I was pushed down too
Many times to stand back up
And I thought it was all over.
What point was there to go on?
But then you appeared and
I learned to stand up and face the world.
You're the reason I have that courage.
...
The crowd thundered with applause and cheered at the warrior's triumph over its adversary, that which lies dead at its murderer's feet. The sound was unusual and unexpected to the fighter's ears that struck her too become still and perplexed as she stared at the eyes glued to her. The roar of their approval hurt her head and distracted the 'wolf from witnessing the quick, forceful departure of her partner.
Damien rushed onto the scene and held the accursed leash in his gloved hands. "Guess the crowd really likes you," he said with a nearly invisible smile from behind the black werewolf.
She turned to face him emotionlessly as one might predict, "They're barbarians." Ebony coldly muttered after being quite heartless herself.
The cold remark wasn't necessarily unexpected but they were such harsh words that Damien wasn't prepared for. "Well none of them just stabbed an animal in its heart."
"I didn't have much of a choice." The 'wolf retaliated quick and sharp like lightning. Her next words were even faster, "Wheres Ariain?" Ebony couldn't spot her comrade in the wide open arena, she was gone.
"Aidan took her away as soon as he could. I don't know if Aries told him to do it, but I'm sure he has something to do with it. We better get you back if you want to see her before Aries does." This time Damien didn't allow his responsibility to talk back before hooking the chain to the collar. Ebony didn't need the tug to follow at his silent command.
"I don't understand. What did Ariain do wrong? Why would Aries go after her? I won the fight." The 'wolf inquired as the two sped down the stairs.
"That's just it, you won the fight. Arian did nothing; she just stood there and let you fight by yourself."
"And what's wrong with that? I still don't understand. We're both alive just as Aries wants."
"It's that your friend defied an order, she was to fight along side you at Aries command, but she didn't."
"What do you think he'll do to her?"
"I'm not sure, most do exactly as he says, but my guess is that his next step would be to try and tame her if she puts up a fight and disobeys him again."
There was a brief moment of silence amongst the two.
Ebony was confused and worried for the safety of her friend. Another something popped into her head just as they were off the stairs and at the metal door that led to their confinement. "Why are you being so helpful?" The 'wolf was suspicious by his considerate behavior.
Damien stopped completely with his one hand on the cold metal door. Slowly he pivoted to face her, devoid of any expression that would help in aiding her question. Then out of nowhere a large smile was glued onto his face. "We kissed," was all he said, bringing back the humiliating memory to the werewolf's mind once more.
Another light blush crept onto her cheeks as she began to protest, "You can't call that a kiss. It was an accident anyways, it meant nothing. Not to mention I thought I wasn't you're type."
"You're not really, but I'm not going to hold a grudge for a mistake I made. I really don't care what happened in the past, all that matters the present, right?"
Ebony was left dumbfounded by his strange way of thinking and resolution. "I guess."
Damien removed a brick that was put next to the door and placed his hand in the empty place where it recently occupied. Quick and mysterious work with his fingers and the metal door opened as it did with Aries on their first day, but Damien's method of opening was different, Ebony took note of it.
When the door was ajar and wide enough for them to proceed, they each saw that Aidan was at the cage and Ariain's words of anger and rebellion were loud to the normal silence of the hall. With the brick returned to its rightful spot the door closed behind them quickly. It took little time for the 'wolf and her caretaker to arrive to their destination with Ariain already securely placed behind the bars. She seemed to relax a little with Ebony's appearance but was still puzzled and mad with Aidan.
"What's going on? Why'd you take me back so quickly? I only get to spend so much time out of this filthy thing and you go and force me back in here without a word!"
"I... I didn't think you'd like all those people starring at you, nothing more." Aidan weakly replied, trying to sound as honest as possible.
Ariain wasn't pleased, she opened her mouth to release her furry with more words since her claws would do no good in her situation, but then the door the blew open like a furious, unstoppable storm knocked it down; and out came Aries who didn't bother to close it as he angrily walked down the hall to the others. He didn't spare a glance to any of his workers but glared at Arian behind the bars.
"What were you thinking?" Aries demanded but kept his voice in a colder whisper.
With a smirk the 'wolf replied, "I was thinking off how I could piss you off the most."
Aries glared at the defiant were'. "You deliberately disobeyed me, you refused to fight and because of your disobedience your friend was left to fend for herself. But this is the end. I will not allow you to continue to make stupid decisions." Aries raised his right hand and prepared to snap his finger. The two 'wolves didn't understand the meaning but Aidan was quick to try and stop him. "Please Aries! She didn't mean it!" He pleaded.
"It's my fault," Sounded Ebony's voice. She didn't raise it to over power the other yells but said it seriously and with an equally firm gaze that bore into Aries' own.
"What?" Their superior hissed and sharply looked to the pitch black were' almost with disbelief, but furry covered most of the signs leading to that assumption.
"Ariain fought a battle by herself so I insisted that I fight on my own as well." The fighter explained monotonously.
Strangely Aries temper seemed to cool but a stern stare was still sent to the incomplete black-and-blonde 'wolf. "Is that true?"
Arian was still shocked that Ebony defended her as she did but looked to Aries, straightening her face and firming her gaze. "... Yes."
The almost-assailant fixed his own posture, shoving his hands into his pockets and calmed down. He turned to leave and his gaze met with Ebony's once more, her gaze still firm just the same as his. Aries glanced back to Ariain then closed his eyes and said, "I pity you for having such a worthless friend." He said to the pitch black were' and left the group with an uncomfortable silence after the door closed behind him...
Ariain's eyes were sealed shut with sadness and guilt one might guess. However, that wouldn't explain the smirk that creased her face and the chuckled that escaped her throat. "Worthless..." She mused.
