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Late night Snow

January 28, 2018
By Ninasilverrose SILVER, Vancouver, Northwest Territories
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Ninasilverrose SILVER, Vancouver, Northwest Territories
5 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't cry over spilled milk, be thankful for all the milk you still have."

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The two friends walked silently down the stone path that led into the forest. it was way past midnight, Clary guessed, as she watched the clouds wash over the soft glow of the moon.

"where do you reckon she has gone?"

Stella sighed softly. "who knows? that girl always tends to wander off." Picking of her pace, with annoyance written across her forehead in bold letters, Stella let out a sigh of frustration. " If i get my hands on her.." coming to a sudden halt, Clary's eyes widened.

"wait. Do you hear that?"

"what? what are you doing on about-"

A rustle was heard not far from where they stood. Putting a finger to her libs in a silent warning, she walked towards the noise. hearing Clary's gasp of surprise, Stella rushed to where she stood, hunched over a boy precisely around their age with silver hair gleaming in the moonlight, His face concealed in the dark shadows of the night. Glancing closer, she noticed a dark liquid running down his strikingly pale face. "we have to help him. Forget about Sakura now. He is badly injured, this one."

Crouching low, Clary checked the boy's wrist for a pulse. Finally, there it was, a faint uneven beat beneath his smooth skin. " He is alive. Help me take him back to the apartment."

With a hesitant nod, Stella threw the boys left hand over her shoulder, and then they two girls both lifted. He was strangely light, Clary figured, As they carried him off to the city's abandoned streets.

After a few minutes walk, Clary paused as they reached an apartment building, as it hovered over them silently, casting long shadows.

"You take him inside i will go back-"

"No. You take care of him. Your better at healing anyway, "

"So i'll go."

And with that, Stella was gone with the shadows, not even waiting for a response. Glancing at the boy momentarily, She sighed took him inside the slightly cramped apartment, laying him on the sofa like a breakable object. His fair hair, She noticed, was pasted to his face with cold sweat. She reached to touch his forehead when a hand grabbed hers.

"And just what do you think your doing?"

"Sakura!" A shout rang throughout the silent forest, not a soul in sight. "Sakura!!" Stella shouted again, raising her voice with each cry, as if hoping Sakura might hear her beyond the tangled trees. But as expected, there was no response. A sudden movement caught her attention, and she started swearing loudly, running off the path to keep out of sight.

Another flicker of movement to her right, And suddenly, all was quiet once more. She had been so caught up in the moving shadows, she did not notice the lump on the ground until now. Cautiously stepping closer, Stella caught sight of light brown hair and a red jacket. " Sakura!" Shaking her to the point her hands hurt, Stella shouted her name over and over. " Sakura! Sakura wake up-"

Pausing and ignoring the pain in her wrists, She stared at her now wet hands. What the...what is this? She glanced over to Sakura's body, taking in the dark liquid trickling down her pale body. Her eyes stung, at the verge of tears. " S-sakura...no way..." Noticing her friends silence, She leaned in to hear her heartbeat. There was nothing. Silence.

Gasping aloud, Clary stared in shock at the scowling boy. "wha.." She started. " Dont move your hurt-" When she got ready to stand up, she remembered her bound wrist. A growl escaped his libs. " I am completely fin-" With a hiss, He failed at an attempt to sit up. " See? Now stop acting so childish and let me heal you." Ignoring the Boy's nasty glare, She wrestled her wrist free and grabbed some damp towels, Cleaning the blood off his tensed hands and face.

" Stay here until i get you some cloths," She paused briefly. " And alcohol to avoid infecting your wounds." She put a damp towel on his burning forehead, and Stood up to leave. " Oh, and don't try to move too much. " Stalking away, she let out a small sigh.

The boy stared after her, scowling. " This women...i swear..."

"So, what's your name?" Clary asked softly, Refreshing the cloth with cold water every few minutes.

" And why should i tell you?"

" Because i have to call you something," She didnt meet his eyes. " If you tell me your name, i will tell you mine. and besides, you seem like you wont leave in a while." She added with a grin.

" Fair enough." He mumbled quietly. " Names Ash. Ashton Crouser." He responded grumpily.

Nodding, Clary tended to his wounds silently. Letting out a hiss of pain every now and then when she cleansed his wounds with Alcohol. She had noticed something different though; His wounds were now smaller and less deep than before. He couldn't have healed so fast, at least not as a human. She thought soundlessly.

" Well?" A growl came in her direction.

" Oh. right. I'm Clary. Clary Gray." She glanced at his eyes. They were deep blue, standing out in the unusual color of his fair hair. " By the way, you were hurt pretty bad," She said when she didn't get a response. " Can you remember who- or what- attacked you?" She questioned curiously.

As she looked up, Clary saw with surprise, that his eyes flickered. " No." Was his answer, putting so much venom in just that single word. well, i wont push him if he doesn't wish to tell me. Clary decided. " Very well" She eyed him with a soft but tired Expression.

