Romance Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction / Fables/Fairytales Fan Fiction ❯ Slowly Disapear ❯ Gathering storms ( Chapter 6 )

Now it was just Ari and Ashlin gazing at each, like two lonely souls caught in the wind they seemed to understand each other.

 

Ari's hands closed over the flowers, softly cradling them in an encasing of warm flesh. She lowered her arms.

 

“Ashlin-”, Ari started her voice questioning, “If it rains how am I to keep the dress clean, I fear turning wolf will inevitably tear it to shreds?”

 

Ashlin let out a twinkle of a laugh before answering.

 

“Dear Ari, my child the dress is no ordinary dress, you should know, it's made of pure unsoiled magic, which has many properties in itself. The dress will never soil, and it forms with your wolf. It sinks into your fur-“; she explained further, “while it will not be at all visible or anywhere near looking like a dress, the magic will seep into you, leaving not but a slight ethereal tint to your already white and beautiful fur. It will simply turn back into a dress on your body when you change back to you human shell.”

 

Ari blushed slightly at the compliment on her fur, thinking there was nothing special about it. To Ashlin she was so grateful, and it showed upon her face for all to see, pure un-marred emotion.

 

Ashlin wondered now looking upon Ari's childlike expression how such a girl with a childhood like hers could hold her childlike spirit and innocence intact, how a girl with so many scars could trust so easily. In a way the wise and old Ashlin admired and was awed by Ari. Such a creature, she thought.

 

Shaking her head Ashlin spoke.

 

“Quickly now you must go, for it will rain soon, and while the dress will remain unsoiled it will not stay dry, and while you will get wet as well be warned that Father Lightening does not favor anyone so much as to not strike them down it they do not heed his presence.” Using hand gestures, Ashlin shooed away Ari until the girl could do no more then offer the most sincere thanks and stumble her way out of the clearing, tripping when she looked back one last time to see Ashlin hastily flutter back to the Elder, her aura seeming to have dulled slightly.

 

Û°Û°Û°

 

Moss squelched slightly underneath her feet and she paid no heed to the various creatures far too daring that were following closely behind her, drawn by Ashlin's magic which had formed into her dress, mesmerized.

 

The girl head was down and her flame red hair was tucked carelessly behind her slightly pointed ears, ears which she had been told she had inherited from her unknown mother, who she had not once seen.

 

A thoughtful expression was upon her face and she chewed on her lip, not noticing the small trickle of blood erupting from it; which trailed down her chin only to be washed away with steady drops of rain that fell on her face when she lifted it swiftly to the raining sky, all the while still thinking.

 

Giant thunderheads raged on through the sky silently moving too and fro leaving a torment of wetness where ever they rested, rain poured down in sheets of cool pearls hitting the ground and treetops with a soft pitter-patter.

 

Drops of these tiny pearls which reflected color and light then fell from the tree tops landing on the earth, dampening the already wet soil and making the very earth hum with contentment.

 

In green leaves and brown branches birds could be spied spreading their wings and protecting their young from cold; selflessly giving her health for theirs, and slight but noble risk. Young and old squirrels and owls could be seen tucked carefully within their warm holes, living off the inner warmth of their housing trees. All was as it should be in the world, here in this forest. There was no wars, there were no starving families, and most of all there was love, true unbridled love; spreading around into every nook and cranny. As the older the animals got; the more their respect for fellow forest dwellers turned into friendly love, and the more they watched from afar all the while smiling, as their offspring and grand offspring tried desperately to get along with each other.

 

All was as it should be in the animal's eyes. So then why was such a girl be so lonely?

 

Û°Û°Û°

 

The soft pitter-patter of the rain surrounded her, like a constant buzzing always there but hardly noticed.

 

She felt like she was walking on the air, her feet barely touching the ground; her thoughts taking her to another place.

 

Rabbits ran past her feet, only to scamper back to her; taking shelter in the wide skirt of her glowing but wet dress. She paid them no heed.

 

One hand was positioned just above her collar bone to fiddle with a gem pendant. She could swear she felt it heat under her touch, and happiness seeped from her soul; leaving her as though she was leaving all she needed behind to return to the human world.

 

Which, she thought, was ridiculous for she was simply leaving the forest. Leaving behind pixies she barely knew but somehow had grown to love, and leaving behind an Elder tree that reminded her so much of an unknown home she will never have. Again she thought, it's not like I'll never see them again, I just have to see Ashlin again, and she and I have the same soul, the same pain.

 

Ari sighed and pulled herself out of her musings to find herself half way to Sir Mallot's cottage, she was traveling on a path that she had neglected to use earlier when she ran as wolf. She preferred decomposing moss and leaves tickling against her paw pads rather then hard and well worn ground.