The others looked at her bewildered, how could she manage a laugh at the word?
"He doesn't mean it," Aidan began, almost afraid she was going crazy how she so oddly chuckled at the hurtful word. "Aries has his reasons... He's-"
"Aidan." Damien quickly interrupted to prevent more from being said.
"... Right... Sorry," Aidan apologized.
Now Arian and Ebony were interested, but Ebony didn't bother to pry.
"What?' The black-and-blonde were' turned to Damien seeing how Aidan wouldn't say anymore. Damien began unlocking the cell with the key kept in his pocket and wouldn't answer. "What about Aries?" Ariain questioned again.
"It's not like you care." The half-dragon uttered as he opened the door.
"As if I'd care about that bastard," Arian muttered in a disgusted manner. "I just want to know so I can try and get to him."
Damien wouldn't say anything as he detached the leash from the black 'wolf's collar.
Ebony walked inside without trying to obtain the answer for Ariain, she personally was interested but wouldn't question it, instead she whispered just ever so softly, "Thanks."
The caretaker questioned his hearing at first, surprised to hear a grateful word from the seemingly inconsiderate werewolf, but didn't reply even when he thought maybe he heard correctly. The half-dragon went and closed the door with a little smile. "Let's go Aidan," was all Damien said after hanging up the leash and leaving down the hall.
"Okay," Aidan replied and followed after at a quicker pace to catch up.
After Damien and Aidan were both gone Ariain turned to face her friend who had already positioned herself comfortably in her corner, with Ebony's eyes closed she looked tired and stressed from the battle with both the Yppotryll and Aries.
"Why did you defend me like that? I didn't ask for you to." The black-and-blonde werewolf seemed upset.
"Why did you go along with it?" Ebony questioned in return.
"If I said no then he would've done something to you for lying."
"And if I didn't say anything he would've done something much worse to you."
"..." Ariain looked away, brows narrowed, her hands curled up into fists at her sides.
"Unless... that's what you wanted." Ebony at last opened her gleaming yellow eyes and looked right at Ariain. "You were testing him, weren't you?"
"I wanted to see just how much I'm worth to him. If I'm worth what he was to go through to get me to obey him... If I'm worth as much as you..." The last part was said so quietly that Ebony's acute hearing could barely pick it up if at all.
"I have a reason to keep living; I made a vow to myself to stay alive until I can get that one thing I want more than anything. And so I will fightbut I'll do things my way. There's no way in hell I'll let a man control me. I have the courage no one else seems to have, to stand up to Aries. And I'll fight back with everything it takes if I have to."
"A reason..." The word almost seemed foreign the way Ebony weakly repeated it to herself as her eyes rolled away slowly to just a no important spot in the ceiling. "I have a reason as well, but it wasn't until we met Aries that I obtained it. I had nothing. I had no reason to keep living... But now I can live for Aries. He gave me that courage to keep going, keep surviving. I honestly wasn't sure how much of this barbaric world I could take."
Ariain looked over to her friend as though she was crazy but waited to let Ebony continue, or maybe it was just the dumbfounded-ness that kept her speechless.
"My life was in his hands and he couldve easily ended it, but he chose to keep me alive."
"It was his fault in the first place that you were about to die!" The black-and-blond were' objected quickly.
"Yes, ironic, isn't it?" Ebony even smiled a little at the thought. "I'm grateful to the man who nearly killed me, for saving me. Even if it was just for his personal gain I feel that I've gained something as well. And that is my reason to live, to pay Aries back for his unexpected generosity of extending my life." Ebony paused for a moment, to try and better explain with some more thought. "We're unwanted creatures, the entire world is out to get us and when we were at death's door a new ray of hope came and saved us. It's not the reason I'd choose, if given the choice, but its reason enough."
The black-and-blonde werewolf looked at Ebony questioningly, and then her face twisted with anger. "Snap out of it, will you!" She yelled obnoxiously that otherwise could've provided humor from the expression it went with if not for the serious tone. "Looking at that man with hope and appreciation.... Being grateful... to a monster like him... It's disgusting..." Ariain sharply looked down on her companion disgusted and disgraced.
"..." All Ebony could do was look away, she could not bring herself to look at Ariain.
"I guess that really does make me a worthless friend." Ariain muttered to herself as she dropped herself into the other opposite corner of the cell.
"You're my only friend, and my best friend, you're not worthless."
"I wasn't reason enough though to keep you alive though."
"But I'm not the reason you fight to stay alive, am I?" The black 'wolf's gaze had a sly and cunning, sharp, look to them, but they also lacked emotion. She wasn't hurt by that truth.
Ariain didn't say anything, she felt ashamed. Ebony was like a younger sister to her, someone she'd always want to be there for to help and protect. However, Ebony wasn't the true reason why she was so determined to stay aliveher silence said so.
"You said so yourself, you made a vow to stay alive, until you obtain that thing that matters more than your life..." Once more Ebony stopped herself for a brief moment. "And just because I feel I owe my life to Aries doesn't mean I'll throw it away at his command."
Ariain looked back over to Ebony a bit surprised. She said that it was because of Aries that she was alive, and it was he who gave her reason to keep living, to keep surviving in this dog-eat-dog world. Guess she wasn't as crazy as Ariain was beginning to think she was.
"Right now, he's the reason why I'll fight and live, but something tells me there's a much better reason to stay alive. So I'll keep fighting for Aries and for those that matter to me until my day comes. And by that time I hope I've found my real reason for living."
...
Forgot to put up a chapter last week apparently, so I'm giving you two in one day. Oh, and Happy Easter. ^^
