Beyond the Path

Chapter Four: The Town

The cold black writing was written clearly, and easily read "Glendyle". Quietly, she and S'mores began to wonder into the city and under the bright street lights, their ragged breaths lingering in the humid air, the consistency of it making it quite clear that rain was coming. Both of them were obviously anxious to continue their quest, and find some form of protection, they were becoming fugitives more and more by the second. Slaughtering a farmer's prized herd of cattle, and killing a man, all within a day, which was quite full of marrow and flesh dealt and taken from both of them, was no way to stay low. Although, she didn't escape without any wounds, despite thinking she had no escaped unscaved. A sharp pain rocketed up the side of her leg, along with the side of her right cheek in a crescent shape. She turned around to notice the blood she had been dripping, tiny droplets leaving a trail under the moonlight and florescent beams from the lamps in houses or the artificial gleams from the towering beacons resting on the thick fences. The sound of a rustling leaves made the two of them jump with both fear and aggression, perfectly willing to fend off any foes and risk their lives for each other, since they were both their only friend. As the two of them waited for their enemy to approach them, Wolfie drew her sword  from her belt, which was freshly stained with cow blood; as S'mores stood with utter most attention, his hackles standing on end with aggression. Two figures stumbled forwards, sputtering and gasping for air as they coughed, covered in soot and singed clothing. A tiny girl was held in another girl's arms, both of them struggling to stand up, since they lacked the strength to go on any further. Something struggled to breathe within Wolfie, a lost sense of compassion and empathy for someone she hadn't even known for more than a second, though it was surpressed crudely with a inaudible choke of a noise, causing an uneasy glance to be shot up at her from S'mores. She gently rubbed her hands behind his blocky ears with her equally blocky hand, reassuring the frightened companion that everything was infact okay. She walked over to the others with shaky hands, her hands firm on the hilt of her sword, blood still trickling down her cheek and calf sheepishly. She lifted her head slightly in both fear and malice, afraid of the suspicious people, though she knew they were at her mercy, they did just escape a fire after all she assumed. 

"Who are you?" She huffed, her sword pointed at the two figures, though the ember of compassion within her struggled for it's tinder to continue to burn; hope. As the small flame was ignited by the sense of hope, hope of making the world a better place, or atleast having some form of family engulfed her fear with a warm gulp, causing the sword dropped with a clatter to the stone ground as she fell besides it. She took the frail hand of them both, memories rushing through her head with agile presiscion, ripping away her anxiety, though it began to fester within her as well. "Artemis...." The voice whispered, vivid memories of her family flashing around within her, holding her small frail hand, just like she was doing with the two people, she had just met.. Yet something clicked.. She coughed once more, S'mores still standing at attention besides her, somewhat understanding that things were supposibly fine. She threw  the larger arm of the two around her neck and began to heave the two of them towards the end of the road, knowing no where else to go. She shifted forwards with grunts and groans of pain, one of their legs kicking her wounds without even trying, or their blocky hands scraping down her cheek to grab hold of her, despite being unconscious. S'mores led the way, his tail swishing to and fro somewhat happily, though alert of their surrondings none the less. She continued to drag herself along the road, stumbling and grazing her knees several times, liquid oozing from both of her legs and trickling on to the stone, leaving tiny pools of her own slick blood. She finally reached the empty house at the end of the road with a moan of pain, setting the two aside near the wall as she fell down with a thud, S'mores rushing to her aid. He gently licked her wounds with his salty and rough tongue, small whimpers of concern coming from him as he anxiously awaited her response. Consciousness began to fade in and out as her gray eyes stared up blankly at the roof, only occasionally glancing over to S'mores. "C'mere S'mores... C'mere.." She beckoned him over towards her, her hand extended out to give him a well deserved hug. She nuzzled his form affectionately against her own, not minding if a few stray guard hairs tickled her wounds or nose, knowing he meant nothing by it. She remained on her back as her eyes slowly closed for one final time, falling off into a light slumber. 

...

