Finding A Home Amongst The Wolves

When her chains finally break

~Snow~

(Continuation of the previous chapter)

"What's going on?"

"I don't know."

Looking around us for a way out I look over to Xena and do a double take. Wrapping around Xena's body are millions and millions of slightly rusted chains. They move and slither around her body like they're alive and I can't help but to wonder where they came from and how she can move with those on her. Then the air around us changed and a bright light shone in front of us followed by the smells of nature and the sounds of animals.

Glaring at the light it fades into the form of a woman with trees as hair and her body much like ours but it was different in a way I can't describe it. Beside me Xena gasps and then falls to the ground in a kneel which weirds me out a little bit.

Reaching down I go to help her up but she slaps my hands away like I'm some kind of pest.

Know what? Fine, I won't try to help her.

Looking down at her I stand with my hands crossed over my chest above her and watch as she bows to the mysterious woman in front of us while wrapped tighter than a mummy in chains.

I seriously have no idea what's wrong with her.

~Xena~

After slapping away Snow's hands I kneel with my head in respect to the divine being in front of me.

As I worry about how I'll explain my reasoning for slapping her in the first place I hear a soft laugh that sounded a lot like the soothing tinkling of wind chimes.

"Rise my child."

Rising from my kneeling position on the ground I look up into the natural face of The Goddess in front of me and see her smiling softly down at me. She begins to walk, or float, towards me which has me feeling very nervous because nothing like this has ever happened to a witch before.

As she stops in front of me I look down and notice how vines wrap around her legs and the grass sway toward her, kind of like they're lovingly sweeping at her feet. Warm, soft hands cup my cheeks and lightly pull my face up so that I stare into the eyes of the woman in front of me.

"My sweet child. You've gone through such troubles. I've known since the minute you were conceived that you would not only be powerful but your life would be plagued with hardships."

Her fingers rub the skin on my cheek as her eyes roam the length of my body where she stops at my feet before coming back up to look into my eyes with such sorrow in them.

"I have such shame for what my children have done to you for years. You carry more than the weight of having those powers. You carry the weight of your people and all the bad memories of things they've done to you."

A single tear rolls down her face. Dropping off her chin and glistening from the sun as it falls and hits the ground with a silent plop where in that exact spot a single flower sprouts.

"Listen closely my child. The time is rising where you'll need to stand up for yourself and those you love, possibly against the same people who claim to be like you, the time will come where those same people will guilt you and make you feel less than what you are. My child, you are the strongest of your fellow brothers and sisters and they know it. That's why they keep you chained down. Unable to be free, unable to use your full potential."

She stops as a bird from I don't know where lands on her shoulder and listens as the bird begins to whistle and chirp at her. When the bird is done I watch as it takes flight and vanishes before it really went anywhere before returning my gaze to the woman with soft hands still silently crying and cupping my cheeks.