Evergreen

3

"Mika, this is the second time you've nearly destroyed a forest and accused a peaceful, magical species of being a baddie." Reesha said, wagging her long tail in giant strides. "You've only been a chaser for three days! I'm sure this has broken some kind of record!"

"The Areatus wasn't a peaceful species." I growled. "He said he worked for the fryse dryet, and he nearly killed me! What I did was self defense!"

"Mika, the Areatus are stubborn, poetic creatures who take pride in just about anything, wether or not they're a part of it. One would take pride in Mrs. Claus' ginger snaps and claim them as their own." I could tell Reesha was trying hard to stay calm.

She was right to be upset. looking back on it, what I had done was ridiculously stupid, but it was an accident. I tried my best to do what was right, but I messed up. My motives were good, but Reesha could only see what I had done wrong.

But as horrible as it was, I felt no remorse or guilt. Only simmering anger.

"You can't expect them to tell the truth! They've even found ways to avoid candor spells! Now the Areatus is dying, Mika! You should be oh so grateful that you're even alive and in one piece!" Reesha continued.

I didn't care. I didn't care about what she was saying. I didn't care about the dumb Areatus. I just wanted her to get out what she had to say quickly; I was getting bored and frustrated. And it was pretty hot in the bunker next to the fire.

"And the Slange has refused to return now that you've burned him! He can't protect his tunnel, and now anyone could travel through it! The tunnels go everywhere. A baddie or the Ice Wolf himself could get through!" She said.

It wasn't my fault he got burned. As I was walking by his tunnel, he grabbed me with his long, creepy tongue, I freaked out and instinctively threw a cherry bomb at him. I'm sure he knew I was a chaser; the Slangei are allies with St. Nick. If the Slange hadn't teased me, I wouldn't have accidentally burned him.

"I know it's your first time, but what you've done can't be ignored. I should take your scarf and your claws away, but we still need chasers."

"I see, you're so desperate you had to settle for me!" I hissed, pulling my scarf a little closer to me. "You don't trust me! I know what you're thinking; I'll just do something stupid again! It would be better without me, wouldn't it? You wish I wasn't even a chaser!"

"That's not true. And don't shout, Mika." Reesha's tone was still calm, but it was gradually becoming more stern and forceful.

"I'm not shouting!" I roared.

"I think you're an important chaser." Reesha said. "And yes, we are quite desperate. But I don't think you've been at your best lately."

"No! Yes! Agh- ugh-no! No no! I'm fine! I'm just fine!" I said, tugging at my leg fur.

"No you are not." Reesha cut into me with her bright eyes. They were like the eyes of my mother. The thought made me mad.

"I am fine!" I yelled. "There's nothing wrong!"

"Then why do you act this way?" She queried.

I opened my mouth to yell something else at her, but I caught my tongue. I forced myself to give a licit answer. "I-I'm just tired . . . tired and upset. Just a little." My voice cracked a bit.

"Mika, you need some rest. It's been a tough week for you. Everything has been so crazy, even for this time of year. It isn't fair of us to throw you right into it." Reesha said, standing up. "Go to the bunks and get some rest; I'll talk to Nick and see if he'll let you off till the Christmas run."

She was heading for the door when I stood up quickly. I felt a burst of anger come over me again. "No! I don't need rest! I'm fine! I don't need your pity, I need to find Kota!"

I grabbed my scarf, ran to the basement and grabbed a handful of random orbs from the big wooden chest. I ran back upstairs and through the plank of wood being used as the door.

I heard Reesha calling after me, but I didn't care. If I hadn't ran off, I would have spent the rest of the day shouting at her.

She was wrong. I felt great. Just great.

I clumsily pulled a portal from my scarf as I ran, fumbling through the snow. With a clumsy throw I cracked it against the North Pole sign.

The air popped and fissures arose from midair. A vertex of blue grew from a small point, but it ripped away into a hole.

"Unknown location," I said loudly over the noisy wind, "Location of Kota the chaser."

The portal became more white. I was glad it knew what I was talking about; I had tried it a few times before, and I hadn't had any luck.

The portal was pretty accurate when it was snowing in both locations, but it was impossible to travel to the exact spot if it wasn't snowing there. The portal would drop you off at the closest spot it could.

I felt hopeful; I hadn't gotten that result before. But I had no idea where Kota was. I didn't know if there would be danger. But nevertheless, I had to find him.

I jumped through the portal, paying no attention as Reesha called for me.