FicWad

Chapter 3: All Dogs go to Heaven

The world was fading in and out, a swirling blackness closed around him both eerily close and painfully far away. He wished it would just encompass him and swallow him whole. He was in some odd state of miserable pain, every inch of him on fire, every bone weighed down by an unbearable pressure yet… somehow he was completely numb. His consciousness didn’t feel present but it had to be for him to feel this way. Was this what it felt like to wait to die? If death was indeed lingering about him, he wished it would just hurry and steal his last breath; he didn’t want to suffer through this immense pain anymore and yet somehow it drew on and on…

The arm had moved… he wasn’t sure if he was crazy or seeing things in his confused state but… he’d seen the arm buried beneath all those rocks move. His brain was running in circles about what to do but he knew whatever it was, he couldn’t do it alone. He couldn’t go to his father though…

He knew if he went to the man that his father would tell him to leave the boy there to die. His only concern was with his new mate and without her son in the picture, he would have no more problems. He couldn’t live with himself though, knowing that Naki could be alive and he just left him there to die. He’d dug furiously in the mound, searching for the boys’ face so he would have air while Rafeo made the trip back to the pack. When he’d finally found it… Naki just looked so… dead. Just the look of the gruesome scene made him sick but he’d seen the tiniest of a gleam in the other’s eyes trying to stay open.

“Don’t you die,” he growled to himself as he ran faster than he ever had, trying to cross the forest as fast as possible. He glanced back a few times, he knew Aiden was long gone in the other direction but he didn’t know if he’d done the right thing. Would the actions be put on him instead? What if they went to look for Aiden? He paused to catch his breath and shake his head… he couldn’t think of any of that now, he just had to focus on getting help. He glanced around the forest, each direction would take him closer to a certain part of the town. At the moment there was only one person he could think of to be of any help…

ooOOOooOOOoo
She could feel her energy draining. Being what she was, it wasn’t difficult to figure out what was happening; she was giving birth to a stillborn. Her heart ached at the thought, this child that she was bearing was meant to be special, it had the air of destiny around it ever sense it was conceived. She’d had dreams of her new little life, dreams of his future both sad and happy. She also had dreams about Naki, her sweet little Naki who she also felt was entwined with destiny. It was her only duty to love them dearly and keep them on the right path to their futures but… had she already failed them both?

There was an ache in her very being like something felt wrong, more wrong than she currently felt. A warm hand touched her fevered head, she turned her face, staring up lovingly at her husband. Oh how she wanted to take away all the hardness from his eyes. There was such a softness behind them and she wanted to bring it all forward but it seemed like it wouldn’t be. Her life was meant for a purpose, she wanted to live it fully, happily with many children surrounded by love; but sometimes a higher power had other plans. She was accepting of the wills of the Gods above she thought as she reached a shaking hand up to stroke her mate’s face.

Another wave of pain broke out over her, she would have this child and this child would have life. It was already deciding deep in her mind and heart, the choice might have hurt others but hopefully they would understand later in life. Her son… her sons, they had to live and grow and live the life meant for them. Perhaps someday in the distant future she could help them understand with what she left behind.

Another round of intense pain hit her and she could feel it this time, the little lifeless body exiting her own and entering their world. She could hear the silence in the air, it rung loud because in its place should be the hearty wails of a heathy baby boy. She saw Phillius hang his head low in anguish as the medical woman said nothing but the small, older lady was staring at her intently. She flashed a tired smile; the woman understood, she too knew the ways of the world.

Reaching her hands for her mate, she took his face into shaking hands and brought his face down to lay a kiss full of love upon his lips. “I love you dearly my husband, you… you have to be strong and open your heart and raise our son with love and care.” He words were strain, her body feeling fainter by the moment.

“Layahla sweetheart, our son he’s…” Phillius’ words were thick as he looked at her with sorrow.

“No my love, life will be with him, always remember that and always remember that my love will always be with you.”

It was time, her body was ready and so was the life inside of him. She held her hands out for the child and the woman passed the small child to her, she held him in a warm embrace, pure love shining in his eyes. “You are special little one, your life will having meaning even when all seems life and I will always be with you, watching over you and loving you, remember that.” She held him close to her chest for a good long moment before place a kiss to his forehead. “Now live my sweet child, live well.”

Phillius thought his mate was delusional in her mind after the birth. The child was not alive obviously and it hurt him to see the scene. He was going to instruct the Medica to take the child away but as if in miracle there was the tinniest of wails. His entire being perked up as he stared wide eyed at their small, pink little child beginning to stir and flail angrily over being so rudely taken away from his comforting womb. Instantly his heart soared as he took the child into his arms, hugging it closely as the cried became louder. He stood, looking to the child with love before turning to Layahla with an adoring smile.

“He’s alive my sweet, he’s…” His words instantly stopped. Layahla’s arms had dropped to her side, her eyes were closed and he could see no rise or fall of her chest. Her normally shinning hair looked all of a sudden dull, as if all the life was sucked from its vibrant color. The color from his face instantly drained and he looked to the healing woman. “What is wrong with her?”

The woman looked at him solemnly, she knew he wouldn’t understand, he wasn’t a man meant to understand the world the way did. “She’s gone,” the woman said gravely, “she’s departed this world.”

ooOOOooOOOoo

“Rafeo what is it? What’s the matter?”

