It should have been me in your place

Crescent felt as if she were floating in the air, yet her wings were tucked close to her said. There was nothing around her; this place was just filled with darkness. Her head moved in all directions, her blue scanning for anything to make some sense of this world. But there was nothing, no trees, no grass, and whisker and no Kazuro. Was she alone in this empty realm, was there really no one around to protect her or care for her. She was alone in this darkness, had her worse fears come true had; was she really all alone again. The though made her panic, she started to move at a slow pace silently calling out Kazu’s name. He had always answered her when she did, he was never too far away from her. Where could he have gone, did he leave her alone and this place. When no replied to he muffled calls she quickened her pace to a trot and her calls grew louder, and still he did not answer her. She speed up to a sprint and her voice grew erratic; and as she ran it felt like she wasn’t going anywhere.
Her azure eyes saw what looked like light coming from up head, it grew brighter and bigger as she ran towards it. Maybe that was where Kazu and the others were; she was sure Kazu was waiting on the other side of that light. He was probably out looking for her and was just as worried has she was, the thought made her run even faster towards the light. Her tongue was lolling out of her mouth, she kept running until the light was all around her. It was so bright she had to squint her blue eyes. From this point on she walked slowly, farther into the light calling out Kazu’s name once more. The bright light around her started to diminish; she opened her eyes a bit wider sh could see something in front of her but it was hard to make it out. Her eyes were not able to focus on what it was; but see could a blurry figure, “Kazu?” She called not entirely sure if it was him. The light vanished and the small white female opened her eyes completely. She focused on the figure before her walked closer to it as her vision cleared

As she moved toward the figure it grew larger as if it were standing, she closed her eyes and shook her head hoping it would help clear her sight. When she opened her blue eyes she saw that the figure she had seen in reality was a huge brown bear; it was larger than a normal bear. Crescent seemed to shrink under the bears massive size, she was frozen in place she couldn’t even speak. Her body shacked violently as the bear lifted his massive paw, her blue eyes focused on the bear’s sharp claws as his paw came down toward her. She closed her eyes; she could practically feel the bears claws tearing away at sides. But she never felt a thing, she slowly opened her eyes seeing a white wolf on the ground; blood was seeping from the wolfs side, “No, not again…. please not again.” She looked up at the bear again and it looked as if were smiling at what he had done, then it opened his mouth and spoke to her, “What will you do now little wolf, there is no one her to help you now and nowhere for you to run.” Crescent looked behind her there was a wall of trees where that light once was, he was right there was no place for her to go she couldn’t get away and Kazu wasn’t around to rescue her; she was all alone. The bear raised his paw once more and brought it down on Crescent.

The white wolf awakened quickly lifting her head from her paws panting hard. She looked beside her glad to see Kazu was lying beside her, she nuzzled him just glad to see he was by her side. Crescent hoped she wouldn’t wake him up, she hated waking him up early because she had another one of these dreams. She still hadn’t gotten over Kallik’s death, how could she it was her fault he was gone. She stood up to her paws and quietly exited the den Kazu had found for them. It was still dark out side but there were hints that the sun would be rising soon. She looked back at the den where Kazu, Zura and Whisker were still sleeping; she didn’t want to bother any of them with her problems. Every other night she woke up Kazu after having a dream about her brother and every time Kazu has had to try to tell her it wasn’t her fault; but shouldn’t couldn’t help but feel that it was. She trotted away from the den through the long grass that surrounded it until she came into an open field where herds of deer often grazed. She laid down on the grass and placed her head on top of her paws, she watched deer in front of her. Most of them looked like they were sleep but a few were already up, maybe having sleeping trouble like her. One of the fawns that was by its mother spotter her lying there, it didn’t seem to afraid of her. More curious than anything else, it mustn’t of learned to have a fear of wolves yet, or maybe it could sense her troubled feelings. Was she really that easy to read that even a fawn could see she was sad? Tears began to flow from her azure eyes, she was such a pathetic excuse for a wolf; she let her brother die, ran away from her family so she shouldn’t have to face them and relied on Kazu to do everything for her. She should have been the one to die, not Kallik.

"What are you doing? Not caring to check the borders of a possible territory... And for what? A lost hope? But perhaps you wish to die. To feel pain worse than from when you achieved your scars, or the pain they still emanate now." "Yes. That sounds right. A fitting death for a fitting failure." "Kallik..."

