long since adapted to seeing sadness in eyes, Adrian saw no difference in Canis’s- except that there was some sort of urgency. . . Adrian jerked his chin in the direction of his private office.
~¨~
Aryana watched as the strange red-head Canis had dragged her towards led them to an office. The office was decorated in tans and browns, and it’s only furniture was a bookshelf and a desk. The red-head sat down at the desk, sighed, and pressed his fingertips over his closed eyes.
“What else do you have to say, Canis?”
“Adren, she ‘as ‘ttacked. Big man. Called ‘er a Ma’leav. She is!”
“Crap.”
“Twice. I was attacked twice.”
Aryana watched both of them go very still and turn to look at her. She flushed a bit, feeling absurdly guilty.
“This morning I nearly got shot with an arrow.”
“An’ ya just di’mi’ed it?”
“. . . what?”
“He means dismissed. I’m Adrian.”
“Aryana. Only my mom spelled it wei-”
“Alright. Canis, did she ask to be brought here?”
“She didn’ know ‘bout it. Doesn’ know wha’ she is.”
“. . . she doesn’t?”
“Na. Doesn’ even know wha’ it is.”
Aryana watched Adrian sigh and shove his hair back from his face. She thought she heard a stream of curses. He pushed up to his feet and advanced on her.
“Look, Aryana. You’re part of a rare group of people gifted. You’re more spiritually connected and can bond your soul to anyone else’s for a temporary or permanent amount of time.”
“W-what?”
“Don’t deny that things are strange. Surely you saw the goblins and gnomes and elves and all other sorts of beings on the way in?”
“Y-yeah. And . . “
“And?”
“And I saw him transform. Before. At my house when I was 16, Turned into a human right on my lap.”
Adrian blinked.
“What?”
“He rushed into my window, jumped on my lap, then turned into a human.”
Adrian began mumbling curses again.
“Got it. Anyway, Miss Aryana, you’re part of a very rare group, and anyone who finds out what you are will hunt you down to kill or sell or capture for reasons of their own. If you don’t know what you are then plainly you aren’t trained in it. “
“I want to go home.”
“Tough luck, kid.”
“I’m going home.”
“Just try. You‘ll be dead before you reach the street.”
“Why should you care?”
~¨~
Adrian wasn’t sure how to answer this blunt girl with eyes of an innocent and gifts of a group long dead. He glanced at Canis, who seemed to be watching her. Knowing Canis as Adrian did, he linked quickly that this was the girl who Canis had spoken of- once. The kind soul who’d helped out a creature she didn’t understand. Canis glanced back at Aryana.
“Fine. Go home. Canis’ll go with you. He’s a transitioner. Should keep you safe. “
“Transitioner?”
“Kinda like a shape shifter, but he can only turn into two things. Most transitioners only turn into one as it is. You trust him, right?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my instincts tell me to.”
“And you go off that alone?”
“Don’t you?”
Adrian reared back. He did. That’s how he decided who to trust, because that’s what never seemed to fail. He smirked a bit, and nodded. He glanced at Canis, who seemed mildly alarmed at basically being ordered to watch Aryana- but he didn’t seem displeased. Adrian thought of Canis, how hesitant he’d been to trust- and how he never let anyone touch the bandages he’d kept on his arm until the wound had healed, then wound around his neck. Yes, Canis would watch over this girl well.
~¨~
Canis followed Aryana home like a loyal stray- like what he truly was. Canis watched her, remembering that night. Without thinking about it, he reached up to lightly touch his neck. Or rather, the bandages he still had. Sometimes, he had brought it to his nose. Straining to catch her scent within the cloth. All he could ever smell was himself. His own scent, that he had to strain to catch, the faintly coppery smell of his blood, years old and dyed into the fabric.
He could never manage to smell her though. The one instant he’d held her close, and invaded all his senses, not blinded by the fear of discovery, had held him through the lonely times. A trace of a fruit he hadn’t known but could now identify as coconut had hovered in her hair. Her skin had clung to this scent, along with vanilla and fresh cream.
Canis hadn’t been able to tell what any of the scents were when he first smelled them- so they had merely been classified as. . . Her. His hands twitched with the need to hug her, see if she still smelled the same. His nose twitched as well, calling himself every ounce a fool. He could smell her, that’s how he had found her again. Canis thought of the reassuring smiles she’d given him over and over in the space of a single night. He’d bitten off the temptation to go back to where she had been so many times- but she, where she had been, was to close, far to close. Close enough to there that he could make it to her when wounded.
“A-are you sure you’re a’ight?” Pronouncing slowly, Canis dragged himself back to this time- to protecting Her.
“I’m fine. Look, here we are.”
~¨~
Aryana glanced over her shoulder at Canis and smiled as they got to her apartment building. She keyed herself in, and started up the steps. Aryana was wearing uncomfortable heels, and slipped them off as she went. Holding them with a finger hooked in each shoe, she used her open hand to pull her key out of the pocket of her simple black slacks and stuck it into the lock.
The door slid open, and Aryana blinked. She always locked it- she lived in New York for chrissakes. Then it hit her. She lived in New York. Closing her eyes, Aryana pushed the door open all the way and braced herself for a robbery. The apartment was almost completely untouched- except a butchers knife sticking out of her wooden coffee table.
Aryana felt Canis stiffen behind her and push himself in front of her. She watched, amazed, as his nose twitched a bit. He marched into the apartment, giving her the palm-out ‘stop’ sign, and then investigating her home. He came back, seeming at least somewhat relieved.
“No one’s ‘ere.”
Aryana nodded and pushed past him, shutting the door behind her. She stood just inside her apartment, staring at the space that was her living room. She had a simple garage sale wooden coffee table- now with an extra ‘accessory’- sitting in front of an old TV stand crowded with books so that the titles faced the door. In front of the coffee table was a dull light blue couch that had seen better days. A white knitted afghan rested on the back of it. Knitted by her, actually. All three pieces of furniture rested on a powder-blue carpet accented with white along the edges.
