The Sacrifice [Undergoing Editing]

Chapter 46: The Remaining Silence

"My father and mother were both purebred Ice Wolves, which made our family a bit unique. There aren't a lot of purebreds left. There's nothing wrong with mixed breeds, it's just a little strange. Wolves are with Wolves, and Cats are with Cats. It's just the fine breeds that have mixed, the distinguished ones."  I nodded my understanding.

"I'd spend a lot of time with my friends, which you know, and when school was out we'd hang around all day in the local township. I didn't like the city. If you went there, you weren't supposed to shift between the human and Familiar forms, you stayed human. Not everyone could shift though, you had to be taught."

"I met Hail, Frost, and Sleet at school. They lived in the township, and I lived just outside it. We signed up to be Familiars together. It was hard to sign up, and we all thought we'd be separated. I guess that's about the time that you came along."

"They said that there was a child, a powerful one, in need of multiple Familiars. I remember that Frost and I ran to get Sleet and Hail and signed up for this particular child. We didn't imagine we'd ever meet you. Most people never meet their Familiars. It's awfully sad." I opened my eyes and looked at Aisu as he reflected on his past.

"Anyway, we were very happy that you gave us an opportunity to be together." I nodded, a small smile on my face.

"Well I'm glad I could help with that." I replied. Aisu barked laughter. "Tell me about your family." I said, eager to learn more about his past. Aisu's eyes shifted.

"Maybe another time, alright?" Aisu said, his face flickering with uncertainty. I pouted with disappointment but nodded.(A/N: I almost wrote "Maybe another color, alright?" instead xD)

"Okay, Aisu. Another time." I said. A look of relief flashed across his face and settled into his light blue eyes. I smiled a little bit before I flopped onto my back again. "What do you think it's like?" I asked breezily. Aisu frowned as much as his Wolf form permitted him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Remembering everything." I said, "Every moment of your life- all the important stuff." I laughed at myself. "Sorry, I forgot that you remembered stuff." I said with a wistful smile. "What's it like, to remember everything?"

Aisu sat silent for a while, his eyes dark and thoughtful. "It's like... history. You know yourself pretty well, where you're from, what you've done. You don't always like it, what you remember, but it's part of you." I nodded.

"Do you think I'd like remembering everything?" I asked. Aisu tilted his head.

"Well you might. I mean, it would at least let you know what your life at home was like, and if you had any family. But maybe you won't like it, if you remembered everything. You can't always choose what you remember and what you forget." Aisu said knowingly. I grunted a "hm" and stared at the monochrome sky.

"That makes me wonder if I really want to remember." I said. "Most of my memories right now are painful. What if I don't like what I remember?" Aisu shrugged.

"As I said, you can't choose what you remember and what you forget." I sighed.

"He has a point." Nerr said, stretching and getting up. Her shaggy hair fell into her multi-colored eyes. I looked at her with wide eyes. "Relax, Wolf-girl, I only heard that last part." I almost let out a sigh of relief.

"What do you remember?" I asked. Nerr shrugged.

"Everything. Well, almost everything. I've got my gaps." I nodded.

"I wonder what people dream of when they're asleep. Is it memories? Fantasies?" I frowned. "Do they have nightmares?" Aisu laughed.

"People dream all sorts of things." He said. "I've had nightmares and fantasies. I've had a lot of dreams." I smiled.

"That's nice." I closed my eyes and drifted into a light sleep.

 I woke up a time later, coughing. I bolted upright and continued coughing for the next minute or so, and was left with a dry throat and an aching chest. I wiped my slightly clammy hands on the soft grass and stared at the quickly darkening sky. How long had I been asleep?

With a sigh, I looked around for Aisu or Nerr. "Hello?" I called. I heard voices to my left and began to walk in that direction. "Hello?" I called in a much softer voice. The voices stopped momentarily before resuming.

I creeped around a tree trunk and frowned as I saw Nerr and Aisu arguing. "You have to tell her eventually!" Nerr whisper-shouted.

"I know that, but I don't know when, between caring for Archer and looking after her brother she's stressed! Not to mention that she constantly has to be aware for any fights she'll be sent off to join!" Aisu hissed. "I don't want to make her worry!"

"What you're doing... feeling... whatever it is, it's against the rules! You're endangering both of you!" Nerr growled. "I've never been one to follow rules, but there's a reason for this one!" I blanched. Had Aisu done something bad?

"I know that! I can't help it, Nerr!" I barely managed to contain a low, deadly growl.

"Look, you gotta do something, kid. I don't care what it is. She deserves to be happy, from what I've heard, and if you endanger that, there's a few people who won't be happy." Nerr said. I raised an eyebrow silently. "Snow's got it tough, and you better do good, Wolf, or her brother and Archer are gonna skin you alive and have Wolf soup, and they'll enjoy every drop of it." As Aisu pulled a horrified face, Nerr practically beamed with pride in allowing this to happen.

"I wouldn't dream of doing her wrong." Aisu rumbled. I frowned what was he talking about? And why with NERR of all people? I shook my head and retraced my steps, surprised that Aisu hadn't scented me. I headed back into the opposite part of the woods toward Base and shook my head yet again, hoping to calm my straying thoughts.

What was Aisu and Nerr talking about? I growled in irritation. I hadn't come early enough to catch the subject matter; all I knew was that it somehow revolved around me. I began to debate whether it would be in my favor to ask Aisu what he and Nerr had discussed, but quickly shot it down. Aisu would tell me when he was good and ready. In the mean time, I had a Rebellion to set in motion.

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Hey guys!

Sorry this chapter was filler, I didn't have much inspiration. I'll update more often now that school is out :)

Until Next Time,

October/Fallen :D