Way of the Wolf

Chapter 14 Return home, to a new life

I scramble from my position in the forest pile of leaves, and crawl over to the limp and frail form of Wanderer on the ground. She looks up at me and whispers, "I bet you really hate me now." I start to smile at her, and I sling her up into my arms and carry her out of the forest. I go slowly, trying not to hurt her anymore than her wounds have already. Her cape is still in amazing shape, and it flutters around me like a black butterfly as we walk to where the carriage was. Hansuke, Shigure and the others are running around yelling, worried looks on their faces yelling "their both gone!" and "they can't be too far away!" Hansuke see's me, as do everyone else, and they look angry. But they see me carrying Wanderer, and looks of horrification and terror come on their faces as they race towards a limping, bloody me and a sickly, pale Wanderer. Then my legs give way, I just can't walk any further. My body aches from the horrifications of Wanderer's travels, and my stab wounds are bleeding through their bandages. I slump forward, and Wanderer falls with me, we both lay on the dusty floor, as the others crowded around us, producing bandages from thin air and water bottles. But they are laughing, tears of joy spilling down their faces. I turn my head slowly to look at Wanderer, and she smiles a tired, weary but kind smile.
"We're going home." She whispers.

4 years have passed since that day. Actually no, since the day I first met Wanderer it's been 4 years. I shake my head from my daze, and judging by the position of the sun, I have been sitting under this tree thinking about my past life for exactly 4 hours. I stand up and stretch, and watch the rest of the village bustle around the mountain. As I walk past shops, everyone gives me huge smiles, and shower me with blessings as I walk past. I am surprised by how popular I seem.
"Hey Ashaito!" I turn and grin to see Fuchina jogging up to me, huge smile plastered on his face. Slinging his arm around my shoulder, and mine over his, we walk through the village together,chatting and laughing over the hustle and bustle of the village. We get to his house, where he waves me goodbye, and I continue on, casually strolling through my home, a favourite past time. I stop in front of the clothes building. People walk in and out, holding items of clothing and jewellery that they have fancied from the shop. Wanderer opened up this place only a few months before it became the centre of fashion.
'Is she spending time alone?' I wonder to myself, thinking if perhaps she too was thinking of life 4 years back. One of the wolf kids seeks me out, and races up, a big smile on her little face.
"Wanderer went down to the old village!" She exclaimed, her little brown eyes seeking my every move. I smile at her, my days of shutting my emotions into my mind now saved for battle.
"Thanks kiddo." And I walk to the edge of the cliff. Then I jump down, and begin to run fast, down slippery surfaces and loose rocks. I love this feeling of a ride downhill, fast and fun. At the near end of the mountain, where the flat surface begins, I take a big leap. I soar high and far into the air, and land perfectly. I have been practicing. I walk through the old, abandoned village. The humans left, after finding out that Wanderer was staying at the mountain. As I walk through the ghost town, I half expect to see the mourning souls of Wanderer's parents and siblings, peering out from old wreakages and houses. I am certain I see a moving shape, and I spin around sword drawn, but it's only my tall, dark grey haired silhouette, peering back at me from a single dusty window.
As I leave the village, I see the graves. I lean before the first two, to peer at the names of Wanderer's parents. Then on to the next two,for Kirahana and Eito. Then the last one, for Hagishi. I feel a gentle breeze on the back of my neck, and think of the tornado that brought me to my new home. Hagishi had done so much for me. I remove a beaded necklace from my neck from the others that I had, this particular one with a claw from Hagishi threaded through it. I place it around the grave.
"To you," I whisper, "old friend." Then I see her. She is lying on the grass, a good 50 metres away. Wanderer's dark brown hair is fanned out and her cape is wrapped around her. Her hazel eyes are closed. I run, quickly and quietly to her. She doesn't stir, and I sit next to her. I run my hand down her cheek, and she wakes up, looking at me. She grins and sits up, eyes wide and alert.
"That would've been the fastest I've seen you wake up." I muse, looking at her in amusement. She snorts and flops down on her belly, looking up at me through the long green grass.
"Gee thanks. I have been trying to wake up properly." She turns in her back to looks at the fluffy white clouds rolling up above. I smile down at her, feelings of immense longing in my heart. She sits up again and turns to look at me, and it's like everything is in slow motion. Her hair whips behind her in the wind, her cape fluttering like black wings behind her. Her hazel eyes are alit with loving, caring light. And before I can stop myself, my arms are around her waist, her fingers are fondling my wolf ears,and we collapse on the grass together.
"Will you, marry me? Wanderer?" I ask softly, heart in my mouth, my lips against hers. She pulls back to look at me, then her smile shows off her pretty, white teeth, and pull back in, together. As one, forever.