Walking further in, Aryana stood behind the couch and rested her hand on the back of it. To her left was a small hallway with three doors. A bathroom, a bedroom, and a closet. To her right was the kitchen separated from the dining room by a half wall, so she could look at the dining room from the kitchen. This made the kitchen into a small square, just missing the bottom leg. A blocky up side down u. Aryana turned and walking into the kitchen. The cupboards were a yellowish brown color, and wrapped around the ceiling on all three sides. The counters were a blue-gray marble that had a few stains from a previous tenant. There were all sorts of spiny containers on the counters for ladles and mixing spoons and the rest. In her special compartment for knives, a butchers knife was missing- the one currently sticking out of her coffee table.
The dining room had a desk pushed into a corner, and the hanging lamp had been pulled up a few notches to high to ensure she didn’t hit her head on it. There were dark brown tiles on the ground, and a small card table pushed into the corner with a metal chair in front of it- where she ate. Nothing was amiss there. The papers on her desk hadn’t even been messed with.
Her hands strangely cold, Aryana turned and walked down the small hallway to first the bathroom. She stopped and opened that door, peeking in. The bathroom had a moderate sized tub that she, a short squirt, could fit in comfortablely. A simple sink stuck out from the wall with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and face wash sitting on the counter alongside some purple soap. The cupboard, if she opened it, would be full of cleaning supplies, first aid kits, and her one small box of makeup.
Turning, Aryana moved on to her bedroom. The closet just had a few coats, she’d check that later. The doorknob to Aryana’s bedroom always squeaked when she opened it. But this time she didn’t even notice. She stepped into her room, and let out a relieved sigh. Nothing had been touched.
Her bed was pressed sideways against the wall, her one window just above her bed. Her bed was a wooden thing, again from a garage sale. She’d painted it white, though, to look nicer. Her bedspread was an ice blue, never good enough compared to the eyes that had haunted her, but as close as she could get. Her pillows were, in contrast, a navy blue so dark it nearly looked black. Her sheets, though hidden, were snow-white. The wall was painted a light blue, between the navy blue and the ice blue. Her carpets were carpet squares in ice-blue, snow white, and navy blue. She had a dresser, also painted white, that held her things. On top of the dresser were the photos. Dozens of them of her family. But there were a few framed sketches of eyes, simply eyes. Not just Canis’s eyes, the ice-blue eyes, but her own, her mothers, and her bosses. The few eyes that really captured her.
“Nothin’ touched?” Canis came up behind Aryana.
“Other then that knife, no. Nothings been moved.” Aryana shut the door and turned to face him.
~¨~
Canis was alarmed. Aryana seemed. . . Calm. Unperturbed. Unaffected. Unruffled. Shouldn’t a female who’d had her home broken into and a knife stuck into her table be alarmed? Especially if she’d been attacked twice before that very day? Not Aryana. She calmly stared up at him. Eventually, Canis realized she wasn’t letting herself freak out. He frowned a bit. Canis, being a good bit animal like, never thought through his emotions, he just felt them.
Watching her, Canis noticed she seemed to be shaking. She sighed and pressed her hand to her forehead. Canis felt both happy she was feeling her emotions and sad that they weren’t good ones. He reached up, unthinking, to run the backs of his fingers over her cheek. He watched her eyes widen, and then she smiled.
“Thanks. You’re trying to help me keep it together, huh?”
Actually, I was satisfying a random urge I don’t know how to explain. “’up.”
“. . . up?”
“Y. Yup.”
Canis watched her smile and nod, before turning back to her bedroom. Watching her, Canis noticed her yawn a bit and rub her eyes, before turning back and walking to the kitchen. Ever the loyal pup, Canis followed her. She picked up a loaf of bread, pulling out two slices, and set about making a PB&J.
“You talk now, but you didn’t before. Did you only just learn?”
“Adren ‘aught me.”
“Really? That was nice.” Lynette spread the peanut butter on the slice of bread.
“Aden ‘anted to ‘ndastand me. Too bad I have ‘rouble on most words.”
“Well, for learning how to speak so recently, you’re doing pretty well.” Lynette spread the jam on the other side.
“Thanks.”
Canis saw the confusion that sometimes crossed Aryana’s face as he spoke, and he wished he could make more sense. If he talked really, really slowly he could sound out the words just fine- but then that sounded so silly. So he spoke the way he spoke. Canis watched her smash the bread together and tear off a piece of the sandwich. When she handed it to him, Canis immediately thought first of those crackers she’d given him, all those years ago- then of the half-rotten food fed to him even earlier than that. Canis gently took the piece, and looked as she took a large bite of her dinner.
~¨~
Aryana finished off her food as she walked back to her bedroom. She sat down on her bed, thinking of a different bedroom, before glancing up at Canis. She was in danger. The knife on her table and the quarter in her pocket attested to that. The quarter that saved her. The knife that was a warning. Aryana knew, she knew, that she wouldn’t be able to stay in her home much longer. Bowing her head, she sighed softly.
“What should I do, Canis?”
“Stay safe.” It was said quickly, and perfectly- plainly something he’d said many times.
“How?”
“The ‘afe’ouse. With Adren.”
“Will others be in danger if I’m there?”
Canis grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the light. “Not ‘ith me and Adren there.”
“Alright. Will I still be able to work at my job?”
“. . . best ta quit, says yer in da’ger.”
“That’s it? I can’t work here, I’m sorry, I’m in danger?”
“Tis the truth. ’Nuff they’ll ’ndastand.”
“Alright.”
“A’ight!”
