Fang and Gift: Chronicles of the Snowpaw Siblings

Chapter 2: A Journey to Healing

Ena Snowpaw held a wrinkled piece of paper, noticing how its bright colors had faded, much like the joy in his life since their parents were no longer with them. The flyer, announcing the "Annual Spring Festival," seemed to tease him with memories of better times when their family was whole. Inside, Ena felt a growing emptiness, a deep hole that seemed to get bigger every day.

Getting through each day was tough, like he was fighting against dark shadows that wouldn't let go of his heart. Ena's eyes, which used to sparkle, now seemed dim, and he didn't feel much like playing or laughing anymore. Everything around him seemed gray and dull, covered in the never-ending cold of their icy world.

"Hey, Ena?" A caring voice broke through the haze in Ena's mind. Kiba stood at the door, looking really worried as he saw Ena looking sad and quiet. Kiba let out a deep breath, feeling the big responsibility of taking care of both of them. "You've been sitting here all day, buddy. You didn't even eat your dinner."

Ena looked up, surprised to see it had gotten dark. "I-I'm not hungry," he said quietly, not wanting to meet Kiba's eyes. But the real reason was that nothing tasted good anymore; everything seemed bland and unappealing.

Kiba spoke softly but firmly, trying to help Ena feel better. "Ena, we need to talk." He sat down close to his brother, and the old couch made a noise under them, as if it could feel how sad they both were. "I know you're really sad, and I get it. But this isn't good for you. You're not hanging out with your friends, your school work isn't going well, and it's been so long since I've heard you laugh."

Ena flinched, feeling like Kiba was seeing right through him. Talking about how much they missed their parents hurt a lot. "I don't know what you want me to do!" Ena said, his voice shaky, and his eyes starting to tear up. "I can't act like everything's okay when it really isn't!"

Kiba gently put his paw on Ena's shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Hey, I don't want you to pretend," he spoke softly. "But we can't let sadness take over our lives. We need to keep moving forward, for them and for us."

Ena looked down, trying so hard not to cry. "I miss them so much, Kiba... It feels like I'm being swallowed up by all this sadness, and I don't know how to get out."

"Ena, look at me," Kiba said, lifting his brother's chin gently so they could see eye to eye. "You're not alone in this. I'm here for you, always. I'll do everything I can to help you feel better. But I need you to open up to me, okay?"

A tear rolled down Ena's cheek, falling onto the old couch. He nodded, finding it hard to talk because his throat felt so tight. When Kiba hugged him, Ena felt a bit of his sadness melt away. He leaned into Kiba, finding comfort in his brother's hug, like a small light in a very dark place.

the day after, as Ena followed Kiba into a forest covered in ice, he was amazed by how beautiful it was. The trees were decorated with icicles that sparkled in the sunlight, looking like fancy lights. Each step they took made a crunching sound on the snowy ground, and the cold air made Ena feel refreshed and more awake than he had felt in a long time.

Every breath Ena took filled him with the fresh smell of pine trees and the slight scent of flowers that somehow managed to grow in this frozen world. It was like two different worlds meeting—the cold, tough winter and the soft, beautiful parts of nature. For the first time in a long time, Ena felt a little spark of excitement light up inside him.

"Where are we going?" Ena asked, his voice showing he was curious and starting to feel excited too.

Kiba looked at Ena with a playful sparkle in his eyes. "To a very special place," he said, keeping it a secret for now. "It's a spot that's always helped me feel calm, and I think it might help you feel that way too."