Chapter Seventeen: Left Behind
Spoiler
“Run!” Reeku growled at us. A shiver of fear ran through my spine at the though of being caught by Bone, but I didn’t want to leave Reeku.
“But-” I started to protest.
“Ghost! GO!” Reeku snarled, turning around just in time to tackle a Dark One. I glanced at Shade and he nodded at me before taking off running. I glanced at Reeku one last time before taking off after him. The silvery colored Dark One was running fast after us. Shade was setting a fast pace, but he didn’t know the tunnels like Reeku did. He had to think before he turned and that gave our enemy time to get closer and closer. I swallowed hard.
I could hear my paws thudding on the bottom of the cavers and tried to focus on that. Reeku and I had been at odds with each other the entire rest of the mission and I hadn’t even gotten to apologize. Now Bone had him and I’d probably never see him again. The thought of never seeing Reeku again brought tears to my eyes; I forced them back. Now was no time for tears.
“Hurry!” Shade yelled back at me. He was a few paces ahead of me and the silvery Kitsune was gaining on us fast. By now a brownish colored Kitsune had joined her in the chase. We weren’t going to make it. By the time we’d made it out of the caverns The Dark Ones were close enough to nip at our tails.
I pushed myself to run as fast as I possibly could. My blood was racing and I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. Although I wasn’t as afraid of these Kitsune as I was of Bone, I was still burning with fear. I was consumed by the fear. I was easily catching up to Shade and coming close to passing him.
And this entire time, I was only half focusing on what was going on. My thoughts were wandering about how I missed Reeku running next to me like he usually did. No! I couldn’t think of that now. I couldn’t cry now… Be strong, Ghost. Be strong. One of the Kitsune caught Shade’s tail in her jaws and yanked. Shade let out a snarl. Before he could whip around to hit his attacker, I’d spun around and swiped my claws hard across the silver Kitsune’s face. She turned to look at me with blazing eyes. My own eyes blazed back.
As I looked at this Kitsune I was thinking of how Bone had leapt to save her and ripped open Lunea’s throat. About how she was indirectly the cause of my best friend’s death. Now Bone had Reeku and I’d probably be loosing him too. Bone had taken too many Kitsune that I loved. It was obvious he loved this Kitsune and I was determined to leave my own mark in his bloody, blackened soul.
I heard and loud growl and saw Shade tackling over the other Kitsune out of the corner of my eye. I could handle this Kitsune. I hoped. I swallowed hard and I readied myself and faced my opponent. She growled and let out a lash of water towards me. Training with Reeku had taught me exactly how to counter a water attack. Although my air attack wasn’t as powerful, it was enough to turn the water into droplets that hardly stung as the rained down onto my face. The silver Kitsune looked at me with an unreadable expression as blood from my claw mark poured down into her eyes.
I lunged out with my paws aimed at my opponents legs to trip her. Just before my claws hit she reared up on her hind legs and caused my claws to swipe through nothing. I stumbled a bit and she took the chance to slam down on top of me. I crashed to the ground under her weight as the air was forced from my lungs. I struggled to get up, but I was pinned.
“What cha’ going to do now?” the Kitsune growled. I squirmed to no avail. Just as the Kitsune’s jaws went to sink into my throat I had an Idea. I swirled my tail and caused a jet of air to billow into my opponent. Her weight was lessened for just a split second and I took the opportunity to throw her off me and jump to my feet, panting all the while.
“This,” I spat out through clenched teeth as I finally regained my footing. I lashed out my claws towards the Kitsune, but she dodged to the side. This time I was ready and ducked when she lunged for my face. Her claws just struck the top of my ears and ripped them open slightly. I could feel the warm, red liquid trickling from my ears and down the side of my face. I swallowed again and pushed myself to ignore the pain. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and the fear was beginning to dissolve. I needed to win for Reeku’s sake. I hoped Lunea would be proud of me.
The Kitsune ran at me again and this time she tackled me over. I sliced my hind claws along her stomach. Blood dripped down from the scratches as my opponent sunk her jaws into my shoulder. I snarled uncontrollably and pushed up with my hind paws. As the silvery Kitsune was thrown off of me her jaws tore the flesh of my shoulder and caused pain to ripple through me. I was bleeding heavily and limping, but the would probably wasn’t fatal. I hope.
“They’re not worth this, come on,” the silver Kitsune growled to Shade’s opponent. “We’d better get back.” Shade’s opponent, a brown Kitsune, looked over and nodded her head. The silvery Kitsune turned back to us with sheer anger in her eyes. I shivered. “If your not back in your own territory by sundown, we’ll be after you.” And with that, she turned and walked away.