Aryana couldn’t help it. She chuckled softly at Canis, and how happy he sounded. She knew he wasn’t happy she’d been ripped away from life as she knew it. Thinking on it, she assumed he was just happy she agreed. Aryana glanced up at him, watching him as he sat down on the ground and leaned against a bit of free wall space. He closed his eyes and turned his head away- to let her change, she realized. Closing the door, Aryana slipped out of her clothes, changed into pj’s, then pulled out a suitcase and packed it with her more ‘sensible’ clothes. Jeans, sweaters, t-shirts. She grabbed an empty journal, sure she’d want it, and a few pens. She stuck her wallet in there too, for good measure. Then she laid down, emptied her mind, and prayed for sleep.
~¨~
Adrian sighed and ran his hand over his face. Not once in the ten years he’d been running this house for misfits had he regretted it. He still didn’t. But, god, a Ma’Leav? A Ma’Leav. For chrissakes. They should be all dead. And sure, it wasn’t a hereditary thing, so it wasn’t like she couldn’t show up from out of the blue but, simply put, she shouldn’t exist.
She did though. He could tell himself that she truly was an untrained Ma’Leav. Opening his office door, he glanced around the large building. Basically, everyone in the building worked together to assure safety, and rather than pay for what they use like at an apartment building, Adrian made it so he paid 20 percent of the bills, and then the remaining 80 percent was put into an even share between the people. Kids didn’t have to pay, but he’d noticed that some of the kids on their own paid him anyway.
Aryana would have to stay in Canis’s rooms. There was a bedroom, a bathroom, and that was it. She could sleep on the floor, or he could, he didn’t care. Hell, they could share the bed for all he cared. Just so long as Aryana was kept safe, and kept near Canis. Adrian trusted Canis, and trusted him even more around Aryana, because he could see what was in Canis’s eyes when he looked at her. Love, trust, gratitude. But mainly loyalty. Wolves, dogs, both were extremely loyal creatures. Adrian knew that if it came down to it, Canis would probably choose Aryana over him.
Bringing himself back to the present, he glanced around and noticed many people staring at the new arrival. She carried a suitcase with one hand like it was her tie to the world. Her other hand was clenching Canis’s. She was afraid, looked terrified. Aryana wore a white sweater, and a pair of dark black jeans. She looked the picture of innocence. She probably was. Poor child, so much befalling her. Canis had told him, over the phone, what had happened to Aryana’s apartment.
~¨~
Aryana walked over to Adrian, giving a weak smile. She noticed he gave a curt nod, than motioned with a jerk of his head to his office. She had already figured out that he often used his chin to point to where he wanted someone to go. Personally, Aryana thought it silly-looking, but people did listen to him.
Aryana walked on, like he wanted, into his office. There was another chair in there today, and after glancing at Canis, she sat down in it and rested her suitcase on her lap.
“We’re all full here, so you’ll have to stay with Canis. It’s only a bedroom and a bathroom, but you to seem fine together.”
“I’m thankful you’re allowing me in here at all.”
“This is a haven for misfits in trouble, Aryana. You’re in trouble, and a misfit. You’re welcome here.”
“Does anyone else know what I am?”
“Yes. Most of the entire building, actually. Even if it were possible to keep secrets in here, Aryana, we don’t often.”
“Yes. . . Yes, that makes sense.”
Adrian smiled softly.
“I don’t know how long you’ll be in danger for, Aryana. The people who can’t get jobs work around here though, to help earn their keep.”
“I can cook, and I’m good at cleaning.”
“What about children?”
“Huh?” Aryana was confused. Was that a crack about housewifely duties?
“We’ve got lots of little children running around with no one to watch them.”
“Oh. I can do that.”
“Good. I’ll rotate you on those three duties.”
“Thank you.”
“For putting you to work? Not at all.”
Aryana smiled softly, and nodded.
“Still, thank you.”
Adrian rubbed his chin a moment.
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask you. How did you avoid that arrow you said nearly hit you?”
“I spotted a quarter on the ground and bent to pick it up at just the right time.” She pulled it from her pocket.
“I’d keep that quarter on hand, Aryana. It’s very lucky. It saved your life, after all.”
Aryana smiled softly and slipped the quarter into the palm of her hand.
“My lucky quarter.”
_________________
My latest SG! (Image courtesy of the lovely Lebrenth)
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Novelest_Ninjagirl
Respected Citizen
Joined: 09 Dec 2007
Topics: 13
Posts: 700
Location: The inn. Probably. Come check!
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| Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 10:35 am Post subject: |
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Chapter Two: Meetings and Greetings.
Canis guided Aryana up the stairs to his room. He opened the door, and glanced at her. He hoped, dearly hoped, that she wouldn’t find fault with it. His room wasn’t really done in any sort of color scheme. If he liked it, and could have it, it went in here. Which explained the shelf of balls and Frisbee’s. Canis winced, wishing he’d had time to hide that or something. He had a large bed pushed into a corner, piled with blankets of all kinds. It looked like he’d made a little nest of them. He had two dressers, one in wood painted black and one just a clear plastic thing, that had clothes just tossed in there. If he folded it, he was sure her clothes could fit in one. He had carpets everywhere, some overlaying others. They smelled nice, that’s why he had them. This accounted for the bright tie-dye ones in outrageous colors. Other then the door that lead to the plain bathroom, that was pretty much his room.
Canis glanced at Aryana, who tilted her head and smiled up at him.
“It’s a bit chaotic, but it’s nice.”
“Thank ‘ou. When ‘ight ‘omes, you can ‘leep on the bed.”
“Oh, but-”
“Dog.”
“Right.”
Aryana laughed nervously, and Canis smiled softly.
