Boys Will Be Bugs

Cessna hadn't dragged herself very far. Farther than she probably should have. It was another case of if she had just stopped outside of the Ivoria border, she would have been back home in the Knights of Eden. Cessna wasn't sure that she wanted to go back home. She had let herself get captured and lost twice. She had wandered all around Northern Agrelos when Nox had come across her. That had been the end all. The Ivorian leader had dumped her outside of the border and set her free. She hadn't wanted to stay in Ivoria anyway. Really, she was a bit surprised they hadn't kept her as a slave.

The white tufts of Cessna's ear fur was still stained crimson. Her face was smudged with her own blood and the tiger moth wings the juvenile fox sported were shredded into a nasty, painful mess.

Ivoria had done a number on her, certainly. Cessna's brain was foggy. She attributed the silence she heard to how badly her head hurt. Her pink eyes were unfocused. As she staggered painfully onto Dynasty land, she came to realize that Cessna didn't really care if they killed her. Her ebbing strength carried her to a comfortable place in the bamboo forest. Her body gave out and she pressed her cheek to the soft ground to gain some semblance of reality back. Her eyes closed to protect themself from an assault of light and the fox let out a low groan of pain.

Cessna refused to open her eyes, even when she could feel a presence beside her. There wasn't anything in the world worth opening her eyes for. She was so close to death that if she just curled up her body a little bit tighter and laid still longer, the buzzing in her mind would slowly drift off into nothingness.

"So, you're just gon' sit there and fuckin' die? Just like that?" The presence said, clearing it's throat. "You really gon' drag yourself all 'is way just to lay 'ere an' die like 'at?" It continued, gruff and harsh.

His voice came in loud and clear, a stark contrast to the muted world around her failing ears. Cessna shifted to open her eyes half way and stare up at the black wolf looming over her. She blinked at him once and then closed her eyes, offering a pitiful nod in return.

"Ah, thats some pansy shit. I've already pushed daisies, dear friend, so how's about you get on your feet and rock."The wolf said and rolled his fiery orange eyes. "C'mon. Livin' ain't that bad. Get up. When you live long as I 'ave, you'd get up off your ass and you'd keep pushin' on." He pestered, starting to sound angry.

Cessna's soft muzzle breathed shallow breaths against the ghost wolf's paws, staring up at him through foggy eyes. Her body ached with no relief. There was nowhere for her to push to. She was alone.

"I don't have anywhere to go." She stated the truth, unwilling to tell another lie. Her voice was rough and raw. Her throat was torn and sore, no thanks to Ivoria. She could taste blood in the back of her throat.

"Ah, don't bitch about it. Ain't dead yet and as long as I'm stuck here with you, I'll do my best to prevent it." The wolf said, sitting with Cessna. "Deal?" He offered, grinning. "Wait. Hang on. I think my wife lives here."

Cessna's bleary eyes turned to confusion. "What?" She mumbled, pushing him away. "Go away." The mumbled, her voice cracking in pain. "I don't want your help." The little fox's voice died away. Her ginger body curled up in a tighter ball of anguish and suffering. Her cracked paws shielded her face from the light and hid her salty tears. Her fragile body shook with each painful sob. More than anything, Cessna wanted to go home. More specifically the Exiles. She still bore the mark of exile from her birth home. She would be killed if she went back there. Frankly, she didn't see that as such a bad option.

The ghost laid with Cessna, sighing. "Exile too huh?" He asks, smirking. "Check it. We're family." The wolf said, showing his shoulder where the burn from the brand was, over an old unit brand. "Both exiles. Cling to life, little fox, help will be here soon." He whispered, the ghost sounding fatherly and knowing.

"I don't have any family anymore, I ruined it." Cessna whispered the words. "Maxine won't want me to come home because I'm weak now." Cessna knew deep down that her hearing and eyesight would never return, just like her wings wouldn't grow back. "When they find me, they'll send me away or kill me." Cessna was too proud to do it herself anyway.

"Too bad, I'm your father now." The wolf stated with an indignant huff. "Fuckin' fight me on it, short stuff." He added, cracking a smile. "My wife, Blackweed, would love to have you as her daughter. None of our kids... well, lets just say they're in a better place." The wolf murmured, sighing. "But anyways, cling to life my friend."

"They're with you." Cessna answered without a thought. She stared at him evenly before her weakened body let itself fall back again. She questioned how she knew that. Opening her eyes again to blink at the man, she could just about make out the transparency of his fur.

Her attention turned again to the bushes when she noticed the shadows shift from the corner of her eye. The wolf's voice whispered in her ear. "See, they came for you, don't be afraid, little fox. Good luck, until we meet again." He bid farewell, voice fading into the background to leave Cessna dazed and confused in the grass.