“You alright?” Shade asked, breathing heavily.
“Fine,” I replied, taking a moment to look over Shade. His black fur was bloody, but it wasn’t too bad. He had a gash on his side and a bite mark in his tail. Claws marks on the side of his face dripped blood down onto the ground.
“You sure?” Shade sounded worried. He sort of reminded me of Rose when he used that worried tone. “Your shoulder looks pretty torn up.” Now that he’d pointed it out, the pain in my shoulder was becoming more noticeable. Blood ran down from it and stained my bright white fur. I winced slightly.
“Yeah,” I sighed, sitting back down and trying to catch my breath. We needed to get back… without Reeku. I could feel my eyes sting with tears not that the adrenalin was wearing off; I could cry now. Reeku had been my best friend, and now he was gone. Lost in the clutches of Bone much like Lunea was. I could feel the teardrops welling in my eyes and feel their warmth as the streamed down my face.
“Ghost?” Shade asked, concern flooding in his eyes as he took a step closer to me, glancing over my wounds again and obviously thinking that was the problem. I stared at my paws for a moment, which were stained a bloody red, before I looked up at him. My vision was clouded with tears and I could hardly make out his figure.
“R-Reeku,” I chocked out the name. Saying it aloud only brought on more tears to the point where I couldn’t see anymore. My wounds were throbbing, but I was completely oblivious to the blood that stained me. More importantly, I was focused on the pain and hollow feeling in my chest. Every time I thought of Reeku in pain, tears in his green eyes… I heard Bone’s heart-stopping laugh ringing in my ears and I sobbed harder. I gasped aloud as I struggled to breath I was crying so hard. This couldn’t be happening.
“It’s okay,” Shade cooed softly, coming over to me and curling his tails around me comfortingly. It made me think of how he’d done this before and Reeku had gotten upset… and I didn’t even know why. “Reeku is strong, he’ll be okay. I promise.”
“He’s… m-my best friend,” I choked out, not wanting to loose someone else and Bone’s dirty paws. He deserved to die. I was going to kill him. I hated him so much.
“I know,” Shade whispered softly, and I could hardly hear him over my sobs. As much as I appreciated his comfort, I still felt so alone. “I know.”
“But-” I started to protest.
“Ghost! GO!” Reeku snarled, turning around just in time to tackle a Dark One. I glanced at Shade and he nodded at me before taking off running. I glanced at Reeku one last time before taking off after him. The silvery colored Dark One was running fast after us. Shade was setting a fast pace, but he didn’t know the tunnels like Reeku did. He had to think before he turned and that gave our enemy time to get closer and closer. I swallowed hard.
I could hear my paws thudding on the bottom of the cavers and tried to focus on that. Reeku and I had been at odds with each other the entire rest of the mission and I hadn’t even gotten to apologize. Now Bone had him and I’d probably never see him again. The thought of never seeing Reeku again brought tears to my eyes; I forced them back. Now was no time for tears.
“Hurry!” Shade yelled back at me. He was a few paces ahead of me and the silvery Kitsune was gaining on us fast. By now a brownish colored Kitsune had joined her in the chase. We weren’t going to make it. By the time we’d made it out of the caverns The Dark Ones were close enough to nip at our tails.
I pushed myself to run as fast as I possibly could. My blood was racing and I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. Although I wasn’t as afraid of these Kitsune as I was of Bone, I was still burning with fear. I was consumed by the fear. I was easily catching up to Shade and coming close to passing him.
And this entire time, I was only half focusing on what was going on. My thoughts were wandering about how I missed Reeku running next to me like he usually did. No! I couldn’t think of that now. I couldn’t cry now… Be strong, Ghost. Be strong. One of the Kitsune caught Shade’s tail in her jaws and yanked. Shade let out a snarl. Before he could whip around to hit his attacker, I’d spun around and swiped my claws hard across the silver Kitsune’s face. She turned to look at me with blazing eyes. My own eyes blazed back.
As I looked at this Kitsune I was thinking of how Bone had leapt to save her and ripped open Lunea’s throat. About how she was indirectly the cause of my best friend’s death. Now Bone had Reeku and I’d probably be loosing him too. Bone had taken too many Kitsune that I loved. It was obvious he loved this Kitsune and I was determined to leave my own mark in his bloody, blackened soul.