~¨~
Aryana sighed softly as she headed down the stairs. She’d been here- the safe house was really it’s only name- for about three hours now. She’d been shown around to where everything was, the two kitchens, the day-care area, Canis’s room, and where she would find Adrian when. Now she was heading to the larger kitchen for her first time helping to cook lunch. She would be helping out two others. Canis had followed her the whole time now, and was following her to the kitchens. She wondered what the others would be like.
~¨~
Ruto chuckled softly and pressed himself closer to Sas. He felt the heat coming off of his skin. Ruto let out a breathy sigh and leaned up to put his lips a whisper away from his guys. Sas grinned a bit, and ran his fingers up Ruto’s sides. He moved his hands to rest on his hips, dipping his thumbs under his pants. With an evil giggle, Sas pushed his hands forward, resting on Ruto’s butt and squeezed. Ruto let out a bit of a squeak, then giggled in excitement and leaned up that little bit extra to place his lips on Sas’s. The heat between the two of them inched up, even hotter.
Sas was half-sitting on the counter, one leg bent, his foot resting against the cupboards. His shirt had been unbuttoned and was gaping open. His pants had suffered a similar fate. Hair dyed blue hung into his eyes, with the back cut short. His eyes were a bright blue, matching his hair. Sas grinned softly, and kissed Ruto back, delving his tongue into the other boys mouth.
Ruto was leaning against Sas, standing between his open legs. His own shirt lay on the ground a few feet away- where this had plainly started. His pants were unbuttoned and hanging low, barely clinging to his hips. He had brightly tanned skin, and a set of rock-hard abs. His hair was reddish-blond. On the top of his head, though, were a pair of twitching fox ears, with bright red coloring. He had a tail too, twitching with his excitement.
Sas reached forward just a little bit more, running his fingers over the sleek fur of Ruto’s tail. He grinned softly, into the kiss, and inched a little closer. Both of them heard the clicking of the door, but couldn’t react to it in time. With them still intertwined with each other and in odd states of undress, the door opened.
“Hi I’m Aryana and I’ll be- oh my god!”
The girl turned and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Ruto chuckled softly, and turned back to Sas, intent on kissing him again. He didn’t want to stop, of course. Sas, the sensible one, swung his leg a little.
“Adrian did warn us.”
“Huh?”
“He said if we made out in the kitchen one more time he’d start sending someone else in here to chaperone.”
“Aww.”
“C’mon then, Ruto. I guess we better get dressed and make sure that poor little girl wasn’t spooked to bad.”
Ruto pulled away from the counter, walking over to his shirt. Sas slid off the counter, rebuttoning his pants and shirt.
~¨~
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.”
Aryana was chanting it to herself softly. Her hands were pressed over her face, blocking her eyes, but she could still see it. She did not want to walk in on two guys having. . . relations. She shuddered a bit, still blocking her eyes. As if from far away she heard Canis asking her if she was alright, but she didn’t say anything. She just stood there and chanted to herself. She was officially freaking out. After a few moments, and the discovery that she needed to breath sometimes, Aryana calmed herself down. But, staring at the door, she couldn’t work up the courage to open it.
Aryana timidly peaked the door open, still blocking her eyes a moment, before tentivly peaking from behind her fingers. She noticed the two had just finished getting fully dressed, and one noticed her. His ears- he had bright fox ears- twitched and he walked over, opening the door all the way. Aryana watched him wink at her.
“Come back for another look?”
“Wha- no!” Aryana blushed vividly. “I-I’m supposed to be helping cook lunch, and. . . and that means I need to be in the kitchen. “
“Don’t worry, we don’t bite. Well, we bite each other, but we won’t bit you. Oh, don’t go getting pale again!”
Aryana forced herself to walk into the room once he’d moved out of the way, and glanced around. She spotted the blue haired guy, who turned and smiled at her before walking over. He extended one hand, and Aryana glanced at it before reaching up to shake it. The one with fox ears walked up and offered the opposite hand. She used her other hand to shake his. Both the boys grinned.
“Sorry about that. Didn’t mean for anyone to walk in on us. I’m Sas.”
“ Sas?”
“I didn’t have a name when I first got here and argued back a few to many times.”
Aryana smiled softly, then glanced at the other boy.
“I’m Ruto. I didn’t mind ya seeing us, but I woulda liked it better if you’d joined us. Oh! Look, now you’re bright red!”
Aryana heard a soft growling sound, and glanced over her shoulder at Canis. Ruto laughed softly.
“Oh, c’mon Canis. No harm done. I’m just teasing her. Unless you wouldn’t mind sharing her?”
Ruto wrapped an arm around Aryana and pulled her back against him. She, unprepared, didn’t have a stopping mechanism. She fell right onto her but with a loud ‘ka-thunk’ sound.
~¨~
Canis rushed forward- actually shoving Ruto out of the way- and crouched down by her. He quickly checked to make sure she hadn’t been hurt, then helped her up. Glaring at Ruto, he moved to sit down on a chair in the corner of the room. He was helpless in the kitchen, so he’d just sit here and watch Aryana. And watch that Ruto and Sas. His eyes narrowed. Those two were very firmly committed to each other- but they still liked flirting with and teasing girls. Especially Ruto.
He observed Aryana as she deftly chopped vegetables for the crowd that didn‘t eat meat, or liked eating healthy. She slid them all into a oversized bowl, added lettuce. He watched her set the salad aside, on the long table were prepared food went, before she rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, and settled down to work. Canis sat up, watching. He may not be able to cook- but Aryana was short. If she needed something, he could get it for her.
~¨~
Aryana put some strips of meat into the skillet, and began to cook them. She poured a little sauce in it, the sounds sizzling. She added some chicken pieces, and soon had a large amount of meat topping. To her left. Ruto was preparing a lot of rice- that’s what the meat would go on. Aryana pushed the meat around the skillet, stirring and shifting until it was all nicely made. Then she turned and, still holding the skillet, shifted the meat and sauce into the container that would hold it. She set the skillet down in the sink to scrub later, then moved the dish of meat, put a lid on it, and put it on the table.
