Dreamcatcher [OLD]

Akane got up from the ground after crying for a good thirty minutes.

They didn't like him. He was a horrible host. He failed... now they were all alone... what if they reached the city? And were taken? The police in Anju, the capital of Kanan, could be strict and unforgiving. Even to little kids like those... although they weren't too much younger than him, they might've been older. The boy was quite tall, after all. 

He wiped the tears from his eyes, replacing his despair with determination. He will find them, save them, and explain the journal. He only wrote in it for his own notes, to remember details about people, creatures and plants he came across. He didn't want to forget.

He trudged into the forest, his bare legs scratching against the thorns that reached out to him. Ro scrambled through the brush after him, lifting his paw in pain as he stepped on rocks. Akane ripped through the trees he was usually protective of. He needed to find them before they got tangled with the police-- he didn't want them to experience what he did.

He walked for hours through the forest. His feet and knees were aching, and he had scratches all over him from branches and thorns. Ro gravitated to Akane's shoulder. He let out a big sigh, hoping he would find them soon-- his ears and nose were on high alert, and he was following their scent.

Suddenly he was grabbed from behind, ropes were tied efficiently around his hands, Ro was bagged... Akane let out a scream, kicking as he was lifted and gagged. The final thing he saw before he was knocked out was the face of the head policeman of Anju. His mangled face brought back a rush of emotions... then it all went black.

  General Limmbrig yelled at the anbu to hurry up back to the Headquarters. It really wasn't too hard to catch the weasel, what with him creepily following people all the time and his stupid Mimaki kept making annoying loud noises. With a few squirts of anti-detectant, Akane can't smell their approach.

They had finally caught the criminal. The general couldn't help but smile. Finally he could announce to the town that the creep was caught, locked up, and contained. He looked back at Jo who was carrying the limp body. He might even be promoted, after such a sought-after guy caught by his own hand. His police-force kept hiking through the thick forest towards Anju.

Tikaani and Anora found themselves in a fancy room, with a bed and a few tables and books. The door was left ajar, and the both of them watched out of the crack. Many masked men walked by, wearing similar outfits to the older man. One stopped and tried to close the door but noticed the two kids keeping it open.

"Don't worry, that creep Akane should be caught by now." He reassured them.

"...c-caught?" Anora managed.

"Yes. He was a wanted criminal for a long time, and thanks to you he was finally stopped."

"What did he--?" 

"Now that's enough questions." The masked man patted Anora on the head and pushed the door closed.

"Why did you do that?" Anora suddenly yelled at Tikaani. "Why did you blame it on Akane?"

"You heard the man! He's a sought after criminal! He was being creepy!"

"But you said... you said he attacked us!" She felt tears come to her eyes. "He saved me! He saved US! Why--"

"Did you see the look on the man's face?" Tikaani yelled back, tears in his own eyes as well. "We would have been seen as criminals if we didn't shift the blame to someone else."

Anora froze.

"You used him as a scapegoat?" She couldn't believe Tikaani. 

     

"I HAD TO!" he yelled back, standing up. "Why are you so attached to the creepy guy?? Do you remember the journal? And the ears? and.. and... well everything about him!" He waved his arms passionately around him.

"I can't believe you," Anora turned around and folded her arms angrily.

"Whatever," Tikaani whispered. "Who needs you."

They were silent for a while.

Suddenly someone knocked at the door, and both of them jumped. Anora rushed to the door and opened it to see the scarred man from before.

"Hello, fellers! I'm General Limmbrig, and we successfully caught Akane, thanks to you two!" He smiled ear to ear, and and looked confused at the two faces. "What's the matter?"

"He li-" Anora started, but Tikaani shushed her.

"We are just scared without our families." He looked back at the general, and Anora glared back at him.

"Where are you fellers from, anyways?" He asked cheerfully. 

"uhhhh...." Tikaani looked to Anora for help.

"From a neighboring village," she continued confidently. "We got lost looking for... mushrooms in the woods," she tried to smile at the old man.

"Was it possibly Harshul?" He asked.

"Yep! That's the one." Anora shook her head up and down fiercely. 

"Since you have come from outside these borders, we are going to have to conduct a search and interview, and possibly undergo a mind-read session. I'll bring some paperwork for you guys to fill out. But we'll start all that tomorrow, so you guys can have a good night's rest."

"Uhm, there's only one bed," pointed out Tikaani. 

"So there is, nice observation," the man smiled at him and closed the door.

Anora looked at Tikaani in panic.

"What are we going to do?? They'll figure it out! They'll know we lied! And that we don't come from around here! And-"

"We'll figure it out tomorrow." Tikaani yawned and glared at the girl.

"Hey! Don't put me out like that!"

"Or what?"

"Or I'll...." Anora had no answer, so she just flopped down on the floor. 

"I want to go home. And be with my friends, not with you," she muttered.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to die, so this sure didn't go as planned, now did it," he said sarcastically back and flopped on the ground near her.

"Do you really hate me that much?" He whispered after a few minutes, looking at her in the eyes as they lay on the hardwood floor.

"Nah, but I certainly don't like you." She smiled back at him. "And I'll never forgive you for what you did."

"Whatever." 

They heard a knock and a masked man peeked in.

"Bedtime for bonzos. C'mon, get in the bed, or we'll interrogate right now. And don't try any funny business, we have security all over this place. Sweet dreams."

The two of them awkwardly got in the bed together, staying as far as possible from each other. Anora stared at the dreamcatcher that hung above the bed, and Tikaani stared at the floor.

They eventually fell asleep.