Thoughts of this ran over through his head many times, not caring who he ran into, merely in deep thought. The waves of yellow grasses brushed his sides, as if to resolve some of his burden, but it didn't work. It never did. Mice scurried across his paws, but he paid no mind; he wasn't hungry. He hardly ever was. Looking up at the sky, he saw the dark blackness slowly turning lighter. It would be dawn soon, and he wanted to find a place to rest before then. "Demi, hurry up. It's almost morning and we still haven't found suitable shelter." The tabby cat following a few feet behind quickened her pace, walking at the wolf's side now. She gave him a tired, irritated look, and he rolled his eyes. "Do you want us captured before dawn? You should know to speak like this! You'll get us both killed otherwise." The male ignored her. He usually did. Which made her even more annoyed. She took a swipe at the scar on his side, and he practically screamed at her for it. "CRAP! Demira! What the hell was that for?!" He snarled at her, and she seemed scared, but not of him. "Ka-Ka-Kallik... He sighed slightly, still growling but no longer baring his fangs. "What now?" Then he froze. Other scents dancing across the breeze towards and past the two, and he almost immediately started walking there. One of the scents smelled vaguely familiar, but it was more likely from some wolf that had helped him hunt before. No big deal.

It wasn't long before he had a low view of a small herd of deer grazing on the grasses that covered the ground. Now that he thought about it, he was a bit hungry. Demira would probably enjoy a meal too. Stalking forward, he silently whispered for her to change into something that could hunt better. Like a bobcat or something. She did, and he soon found his target: a lone fawn that seemed oblivious to the danger he possessed for its young body. Dashing forward, the fawn fled; both of them making low thuds each time a paw or hoof pelted against the ground. Demira was waiting to ambush it, and pounced forward, scaring it towards Kallik, who, in turn, bit into its neck. Panting lightly, he started eating into the fawn's flesh; a surprisingly easy kill compared to other fawns protected by woken herds. When he finished, he let Demira have the rest, and he scanned the area. Then he saw something. His chocolate eyes at first grew protective and vicious at the wolf, but as he squinted them to identify what it looked like, he would've fell to his knees if a human. "D-Demi..." He whispered, much too low for her to hear. "Demira! Look!" Shocked at his sudden shouting, she looked to where he was, and her golden eyes grew wide. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be. "Crescent!" The male dashed up the hill towards her, skidding to a halt, though ended up rolling over her on accident. "I.. I thought you were dead. What happened? Why didn't you go back home? I looked everywhere!" Excitement pulsed throughout his body, and his anima tracked upward towards the female too, though more slowly. Kallik, spreading one of his grey wings, moved it to invite her over like a hand. Changing back into a cat, she sat right beside her head. "Crescent...? Are you alright?" It was only then that the male noticed her tears; But he couldn't tell whether they were there before from sadness or from now of happiness. Possibly both.

Taking in a deep breath, Kallik could scent Crescent's anima, Whisker, and another wolf possibly with an anima nearby. Looking in the direction of the aromas, he saw a cave; probably where she was staying. "Are you with someone..? I can smell them," he said, lowering his head into view of her eyes. "You know, I was really worried, Cressie. I thought you died or something. I had been knocked unconscious, and when I woke up, the bear was gone and I couldn't find you anywhere. I always had a slight hope that you weren't dead, but that sort of died after a while." His tail was wagging slightly, his ears perked forward. Demira was happy, too, he could feel it. As well as worry and fear of whomever was in the cave; they smelled male. It'd probably be an eternity before Kallik finished his questions, so she just listened and kept a slight guard. "But, I shouldn't rush all of this onto you like I am... How are you, Cressie? Have you been well while I've been gone?"

Crescents glazed azure eyes continued to watch the fawn, It just stood there unwavering. Not frightened of the young she-wolf at all, she could no long look at the fawn’s accusing eyes. She closed her blue eyes to be alone in her own darkness, but they were not closed for long as she heard the deer running across the field it. It was odd for them to be moving to a different place so early they were not very active until dawn; she scanned the field looking for what could have caused them to run off. It couldn’t have been her, not when even a fawn was scared of her being around. It was hard to spot what they were running from with all the deer panicking, but as she looked more closely they were all running one direction trying to stay in a big group. She knew now that something was on the hunt but the question was what? She looked towards the end of the herd, she saw a wolf chasing after the very fawn that was watching her. It would learn a cruel and unforgiving lesson if it was caught, but she hoped the deer would get away. It was odd hoping that something she usually ate without a second thought would get away from its hunter. It looked as if was going to escape until something jumped out at it leading it back to the wolf.