She awoke with a jolt of false energy, as another form shifted about within the room, and rather noisly as well. She went to grab her sword, though something struck her... She left it out where she found them, the center stage of town. She was caked in blood, dirt, and wolf fur, which would be quite the fearful thing for any old towns folk to see when they just woke up . She stood up with a groan of agony, small snaps coming from her joints, as well as the several scabs that popped when she turned a certain way, though she had been through worst and survived. She looked over to the two of them curiously, seeing the tiny form huddled up against the wall, being held defensively by another larger forms, obviously kin. She smiled softly, but her joy began subside as she imagined her own family hugging her form, though she knew it must've been different. It had to be, since here she was, without a family, without a home, while they only needed each other to survive. She had S'mores, which was all she needed, despite the longing that metatasized in her heart, festering and bleeding with agony during moments like this. She coughed roughly before standing up against the wall, the sun's rays glistening into her eyes with a gentle warmth, fluffly pink clouds joining the flamboyantly pleased sun in the morning sky. She began to stumble towards the door, S'mores at her heels to encourage her to go on, despite her pain. She eventually began to embrace the pain, walking with a slight limp towards her sword, the glint reflected into her eyes from it's blade making it obvious of it's position. She began to make her way towards it, S'mores rushing ahead and jumping estacially where the sword lied, a bright smile plastered on his white muzzle. She reached the sword a few moments later with a bright smile on her face, though it began to wilt with a slight displessure, her pain sinking and pulsing within her. As she predicted, nothing but a red streak remained in the road, since it had rained away her blood down into the sewers, along with other assorted sewage and filth. She gently placed the sword on S'mores' back, tapping his tail and pointing him towards the house again, directing him to go put away the sword and watch the two. She sauntered back towards the forest, her wounds still aching with pain as she came closer and closer to the bridge. She knew the body must've been there as a stench of decay pirated her senses with a dismal smell of festering flesh and rotting bones. She gagged slightly as her eyes came across the form, laying dismembered from the mobs that had feasted on it the past few nights, nothing but scraps and bones, slim pickings for whatever was still hungry. She gently walked around the bones, holding her breath until she darted out to the other side of the bridge, doubling over for breath. She took a few moments before regaining her stride, eyeing the river curiously. She found a place where the pathway to the banks became shallow and wide, a perfect place to bathe. She walked over to the banks and quickly but efficiently stripped herself of her boots first, then her clothing, being careful not to pull at scabbed over fabric, knowing she would bleed heavily if she did so. She tossed the blocky boots and clothing back over to the trees, all of them catching or snagging on a branch. She waded around the river, gently loosening the dirt that had packed onto to her body or into her hair. After almost knicking herself too many times, she emerged out from the river, her form shivering from the cold water that had beaten up against her for the past few minutes. She laid down on the grass next to her to clothing, drying off by the world's own towel, the wind and the grass. She rolled over and grabbed her clothing feeling like she overstayed her visit after catching a figure lurking in her periphial vision. Slipping into the cloth, she easily manuvered her blocky joints into the attire, assuming a battle stance within a moment. She looked around agilely, feeling as if she was infact being watched by something. But she couldn't be, it was the morning and no sane minecraftian would be up if given the choice.. Shaking the feeling off with a soft growl of annoyance, she began to walk back to the town, taking her sweet time, just to see if she could spot anything. Making it to the bridge once more, she gulped quietly and kicked the bones off into the river with hollow thuds as they hit the water, splashes jumping back up at her. She began to hear more hisses from the floor boards of the bridge, ones behind her, ones much larger. Keeping her head high, she began to walk quicker back to the wrecked house she would call home, a small fear lingering within her already bleeding heart. She even went to the extent to jog back home when she reached the beginning of their street, having that much angst fester up inside of her. An anxious S'mores awaited her at the door, though his tail waved side to side to greet her as always, so nothing could be that horrible, she thought. Reaching the frame of what once was a door, she glanced around and saw her sword, the tiny little girl.. But something was missing.. All too suddenly it hit her as two green eyes watched her from above, brown locks flowing down beside them.. It was the other girl, and she was awake, very, very awake.