Velli has an intentional vision that leads her in an odd direction, and leaves her with more questions than answers, as most visions do.
The earth dropped out from under her and she fell. She landed with a grunt on a patch of grass. All around her stood tall walls of deep charcoal. With one touch to the smooth barrier of the closest wall she guessed some sort of metal.
A long howl sounded nearby, one so familiar her knees buckled at Tala’s sudden attempt to escape her bindings. “Easy, Tala. I don’t even know where we are.”
You fool. It is a vision.
“No. You’re the fool. It’s a vision, so that is not really Kane’s Wolf, just our interpretation of him. Whatever this is means something.” She turned a circle and noted four breaks in the wall like paths. “Could this be a maze?”
Our magic is not working.
“No, it isn’t. Not in here. We’re meant to try on our own, I guess.” Velli stepped toward the nearest opening. “What is it they say about mazes? Always go right and you’ll never go wrong?”
Without further delay she raced into the opening. At every corner and junction she turned right. Every time she’d made a dozen turns or so another howl echoed through the maze.
After she’d gone what she gauged to be a mile, she paused at a cross-junction. This time she waited for the Wolf’s cry to wrench the air. When it did, footsteps drew near. Rapid, small footsteps paired with heavier beats. Something small, smaller than a wolf, and something else. The sound muffled like a paw, but didn’t sound much like a Wolf.
To her left a flash of white fur appeared, rapidly followed behind by much larger gray fur. An albino fox tore past her, and the snarling lynx chased it without hesitation. Fear over both the creatures spurred her to follow and she tore after them.
Even in her human form she’d always been fast, but she could hardly keep up with the disappearing animals. They disappeared from view after two dozen turns, and Velli spun hopelessly at a junction.
A high pitched canine yelp was immediately followed by a feline shriek. A low deep growl echoed through the metal paths, one that was pure Kane. Both canine and feline whined before the air stilled again.
“Kane.” Velli whispered. “Where are you?”
His deep growl resonated from behind her. When she turned, the black Wolf had his teeth bared in a nasty snarl.
“It’s me. Kane.” She knew better than to show fear. Even though it was against her very nature, she knelt down until her head was lower than his. In this case he was allowed dominance. Her magic wouldn’t work, and her Wolf was bound. “It’s Velli.”
Teeth snapped in her face, deep snarls echoing in her ear. A whisper of a shout entered her mind, one that was not Tala. It had to be Kane’s Wolf. Betrayal.
“No.” She whispered. “I’m trying to find you.”
A sniff at her neck was the only warning before he bit down hard.
Velli fought against the urge to cry out in pain.
You will destroy them. Selfish. He bit harder and flung her against a wall before he turned and raced away.
“No. Wait. Who?” She stumbled to her feet, but didn’t bother to check her neck. It would ache for days in the real world, but no blood would fall. Not in a vision. Once she felt steady on her feet again, she ran after him.
He stayed close enough that she always saw his tail rounding a corner.
With one last turn the maze opened up into forest. Her heart ached at the familiar trees and paths of home. “Home.”
The Wolf stopped and his head lowered. Pain first. We will all suffer.
“I already am. Please, Kane. I must find you.”
It’s too late.
“Too late for what?” Velli didn’t have time to chase him, her arm was snagged. When she spun to face her attacker, she found her childhood friend, Melik.
His dark visage twisted in disgust. “You aren’t welcome. Be gone.” The words bellowed out and the scene wavered with the force.
Around Velli the world spun in circles until she began to slide down the tornado of green.
She dropped to the ground softly in an unfamiliar yard. Mountains spread out behind a simple house. Woods surrounded a small stretch of land. The home was unfamiliar but she knew without a doubt whose it was.
“Kane.” Velli rushed toward the house. Something made her stop before she got there, a sound. A Bobcat.
Velli walked to the edge of the driveway. Down the hill sat a pond, and there Kane stood at the edge. A Bobcat crept toward him and rubbed his leg with her forehead.
“Hello, little one.” Kane touched her forehead, but otherwise didn’t change his stance. From what she could tell, he faced west. West. Maybe he was looking for her.
“Kane.” Velli called out. When he didn’t turn, she leaped off the edge of the hill and tore through the weeds toward the pond. “Kane.”
The Bobcat stiffened and hissed.
“Kane, please. Hear me.” Velli burst out of the weeds, but the short strip around the pond suddenly seemed a mile wide. “Kane.”
Someone recently asked if I carry guilt.
