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12: The Last Night "G-Get away, you demon!!" Its merciless laugh was like blood bubbling in its tufted throat, an ugly sneer produced in sounds. "The girl is dead, but you will live; you will live a new life, born of the darkness!" "No! Ruby, no!!" The tears streamed down, dark as blood, reflected in the pitch-black canopy of sky. "I am Shadow Dancer, and you shall be Silver Fang!!!!" The beast advanced, death upon its foul breath, its pink teeth bared in a malicious snarl.... "AAAAGGHH!" I awoke screaming, unable to stop, choking and rasping, the heat pressing down on my body. "Keara, wake up! It's just a dream! You were having a nightmare," Fang repeated, calm and sober, unharmed. I realized then that I had been slumped over in his lap the whole time, and I wanted to apologize and back away, I couldn't. The fear overtook my senses, and I felt like a frightened child, clinging to Fang like that. My tears wetted his black shirt, my hair entangled round my arms. "I-It was that dream again! Cody- Cody!" I sobbed weakly, unable to cry fully. Fang wrapped an assuring arm around me, silent as the still air. "It's okay, luv. That was my fault, anyway. Shouldn't've told you that story...." "N-No! It wasn't the story, I...I've had nightmares like that before, but they were never so real, so vivid... I didn't even know you when I had had these dreams before. I thought that maybe if I only had one once, that I could pretend I didn't know anything about it, but now...." The confession was brief, but I got it out. It was true that I had had dreams with the same scenario, but I had never remembered what they had said afterward. Now.... "It doesn't make any sense," I said, breathing more normally once more, wiping the tears away with my wrist. "Then let's forget it for now," Fang said, straightening me up. "If it means something, then we'll find out when the time is right. For now, let's just not go to sleep, okay, Chiquita?" I smiled appreciatively, nodding assent. Fang had a way of making everything seem all right, even when he was in trouble. He always had a smile ready or a laugh. All my annoyance toward him, even regarding the stupid names, washed away in that instant. I couldn't begrudge him his fun, after all. We talked for hours on end, laughing hysterically at some times, and sobering up solidly at others. The conversation somehow turned, during the course of the eve, to Fang's experience as a werewolf. Being curious, and never having had the experience of being one, I asked him more and more questions, and he answered each one with open honesty and his classic grin. He told me about the different typed of werecreatures, such as cats, bears, and even chickens (I laughed, but apparently Fang was dead serious). Each species, some in divisions of good, evil, and neutral, were divided over the course of time in to separate legions, wanderers, groups, and even solitaries. (Red Talons, Black Furies, and Wendigos are a few of the werewolf types. Of course, the Red Talons would have to find a new leader now that we had killed him.) When we had exchanged more words than I had ever spoken in my lifetime- except in books- we began to grow weary; even Fang yawned and slumped further down on the ground, like a dog. I settled on to the tent floor, on the side opposite him, forgetting all my bad dreams, and filled with a sense of knowing no time. "We should sleep," I announced, briefly forgetting Fang's advice of not going to bed. Fang agreed eagerly, pulling some blankets over himself. I did the same, snuggling deep in to the soft warmth of dreams. The next hour was spent dozing on and off, though Fang stirred obnoxiously in his sleep, growling and running like a pup. I laughed quietly, turning over to him surreptitiously. Just as I was fading off again, Fang- deep asleep- rolled over, pressed snugly against my body. I tried to roll away, but he let out a quiet snore and slipped an arm around my shoulders, calling me something like, "Teddy". I tried to brake out from under his arm, but it was heavier than it looked, especially when he was sleeping. I didn't want to wake him up (he looked so innocent like that), so I tried to fall asleep. * * * * "Keara," a voice sounded off in my ear, muffled by sleepiness. I grunted in reply, trying to fall back asleep desperately. "Could you maybe... Let me go..." The source of the choked voice was Fang. I stirred, realizing that I had my arm round his neck, making it hard for him to breathe. I immediately pulled it away, blushing. "Sorry..." I mumbled, still dazed. I turned around and fell back to sleep with a sigh. * * * * "Ruby..." A deep voice mumbled in to my ear. I could feel arm breath on my face, and weight pressing down on the front of my body. The air was light, smelling of morning dew, and the ground under my back was solid beneath the layers of blankets. I started, figuring out that Fang had rolled over on top of me in his sleep! I