Painted Flowers

Chapter 21 - To the Sea

"Master, everything is going to plan. Soon you'll have another body to add to your collection."

"You fool... Do you think me blind?"

"...Master-"

"You think it's that easy? You promised me her mind weeks ago, but she still fights you on everything! You're no closer to controlling her than when we first had her banished!"

"She will break! It's only a matter of time. She has lost two packs now, she has nothing left to-"

"Do not lie to me, you idiot! I see more than you realize. The Ash pack is out of her reach, but there are those who still follow her! Those she can still depend on!"

"As if a mute and a weak little cub are such good replacements for family. They don't matter, my artist. Layali is so close to letting me in! I swear I won't let you down."

"You better not, you waste of paint. Every soul counts and I need as many as possible under our control to fulfill my desires. I'm not patient, so pick up the pace! Keep leading her down this path. Keep feeding her lies, insecurities, faults, fears, hate. Tell her anything to keep her under our control. Destroy her will and have her succumb to you, or I swear I'll erase you from existence!"

__________________

Why was he doing this?

What did he have to gain?

What did he have to lose?

Uncomfortable numbness. That was all Zain could feel.

He was lost. He had no idea what to do with himself, but one thing was for certain--he couldn't go back to the Pack of Falling Ash without Zahra. There was no place for him there; he was pathetic, a coward, and a leech. There was nothing special about him; he was just some orphan that had been dumped at their camp one day. His foster mother had made that perfectly clear. He was a foreigner that could never replace those who perished in her first litter. Zahra had at least given positive energy within the pack, and was even friends with the queen's daughter. Her brother who shadowed her brought nothing but the reminder that he was an outcast who didn't belong.

Feoria would never forgive him if he returned instead of Zahra. Kichea would just smile and pretend not to be disappointed. Cyrah probably couldn't care less if she ever saw him again.

Three days had passed since the eruption, and Zain's thoughts were still focused solely on his sister. He didn't even know how she had died, but he dared not to ask, dreading the answer as well as not finding the strength to bring it up with Layali. She was gone, simple as that. Somehow, Layali was there with Zahra, potentially in her final moments. All he needed to do was ask her what happened...but he just couldn't.

...Was it Layali's fault, somehow? If so, how could he ever forgive her?

He had followed Layali on whatever this was, her so-called "mission", because he felt like he had nowhere else to go. He knew that she still needed help, and she was surely in no condition to be following who-knows-what towards who-knows-where. He noticed that she hadn't eaten a thing the past couple days, not even attempting to hunt, but then again, neither did he. He felt his depression would make him sick if he tried to force himself to eat, and wasn't sure he even had the energy to bother.

If Layali had perished, being alone out in the middle of no-pack land, then Zahra's sacrifice would have been for nothing. That is what Zain reminded himself when he questioned why he thought it was best to accompany this dog who probably didn't care much for his company.