Never doesn't mean goodbye

The silence of grief

After a while of walking through the forest Akita started to make her way back to her hut, as she walked along the path the young formling couldn't help but feel like something was off. Something bad must have happened, but it was fine she was probably just feeling paranoid again. This happened every time Akita set foot outside of the village and was on her way back in she wished that her mind could work normally again, like everyone else but it was hard. She left for a week and then when she came back her entire race of people had been supposedly slaughtered.. and though most of them returned it didn't change the fact that Akita was alone for 4 years in the forests when she was just a young child and that's a pain no one could forget. Yet it seemed everyone in the village did except her, to them it seemed like four years of nothing but to her all four years were spent in grief and pain she had only half way processed it by the time they came back so part of her still felt like it was grieving. Now nearing the village more her heart began to beat faster and she was getting more weary, her thoughts starting to sound more likely by the moment.

As Akita entered the village there was barely any people, she let out a sigh of relief. "Of course I was just being paranoid again" she thought silently feeling disappointed in herself. Yet the feeling didn't completely go away, as Akita started to walk further along the streets she noticed that something was horribly wrong the closer she got to her hut the more everyone was in a flurry of panic she looked around for a moment not knowing what to do, her heart racing faster than ever and she was terrified. "what's going on!?" She shouted at people running by, but to no avail. Everyone was running past her in fear, driving back unwanted memories of the ice emperors reign. Without having any time to think Akita picked up her pace and ran towards her hut making silent prayers that everything was okay she took shaky breaths trying to keep her composure, "if this is anything like what happened with the ice emperor I won't be useless again" she thought strongly in her mind, it felt like seconds by the time Akita was at her hut. She took a few deep breaths and grabbed the door handle trying not to waste anytime but suddenly someone pulled her back "Step away from the door young lady" a formling man held her back by her shoulders, "what!? No! Let me go!" She yelled at him, the man pretended not to hear these words "Are you related to Mr. Kataru in any way?" He spoke with a hint of pity in his voice,  "Yes I am! I'm his sister." Akita called out still trying to get to the door, she reached her hand out trying to grab the handle once again but he grabbed her wrist pulling her back "Miss please calm down. I need to talk to you" Akita glared at him, clenching her jaw "Where is Kataru" Akita demanded trying to rid all emotion from her voice, the man sighed still holding onto Akitas wrist just in case she was tempted to run to the door once again. He began walking along the streets "Where are you taking me!?" The formling girl asked "and let go of my wrist!" The man sighed, he was getting annoyed at her but because of the circumstances he understood and just allowed her to be annoying and angry.

They were starting to get closer to their destination and it was becoming increasingly clearer to Akita as to where they were headed, her breathing started to get quicker paced "Where is Kataru.." she still pushed on even though she thought she knew the answer but the man didn't answer he just looked sort of... sad, standing there it was almost as if he felt bad for her but why? Akita wanted to cry but she didn't want to look weak, she was just so frustrated and scared so she just walked along taking shaky breaths not fighting against him anymore.

Finally the two arrived, they were at the village medical room. As Akita entered the room she looked all around her to see if she could find Kataru "Where is he!?" The man didn't answer again though Akita didn't expect him too, instead he just pulled Akita through some curtains by her wrist into a room. Her eyes widened in shock as she entered and saw Kataru lying on the bed in-front of her, his chest covered in bloody bandages. Akita couldn't from any words, she opened her mouth to speak but it seemed at though her voice was stuck in her throat. A nurse was standing infront of him and she placed her hand on her shoulder, Akita would usually flinch at the touch but she couldn't move. The nurse then opened her mouth to speak "I'm sorry.. we did all that we could." Akita stayed silent for what felt like forever before regaining the strength to speak again "Is he.." her voice wavered as her eyes filled with tears and she looked at the ground, Akita didn't even have to finish her sentence for the nurse to understand "Im sorry for your loss." The nurse also sounded like she was at the verge of tears, she felt just awful for her. A 14 year old girl losing her brother but the reality was even worse than she thought, everyone in the room expected Akita to cry out immediately, but she didn't. She just stood there in silence not knowing what to do, she didn't even want to question what happened or speak at all but she knew she'd have to sooner or later the man probably wouldn't let her go otherwise.