Beasts

23: Omega

One tree. Two trees. Three trees. Four trees. Along with getting a tail, my eye sight improved to the point where I could see in the dark. Not completely, but well enough to make out what is what. I took a sip of my tea and played with a pine cone I found. How the heck did dad deal with this month after month? Wouldn't it suck if something important came up? I got up from the ground and quietly went inside the tent. Phoenix looked so peaceful. That's right. I said I would take a picture of him the next time he was asleep. How was I supposed to take a picture with claws, though? Whatever. I struggled to get my phone out and poked at the volume button. There was a quick flash and then the picture took. He shifted and pulled the blanket over his head. Adorable.

I went back out and decided to relight the fire. Once I did, a wolf stared at me from the other side. Omega. She was real, and standing before me. Well, I'm not sure if it's called standing even. She came over to me and sat up. I knelled down on a knee and held out my hand. She nudged it with her muzzle and instantly I was certain it was her. "June. It's me, Omega." She howled. Was I always able to understand wolf? Guess it's like how Charlie can understand bird.

"Why are you here?" I howled back. I am so glad humans are able to howl too. "Is this a dream?"

"No, it's not. I had to come in your dreams that one time so you wouldn't be scared now." She explained.

"That one time? What about the first?"

"I don't know what you're talking about but there's not time to do so. I need to tell you that you're dad is alive. So are the others. They're being held captive by our chief. He plans on stealing their power and your tribe."

"What? How?"

"With this ritual. You and your friends have to hurry. Keep going north until you reach my cave. Then turn right. Understand?" I nod. "Good. I have to go now. I'll try my best to help in whatever ways I can." She said before turning around and running into the trees. The fire went out as she did. Well that was certainly something

Hours later...

It's around the time for my shift. They better be thankful I took over all their shifts while like this. The sun still isn't up but my tail has disappeared. I move my tongue around my mouth and there are no fangs. I took at my hands and my claws are gone too. Finally! Thank God it's over. I go inside the tent and crawl over my my spot. I poke at Phoenix until he groans and wakes up. I hang my head over him and smile. "Morning."

"Morning." He says in a groggy voice and pulled me down beside him. "You sleep." He said and got up. "You must be dog-tired." He said and brushed my hair out of my face. Now that he mention it, I was feeling exhausted. I stiff a yawn and turn on my side. "How was the boring night?" He said as he got dressed.

"I beat your high score..." I mumbled with a smile before falling asleep.

Falling. I dream about falling then, out of no where, I wake up. Dreams are just complete nonsense sometimes. I pull off my blanket and pull my hair to one side. I step outside and everyone's eyes fall on me. "What? Do I a ghost behind me?" I look behind me but there's nothing.

"Sorry, it's just... We're so proud of you." Iridescent smiles. "After yesterday, we've realized how much you've been through and yet you are still so brave." I look over at Phoenix. He's knows that isn't true. I can see the waiver in his eyes.

"Thanks." I say. "I'm glad you guys were here for me through it all. Even you, Charlie." I open my arms and they come and hug me.

Omega's cave. We were headed there. I didn't really have a plan but I knew I had to stop them from going inside. I knew she was good, but they didn't. To them, she was a Wolf. Born and raised to kill. I nervously looked around even though there was nothing but plants. Things get pretty boring after days of endless walking. "Anyone else bored?" I blurted out.

"Me." All the others said and raised a hand in the air.

"Thought so..." I said under my breath and grabbed the spray paint out my bag. Quickly, I sprayed another star on a tree before catching up with the others.

"I don't understand you sometimes." Phoenix said and shook his head.

"And I don't understand myself at all." I bring the bottle up so it points to him and he flinches. "You flinched." I smile and walk away.

I gulp. The cave is the same as it was in dream. To the left of the path with bushes covering the entrance. "There's nothing inside." I say quickly.

"What do you mean?" Iridescent asks.

"It's too small to hold and entire tribe."

"Well they can't all be in one cave. We should at least check." Charlie says and takes a another step for the bushes.

"So we're just going to barge right in?" I interrupt again.

They stop and look at each other. "What if there's a lot of them? It'll be dumb to just walk in, right?" I turn to Phoenix for his opinion.

"She's got a point." He shrugged.

"There's an entrance at the top of the cave. Phoenix, you can fly up and peak inside."

"How do you know there's one?" Iridescent asked.

"I saw it from a distance." Why can't she just accept that I know these things I would only know from coming here before? Do you think I can pass off as being psychic?

"Whelp, guess I'm going then." Phoenix took off his bag and handed it to me. He stared up at the cave's top then grew his wings and flew up. A little amber floated down and landed on the ground in front of me. I stared at the little orange disk as it cooled and disappeared in the leaves.

"See anything!" Iridescent called out.

"Rocks." He called back.

"I'm coming up, too!" She said back after a moment then dropped her bag. How was she supposed to get up there? She can't fly. Iridescent ran at a tree beside the cave and teleported to a branch with her weird fairy thing. Then she went up higher and jumped to the cave roof. Why does everyone have cool powers they cool to hide?

"I guess it's just you and me." I say to Charlie.

"Nope, just you." He dropped his bag and went over to a tree that lifted him up with it's branches.

"What. The. Heck." I say out loud. "No thanks, I wanted to say down here anyway." I grumble and drop my bag with the others. At least I could quickly go in and warn Omega. I pushed through the bushes and opened my eyes when I got inside. It was still the drafty and dark cave I remembered it being. "Omega?" I said in a whisper-yell.

"June?" She emerged from the shadows and studied me. "What are you doing here?"

"Shh!" I cover her mouth when I heard footsteps from above. "My friends are here. You have to leave!"

"I can't leave! I'm still in solitary. It was hard enough to visit you earlier." She said. That's when I realized how thin she had gotten. I opened my mouth to say something when the three dropped down from the opening in the ceiling. Their intensely colourful eyes burned into me as I raised my hand over Omega to protect her.