Aryana, Ruto, and Sas prepared a small lunch for everyone in the safe house. The three of them worked well together, and, thankfully, neither of them teased her. She caught the two constantly glancing at each other though, and smiled. It was cute. They were either in love or in lust- but no matter which, they were trapped by each other. Aryana wasn’t bothered by them being the same gender- she just hadn’t wanted to see what she had walked in on.
Aryana glanced over at Canis as she washed her hands, all finished. She smile softly. He was such a good sport. He’d sat there the whole time, just watching her cook. She was thankful for him. Aryana thought of the night she’d first met him, and the box she still had stashed in the back of her closet in her old room at her parents house. Aryana turned a bit to talk to Ruto and Sas- but they looked like they were about to kiss. Aryana took a stealthy step back, then another, then she left the room, Canis silently following her.
Aryana glanced at her watch, wondering. She’d already cooked, and Adrian had told her she didn’t have to clean today. She went over to the day-care area, wondering if she could help. And her heart just melted.
The day-care area was a big square area formed by a half wall high enough none of the kids could escape wrapping in a right angle, paired up with a corner of a large room where the people commonly went. The kids were kept in there where the parents could easily walk over and see them. The ground of this area was a padded floor so that no one, little or big, would get hurt. It was in a patchwork design, with all different sorts of bright, appealing colors.
There were babies paying in one corner, lots of soft chewable toys around them. They giggled and laughed and cooed. There were two babies that were snuggled up to each other and napping with their thumbs in their mouths. There were elf babies, goblin babies, other plainly non-human babies. But there were other human looking babies that could be werewolves, or transitioners, or vampires, to simple children of people with weird gifts.
Some toddlers were running around, chasing each other, laughing and giggling. One, a neko child, was entertaining baby with it’s tail. Another toddler stood by the wall, waiting for some unsuspecting adult to venture near and then to demand for attention. This toddler spotted Aryana, and ran over, lifting his arms. With a purely pitiful look on their face, and a soft voice, the child asked,
“Up?”
Unable to say no, Aryana stepped over the wall, and gently picked the toddler into her arms, placing him on her hip. She smiled softly as he cooed and leaned forward, resting his head on her chest. The toddler, the little boy, stuck his thumb in his mouth, closed his eyes, and promptly fell asleep. Chuckling, Aryana bounced the boy on her hip a bit, turning. She glanced at the ground, trying to figure out if she could set him down without waking him up. Aryana turned when she heard footsteps clicking on the hardwood tile outside the day-care area.
“I see he’s hooked you too.” Sas grinned a the little boy and reached out to lightly trace the boys features.
“He’s certainly got that affect. Where’s your other half?”
Sas laughed.
“Adrian heard about the little incident this morning, and decided we should be apart a bit.”
“Oh, that sucks.”
Sas shrugged, and glanced back down at the sleeping child Aryana held.
~¨~
“You’re never gonna get free of him without him waking up.”
Sas glanced back up at her as she shrugged, still bouncing the little boy. She was pretty, Sas could tell that, but he wondered. . . Where had she learned that motherly nature from? She was a natural. Sas thought of Canis, and the way he’d growled this morning, and smiled. Canis certainly seemed to like this little girl. While unaware of it when he first met her, Sas had heard by now that she was a hunted Ma’Leav. Of course, that was like saying a dog was a furred dog.
Sas wondered, inexplicably, why it was Canis liked this girl so much. Her soft-spoken manner, probably. Canis flinched away from hard hands and avoided yelling. At first Sas had written it off- then he’d realized that Canis had truly been scared he would be hurt. Often, Sas found himself wondering what had happened to the transitioner before he got to the safe house. Something horrible, probably. Sas thought of the streets he’d spent 8 years on. The safe house was a haven.
Aryana seemed so soft and gentle and kind. He remembered how she’d slipped away rather then risk ruining a moment between him and Ruto. She was forgiving too. He’d stepped on her foot and she hadn’t even blinked an eye. Sas thought Aryana was one of the sweetest people he knew. So it made sense Canis would be draw to her. She was the opposite of all the things he feared.
~¨~
Canis watched Sas stare at Aryana a moment, and felt a growl building up- then Sas glanced over at Canis and he calmed down. Canis didn’t know why he was flinching every time someone looked at Aryana. Mainly any time a boy looked at her. Staring at Aryana holding the little boy, the strangest thought popped into his head. She’d make such a good mother. . . So kind and loving. Canis blinked a bit, unsure where that came from.
“Aryana. Want help?” The words were simple, but he was still proud he pronounced them right.
“Hmm? Oh, sure.”
Canis stepped over the little wall, taking care of the little ones that were all over, and gently took the little boy from Aryana. He got down on the ground, laid on his side, and laid the boy against him. Then he turned into a doggy, and curled around the toddler. The little boy rolled, still sucking his thumb, and settled against Canis.
“Aww. How cute. Thank you Canis. That was sweet, and this looks so cute!”
Canis felt his face warm, and was thankful for the fur hiding it from her view. He wondered why the simple compliment made his face heat and his heart flutter. Then he decided that, quite simply, he didn’t want to know.
~¨~
Aryana smiled softly at the child sleeping so happily against Canis. She turned to get down on her knees to softly run her hand over Canis’s head. She smiled her thanks at him, before glancing over her shoulder at Sas as he stepped over the little wall, stopped to remove his shoes, and then sat down Indian style on the ground. Her eyes widening, Aryana quickly shifted to tug off her sneakers, setting them aside.
“Sorry.”
“No problem. Not like you knew.”
“Uhm. . .”
“What?”
“Why did Ruto tease me earlier?”
