The Search For Peace 2

Chapter 4

"Um..." With chattering teeth, Adrian Abbot trekked up the hill covered in fresh snow, flurries of snowflakes filling his eyesight, the person in front of him nothing but a blur. "Where exactly are you taking me?!" He had to yell his question since the girl he was forced to follow had gotten so far ahead.

As he heaved deeply with every step he took, she turned, her unusual black and blue eyes cast down on his pathetic state. 

Yes, she was the same girl who had saved him two weeks ago, from a hungry wolf that had almost devoured him. Besides the fact that the part of her eyes that should've been white was black, the girl was fairly normal, her light brown hair short as it stuck to her out-dated poncho, her porcelain skin a little rough and dry because of the harsh weather. And her name was Karen. Karen Timber, to be exact.

"I told you, didn't I?" Announced the petite individual, placing her gloved hands on her sides. "There's something in the forest I want you to check out."

"But why?" The boy whined, finally catching up to her. "I promise, I'll work for my stay in your town, I'll do anything but this!"

"It's not my town," she bent over until her face was in level with his, "it's my clan."

Adrian blinked, still not used to the odd feature her and her people sported. Shortly after he was rescued, the boy had been introduced to Karen's Clan, The Sagittarius, the unknown residents of this so-called RougeVille, a town that wasn't even on the map of Canada, apparently.

It didn't take him long to figure out the common feature of their clan; eyes that had black scleras instead of white, but other than that, they were a mystery to him.

Karen, the only person he had felt somewhat comfortable within this cowboy, cowgirl setting he had lost himself in, was very mysterious herself. Her expressions were always unreadable, her aura full of suspense. Even now, as she dragged him into this forest of white evergreens, she refused to explain her reasons for torturing him in this awful manner. It was cold, for God's sake.

When they were deep into the thick forest, the snow gradually building up, Karen halted, stopping Adrian in his tracks as well.

"So..." The boy took in his surroundings, tree by tree, rock by rock, before passing her a dubious look. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

She made a face at him, her small mouth twisting with annoyance. "You're so impatient, you know that?"

As he gaped at her in disbelief, she took some steps further whilst scanning the area thoroughly. "It's not here." She mumbled under her breath, confusing him even more.

He was about to ask her just what she was talking about, when she held up a hand, still facing forward. "Excuse me." Was the only warning she offered him.

Because shortly after uttering those words, the girl inhaled a deep breath, and quite unexpectedly, screamed the loudest scream he had ever heard.

Her jaw vibrated with the effect, the air rippling around her, the leaves of the mighty evergreens shaking off the snow piled onto them. The birds who had been hiding in their branches were noisy as the fled, for her scream was no ordinary scream. It was so high pitched, so piercing, like the sound of a siren, and loud like the booming of a bomb.

When it was finally over, Adrian unconsciously covered his numb ears, an action he should've considered ages ago. Now he was officially deaf.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." The girl blurted out as she saw his shaky hands drop to his sides, his eyes wide with shock. "I thought you knew a thing or two about our powers."

"What?" He asked, unable to hear anything for the time being. Even so, he most definitely heard the thudding footsteps of an animal nearing. Maybe because he felt them through the ground, or maybe because he was so traumatized by the familiar tread.

His fears were inevitably confirmed when the gray creature made way through the forest. "Oh, no, no, no, no," He shook his head and repeated the word as he backed away from the very same wolf that had attacked him a few days ago, it's beady eyes just as hungry as they were back then.

"I-I don't know what I did to you, Karen," he was close to tears, but at this point, he didn't care. "B-but you can't do this to me!" His frantic voice hit a pitch as the creature moved a step closer towards him, all feeling leaving his knees.

"Don't worry, he's not gonna hurt you..." The girl tilted her head as if to consider her statement. "At least, that's what I want to confirm."

"Are you crazy?!" Adrian whimpered and covered his head as the wolf bared its bloodied fangs. Was he going to be its next meal? Again?!

Even in his dire situation, Karen had the audacity to groan. She really was planning on feeding him to this monster, wasn't she? Did she hate him that much?

"Adrian, you need to face it." She said, her tone a little softer as she placed a careful hand on his trembling back. "Try to look at it from a different perspective. Not as a wolf, not as a predator, but as a friend." When he still didn't budge, she offered him a little push, making him stumble in its wake. "Try not to be so paranoid, will you? I won't hesitate to interfere if it tries to kill you, trust me."

Since her last words gave him some sort of courage, he considered the dangerous hound, taking in the fact how beautiful it's gray and white coat was. It had the sleekest black nose, and if it wasn't for its jagged teeth, it was a pretty neat wolf, to be honest.

Gulping back his tears, he crawled in its direction, bit by bit, his bare fingers scrunching the snow beneath them. The animal did not move, simply waiting for him to come up to it, panting out cold, smoky breaths. 

With a ragged breath of his own, the boy lifted his shivering hand, and, successfully, without getting bitten, placed it on the wolf's head.