After ages of waiting...
I bring you part one! This is a flashback. Meaning that it's not in the present. Meaning it doesn't contain anything about "The Case". Yet. But it hints at things. Things to come...
Be happy. At least I'm posting.
Kaya had grown up in the far north, where hardly any other packs (wolf or human) dared to venture, even to hunt. But isolation suited her pack, for they were not ordinary wolves. [Note: I think it’s safe to say that in our story, there is no such thing as an ordinary wolf. ^^] They preferred to keep to themselves because of the knowledge they kept. Most of it had been lost to wolves through the passage of time, but Kaya’s pack had managed to record and pass on these teachings through the generations. From the time a wolf was born, they were taught about the world, their role in it, and the effect humans had on that role. As they aged, they studied more specialized subjects. Males often studied combat, hunting and survival skills, history of the wolves, geography, and occasionally philosophy. Females were instructed not only in hunting and survival, but the arts, mysticism, and religion, including divination, theology, and music. [Note: “Music” refers to vocalization, i.e. proper howling techniques and how to convey messages through pitch and dynamic].
Occasionally, a wolf was exceptional. A female who showed advanced skills at a young age was often given the opportunity to study certain areas of combat as a teenager. Kaya was one such exception. She and one other girl from the pack were given the opportunity to study Specialized Artistic Sword Combat, or as the girls called it, SwordDancing. No matter the name, it would be a major part of both of their futures.
By the time Kaya was fourteen (in human years), she had completed most of her training in SwordDancing. One midwinter night, she was out walking alone under the full moon, katana secured in her belt. She was in the process of preparing for a rather strenuous “routine combat skills exam”, and it was fraying her nerves. She walked out of the pack’s campsite and ran through the snowy forest, changing to wolf form, breaking through underbrush and jumping over streams, letting her breath flow and enjoying the activity. Moving around always helped her to think. She was headed for a small clearing a little further in, where there was a view of the moon and she could practice alone.
The wind kicked up suddenly, stopping her in her tracks. There was a scent there, one of the last ones she was expecting. She tried to stand still, her tail quivering, hoping he would go away. This was the last thing she needed right now, another test…
“Kaya. I know you’re there. Come on, stop it, don’t hide.”
“I’m not hiding.” Her voice shook audibly. “What do you want?”
A lone wolf in human form stepped out from the shadow of a pine tree, a concerned look in his eyes. He was wearing a long black robe with a katana belted around his waist. His short hair was the color of the night sky, and his eyes were bright green. He looked as if he’d been waiting there for some time.
Kaya’s breath caught in her chest as she changed to her human form. Her face reddened as she silently berated herself for being so blind. She should’ve sensed that there would be someone else here.
“Kaya, I want to talk to you. Something’s on your mind.”
“No, I’m fine. Why are you still in uniform?”
He took a few steps toward her, his robe fluttering slightly in the wind. “That doesn’t matter. I want to talk to you.”
“Don’t be this way, just leave me alone! I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. I’ve got a lot of stuff to concentrate on. Just-“
She stopped as his hand lightly touched her shoulder and slid to the back of her neck. She tried to pull away and avoid his gaze, but he held her in place almost without trying.
“Please, Kaya. I-I care about you. I want to know what’s wrong.” The look in his eyes seemed so sincere, so compassionate, she just wanted to break down and cry, to fall into his arms, and-
“No! I can’t do this! Please, just go away! I have to be alone now, I need to concentrate, I don’t have time to chat like this!” She began to run, but he grabbed her arm again, pulling her to him and holding her close. His breathing was shallow and ragged; he sounded as if he was crying. His demeanor had changed in a heartbeat.
“Kaya, just listen to me. If I don’t survive-I need you to take this. Take it and don’t ever let it go, don’t let anyone else take it from you. Someday you’ll need it; I swear it. Please-“ He opened her palm, placed a miniscule velvet pouch in it, and closed her fingers around it.
She freed herself from his grip, looking him in the eye for the first time. “What?” she whispered. He hardly heard her over the wind. “What is this? Why are you doing this?”
He looked back at her with an indecipherable expression, a tear just emerging from the corner of his right eye. Before she knew what was happening, he had leaned in and kissed her. She had hardly blinked before he was gone.
A sound split the air with the intensity of an earthquake, shattering the peace of the night into innumerable jagged fragments. Without thinking, she sprinted back toward camp, not knowing what she would do once she got there. Her fingers tightened around the small pouch. What could be in there that was so crucial?
At the edge of the camp, Kaya stopped and unsheathed her sword, senses alert for any unusual movement. She hadn’t expected it to be so quiet. There was an eerie silence hanging in the air, almost as if a thick blanket had been draped around her. An echo of the explosion still rang in her ears, and the last sight of him was burned into her brain, searing a tear out of her eye. She wasn’t sure what to expect. Her nose didn’t seem to be working very well.