That poor fawn would just become food for another wolf, killed before it got to really live or see anything in this world. Just like how her brother wasn’t able to see the world around him, it was all her fault she killed Kallik; she left him alone with that bear. Why couldn’t see be the one that had died, at least her brother had something to look forward to, he was a brave and courageous wolf. He probably easily could have became the alpha of some pack if that was want he really wanted, or he could have went out adventuring as a loner; seeing new places meeting new people. But that was taken away from him; he was cut down at before his prime just like that fawn, “Why am I such a coward, all of that time I wanted to be like Kallik. Why couldn’t some of his bravery rub off on me, I could have helped him if I tried.”

She hadn’t even notice the wolf spotted her and was running toward her with a bobcat running after him until it called out her name, but how did the wolf know her name. she had not met in other wolves in the area, Kazu scared off most wolves since he was so overprotective of her at times. As the wolf closed in on her she was able to see his grey pelt in wings just like the ones Kallik had, but it couldn’t be him, Kallik was dead. And it nothing would bring him back, The grey male tried to stop but rolled over Crescent she couldn’t help but let out yelp. And the wolf starting speaking as if he found someone he was searching for, at first she was speechless it did sound like and looked like him, but how could it be him he was dead a bear killed him a little over a year ago. She has had to relive that nightmare almost every night; maybe that was what this was some kind of dream, her mind was just playing tricks on her again, “N-no you can’t be here it’s just a trick, my head is just messing with me. I-I haven’t much sleep in moons maybe that what it is I’m just tired and seeing things.” Crescent was sure this was just some sort of illusion Kallik couldn’t be alive, could he? She moved back as he extended his wing, “No….. you’re not real.” The bobcat changed into a cat and sat down beside her, this was the first time Kallik’s anima had ever made its way into her dreams “Crescent…? Are you alright” it asked. “S-stop it get out of my head your not real, you can’t be real. You died that die the bear killed you, I-I know it did, It’s my fault, I know it is. Isn’t the nightmares punishment enough?” Crescent was sure that they were some kind of illusion what else could they be. She was slowly backing up into the tall grass behind her, she wanted to get away from them, this was worse than any nightmare she has had.

The grey wolf was able to smell Kazu, when he looked at the cave so did she, “Y-yes I’m with someone” Maybe nothing that would make them go away, but that wasn’t the case he just looked her in eyes and went on speaking, “Cressie….?” She had repeated, Kallik was the only on that had called her by that name before, she walked up to him until their noses almost touched. She lifted her right paw and placed it on the end of his muzzle, he wasn’t a illusion this was really her Kallik, the brother she though she had lost, “Kallik!” she cried out as she licked her brother uncontrollably, “I-I thought you were gone forever, I-I thought I had killed you."

Dull yellow eyes lazily blinked open, exposing themselves to the iridescent light that cascaded down into the den through the rugged enterance, littered with small pebbles, loose dirt, and dead grass. The abssence of the warmth of a body beside him slightly disturbed the brute of a male, but he didn't think much about it at the moment; he was still half asleep. He felt a slight unrest curled at his side, and it almost startled him until he made out the scent of Zura. A feeling of foolishness came over him, and he shifted himself and nudged her awake, rather roughly.

"Do you have to wake me up like that?" came a squeaky voice that was produced by the brown and golden rat he'd just upset. Kazuro rolled his eyes and sighed. "Oh stop complaining. It's weird for you to be sleeping this late anyway. You've usually hunted the entire forest clean of mice and rats by now." Zura's small black beady eyes stared up at her partner with a bright glint in their depths. "So you expect me to feed you breakfast every morning, now, huh?" she asked, and, without waiting for an answer, her form melted into her typical ocelot form and she turned, tail high in the air, and pranced out the entrance of the den.

Kazuro watched after his spunky anima with an accepting grin on his maw. Then the silence hit him. Kazu's pupils that were surrounded in a vibrant yellow widened in the darkness, adjusting quickly. Crescent wasn't there beside him. Well that was odd. Maybe she simply was outside. A small form in the corner of the den caught his eye, and he turned his gaze on none other than Whisker, sleeping peacefully. Why would Crescent leave without Whisker? Or at least waking him up? Curiosity washed over Kazuro's mind, and he exited the den quickly, deciding against waking her anima up.

Squinting his eyes against the bright sunlight that greeted him good morning, he saw no Crescent. Zura was washing her paw up next to a tree not far away, drawing it over her ear several times before licking it again. But no Crescent. Scenting the air, he was grateful there was no breeze, because he only just caught Crescent's scent before it was gone again. I'll be right back, he thought mentally to Zura, who looked up at his worried tone. Stay here and keep Whisker company; wouldn't want him to think we abandoned him when he wakes up to see no one here, he continued, knowing immediately that Zura would want to follow him. He could see that she was struggling accepting that, but she decided against fighting with him, and simply sat down and began cleaning herself again.

