Light Guardian

Chapter 13

Everything hurt. My soul, my heart, my body. Everything. I healed myself. It was a tedious task, dealing with the pain, hunting, keeping guard, and fighting off all of the shadows that lurked near where I resided. Every night I feared would be my last, but at the same time, I didn't. It would be so easy, so simple to slit my throat in my sleep, to poison my food or infect my wounds. Yet they left me alone, let me heal. In a way, this was worse than death. Every night I suffered, but I healed. I'm still healing. My body is still weak, I've become skinnier than a sickly elder, and my fur struggled to keep me warm. The snow had come back signaling yet another white season, which told me how long I have been alone. Too long.

Loneliness had clung on to me, dragging me into an abyss so deep I was sure I would never climb out of it. Guilt haunted me when I closed my eyes, reminding me of what I caused to the pack. I wanted to return, I really did. But I couldn't dare bring anyone else into this mess that I have been cursed with, I couldn't deal with the looks they would give me. I am a coward.

The sun had woken up, giving me a bit more energy. Reluctantly I rose to my paws, and a feeble cough erupted from my throat. I opened my mouth, allowing the stale smell of prey to seep into my senses. I honed in on a mouse, no doubt a weak mouse, but a mouse nonetheless. With unsteady steps I followed the trail, my paws digging into the snow beneath me.

My eyes caught sight of little pawsteps, and I had to hold myself back from rushing after them. My whiskers twitched in anticipation and my stomach growled in hunger.

A ball of brown fur laid in the snow, its body shivering feverishly. My stomach churned from how sickly it looked, but I knew that I looked in a similar state. I didn't need to pounce on it, so I forced my paws to take me to the lump, before putting it out of its misery.

The mouse was scrawny, its fur dangling loosely off of its bones. It would do. I dug into it, ignoring the slightly sour taste and savoring how my stomach filled up. My tongue flew over my lips in satisfaction, and I quickly buried its body under the snow.

Another cough flew from my mouth, and my body shook from its force. I knew what herb would cure my cough, it was the only herb I knew. Sadly, I know I won't be able to find it buried in the cold snow.

The familiar screech that came from the shadows rang through the air. I pulled my sensitive ears back as I winced. My head swung around rapidly as I searched for the shadows. One. There was one. This was the first time there had ever been less than two, and I couldn't be happier.

My powers had come back a while ago, but they were still weak. The shadow had an eerie darkness creeping out, encompassing everything around it. This one was strong, but I knew that I was stronger, even in this weakened state. I had to be.

An enraged screech rose from its glowing red mouth as it darted towards me. It wrapped around my thin body and squeezed. I let out a pained cry and began to violently shake to get it off. My pelt had begun to tingle and light flared out from my eyes.

As the light struck the shadow's dark form it let out an ear-splitting screech, before grabbing at my throat. My vision fogged up as I couldn't find the air to breathe. Panic caused light to flash from my eyes, striking the shadow with a sudden force. It easily disintegrated.

My breathing was rushed, and coughs racked my body. Water welled up in my eyes as I allowed myself to collapse onto the snow below me. The coldness helped to numb the pain that seemed to overwhelm me, the pain that didn't really exist.

My eyes became too heavy to hold open. I allowed them to close, not trying to fight off the darkness of sleep. I welcomed it.

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