She crept forward, edging toward the center of camp, praying to whatever gods existed that no one had died. She couldn’t stand the thought of death, or the scent of blood, or anything of the sort. She chided herself for thinking such a thing. They were wolves, no mere explosion was going to kill them-
Kaya stopped, her heart practically exploding out of her chest. In the middle of the extinguished fire circle was a pile of corpses, all of wolves she knew and loved. There were odd limbs strewn about as well, as if someone had decided to tear one apart for fun. She kneeled and vomited, tears flowing freely as her sword clanged to the ground. There were no words to describe how she felt, or the terrible physical pain in the very depths of her being. There was adrenaline coursing through her, and her heart burned for revenge.
She perked her ears, picking up an unusual sound; one that didn’t fit, somehow. Was that...laughter? Every muscle in her body tensed, each fiber quivering with expectation. It seemed to be getting louder, closer every second.
A strong wind whipped Kaya’s hair as she grabbed her sword and turned just in time to parry a blow from another familiar katana. The shadowed being on the other end chuckled maniacally. Kaya cursed herself, straining to keep the challenger at bay and pick up their scent. Why couldn’t she find it? She blocked some more blows and threw a few, trying to reach this other being. It seemed they were made of only vapor, from the speed they moved.
“Who are you?!” Kaya yelled, at barely more than a whisper. “Why did you do this?! What are-“ she turned to dodge an oncoming swing, but the stranger’s blade sliced through the back of her jacket and rent her right shoulder blade. The laughter became louder, mingling with Kaya’s scream. She fell to the ground again, blood flowing freely from the wound on her back. The tears returned.
The stranger stopped, and their edges seemed to become clearer as they observed her. They solidified into a girl of about Kaya’s age, wearing a long black coat and an evil smile on her scarred face. She held the bloody katana in her left hand, as if it were weightless.
Kaya saw her, outlined in moonlight, and tried to ask, “Why?” but couldn’t form the words.
As if reading her mind, the girl replied, “For Morgra. Those who do not join her must die.”
The edges of Kaya’s vision began to blur. The last sound she heard before losing consciousness was the howling of a hunting wolf pack.
Again, I respectfully request that no one post until after my next post. I have a few things planned that I wouldn't like to have to tamper with.
Thank youz.
Be happy. At least I'm posting.
Kaya had grown up in the far north, where hardly any other packs (wolf or human) dared to venture, even to hunt. But isolation suited her pack, for they were not ordinary wolves. [Note: I think it’s safe to say that in our story, there is no such thing as an ordinary wolf. ^^] They preferred to keep to themselves because of the knowledge they kept. Most of it had been lost to wolves through the passage of time, but Kaya’s pack had managed to record and pass on these teachings through the generations. From the time a wolf was born, they were taught about the world, their role in it, and the effect humans had on that role. As they aged, they studied more specialized subjects. Males often studied combat, hunting and survival skills, history of the wolves, geography, and occasionally philosophy. Females were instructed not only in hunting and survival, but the arts, mysticism, and religion, including divination, theology, and music. [Note: “Music” refers to vocalization, i.e. proper howling techniques and how to convey messages through pitch and dynamic].
Occasionally, a wolf was exceptional. A female who showed advanced skills at a young age was often given the opportunity to study certain areas of combat as a teenager. Kaya was one such exception. She and one other girl from the pack were given the opportunity to study Specialized Artistic Sword Combat, or as the girls called it, SwordDancing. No matter the name, it would be a major part of both of their futures.
By the time Kaya was fourteen (in human years), she had completed most of her training in SwordDancing. One midwinter night, she was out walking alone under the full moon, katana secured in her belt. She was in the process of preparing for a rather strenuous “routine combat skills exam”, and it was fraying her nerves. She walked out of the pack’s campsite and ran through the snowy forest, changing to wolf form, breaking through underbrush and jumping over streams, letting her breath flow and enjoying the activity. Moving around always helped her to think. She was headed for a small clearing a little further in, where there was a view of the moon and she could practice alone.
The wind kicked up suddenly, stopping her in her tracks. There was a scent there, one of the last ones she was expecting. She tried to stand still, her tail quivering, hoping he would go away. This was the last thing she needed right now, another test…
“Kaya. I know you’re there. Come on, stop it, don’t hide.”
“I’m not hiding.” Her voice shook audibly. “What do you want?”
A lone wolf in human form stepped out from the shadow of a pine tree, a concerned look in his eyes. He was wearing a long black robe with a katana belted around his waist. His short hair was the color of the night sky, and his eyes were bright green. He looked as if he’d been waiting there for some time.