Kazuro hesitated for only a moment longer before turning and setting off, following the very faint trail that Crescent had left behind. Deer were scattered about closeby, and at the sight of the huge male, all of them scattered almost immediately in every direction, running for their lives, even though he wasn't out to hunt. Yet. Instead, he could make out a white figure, and only vaguely made it out as Crescent. But what was the mass of grey beside her? Trotting just a bit closer, he recognized the characteristics of another wolf.

Instantly, he presumed that the wolf beside her was danger. Protection flared in his eyes, turning them an amber color; what they always do when he's in a bad mood, and he thundered straight for the two, his fangs bared and his fur on end. They didn't seem to be hostile toward each other, but that didn't phaze the easily outraged Kazuro, who was now standing protectively beside Crescent, his lips curled up to reveal his bloodstained fangs. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice seeming to boom, though he wasn't speaking loud. He tended to have a "mad" voice, as Zura had called it, when he was angry.

Crescent seemed almost as if she were afraid of him, saying he was merely an illusion when he was obviously right beside her. His ears flattened when she backed away, worried she didn't remember who he was. "Cressie..." He had whispered, trying to prove that he was real. Then, all of a sudden, she walked in front of him, and he was a bit confused when she placed a paw on top of his muzzle. Shouting his name, he was bombarded by her restless licks, which he couldn't help but give a chuckle to. Kallik took one step away to stop the licking, which he then returned with a gentle nuzzle to her neck. He listened as she spoke. When she finished, a cocky grin spread across his jaws, yet a very happy one at that. "You should know better than anyone else, and I mean everyone, that some stupid bear can't kill Kallik, brother of Crescent. It was you I was worried about." That was when he noticed her wing. It looked like it was beginning to heal, but he could still see that it was badly mauled by something. "Cressie, what happened to your wing..? What happened?" His immediate thoughts were of that other wolf, she did seem somewhat afraid or worried when she mentioned she was with someone. His ears flattened against his skull yet again, upset that her previously beautiful wing may not be able to fly again. However, his mind was on other things when a male wolf, probably twice Kallik's age, walking viciously towards him. He seemed much bigger close up.

The male seemed to have slipped by Demira's vision, as she quickly leaped over to her partner's side to help him fight the male off if need be. Kallik was in more of a protective stance at the moment, though, as his ears were still flattened and he had backed up a few steps, his tail very slightly tucked between his legs. "Who are you? Said the voice, seeming to echo into a roar. Instinctively, the young male bared his own fangs, a low snarl emanating from his teeth. A warning whisper made its way into Kallik's mind, easily recognised as Demira. "Be careful," of which he seemed to ignore. "I should ask you the same thing," he said, but then he saw how close he was to Crescent and decided that was over the line. The male already appeared to have hurt her once, and he didn't want that again. "Get. Away. From. Cressie." He ordered, putting emphasis on every word he had said. He doubted the male would listen, but if he didn't, Kallik was willing to try and save her again.

Whisker was awoken by a cool breeze that seemed to drift into the den; he didn't understand why it was so cool when he was sleeping by the others. He opened his blue eyes that mirrored Crescent's, he lifted his head and looked around. The den was completely empty and he wondered where everyone got to, it was rude of them not to wake him up; though he was having such a nice "cat nap". but that couldn't be helped it now, he stood to his paws and arched his back stretching away the stiffness he felt in his joints then gracefully padded to the entrance of the den. His eyes became small slits has the sun hit them, he sat there for a bit letting his eyes adjust to the sunlight before coming fully out of the den. Once he was out he looked around once more but still didn't see anyone around that is until he looked up a tree and saw Zura. Sitting up and trees always seem to be the first thing she did when she awakened. "Hey Zura where's Crescent and Kazu, did they go out somewhere?" He called out to her, he really just wanted to know where crescent was but usually kazu was never far away from her. He sat down has he waited for an reply his tail slowly moving back and forth behind him