 

To her amazement little tiny woodland creatures were surrounding her feet taking shelter underneath her dress. She giggled slightly, startling a few of the animals. They looked up at her.

 

One thing about the wolf business she never liked was the hunt, and this reminded her of the very reason why.

 

With giant and innocent eyes they looked up at her, their noses wiggling slightly as they sniffed the air breathing in the scent of rain and wet earth. A few animals let out various squawks and drew closer to her nuzzling against her legs. It started to rain harder.

 

It was like a fairytale come to life, one of those fairytales where the princesses befriended many creatures and got her prince. Thinking this Ari once again fell into sadness, she would never get a prince and this world had not but planned a hard and painful road for her. She knew better then to think fanciful thoughts.

 

Ari's tears mingled with the rain drops now. Not noticeable, but there all the same.

 

She walked quickly now, running from her anger and sadness, the creatures which had surrounded her scampered away when the steady down fall of rain broke it's pattern to let the wind switch directions.

 

Leaved swept up and branched swayed, the forest grew darker and darker when and on-sweeping line of black rolled in replacing the docile grey thunderheads, making them look like the sweetest thing compared to horrible black brush strokes.

 

The wind picked up, and though light, no doubt shining from Sir Mallot's cabin, could be seen in the distance up the path Ari became slightly frightened.

 

Remembering an old forest song she had once heard from a female in her old pack, a forest song she loved so much that she mesmerized, she sang away her fear, marching forward on the path.

 

Oh sweet merciful moon

And flowers in bloom

I do thee sing

For your sweet angel wings

 

Through Storms that hither below

Your light will be all I know

The sweet caress of you smile

Will fade away the fears that pile

 

The quivering was leaving her voice now and she sang with a strong voice, veering through the blackening onslaught or rain, head held high, eyes squeezed against the rain.

 

And I will dance and sing

I will praise you will all my being

Oh moon mother

Do you listen I wonder

 

With quick steps and melodies anew

I promise I will find you

Where the flowers bloom

With you oh Mother Moon

 

She could make out Sir Mallot's quant cottage clearly now through the rain; she ended the Forest song on a bright and cheery high note, sounding like the moaning of an ethereal being.

 

She feet slid deafly on brown rain blackened mud, and she dripped to and fro making it under the out jutting edge of the cottage's roof not but a second before the sky was alight with blue fire and thunder boomed so loud the very earth itself shook in it wake. Forgotten blue blossoms rested in her hand as she shook herself dry, looking like quite the dog.

 

Water droplets flew from all parts of her and her hair stuck to her face; threatening to crawl inside her mouth should she open it. She swiped at it carelessly, accidentally nicking her own cheek, it stung but bled little.

 

After drying herself off to the best of her ability and succeeding in thoroughly wetting the tiny strip of concrete she was standing on and the welcome home rug, she silently entered the wooden home.

 

The drips of her dress, which was amazingly yet not surprisingly drying remarkably fast, rolled around her sensitive ears like marbles dropping onto a bare floor.

 

She spied light coming from underneath a door near the back of the alcove, earlier she had taken inventory of the house and its various rooms, and it was not hard to remember that the room was a kitchen.

 

She snuck up on the door, every intention of Sir Mallot. Her feet ghosted over the hard oak floor, making not a sound, and the dress swung quietly and in small movements.

 

She was just upon the door, hand raised and poised to knock hard against the worn arch door when voices floated gently to her ears.

 

She stilled to listen.

 

“I never should have sent her! What was I thinking?” That was Sir Mallot's voice she realized, there was a screeching as someone moved a chair and soon footsteps paced through the room.

 

“Not even I knew it was going to storm Sir Mallot, you shouldn't blame yourself, do not worry if she does not return by the end of the storm then I swear by all I know that we will find her for you.” An unknown voice, gruff yet soft, reassured the distraught Mallot.

 

“Yes, but if I had sent Alex, he after all already knew the location of the tree, and although he has indeed earned his place among the pixies as an enemy, I know that he can deal with a storm of this magnitude.

 

Thunder flashed out side, quickly followed by crackling lightening causing Ari to jump and miss part of the conversation. When she returned her attention back to the door, Sir Mallot's voice was raised making it clearly heard through the thick door.

 

“You DO NOT understand she's my-“

 

Sir Mallot voice broke off and the stranger spoke up, almost interrupting his ranting but following only a second later.

 

“Calm yourself Mallot, she's here.” Fear quickened her heart, and she froze, footsteps walked quickly towards the door and it took not but a second for the reason for her fear to register in her mind.

 

The smell of alpha wolf, the power, and the overbearing prescence surrounded her.

 

Memories, best left in the dark, resurfaced. She could not move.

 

The door creaked open.