I heard and loud growl and saw Shade tackling over the other Kitsune out of the corner of my eye. I could handle this Kitsune. I hoped. I swallowed hard and I readied myself and faced my opponent. She growled and let out a lash of water towards me. Training with Reeku had taught me exactly how to counter a water attack. Although my air attack wasn’t as powerful, it was enough to turn the water into droplets that hardly stung as the rained down onto my face. The silver Kitsune looked at me with an unreadable expression as blood from my claw mark poured down into her eyes.
I lunged out with my paws aimed at my opponents legs to trip her. Just before my claws hit she reared up on her hind legs and caused my claws to swipe through nothing. I stumbled a bit and she took the chance to slam down on top of me. I crashed to the ground under her weight as the air was forced from my lungs. I struggled to get up, but I was pinned.
“What cha’ going to do now?” the Kitsune growled. I squirmed to no avail. Just as the Kitsune’s jaws went to sink into my throat I had an Idea. I swirled my tail and caused a jet of air to billow into my opponent. Her weight was lessened for just a split second and I took the opportunity to throw her off me and jump to my feet, panting all the while.
“This,” I spat out through clenched teeth as I finally regained my footing. I lashed out my claws towards the Kitsune, but she dodged to the side. This time I was ready and ducked when she lunged for my face. Her claws just struck the top of my ears and ripped them open slightly. I could feel the warm, red liquid trickling from my ears and down the side of my face. I swallowed again and pushed myself to ignore the pain. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and the fear was beginning to dissolve. I needed to win for Reeku’s sake. I hoped Lunea would be proud of me.
The Kitsune ran at me again and this time she tackled me over. I sliced my hind claws along her stomach. Blood dripped down from the scratches as my opponent sunk her jaws into my shoulder. I snarled uncontrollably and pushed up with my hind paws. As the silvery Kitsune was thrown off of me her jaws tore the flesh of my shoulder and caused pain to ripple through me. I was bleeding heavily and limping, but the would probably wasn’t fatal. I hope.
“They’re not worth this, come on,” the silver Kitsune growled to Shade’s opponent. “We’d better get back.” Shade’s opponent, a brown Kitsune, looked over and nodded her head. The silvery Kitsune turned back to us with sheer anger in her eyes. I shivered. “If your not back in your own territory by sundown, we’ll be after you.” And with that, she turned and walked away.
“You alright?” Shade asked, breathing heavily.
“Fine,” I replied, taking a moment to look over Shade. His black fur was bloody, but it wasn’t too bad. He had a gash on his side and a bite mark in his tail. Claws marks on the side of his face dripped blood down onto the ground.
“You sure?” Shade sounded worried. He sort of reminded me of Rose when he used that worried tone. “Your shoulder looks pretty torn up.” Now that he’d pointed it out, the pain in my shoulder was becoming more noticeable. Blood ran down from it and stained my bright white fur. I winced slightly.
“Yeah,” I sighed, sitting back down and trying to catch my breath. We needed to get back… without Reeku. I could feel my eyes sting with tears not that the adrenalin was wearing off; I could cry now. Reeku had been my best friend, and now he was gone. Lost in the clutches of Bone much like Lunea was. I could feel the teardrops welling in my eyes and feel their warmth as the streamed down my face.
“Ghost?” Shade asked, concern flooding in his eyes as he took a step closer to me, glancing over my wounds again and obviously thinking that was the problem. I stared at my paws for a moment, which were stained a bloody red, before I looked up at him. My vision was clouded with tears and I could hardly make out his figure.
“R-Reeku,” I chocked out the name. Saying it aloud only brought on more tears to the point where I couldn’t see anymore. My wounds were throbbing, but I was completely oblivious to the blood that stained me. More importantly, I was focused on the pain and hollow feeling in my chest. Every time I thought of Reeku in pain, tears in his green eyes… I heard Bone’s heart-stopping laugh ringing in my ears and I sobbed harder. I gasped aloud as I struggled to breath I was crying so hard. This couldn’t be happening.
“It’s okay,” Shade cooed softly, coming over to me and curling his tails around me comfortingly. It made me think of how he’d done this before and Reeku had gotten upset… and I didn’t even know why. “Reeku is strong, he’ll be okay. I promise.”
“He’s… m-my best friend,” I choked out, not wanting to loose someone else and Bone’s dirty paws. He deserved to die. I was going to kill him. I hated him so much.
“I know,” Shade whispered softly, and I could hardly hear him over my sobs. As much as I appreciated his comfort, I still felt so alone. “I know.”