----

Crescent was so happy that her brother was ok she just couldn't control her excitement, he was really here beside her after all this time. she just couldn't believe her eyes all she could was continue to to show her affection by licking the brother she thought was dead. The tears she was shedding changed to tears of joy, even while he was trying to back away from her she moved forward to lick him some more, but he was able to get her to stop when he nuzzled her neck, she closed her eyes and did the same. This had to be good to be true any moment now she thought she would have woken up or the dream would have changed. But nothing was changing and Kalilk was still here, when he pulled away from her she felt it was too soon. she could have stayed like that forever. She smiled at his cocky remark that was the Kalik she loved. Crescent watched him as he looked her over he quickly noticed her wing. She flattened her ears and turned her blue eyes away from his gaze. the accident only happened recently and she still hadn;t gotten over it. But lucky for her she had Kazuro around she opened her jaw to explain what happened to explain what happened but she was cut off but an enraged Kazuro, "Ka-Kazuro wait" she tried to explain to him that this was her brother but then Kalik assumed Kazuro was the one that hurt her when in reality it was him that protected her. She loved Kazuro and he loved her he would never do such a thing to her though she could remember how Angry her was at the bear it did frighten her but he wasn't like that all the time, Crescent stepped standing between the two wolves, "Stop both of you, Kazuro this is Kalik my borther the one i thought was killed but look his ok now, and Kilik this is Kazuro he protected me from the beat that did this.... and." She started to shuffling on her paws and she turned her head away from her brother she felt kind of embarrassed about telling him what Kazuro was to her, "please understand."

Kazuro stood there with his teeth bared at the newcomer, his dark yellow eyes burning holes in the male's head. If he'd touched Crescent at all in any harmful way, his head was coming off. "I should ask you the same thing," came the male's strong voice. Kazuro was larger than this male, but he would still make a formidable opponent. The male's words made KAzuro's ears fall back slightly. If it hadn't been for Crescent finding him and changing him the way he is now, Kazuro would have already started a fight easily. Yet right now it wouldn't take much for him to attack. Anger was sweeping across the brute's body like a caged lion, ready to spring at any sign of danger. He wouldn't let this wolf have the first shot, Kazuro would need to attack first. Tensing his muscles, he was ready to strike out. "Get. Away. From. Cressie." the male spoke again, each word dripping a threat. How stupid was he to pick a male with Kazuro? He'd have to pay. Wait... Did he say "Cressie?" Was he talking about Crescent? Confusion threatened to push away the anger that was boiling up in the brute, yet he pushed it away. If this cocky male wanted a fight, then a fight he'd get. As long as Crescent was safe.

He didn't have long to ponder on that one thought before Crescent herself stepped up, putting herself in the line of fire. Immediately, Kazuro dropped his snarling and backed up a step. Though his eyes were still fixated directly on the other wolf, they weren't burning with the same intensity that they were only a heartbeat ago. Through his glaring, Kazuro's ears detected Crescent's soft voice, explaining. That same soft, gentle, almost sad voice he loved. "Stop both of you, Kazuro this is Kalik my borther the one I thought was killed but look his ok now, and Kilik this is Kazuro he protected me from the beat that did this... And." Kazuro stopped listening after that. He was aware that she said something after that, but it was directed to the other wolf. Er... Kallik. But how was this possible? She'd told him long ago, back when they first met, that he'd been killed. And that he himself reminded her of her brother, who she was burdened with the thought that his death was her fault. Kazu had had a hard time over the time they'd been together explaining to her that there was nothing she could do, yet there was no convinving her otherwise. It was the one thing he couldn't protect her from. But how could he be alive now? Did the bear not kill him? Had he survived somehow? Kazuro's tensed muscles eased up, and he let go of the last part of Crescent's expanation. She was embarrassed to admit that they were mates. He didn't mind. Her timid nature made her that way. Not knowing how to go on, Kazuro simply stood behind his love, staring at the wolf on the other side of her. How was it possible? All of it was confusing...

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Zura watched Kazuro's form disappear through the thick golden grasses. He wasn't totally sure where he was going, but she wanted to go see. She grinned to herself. Kazu had always teased her of the saying "curiosity killed the cat." She could practically see him saying that now. Then suddenly, her smile faltered and broked off abruptly. She was jealous of Crescent. OF the attention he gave her. Back when it was just the two of them, Zura had depended on Kazu, and vice versa. She used to be the only one he'd open up to. She'd tried to change him time after time but never could. Now she almost wished it were like that again. Instead of Zura changing him, Crescent, a stranger, managed to do it easily, and win his heart as well. "I'm so pitiful," she sighed, slouching slightly in her sitting position on the tree. A voice from below made her head swivel backward and down to see Whisker looking up at her. She smiled at him. He was one reason why she was actually glad Kazu and Crescent met. "I dunno, but we can follow 'em now if you want," she called back, turning on the branch she was on to face him. "Kazu told me to stay here to wait 'till you woke up."