Priest

Guide

The wolves watched lazily as the two smoke animals wandered around the fire place. The owl would occasionally perch on the back of one of the sleeping wolves, waiting until it dropped further into sleep before fluttering off to the next animal. The wolf stood proudly beside Blu for a short period before recognising one of the younger wolves and bounding over to play. Wagging its tail in the air like a puppy Blu couldn't help but laugh as the young pup tried to play fight as if it were real. Everything in that space was clear, blissfully easy in every way. Even the heavy weight of the wolf at the Priest's feet didn't feel remotely unnatural. All of it felt... Right.
But how? How could everything he knew be spiraling out of control and he not be feeling anything but complete and utter calm.
"It's what they do," Alex's hand drifted over the wolf sitting beside him.
"What they do?"
"All of this, it's as natural to them as reciting a sermon would be to you. This is how they are."
Yet that didn't sound right.
"It's more than that though isn't it?"
A smirk appeared on the older man's face, "why would you think that?"
"Because everyone has an agenda," he could feel his heart kick up a notch.
"Agenda?"
"Yes, no one just does this sort of thing. People don't just drag others out of bed in the middle of the night to watch bizarre displays of sorcery and lies."
"Calm down," Alex was aware that every set of fur covered ears were pricked listening intently to the panic in his voice, "you need to take a breath."
How could he though? How could he when he was staring into the face of something that shouldn't be real, shouldn't even trigger on his radar.
Unless.
"This is the Devil's work isn't it?"
The world stopped.
"What did you just say?" Blu's focus was on him, green eyes ablaze.
He had to stand his ground.
"I said it's the Devil's work. It has to be. None of this could possibly exist in any reality that we live in."
Blu could feel her blood starting to boil. The wolf beside her let out a growl, ears falling back against its head as it stared at the swirling smoke above them.
"Blu," Mia's voice was firm, "don't."
"Why not?"
"He's not ready."
"Neither was I!"
"It's not the same," the owl swooped, barely missing the top of the young woman's head as it spun back around to perch beside Mia.

Both beasts seemed suddenly bigger. Blu's wolf more menacing, it's eyes a deeper red than before while Mia's owl appeared broader, sturdier as it puffed out its chest.
"Blu..." the smoky wolf snapped at Mia, "don't."
But she'd already made up her mind.
"Come here," she barked, attention turned entirely to where the man sat beside Alex.
The world seemed to stand still as they stared at one another.
"I'm not partaking in this devil worship," he made to stand.
"It's not devil worship," Alex said calmly from his side, "it's an alternative."
He paused.
"Alternative?"
"Trust me when I say this is something you'll want to see."
Blu's eyes were still on him, unwavering just like the red of the hazy wolf beside her. He could feel his heart pounding against his rib cage, threatening to burst out of his chest.
"Come here," she said again, shoulders tense as the wolf at the Priest's feet opened an eye lazily to look at him.
Just go.
Pursing his lips and ignoring the way the nerve wracking gravelly voice in his head made him feel he reluctantly took a step forward.
"I'm not..."
"Worshiping devils," Blu rolled her eyes, "neither are we. Now come here and see."
The walk across to the fireplace was the most agonising thing he had done in a long time.
"Stand here."
Commanding, that's what she was. He could handle commanding, he could work with commanding.
"Now," she barely moved a muscle as she spoke, "I need you to trust me."

Nothing good ever started with the words 'I need you to trust me'. Not in his experience.
Blu turned to face him.
"What the heck. In for a penny, in for a pound."
"Give me your hand," she held her hand out to him, such a casual gesture, so easy that he surprised himself with how quickly he placed his hand into hers. No hesitation, no question.
Until she pulled him forwards, forcing his hand into the middle of the flames before them.
"What are you?"
"Blu!"
"Trust, me."
He fought against her, desperately trying to pull his hand away.
"Let him go!"
The fire flickered inside her irises as she watched him struggle. Two worlds clashing in the middle of the fire, flames suddenly blazing higher into the cold night air as he pulled against her impossibly strong grasp.
"Trust..."
But he couldn't hear her, the smell of his own skin burning and crackling in the flames was sending him into a panic he'd never felt before.
"Let me go you Devil worshiping..."
Everything stopped. The world quietened. The pain in his hand stopped. The smell of burning flesh and hair dissipating on the breeze.
"What..."
Flickering in the flames with a coat the colour of night and eyes as bright as snow was an animal he never thought he would see.

Blu's hand fell away from the Priest's, though he didn't move a muscle as he stood staring at the fire. Enormous paws padded right through the middle of the flames forcing him to stumble backwards; and yet despite the sheer size of the animal no one else seemed concerned.
"Too, soon."
Blu's eyes caught Mia's angered expression across the space and a shudder rolled down her spine.
"Maybe."
But she didn't care. He'd forced her hand.
Devil worshiping.
Rookie.
Mia watched as the newcomer fumbled for a grasp on the reality that was slipping away. It wasn't so long ago that Alex had worn that same look. Bewildered, mystified and utterly terrified.
"It won't hurt you." Blu's voice was gentle, despite the flames still blazing in her eyes.
"What..." the man stuttered, holding his breath as the panther stood to its full height, brilliant white eyes level with his, "is that?"
"That," Mia smiled, looking across to where her owl now perched on the log beside Alex, "is what we call your guide."