Escaping The Wolf Realm

She felt its breath on her face, sniffing. 

With her last strength she tried to pry Finn away from her. 

His fingers came free even as he stood still behind her. He was scared, she knew. But it was better this way- no sudden movements. He could run away when- he could run away later. He would.

Just when she thought she would become monster meal, the breath on her face receded. She didn't dare open her eyes for a few seconds. When nothing else happened, she chanced a glimpse.

The creature, with its large wolf like body was walking away from her.

She blinked, confused. 

The wolf- after trying to eat Finn, after chasing both of them through the field and cornering them both- had turned around and was walking back to the forest. Just the way it had come.

She stood stunned, watching as the large animal slithered back into the shadows of the forest, slowly, until even the hint of his presence was hidden from view.

A minute passed.

The wind breezed through the field, swirling her skirt. 

Suki had finally reached them, tears flowing from her eyes but her cries muffled. She knelt down next to Finn, swiping her hand across his face to clear it of snot and tears before she picked the child up, who now sobbed openly in his mother's arms.

Kira kept staring at the forest. She didn't dare move. In her periphery, she could see many villagers staring at the forest too, waiting, scared of what would happen next, of what had already happened. 

She didn't avert her gaze.

The forest remained silent and serene. If Kira couldn't see the the desperate embrace of the mother and son in front of her, and if she herself didn't feel the racing of her heart, tears in her eyes and the cold sweat drenching her face- she could almost believe she had imagined it all.

This felt too strange, even for her.

Another minute passed.

Kira released a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, and with a shaking frame turned around to the pair and nudged Suki's back, intent on going back in case the beast decided to come.

Her steps faltered at the sight before her.

The villagers, who had just been running away and screaming, were all there, watching. Some of them were men who hadn't been there previously, she realised. They had probably only arrived after hearing the screams. Many carried torches.

It was subtle, the way they moved to face away from the forest, to face her.

Most however were the women she had been working with the entire day. They had been laughing and chatting happily, friends almost, she believed, who would make however long she stayed here easier.

They did not look friendly right then. Their gazes were fixed on them. More precisely- on Kira.

They looked suspicious, glancing between her and the forest. A few mothers who had been holding their children's hands, urged them behind their backs, hiding them from Kira's view. Many still tightened their grips on the tools they had taken a hold of as makeshift weapons.

Her chest tinged with hurt.

Kira didn't understand why she felt the way she did. 

She should have expected it. The exclusion and derision had basically been a norm for her before she came here. She had learnt, from an early age, that she was not welcome, nor was she needed. And she had been doing okay with that, having built a normal life for herself away from people who didn't want her.

This was nothing new. But somehow, it hurt.

She had thought she knew better now.

Suki, too concerned with Finn, did not seem to have noticed the sudden change in atmosphere, and only paused in her steps when she realised Kira was not walking with her.

She looked back, her brows furrowed in question through her distress at the frozen Kira, and promptly held on to her hand. 

Nothing was about to stop this woman from taking care of her upset child.

With one arm holding onto Finn and the other pulling the woman, Suki continued on her way.

When she reached the line of villagers that had slowly formed to encirle the edge of the field, the path to the village behind her, Suki tried to walk past.

She looked up when the woman in front of her- Mimi- wouldn't budge.

Kira tried removing Suki's hand from around her wrist, but whether she didn't understand or didn't care, Suki didn't let go.

Instead, she let out a frustrated sigh, and bodily moved Mimi away with her shoulder, "Let us pass, Mimi. Can't you see Finn is scared?"

She grumbled under her breath as she walked away from the human boundary, with Finn on her hips and a dragging Kira behind her.

The walk back was silent, and somehow longer than the walk this morning had been. The three of them entered the small cottage near the centre of the village where Kira had been provided roof, food, rest and medicine for the past week.

It had been memorable while it lasted. It was time anyway. 

'I would have moved out soon regardless. I'm almost healed. Maybe it's all for the better.'

She reasoned with herself, sitting on the cot she occupied as she watched Suki fuss about the toddler, checking him for injuries and hugging him every few seconds. 

When she was finally convinced that he had not been bodily harmed, she clutched the child to her and sat down on the bed next to Kira.

Kira straightened, considering getting up from the cot rather than intrude on this private moment when Suki rested her weary head on Kira's shoulder.

"Thank you." Drawing a gasping breath, she continued, "When that-that thing...when Finn..." she sobbed, "I thought..."

Clearing her throat, closing her eyes, Suki continued, "Thank you."

Kira sat there stiffly, unprepared. This was unexpected. 'Didn't she save 𝘮𝘺 life?' She had assumed that in return, it was expected. 

She opened her mouth a few times, but nothing came out.

She swallowed, and slowly got up, "I, uh, I should..." Looking around to find something that would assist her, she tried again, "I, um..."

Suki looked at her patiently, waiting, her hand rubbing the back of her child soothingly. To Kira, she was no help whatsoever.

The door suddenly banged open, and Suki's husband, Daichi, came in looking frazzled. Chest heaving, his panic-filled eyes taking in the scene as he looked between his family, and Kira.

"Daichi..." Suki called out, and Daichi's eyes found Suki immediately. She smiled placatingly.

When Daichi remained at the door, she held onto Finn tighter. Whatever she saw in his eyes, had her worried.

"Daichi...?"

He grit his teeth, and looking away from Suki and the squirming Finn, fixed his hard eyes on Kira.

"They're coming."