Edge of Sidewinder (2020)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Nataru had left the building after the heated conversation between Lara and Aikiro. She didn't quite grasp what was the whole ordeal about. An audible painful shriek woke her up from apathy. She glanced through the glowing window behind her to see a familiar silhouette.

Nataru sighed and walked back into the house. The wolf officer was lying on the couch, ice pack pressed on his face. She could see a small claw mark going from his left eye down to the chin.

"Be honest, dumbass," started the rabbit girl. "What did you do?"

"Yer mate should be grateful Lara didn't set the house ablaze. Ka-boom!" laughed Alsius from the kitchen. "I've never seen her so angry."

Aikiro Winter swallowed the F-bomb he wanted to drop on Lara's name. "Ow, I think she cut my face in half," he groaned and inspected the ice pack. The cloth bag changed colour to purple, soaked with his blood.

Nataru took the ice pack and pressed it back into her boyfriend's face. She wore a concerned smirk while addressing the wolf, "It will be okay, you big dork." She then raised her glance to find Alsius. "I think we'll need a bandage because Aikiro is bleeding out, captain." She added.

"On my way, lassie," Alsius wiped his claws into the apron he wore for the occasion and disappeared, probably to find the requested bandage.

The door behind Nataru, those leading back to the yard and workshop, creaked. No one knew from where she came from, Lara entered the room.

She didn't say a thing, raised the four-fingered claw of hers, and an ancient light appeared. Lara had made a complex motion with her right palm and fingers. Runic symbol formed in the air, as if she had drawn it with a brush. The injury on Aikiro's face got wrapped up in white particles, and the smell of charcoal filled the air.

Lara sighed when the light faded away. "Done. Please, don't hate me if there's a scar left." And she left through the yard doors, giving no one a single look.

Aikiro swallowed another F-bomb. The ice pack he was holding melted completely. His crotch and jacket were soaked with purplish water. Nataru started laughing, pointing at the wet mess.

"Would you look at that? She did that on purpose for sure." The bunny girl had to sit down.

Alsius, who arrived in the time of Lara's magic show, just stood there, taken aback. "I've never seen her use this kind of magic before. That girl's one big mystery. I guess you won't need this anymore." And he put the bandage pack into his pocket.

Nataru raised back onto her feet, "I am going after her. She doesn't look good."

"You are not going anywhere, Tari! What if..." Aikiro wanted to grab his girlfriend's arm, but she was too quick for him. The sliding doors closed behind the bunny, and her shadow dispersed in the stained glass panes.

Aikiro's claws grabbed the air and shook with an invisible someone. The wolf guy groaned in frustration.

Alsius chuckled at his friend's behaviour. A clawed hand landed on Aikiro's shoulder. "Yer girl's like the wind. A free spirit. She'll be fine."

*/*

Nataru ran down the stairs to the behind-the-house yard. Lara sat there with her legs crossed, back turned at the house. Swirling tongues of fire circled around her. The hair of hers seemed to ignore gravity. The magic flow made the white strings behave like a ball of snakes.

The light from the magic flames had died out, and Nataru realized how late in the evening was. Lara, however, didn't mind the darkness at all.

"If you want to know what had happened, ask your boyfriend," cleared Lara her throat. "I've made sure he'd have enough life in him to do so."