I laid on the ground, the wounds I had received hissing and burning, my legs too weak and wounded to support me. Above, the storm stretched outward, claws grasping at the sky; a reminder that we had all failed.
When I spotted Soma fleeing the mountains, that twisted grin on her blood-stained face, rage took hold. I fought her, hoping to finally down that witch, but she used filthy tricks and downed me before I could, leaving me to meet my fate alone.
I looked up and gulped. The storm was thick - a dark grey pulsating mass filled with turmoil and ruin, death waiting to ascend. Panic filled my chest and I willed my legs to work, begging my body to overcome the pain and to stand.
The mind is a funny thing. It is powerful, controlling the entire body without me having to bring it from my subconscious. But, there are things I cannot will. I cannot will my heart to stop, I cannot will my legs to grow. . . and I cannot will my body to overcome this pain. I am never actually in control of my own body, it is all my subconscious. And right now, my subconscious only knows that I cannot move.
Eventually, I lay my head on the dried ground. I had never been a crier. I'm always the tough one of the guardians, the one they all see as the brute with rage burning as strongly as her mane. Aggression and aggravation was what they all knew me for, but now. . . I grimaced as I felt the cool liquid pooling in my eyes.
Yes, I was scared. The fearless, monstrous Pele was scared. Scared to die. . . Scared to be alone. I didn't want this to happen, not now. I knew eventually I would meet the same fate as my predecessor, but I had always shoved those thoughts aside. I wanted to see Libra's head on a stick first. I wanted to see the East and West free and living in harmony again. I had to live to the end of this war, that was my goal.
Perhaps, that goal was achieved.
Akiko's storm will ravage the East, shredding what little remains of the land and stealing away countless lives again. My closed my eyes as the thought comes over me like a tidal wave. Perhaps, this storm is the end of the war. No heads on sticks, no peace and harmony. . . just a great storm that takes us out, winning Libra's battle for him.
My claws drove into the ground as I snarled. It wasn't fair. It was cowardly, though not something I would have put above them. He sent Soma here to upset Akiko, to make her lose control, knowing that the result would win his war. My paw smacked the ground and I hissed.
"Pele?"
The voice yanked my mind from it's trail of thought and my eyes shot open. I turned my head to stare at him, likely looking wide-eyed and horrified. "Raven!"
He stood, his dark pelt appearing an almost uniform black in the darkness, those vibrant red markings standing out like firelight. "Pele!" He ran to me, sliding as he approached and stopping beside him, his paws quickly resting on me as worry creased his face.
"Raven, you need to go!" I try to shove him back and bite my tongue as the urge to cringe at the pain comes. "The storm is coming, and you will be swept away by it too. Go back to the infirmary and help the others get to shelter, I'll handle myself."
His expression slowly grew firm, and my heart sank. If there was one thing Raven was, it was stubborn.
"I'm not leaving you, Pele."
It was not a suggestion or even a statement. It was a matter of fact. There was nothing I could do to make him leave me. He was going to be by my side, even if we both die.
I frown as the feeling of relief floods me. I did not want him to die, not for me or for anyone else, but. . . I didn't want to die alone, either.
Slowly, I rested my head on his leg and let those tears fall. Overhead, the storm roared and lightning began to flash. Rain drops fell, slowly for only a moment before hammering down relentlessly. He hugged me, pulling me in close to him and comforting me. I looked up to see his face, his head hovering above mine, purposely blocking my sight of the storm overhead. Tears flowed down my cheeks and he took my hand, squeezing it.
He was here, and that is what mattered. No matter how badly I wanted him to run, how badly I wanted both of us to get away from this situation. . . We were here. The storm was here, and death. . . well, she was standing a mere five feet away, watching us in silence.