Rafeo was desperately trying to catch his breath. He was intercepted by Leoin, his precious Leoin, and the other could so easily read him. He knew that Leoin desperately wanted to know what was happening with him, why he look like he’d been dragged through a storm but he did not want to push his dirty secrets onto someone he cared so deeply for. Now however, he stared at Sega who had his brows furrowed in a deep scowl as they stood in a room, the other had granted his request for utter privacy when he’d arrived.

Once Rafeo regained his composer, he began to retell the tale of the events which took place tonight. At the end of his story, Sega too shared the look that was plastered onto his face. The other said nothing, simple went to lean against a large mahogany desk, his face set in deep thought.

“What… how could he,” Sega let out a sound of utter frustration, “Aiden that idiot!”

“Sega… Naki, we have to… I need to get back. He could make it but we have to go back now.”

“I know, I know,” Sega said with haste, they needed to hurry but… “I just need a moment to think Rafeo. If my father found out how this happened, if the town found out. You understand that that could be attempted murder? My father loves yours dearly but to put his personal feelings over the law… the damage Aiden has done is tremendous and not even our ties may be able to help him…”

Rafeo swallowed, there was one piece of information he didn’t share with Sega that he knew needed to be said. “Sega I… about Aiden…”

Sega shook his head, “you don’t have to say it, I know you want to protect your brother and I do Rafeo believe me, I’m the last person who wants him in any kind of trouble.”

“Sega I sent him away.” Rafeo knew these words would hit Sega hard, he and Aiden were close, sometimes he wondered how close but he knew they were close enough.

“Sent him away where? To hide? Rafeo you should know better than anyone that the hunters know those woods to perfection, hiding him won’t do any good.”

“No,” Rafeo said with a pained expression, “I sent him away, I told him to run into the mountains and to not look back…”

“You did what?” Sega’s tone spoke more than his body language or expressions could, “you sent him into the mountains alone? You told him to run away?”

“What else could I do Sega!?” Rafeo shook his head, he didn’t want to, he did not want to send his brother alone and terrified out into a world he knew nothing about. Aiden was his brother who he loved and cared for, they were all each other had in the world at one point and he couldn’t dream of life without his younger brother. “He attacked Naki in pure rage, his actions set off that mound and Naki is there because of his rash actions. He knew it and he was scared but he was also ready to take the blame. I wouldn’t let him throw away his life over one stupid mistake. I’m at fault too, I had a choice to catch one or the other and I saved Aiden and let Naki…” He hung his head low, he didn’t even think really, he would never wish death onto anyone but Aiden was his real brother…

Sega’s eyes narrowed, a momentary disgruntled look passing his face as he turned away, leaning over the table. “I know I’m sorry Rafeo… I’m sorry this is all falling on you. I shouldn’t have accused you like that.” He tried to hide the raw emotions trying to etch their way into his voice, his mind feeling the weight of Rafeo’s words sink into his head. Aiden was gone…

“We can’t tell anyone.” Rafeo looked up at the words, watching as Sega turned to him with an adamant expression. “We will take him to my private quarters near the edge of the southern corner of the forest where I will summon the Medica to personally. If we take him to the hospital word will spread… I’ll see that Leoin does that now so we can depart.”

“I don’t really want to involve Leoin…”

“I know you don’t Rafeo,” Sega said giving him a firm pat to the shoulder, but right now, we need all the help we can get and he is exceptionally well with medical studies.” Sega offered him a reassuring smile, “now come on, we need to go save a life.”

ooOOOooOOOoo

He wasn’t quite sure if the world was all just a big dream or if he was in some place that both existed but didn’t at the same time. Everything felt like it was surrounded in a dark void, like he was floating nowhere but from time to time, something would spark with color and flash before his eyes before it was all dark again. It was truly a strange sensation.

Things felt like they moving but in the inky blackness, space and distance didn’t really seem to matter. He was glad though, glad to be floating in the endless sea of nothingness because it was far better than the pain he felt before. It would be nice if he could stay in this place forever, it was silent and he didn’t have to feel anything, but the sparks of life, color, movement, and warmth all seemed to happen more frequently and he struggled in annoyance, fighting to get away from it all.

There was a voice calling to him though, cooing his name softly, lovingly and he wanted to drift to it. The voice though was in the center of all the commotion he wanted to escape. Why was it calling him? Why did it sound so familiar yet like someone he’d never heard before? Why was he so inclined to follow the melodic sound and wrap himself in it instead of the black that seemed now dark and scary in comparison?

Like a flower trapped in its bud however, he wanted to go to the warmth, the enclosed darkness felt safe but somehow he just knew breaking free and capturing the warmth was best. It seemed far away, it seemed like it would take such a long time to reach but the constant, strong calling of his name compelled him to try and cross the sea of black to reach the tiny speck of white shining so brightly in the distance. It would be a journey, and he didn’t know what was beyond the light but he’d continue to claw his way forward til he could grasp it pull free. Naki, Naki, Naki, it called to him, coerced him, challenged him and he would reach it. Somehow, some way, he would break free of the void and reach the light that shined with love.