Kaya’s breath caught in her chest as she changed to her human form. Her face reddened as she silently berated herself for being so blind. She should’ve sensed that there would be someone else here.
“Kaya, I want to talk to you. Something’s on your mind.”
“No, I’m fine. Why are you still in uniform?”
He took a few steps toward her, his robe fluttering slightly in the wind. “That doesn’t matter. I want to talk to you.”
“Don’t be this way, just leave me alone! I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. I’ve got a lot of stuff to concentrate on. Just-“
She stopped as his hand lightly touched her shoulder and slid to the back of her neck. She tried to pull away and avoid his gaze, but he held her in place almost without trying.
“Please, Kaya. I-I care about you. I want to know what’s wrong.” The look in his eyes seemed so sincere, so compassionate, she just wanted to break down and cry, to fall into his arms, and-
“No! I can’t do this! Please, just go away! I have to be alone now, I need to concentrate, I don’t have time to chat like this!” She began to run, but he grabbed her arm again, pulling her to him and holding her close. His breathing was shallow and ragged; he sounded as if he was crying. His demeanor had changed in a heartbeat.
“Kaya, just listen to me. If I don’t survive-I need you to take this. Take it and don’t ever let it go, don’t let anyone else take it from you. Someday you’ll need it; I swear it. Please-“ He opened her palm, placed a miniscule velvet pouch in it, and closed her fingers around it.
She freed herself from his grip, looking him in the eye for the first time. “What?” she whispered. He hardly heard her over the wind. “What is this? Why are you doing this?”
He looked back at her with an indecipherable expression, a tear just emerging from the corner of his right eye. Before she knew what was happening, he had leaned in and kissed her. She had hardly blinked before he was gone.
A sound split the air with the intensity of an earthquake, shattering the peace of the night into innumerable jagged fragments. Without thinking, she sprinted back toward camp, not knowing what she would do once she got there. Her fingers tightened around the small pouch. What could be in there that was so crucial?
At the edge of the camp, Kaya stopped and unsheathed her sword, senses alert for any unusual movement. She hadn’t expected it to be so quiet. There was an eerie silence hanging in the air, almost as if a thick blanket had been draped around her. An echo of the explosion still rang in her ears, and the last sight of him was burned into her brain, searing a tear out of her eye. She wasn’t sure what to expect. Her nose didn’t seem to be working very well.
She crept forward, edging toward the center of camp, praying to whatever gods existed that no one had died. She couldn’t stand the thought of death, or the scent of blood, or anything of the sort. She chided herself for thinking such a thing. They were wolves, no mere explosion was going to kill them-
Kaya stopped, her heart practically exploding out of her chest. In the middle of the extinguished fire circle was a pile of corpses, all of wolves she knew and loved. There were odd limbs strewn about as well, as if someone had decided to tear one apart for fun. She kneeled and vomited, tears flowing freely as her sword clanged to the ground. There were no words to describe how she felt, or the terrible physical pain in the very depths of her being. There was adrenaline coursing through her, and her heart burned for revenge.
She perked her ears, picking up an unusual sound; one that didn’t fit, somehow. Was that...laughter? Every muscle in her body tensed, each fiber quivering with expectation. It seemed to be getting louder, closer every second.
A strong wind whipped Kaya’s hair as she grabbed her sword and turned just in time to parry a blow from another familiar katana. The shadowed being on the other end chuckled maniacally. Kaya cursed herself, straining to keep the challenger at bay and pick up their scent. Why couldn’t she find it? She blocked some more blows and threw a few, trying to reach this other being. It seemed they were made of only vapor, from the speed they moved.
“Who are you?!” Kaya yelled, at barely more than a whisper. “Why did you do this?! What are-“ she turned to dodge an oncoming swing, but the stranger’s blade sliced through the back of her jacket and rent her right shoulder blade. The laughter became louder, mingling with Kaya’s scream. She fell to the ground again, blood flowing freely from the wound on her back. The tears returned.
The stranger stopped, and their edges seemed to become clearer as they observed her. They solidified into a girl of about Kaya’s age, wearing a long black coat and an evil smile on her scarred face. She held the bloody katana in her left hand, as if it were weightless.
Kaya saw her, outlined in moonlight, and tried to ask, “Why?” but couldn’t form the words.
As if reading her mind, the girl replied, “For Morgra. Those who do not join her must die.”
The edges of Kaya’s vision began to blur. The last sound she heard before losing consciousness was the howling of a hunting wolf pack.
Again, I respectfully request that no one post until after my next post. I have a few things planned that I wouldn't like to have to tamper with.
Thank youz.