Sas chuckled softly. “Because your teasable. And innocent. Not many of the people here blush, Aryana. Even fewer flinch at the sight of two people making out.”
“. . . seems like if I’d come any later, you wouldn’t have been making out any more.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’d have. . . Gotten further.”
“Oh. I guess.” Sas shrugged.
“Still, it’s just because I can blush?”
“It’s a novelty. Ruto was probably doing it because he wanted to know if you were really all sweet and innocent. Which you obviously are. Oh, Canis, stop glaring at me. I’m not sweet talking her.”
Aryana’s eyes widened a bit, and she glanced over her shoulder at Canis. He had closed his eyes and looked perfectly innocent. The baby sleeping against him helped. Glancing up a little, Aryana noticed a few more babies and toddlers crawling over and laying against him. To them, he looked like a big fluffy stuffed animal.
“So what’s the littler charmers name?” Aryana asked, referring to the first one.
“Oh. William. Little Will. He’s half werewolf. His mother, a human, showed up here pregnant and alone and pleaded for help. She’s stayed here since.”
“What happened to his father?”
“. . . He’s probably dead. But Luce- that’s his mother- prays every day for his safe return.”
“How sweet.”
“Delusional.”
“Tell me you wouldn’t do the same for Ruto if he left.”
~¨~
Sas blinked a bit, having not been expecting that. Anytime anyone made a negative or unhappy comment, or ridiculed another, she pointed out how similar the person was to those they were judging. Sas smiled softly, and glanced over at Canis. His eyes were open again and he was staring at Aryana. Aryana turned and laid on her belly, laughing and playing patty-cake with a four year old little girl who’d walked over. Giggling, she was looked like she was having the time of her life just playing with the children.
“So why don’t you have any children?”
“I’ve never had a boyfriend. Kids kinda come after that.”
“Wait-seriously? I’m gay and I think your cute. How could you not have a boyfriend?”
“Never said yes.”
“. . . why?”
“At first I wasn’t interested in dating. Later, though, I just didn’t want to go. No one seemed. . .right.”
“Well . . . I suppose that explains the blushing.”
“Well, no duh.”
~¨~
Canis’s eyes flickered down, this time for real. He wasn’t aware of being tired, but the babies sleeping around him, their even breaths. . . Lulled him into sleep. Sleep mojoing him, actually. His eyes shut and he began to softly snore. Strangely enough, he only snored in dog form. His human form and his wolf form were completely silent when he was sleeping. Not so with this form. Canis began to twitch, his ears flattening against his head. No. . . No! He fought against it, but nonetheless, his memories consumed him. Soft whimpers pushed out against his will at the memories playing against his eyes.
“Here, puppy dog!”
The sickly sweet voice sounded throughout the cold room, echoing and coming back.
In dog form, Canis shrank back against the cold concrete of the wall and the floor. Rough bars pressed into his side. His fur was sticking together with a dried substance- blood. Fresh blood lay on the floor. It wasn’t his. He would come in and paint blood along the floor every morning. Canis never knew who’s blood it was, or what kind of blood it was- but the frenzy of hunger always led him to rush over and lick it up desperately.
A cold metal collar seemed to sear against his skin, shoving his fur out of the way. He reached for Canis, through the bars. Canis whimpered and growled, attempting to bite at His hand. He got a swift smack upside the head. His skull connected with the wall, and his felt his vision swim and the colors all blurred into black. Moments later, Canis was being forcibly petted. He laid there, shivering and shuddering in fear, to broken to fight back. Still, He pet him.
“See, little puppy dog. You’re mine. No one else can see you, have you. You’ll live your entire life here with me. Better get used to it, little puppy dog.”
Unable to control it, his body slid out of his dog form. He lay on the ground, human, his clothes hanging loosely on him, ragged and ripped. The door to the large cage opened and He entered. Canis felt the pain moments before the rough boot actually connected to his side. Gasping out, Canis jerked, and rolled. He felt the already bruised and scratched and scabbed skin get worse. The new cuts ripped open, spreading blood all over the floor.
Shuddering, gasping for breath, Canis turned to stare up at Him. A shadowy silhouette, the mans evil smile stood against His face. He lifted up the tanned leather, spiked, and lashed it down. Canis felt the metal studs rip through his skin, his blood spreading across the ground again. Canis felt the colors slipping again, felt like he was sitting in a cloudbank. Still he clung to consciousness, the pain radiating out from very pore.
He left chuckling in that evil voice, as He did, and Canis slumped onto the ground, dragging in harsh breaths. He placed his hands on his wounds, running his fingers around each wound. He crawled over to a wall, and stared blankly at the words he’d etched as a child.
‘Your name is Canis. And you are strong.’
“Canis?”
Canis jerked awake, his head spinning around. His first reaction was to growl- then he saw Aryana, and the years between his dream and now rushed back at him in one instant. That’s when he noticed that he was in his room, on his bed- and it was dark. Shifting into human form, Canis cleared his raspy throat before glancing at Aryana.
She sat on the ground, kneeling on her knees actually, and stared up at him. She seemed worried, and he saw his fur resting on her hands. It was easy enough to guess that she’d pet him as he slept. He didn’t feel the invasion he normally felt at that kind of knowledge. Her face was pale, and she seemed to be staring at him intently.
“’ow long ‘as I out?”
“The rest of the day, it’s 10.”
“Oh.”
~¨~
Aryana remembered how freaked out the children had been when Canis started thrashing in his sleep. She and Sas had gently detached the children from their ‘pillow’ and she’d lifted him up. Aryana had nearly not been able to lift him, but she managed. Carrying him up with Sas’s help, she put him on the bed and waited. She’d wrung her hands together and just sat on the ground, staring at him. Eventually, as the tossing and whimpering worsened, she’d started petting his side.
