The Untold Story of Texas and Lappland (Arknights)

Days of Remembrance 2

That night had unknowingly set them on the path of being equals in a shared tragedy. Lappland would not forget it, nor would Texas. She escaped out the window as planned when someone burst into the room, hiding her presence as much as possible. The weather held an abundance of cold that night, her breaths harried as she scrambled to her perch on the mansion's rooftop. A full moon was out tonight, her bare arms dotted all over with goosebumps. She rubbed her arms to build up friction. Her attention was only partially on the chilling freeze however, ears swiveling alertly to pick up the noises coming from inside the home below. There had been several grunts and groans from older men, small cries too, but she went rigid when a scream rang out. It's owner was unmistakable.

"No! No! NO! MAMA! DADDY!"

Texas.

Her tail lashed angrily. What had happened to make her friend make that dreadful scream. Her answer was a small, pleading cry she had to strain to hear. Oripathy. They have acute Oripathy. Infection was the biggest known killer of the people of Terra. Most of the pack lands did a good job avoiding it, casting out many of the wolves in the community who were deemed "contagious" or "deranged" because of having the disease. The few moments of mercy came in the coldness of winter, where the old and young would be sheltered, leaving the sick-bodied adults to fend for themselves in the recesses of the woods where no others dared to trod. But even with these precautions in place tragedy still struck at times.

But for both alphas of a pack to be affected . . . this was unheard of.

Because above all else alphas were under the most protection.

It was boggling, absolutely boggling that this had happened by mere chance. It didn't feel right to her. How? How did they get it? Why wasn't it noticed until now?

All those musings were shattered however when doors were slamming and those sobbing cries came out into the open air. "No! Let me go! LET ME GO!"

The screeches got her moving to the front of the house, bare feet nearly slipping on the roof slats. She held back her winces at the little stabs of pain. The little whispers of reassurance did little to quiet her friend down as she bucked and struggled in whoever's arms that was holding her. That long hood kept Lappland from getting an identity from the figure. And because her presence was unknown to all but a mere few, she was forced to watch as the group of people started to drag Texas over to a black vehicle. She was placed inside without ceremony before the door was being shut and the car was peeling off into the night.

They must be taking her there right?

In times of crisis, Texas was shuffled over to one other place. She had been there a few times herself, in secret, and it looked like she would be making another visit soon.

But not yet.

Not.

Yet.

*******

Sneaking back into the mansion proved to be easier said than done. Each time she got to the edge of the roof slats someone new would be exiting out, their masked face often looking up at the slightest of sounds. The creaks and groans of the end slats made her hold her breath, white ears swiveling to detect new noise. With the birds absent for this colder season, the only noises were footsteps, the sounds of machinery whirring, crunching leaves and the rush of wind. The moon kept its shining overhead. A part of her would have preferred the visibility be low. Sight was an advantage and a problem as Lappland's small form cast a thin shadow. It crawled down the building onto the rough concrete below.

It's now or never. I have to do this.

For Texas, she would do anything.

So, heart still pounding, Lappland found a drainpipe near the mater bedroom and began to descend. Her stomach was in knots, shaking with nerves. She was a Siracusan, fear was not supposed to be in her dictionary. But all of this felt horribly wrong. Illness hung heavy in the air, its acrid tang screaming infection for all to hear.