.:Risk:.
Isn't a risk, just taking a chance?
Chance. Just a sugared up word for taking a risk. How do I know that? Simple. Being cursed opens your eyes on a different point of view in life.
I had my fair share of chances, even my name was originally Chance. When I was a pup I was a daredevil, taking my life for granted, taking risks every which way I went. But everything catches up to you, doesn't it? Heck, I was lucky, but luck can only get you so far, and sometimes it just runs out.
It was just a normal day back at home, my younger siblings were playing near the old tree by our den, chasing after each others tails. I was to old for those games, I needed to do something to get my adrenaline pumping. I look to my right, then to my left. My parents were nowhere in sight. Good, I thought, now I can go off for abit to do something more...interesting. I lifted my body and shook my fur clean from the dead leaves I have been laying on and have fallen on me, in the middle of fall you gotta watch how long you stand or you might find yourself buried by leaves. I trotted off soundlessly, hoping my younger siblings didn't notice my departure. Just as I got near the clearing, my little sister, Ana, came running up and slammed into my flank. I looked back at her and raised a brow, inwardly groaning as I realized I would have to take her along probably so she wouldn't go tattletaling to mother and father. I flicked my tail once, giving her the signal that she can come along, besides, its not to much trouble to bring her along I guess. I twitched my nose and took in the new scents. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Ah! Whats that? I looked to my left, narrowing my eyes I saw some smoke up rising up in the air ahead. Odd, I mused, then found my legs moving in the direction of the smoke, Ana trailing along behind me.
As I reached to where the smoke was coming from, I suddenly haulted, my nose being assaulted by a variety of different scents. I dropped my body lower to the ground, slinking up to a thick bush up ahead and haulting. I peared over the top of the bush and looked, noticing these new creatures sleeping in these weird blue cacoons. Odd. Very odd. I closed my eyes and reopened them, making sure my mind wasn't playing tricks. Sure enough, they were still there, all surround a fire that was the source of the smoke. I glanced back at Ana and noticed her trying to look over the bush, her nose slightly crinkled as she took in the smell of the smoke. I had to admit, the smell of smoke was putting me slightly on edge, plus the smell was making my head dizzy. Though, I wasn't going to let that stop me, besides, my name was Chance right? Nothing is going to make me back down, nuh uh, now way. Even though I was a daredevil, I still didn't want to get to close to these newly discovered creatures, but I wanted to know more about them. I glanced back at my sister and grinned ever so faintly, a plan forming in mind.
"Ana, wanna play a game?"
"Okay, now remember what I said." I murmered to Ana, who nodded happily. Game plan was that she was going to go up and investigate, and hopefully bring back something and learn about these new creatures that inhabited our forest. Ana slipped around the bush quietly, her tiny little paws padding their way over causiously towards the creatures in the blue cacoons. Ana's head dipped down and sniffed around the area, her nose twitching as she took in the various scents that assaulted her nose. As she made her way over to the creatures, she sat down suddenly on her haunces, tilting her head to the side and slinking down to her stomach, getting a better view of what ever it is. The creature let out a noise, like it was having a breathing problem, and rolled over. That made Ana almost jump out of her hide, and I had to admit it had my fur standing on end. After a few seconds, which felt alot longer then that, Ana decided whatever seemed to have happened to the creature was over. Feeling bold, she came up alittle closer to the thing, coming face to face with the creature and sniffing. Well, lets just say the creature didn't like that very much. It let out a noise which to me was like a sharp bark, but I couldn't understand what it was saying. Ana, startled and frozen with fear, coward as the creature emerged from its cacoon and looked down at her. It snatched her up by the scruff so fast that if I would have blinked I would have missed it. Ana let out a startled cry, squirming in his grip. By now, the comotion waked up the other creature, who came over and looked down at Ana who was still dangling by her scruff in the other creature's hand.
Me, the forest daredevil, fled away from the scene, leaving my little sister with no hope in return.
I got back to our den, mother and father were there not looking pleased. I told a lie to them, saying that Ana ran off and I was just trying to get her back. They believed me. I don't what felt worse, leaving my sister there, or lying to my parents to save my hide.
After about a week, we stopped looking for Ana, but during the search I made sure that wouldn't follow our trail back to the creatures. I remember what my parents looked like after we all returned home to the den, there eyes glazed over with tears, their tails drooping down, head dipped down in shame. I remember what they said after we all sat down, saying 'Why? Why did our little Ana leave? Were we that bad of parents?'. I felt my heart clench in my chest as they kept on repeating it, both on the verge of crying again. I didn't even shed a tear. I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to cry, the guilt of leaving my sister and then lying was already eating me up. I spent a few more weeks with my parents before I left. I couldn't take it any more. The sorrow of my family was driving me to the brink of insanity, and the guilt wasn't doing any better.
As I walked out of the forest, and looked up to see a raven, flying high in the sky like there wasn't a care in the world. Oh, but I knew, I knew better.
That's when I blacked out.
"Wake up
Take a chance
Make a wish
Wake up
Broken dreams
Lies and bad deeds
Wake up
Out of chance
Take a risk"
Then I woke up.
Step aside Chance, and welcome Risk.