tried to push him off, but again, both the weakness in my arms and the incredible weight of his body prevented me from doing so. "F-Fang-Ughn! Fang, wake up, you great oaf!" I hissed, struggling. He let out a small snore, his mouth hanging open. I finally let out a helpless cry, squeezing at what of Fang's hand I could find. "AAA! Huh- wha-?" Fang snapped to attention, eyes glowing wolfishly, teeth bared. He then glanced down at me, returning to normal with relief. "Oh, it's just you- good." He sighed, sliding off of and away from me. I looked over toward him, rather angry. "How did you manage to get yourself in to that one?" I snapped, forgetting that he had been asleep the whole time. "I suppose you thought I was Ruby, didn't you-?" I stopped halfway through, staring downwards guiltily. Fang looked hurt, straightening out his now normal, tawny hair. Silence passed between us, until I could stand it no longer. "Fang, I'm sorry. It's just that-" I began. Fang nodded, returning to what I could regard as normal. In that instant, we both looked at each other, remembering everything that had happened during the night, and burst out laughing. It isn't impossible to forget hostility and embarrassment, and drop down your weapons. It also isn't very hard to notice that you've been traveling round in a tent all night, and that you've finally arrived at your destination. "Well, we're here, I guess," I announced, wondering what in the world we were to do with the tent, and where in the world we were. "But- where do we go now?" Fang chuckled a bit, licking his chops. "I'd say to somewhere that has food. Know anywhere like that?" "Well, in London, yes, but I don't know where we are." I admitted, half expecting Fang to get frustrated and wolf out. However, he just smiled, lips curling upward in a playful manner. He seemed awfully relaxed for a werewolf in a tent with a girl, in the middle of who-knew where. One had to commend him for that. Fang got up, in a crouch, at the tent door, unzipping it and exiting swiftly. I did as he, not wanting to stay in that tent any longer. Fang glanced around, breathing out a couple of puffs of cold morning air, stretching oddly. "We're not going to know where we are if we don't look, Chicky. So, let's go." Laughing secretly, I followed him closely, gaining his side within seconds. As we strolled along, I noticed that we had landed in someone's side yard, adjacent to the house. I prodded Fang on the shoulder. "Er, Fang? What are we going to do with the tent?" I asked, wondering how long it would take the people inside to notice. Fang smiled, barely regarding the fact. "Don't worry about it; it's an Immortal tool, and Mortals can't see it. Quit worrying, Chiquita; you'll bust an artery sooner or later." I shrugged, continuing out of the yard and in to a street lined on both sides with suburban homes. The sky was dimly greyed, although I could tell already that the day would bring clear skies and a warm sun. I then wondered what time of year it was there, and if the time zones were different between realms. I didn't have to bother with asking Fang, though; I could tell that it was still summer here, though barely, and I knew that it had to have been more than three human days we had spent in there. However, now that I was back, everything felt different. I had no idea of where I was; somewhere in America, I guessed, by the way people --scattered here and there-- spoke. I disregarded the fact and searched quietly for signs, but to no avail. Besides, Fang would most undoubtedly spot one before I could. Another thought struck me then; what about the moon phase here? Would it affect Fang? I asked him if he could tell what the moon phase was, to which he replied, "Don't sweat it, luv; there�s no full moon for a week or so." "How do you know that?" I asked, skeptical, of course. After this whole trip, though, I'd learned to be much less of a skeptic. Fang grinned boyishly, pointing to his right temple. "It's the wolf senses, Fuzzy." "I should've guessed," I murmured. What was the deal with calling me "Fuzzy"? After walking along the road, switching from sidewalk to sidewalk, I began to notice more and more buildings; houses, mostly. That, I knew instinctively, had to lead to a restaurant sooner or later. It also occurred to me that we were now in my neck of the woods, which meant paying with somewhat similar money to what I was used to. At first I felt relief that I had not impulsively torn up those pound notes at Doctor Arez's, but I then remembered that if we were truly in America, then the pound notes would be of no use. I might have to find another way to pay for the food...That is, if, indeed, we found a place where some was sold. I sighed, wondering whether or not we really should have come here. Had I been mistaken in wanting to come back at all? Could I not have written still in the Immortal realm? Well, it was useless to wonder now. I was back on Earth, and that -no matter how wrong- was that.