Aryana was so worried about him- and remembering those words that she’d said to him so long ago. ‘Someone captured you, huh?’ Was he remembering that time? Had to be. He’d escaped physically, but if she was right on what was happening in his dreams, than he hadn’t escaped completely. Once he’d woken up, Aryana had felt relieved. She was glad he was out of that- and oh, oh so grateful that he didn’t seem too harmed.
Aryana noticed him stare out into space a moment, before he sat up and tilted his head. Unable to resist, Aryana smiled at the dog-like mannerism.
“’ou can go ‘head and take a sho’er if you ‘ant. I’ll stay in ‘ere. “
Aryana nodded a bit, and got to her feet. She considered saying something about what had just happened, but decided against it. If it was bad memories, he would not want to be reminded that he still remembered. So instead she went to her suitcase and went through her clothes, picking out a nightgown that went to her knees, undergarments, then walking into the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.
The warm spray soothed away muscles made sore by stress. She let out a sigh of relief, and quickly lathered her hair with the coconut shampoo she so adored. Aryana was glad she could finally shower. The day had seemed surprisingly long.
~¨~
Canis sat on the bed as she showered, his ears- though humanistic- twitched a bit once the spray turned on. He sighed and leaned back to lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling that was covered with stickers of dog bones and balls other things that the people had thought he would like. He thought of Aryana, and wished this hadn’t happened to her. The poor sweet girl, hunted and forced to give up her life to live in a safe house full of what was widely considered freaks or myths. He sighed softly, and rolled on his side to stare at the wall.
Canis thought about Aryana, about his fur on her hands. His skin shivered a bit when she thought of her running her hands down his sides- but he quickly realized he was thinking about himself in his human form. Having three forms meant having three slightly intertwined identities, that’s what it meant.
Canis heard the door open, and rolled onto his other side to look at Aryana as she stepped out of there, her dirty clothes draped over her arm. She set them in a little pile next to her suitcase and walked over and smiled at him.
“Your turn.”
By the time Canis got out of the shower, Aryana was out cold on the bed. She’d wrapped the blankets all around her, and had her head resting half on the pillow, half off. Her wet hair spread darkly all over the pillow and sheets. Canis walked over, setting his clothes down, before he sat down on the bed. His hands, purely through instinct, reached out to run over her hair. It felt so soft and smooth, running against his fingers with no resistance.
His nose twitching, Canis leaned down a bit and placed his nose in the depths of her hair. That scent, the coconut, rose up to him and he smiled. Her scent. He didn’t have to search for it in his bandages anymore. She was here, right here. Canis pulled back, frowning a bit. But he didn’t have the right to sniff her. It was a normal thing between animals, he knew, but with humans, specifically women, it meant something romantic.
Canis sighed and slid onto the ground. He didn’t want to sleep on the ground. He could care less about comfort- he wanted to be near Aryana. Glancing up over his shoulder, he stared at her sleeping face. Her mouth gaped open just a little bit, and her blonde eyelashes flickered against the tops of her cheeks. Even with her wide, innocent gray eyes covered, Aryana still struck one as being a kind, soft, and sweet individual, capable of no harm.
He’d just begun to fall asleep, still leaning against the bed in human form, when he felt long elegant fingers brush over his shoulder. He turned to glance up at her. Her eyes were cloudy with sleep and she seemed barely aware of anything.
“I’m cold. I know it’s . . “ she yawned a bit. “Kinda weird, but will you snuggle me?”
Canis stared at her, having not been expecting that, and slid to his feet, hesitating. It felt. . . wrong somehow. Like he was taking advantage of her being tired, just to hold her. Then he noticed she seemed to be staring at him, and he laid down carefully next to her. He allowed himself just a moment of hold her like that, before he shifted into dog form. It was. .. A more snuggly type animal. And it did, in some way, make him feel a little better about actually agreeing to this.
~¨~
The next morning, Canis woke up first. He stared at her a moment, before slipping out of the bed and shifting into human form. Staring at her, he smiled softly. She was still asleep, and he wasn’t about to wake her up. He didn’t know when she was used to going to sleep, but she had stayed up late just to watch him and make sure he was okay. Canis reached out to move some hair out of her face.
He turned to sit down on the floor, and noticed the journal she’d brought was sitting atop her suitcase. He glanced back at her, sighing. He could speak, and he could read and write- but only on about a 2nd grade level. Canis felt so. . . dumb. Aryana seemed so smart, so absolutely intelligent and he, he was a bumbling buffoon who couldn’t even talk right most of the time.
He stared at her though, as she slept, and smiled. She’d befriended him when he couldn’t even talk. He hadn’t known how, and if he had, he’d have been too scared to talk. But she’d just smiled, understood. Stayed quiet, kept him a secret.
~¨~
Aryana woke up groggily, and glanced around the room. She couldn’t see Canis, where was he? The bathroom door opened, and she watched his eyes focus on her. He smiled and walked over. Canis sat down on the floor by the bed and looked up at her, his head tilted again. She smiled back.
“Good morning.”
“’ood mornin’”
They smiled at each other a moment, before Aryana swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She glanced, bleary eyed, at her suitcase, and walked over to pick up some clothes. She shuffled through, trying to find clothes to fit her three duties. She felt Canis’s gaze on her, but it was something she’d grown used to. It actually was starting to be comforting. A way of knowing she was never alone. She never liked the thought of being alone.
“I guess I got to go and do stuff, huh? Meet more people and cook and watch kids and clean too.”
~¨~
Aryana sighed a bit, and scrubbed at the stairs. There were several sets of staircases, and this one was made of linoleum. At least, that’s what she thought it was. It was some hard plastic surface. Pushing the sponge around, she tried to remove a particularly stubborn stain. Her thoughts, though, were not on the stairway and the stain. No, she was thinking about the night before. She hadn’t been cold when she asked Canis to snuggle her, not really. She’d been scared. Terrified, even, that something was going to get her. When that had happened, her first instinct after she had woken up was to go to Canis.
Wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn’t hear the footsteps rushing down the hallway above her. They were turning around the corner, heading down the first half of the stairs, turning again to go down the rest. Unfortunately, that’s where Aryana, quiet and somewhat hidden, was. The stranger crashed their legs into Aryana, and they both got all tangled up. Beginning to roll down the stairs, Aryana braced herself for the pain.
~¨~
Canis, who’d been sitting at the bottom of the stairs watching Aryana, since it would be too cramped if he went up with her, quickly got out of the way. He would have tried to catch Aryana- if he was sure where she would end up by the bottom of the stairs. He watched as Aryana hit the floor soundly, the other person landing on top of her. Canis rushed over, intent on picking the stranger up right off of her. She’s so small, she could be in real pain!
~¨~
Groaning, Luce sat up and glanced down at Aryana. The poor girl looked out of it! Jumping to her feet- and nearly hitting Canis- Luce rushed to help her up, by grabbing her wrist with both hands and pulling.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! Are you alright?! I’m Luce. You sure you’re okay?! C’mon, get up so I know you’re okay!”
Luce spoke way to fast, half the time people couldn’t even follow what she was saying. Still, she worriedly stared down at the fragile-looking girl. Luce didn’t look like she’d break. She had skin tanned and almost a little leathery, from hours in the sun. Her hair was a plain brown color with one or two sun streaks, cut super short, close to her head.
When she heard a soft chuckling sound, Luce winced. Well, this wasn’t going to be good. Kyoko was here, and Canis was behind her. Crap. Kyoko was the black cat sitting on the railing of the stairs. She tilted her head, glancing down at Aryana, before glancing at Luce. She deliberately ignored Canis. At least, that’s was Luce was sure she was doing.
~¨~
Kyoko chuckled again, and tilted her head.
“Not to graceful, now are we, Luce?”
“I was in a rush.”
“Overslept again? And yet your son is up on time every morning and brought to play with the other children. Tell me, who does that?”
“Kyoko, do you have to bug me today?”
“Bug? Why, I do nothing of the sort.”
“Luce, move ‘o I can ‘ee that Aryana is ‘kay. “
Kyoko swiveled her head to look at Canis, who was all but shoving Luce aside to get to Aryana. She frowned, a simple reaction. Canis was dog, she was cat. They’d never really gotten along before. And now, now he was ignoring her! She glanced down again at Aryana, who looked a little dazed, but was smiling softly at her. Kyoko smiled under the attention, and bowed her head a bit.
~¨~
Canis shoved Luce aside, and bent down to gently grasp Aryana’s hands. Bracing his feet, and then bracing hers against his, he lifted her up. Once she was steady on her own feet, he released her hands and lightly touched her head. He hoped she wasn’t hurt. If a fall down the stairs hurt her, what would happen when she was attacked? More blind luck? No. Canis reassured himself that he would be there if ever Aryana needed help. Glancing down, he looked her in the eye.
“’Are you a’ight?”
“I’m fine.”
The reassuring smile she sent him didn’t calm him down one bit. He did smile and nod though, as if he believed her. He was trying to convince himself he was just being . . . A little flinchy. Nodding again, he turned to glance at Luce and Kyoko, who were staring at them. He wondered why, but decided to write it off as them being curious about Aryana.
“Koko, Luce. You doin’ ‘ell?”
Luce smiled at him. “I’m alright.”
Kyoko bristled a bit. “Kyoko. Kyyyyoko. There’s a y, and you’re leaving it out. I’m not Koko, I’m Kyoko Kozakura.”
Canis scowled, not exactly happy Kyoko was pointing out how Canis was speaking wrong. He couldn’t help it, her name was to hard to say in normal conversation for him. It was about then he realized he still had a hand resting on Aryana’s shoulder. He moved it, careful to not pull away quickly and draw notice to it. Then he glanced at Aryana, and over at Luce and Kyoko.
“Aryana, this is Luce ‘nd Koko. Luce is a human, ‘Ill’s mum. Koko is-”
“First off, he means William. Second off, I am a bakeneko- basically, a magical cat.”
Canis smiled at Aryana’s soft chuckle, and watched her step forward and extend a hand to the cat. He blinked a bit, confused as to what she was doing. It was a cat, after all. Why would she extend her hand? She wasn’t going to try to pet Kyoko, was she? Canis watched as Kyoko daintily sniffed Aryana’s hand, then placed her paw in the middle to shake. Canis didn’t know if he should laugh or not, but it seemed silly to him for a cat to do that. It was a dog trick.
~¨~
Aryana smiled softly at Kyoko, reflecting on how she seemed to be taking this well. A talking cat, and she wasn’t even flinching. Then again, she had met Canis long enough ago to have been a little conditioned to this, at least in her head. After shaking Kyoko’s paw, she turned and extended her hand to Luce, smiling softly as she took it and shook.
“It’s nice to meet you both.”
“Nice to meet cha too, Aryana. People have been saying you’re a Ma’Leav. I haven’t a clue what that is, but it sounds important.”
~¨~
After a short conversation with them- in which she learned that Luce gardened and harvested most of the vegetables that she would be using to cook, and that Kyoko hunted mice and rats, and stuff like that- Aryana went back to cleaning. She eventually got that stain out, and smiled in victory. Then, she moved onto the next one. She heard more footsteps, slower this time, but shifted out of the way nonetheless. A pair of black boots and the edges of some navy blue slacks appeared in her vision, and she glanced up.
“Oh my, my, what a delicate looking creature we have. Dear miss, you are much higher than simply scrubbing some stairs. Come now, stand up.”
_________________
My latest SG! (Image courtesy of the lovely Lebrenth)
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