A01 Virus

Chapter 1:"Roxa?"

ARES POV

I woke up earlier then usual and felt something was wrong. I rush towards Andra's room and see her no where. I then run outside and see her no where in sight. I think and know exactly where she must be, where Roxa's body is.

I am soon at the top of the hill and see her laying next to the pool of blood that must be Roxa's. I relax knowing that she's okay in a safe way. I slowly walk towards her and I know she hears me. Literally no one can sneak up on her, even I can't. It's impossible and that's one of the many good things why she is so special.

"It's gone you know" She says quietly but loud enough for me to hear.

"What is?" But I have a feeling I know what's missing. From the way her face looks and her voice cracking, Andra didn't do anything with Roxa's body.

"Roxa's body...tell me did you move it?" I knew it and she's still quiet.

"Of course not, Andra.  I was waiting for you." When she loses someone or something close to her, she is the one that likes to take care of it, no one else is aloud to do anything about it. I think its her own kind of way of remembering and having some closure. Just like her father, no one saw him the day after he died, only Andra knows where his body lays six feet under.

"What do you mean gone? Like missing?" I question softly. Also if something happens to something important to her, she gets really moody, it's really bad.

"I slipped out of the house last night to get fresh air, I swear I didn't plan on coming back here until this morning but I heard a lone howl. So I came here and only saw this" She motioned toward the blood.

That isn't good, if Roxa's body isn't here then she must of been reborn and on the loose.  If an animal gets bitten by a drake, they do one of two things.  Rise from the dead as a drake or die slowly by their poisoned canines.  Either one is still dangerous.  A drake on the loose and alone without a pack is something that can't be happening.

We need to leave as soon as possible, but first I need to find that drake before we leave here. Knowing Andra she will never forgive me or herself if we left with such a dangerous creature near here.

I start walking quickly towards the woods when I heard light footsteps rushing behind me. I halt and turn around to see Andra about to run into me.

"What are you doing?" I hold her by the shoulders at arms length.

"Coming with you...?" she says questioning herself more then me.

"You should stay here and watch the house. I'm sure you're tired also, just go inside and rest." I tell her.

"It depends on what you're doing, going into the woods. You know whoever goes in the woods never gets seen again." She states stubbornly.

"That howl you heard last night I'm uh going to go search for the source of it and yeah" I try to say convincingly.

"Oh really?" She smirks, Andra knows me too good, she always knows when I'm lying. I mean, I know when she lies but its getting hard because she tells the truth about everything, literally everything.

"Yeah and I'm doing it now because it still might be around here and don't want to lose the tracks you know?" She looks at me skeptically the whole time.

"Fine, but I still believe you're not telling me the whole truth. Which you will tell me when you get back!" She turns away and waves, walking away.

I watch her until she sits back down where Roxa's body should be.

And so I begin my search for the drake that could be Roxa.

HOURS LATER....

I searched for hours and found something interesting. Once I got deeper into the woods, I found Roxa's pawprints, I followed them for a while until it looked like she collapsed and struggled. Then got up again and the pawprints continued but much bigger and sharper, like she had a mission, was determined to do or go somewhere. So I followed those with more caution and lost the tracks again. I never saw them again and there was no other trace of her or a possible drake.

This is bad, I need to find a way to cheer up Andra too and then find a way for her to leave with me...again. Maybe I can just tell her she lost too much here and should start somewhere fresh? Or I could-

What the?! Something just tackled me to the ground and I'm rolling until I am pounced on again. I'm on my back facing the beast that has its sharp claws digging  into my chest. I look and see its a silver colored drake. I'd say its the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, but its fangs are getting closer to my face.

I reach for my sword but its gone so is my gun. I look around rapidly but not panicked for the weapons when I see them too far away to reach in time.

I look back into the pure blue eyes of a silver beast and can't help but feel like I've seen them before. Silver body and crystal blue eyes...ROXA.

"Roxa?" I say quietly, the beast leans on me more and growls, adding pressure to my chest, I can tell my ribs are about to crack if I don't do something.

"Roxa" I say louder this time and the drake backs off me and circles me as I stand up, growls warningly.

"Roxa, its me Ares" I reach my hand out and she snaps at it, but I don't take it back to show I'm scared of her. She may hate me sometimes, but she would never kill me without a reason to.

How do I get her to listen to me? How does Andra do it? Let's see she calls Roxa but rarely sense Roxa is always by her side. She would say 'come on girl' or 'silly girl' I think that's pretty cute. What about when Roxa isn't near? She whistles but Roxa is in front of me so that won't work. This is completely different situation anyway, plus Roxa never listened to me before.

"Roxa?" She doesn't stop circling me but seems to know the name, almost like she is trying to figure it out. That's good, so she just needs to remember the dog she used to be. I'm not acting like a dog though so talking, drakes know how humans talk I guess. They are dogs that stay by humans their whole lives until the transformation takes over and drakes are very intelligent animals.

"Do you remember Andra?" Roxa stops for a second and turns and walks toward me with an angry expression but softened eyes on her face. "Okay seems like you do! She is okay," She stands mere inches from me and I have to tilt my head a little just to see her snarl at me. "She is alive and very upset about you, she thinks you are dead and-" She suddenly perks her ears, backs up a few feet and seems to be listening for something. She howls and starts running rapidly towards the direction of the desert.

"Roxa no!" Of course she doesn't listen, I quickly find my sword and gun, put them in place and run after her. After catching up to her, using enhanced speed I get right next to her side and when she sees me, she picks up her speed and takes a sharp left.

I quickly recovered from the sudden move and it takes a little longer to catch up with her this time. But when I do, its when I spot her at the edge of the woods growling at a sand storm in the distance.

"Roxa" I slowly walk up next to her not to startle her or anything and look at the sandstorm. What's about the sandstorm she is upset about? She crouches down and looks ready to charge. I have a feeling that's not just a sandstorm now. I get a closer look and using enhanced eyesight, I see a pack of five drakes and a dragon along with a few unicorns pulling carriages.

When Roxa is about to run charge I stand in front of her and stare into her eyes. She immediately snarls and snaps her fangs at me but I dodge it expecting it to happen. She tries again and I dodge again.

"Roxa, listen to me" swipes "If you go attack them now, either the drakes will weaken you and the dragon will burn you or a human can take your life. And I'm sure you understand why they are here right?" swipes and growls "They are here for Andra and I can't protect her all on my own so tell me" She pounces on me this time, baring her teeth in front of my face. "How are you going to protect her if you're dead?" I finish and she almost seems like she pouted getting off me.

I stand on my feet again and feel a powerful rush of wind go right past me, I took a step to keep balance. Then I notice Roxa is gone and see a silver blur heading in the correct direction of the village. I quickly follow her, in less then a night she already knows the forest.