Light Guardian

Chapter 10

Rhea had healed soon after I did. Life shone in her eyes, and her laugh replenished the air. Amos had been elated and jested around with her a lot. She wanted to start traveling right away. I would have agreed, the pull on my heart was getting stronger each day, but I knew we needed to rest a little longer. We needed to have time to relax from the journey, to relax from the recovery. To fully regain our strength.

    As soon as the snow began to thin, on the verge of disappearing, we finally began to travel again. The attacks had lessened, but they still occurred. We did not encounter Sage again, and we have yet to meet King. However, we have met two more allies. Only one told us his name, Dagger. Each of them was coated in darkness, each of them danced in the shadows.

    Only once were we injured brutally again, but it was just one of my front legs. It healed eventually, and we went back to traveling.

    By now, leaves had begun to sprout on the trees and flowers burst from the ground. Warmth filled the once frigid air, and birds had begun to crowd the skies once more. We had traveled far, but something told me that soon we would arrive.

    Nakoma hasn't appeared again yet, which worried me in a way. Not once did she show herself, not once did she whisper something to me. I was worried that the darkness got her, drained her of the light that kept her who she was. I knew it was a silly thought, she had lived many years, seen more shadows than I could ever imagine, and she still lived. In a way, at least. As she said so herself, she is dead but also alive.

    Amos and Rhea walked by my side, their pelts brushing against mine. The wind blew in our faces, and Rhea's scarf danced behind her, fluttering in the breeze. Our paws were heavy, and our muscles were sore, but we still tracked on.

    The pull on my heart suddenly stopped, no longer guiding my steps. I stopped, stumbling over my own paws at the sudden emptiness, which caused the two cats by my side to do the same. "It's gone," I whispered.

    Rhea perked her ears, "What do you mean it's gone?" Her tail swished slightly, and Amos nervously looked at me, ears pulled back in apprehension.

    "I mean it is gone. There is no more pull on my heart, no more pull to guide my paws. Either something bad happened, or we are where we should be. And I am hoping it is the second possibility." I answered. My eyes flitted around, and my ears swiveled towards the heavy pawsteps of another animal. It was coming our way.

    Amos pushed himself against Rhea, his fur puffed up as he trembled. The poor tom was terrified of what would come out of the trees. I took a hesitant step forward and waited for the animal to appear. It wasn't one of King's allies, or King himself. No shadows crept through the trees and the familiar screech did not sound through the air.

    A pink creature appeared, walking towards us. Wings were curled up on her side, and horns rested upon her head. My eyes locked onto the broken horn, before looking back at the wolf-like creature. She was a mixture of cream and pink, with a thin whip-like tail curled behind her, slightly dragging on the ground. Her magenta eyes sparkled with joy, one clear and the other clouded.

    Her voice was high pitched, sweet and loving, "Who are you?" I was too mesmerized by her ravishing looks to respond.

    Rhea's confident voice answered, "I'm Rhea," She pointed to Amos, "That's Amos," and then to me, "And this is Varian. Now, who are you?"

    The wolf gave us a toothy grin, "I'm Clarisse. And I believe that we have been waiting for you." Something about her drew me in, it felt like she was a long lost friend, but I have never met her before in my life. My paws pulled my body towards her towering form, and she looked down at me. Clarisse gave my head a gentle lick, and spoke, "Come, let me take you to Zohar."