It was pretty late, And she had just started to dose off when the front door slammed open with such force, The whole house shook. " Clary!" It was no doubt Stella's voice, Though a bit shaky and breathless. Scrambling to her feet, Clary could only stare is utmost surprise. Stella's hair was a mess, her face dirty and scarred. Her hands, were in fact, red with blood, and so were her cloths. Her breathing was ragged and unsteady as if she had ran a hundred labs. Maybe she had.

" It's Sakura."

It was Sakura, Just as Stella had promised, outside in the parking lot, her arms bent in strange angles, Blood lining every inch of her body. " Oh my god....no..." Clary's face turned as white as a sheet. " I.." She choked on her own words. "who..." she managed to let out, Looking anywhere but where her friends body lay.

" I don't know. But whatever it was, It wasn't human, That i guarantee." Stella continued to look calm, as she always did when these things happened. " You know what to do."

Nodding, Clary reached for her friends glassy eyes and closed them with the flat of her palm. She chanted a few words, unbearable as it was, and bid her farewell. She then proceeded to pick her up, and lay her down in a small area just inside the forest. " Goodbye, old friend."

The way back into the apartment was silent. " where were you, Women? and who is that with you? Why do you look like you have seen a ghost?" The moment they had stepped through the door, they were bombed with questions from no other than Ash himself. But Clary's reply surprised him more than where she had been, had she told him.

" Please, Ash. I will talk to you tomorrow just....Don't." Stricken with shock, He watched her pale face. Bags were visible under her once lively eyes. Clary manged a weak smile which looked most strangely forced, and stalked away with a shaky sigh. " What is up with her?" He had momentarily forgotten the presence of the other girl with bright blond hair. " Watch it, kid. I wont be so kind."

Ash fell silent almost immediately, taking in her words. His shout was very loud indeed.

" Who the f*** are you calling a kid?!"

" You, of course, idiot. I thought it was obvious." She stuck out her tongue in a rude fashion.

" you little piece of-"

It was almost as if their bickering had no end; It had continued for 15 minutes straight until Clary had become so frustrated, she had Scolded them loudly to be quiet, and stomped away to bed. So they did. But the glares the often sent each other as if the wished themselves death meant the battle was not won yet.

" This time i'll let you off because of Clary, but if you argue with me next time..." Stella trailed off in warning.

" You'll what?! huh?!" He snorted. Choosing to remain silent, She smiled calmly, Which only ticked Ash off even more. " Sleep. Clary wouldn't like it if her patient didn't rest properly." She paused, standing up to leave. " oh, and i wouldn't transform in front of her if i were you. She doesn't have good memories with animals in general. Especially scum like you." And with that, she was gone.

Scowling even more, Ash stared at the dark wooden ceiling, Hands clenched into tight fists. It's not my fault i was turned in the forest, is it now? He thought with a sigh. But as much as he hated to admit it, he was exhausted beyond imaginable. His eyelids weighted a ton now, closing in on themselves. And with that, the world went dark.

Clary opened her eyes slowly as the sun stung them. She then proceeded to sit up, still dazed. The digital clock read 12:00 PM, meaning she had been sleep for a while. Was it all a dream? Clary thought as she sprang up and changed into a blue oversized and grey shorts that barely reached her knees.

Walking out of her gold and blue painted bedroom, She immediately rushed over to the white sofa. Ash wasn't there, but the sofa was tinted with the slightest of red. of course it wasn't. what was i thinking? Letting her tensed shoulders slump with an annoyed sigh, she had barely taken a step forward when a sweet smell hit her nostrils. It hung stubbornly in the air,refusing to let way for fresh air.It was coming from the kitchen.

Thinking it was just Stella trying to cook again, she started to walk inside the marble walls of the small kitchen. But it wasn't stella, instead a silver haired boy stood in her place, having changed into the cloths she had given him earlier, and was turning pancakes precisely. Ash.

She was in shock for a few moments before she spoke. "What are you doing?!“ Ash didn't even bother to turn around. "Good morning, " he started. "i was just cooking breakfast since that little friend of yours has gone to run an "errand"." Clary opened her mouth to protest, but he interrupted her. " Don't even say it. i'm completely fine." To prove his point, Ash slid his grey shirt up just enough to show his wound; now gone, barely a scar on his muscular chest. Clary stared at him, dumbfounded. He grinned at her expression and went back to cooking. She sat down, staring at Ash's curved back as he leaned slightly over the stove. he really is something. Clary thought in admiration. But even if for a second, she had Ached to touch his muscles, to see if they were hard or not. A slight blush tinted her face as her heart fluttered in her chest. what was i thinking?!

Clary stared in awe at the warm and puffy pancakes in front of her, dipped in maple syrup. just how mother used to make. Pain flashed through her body as she thought of her. "Well, women? arent you going to eat?" She gave him a long look, raising her eyebrows."i have a name, you know."

"yeah yeah whatever. eat up." Clary was about to dig in when she noticed Ash didn't make a move to sit beside her or to eat at all. He simply just watched her with an amused expression. " Arent you going to eat?" Clary gave him a questioning look.

A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face as he gave her an act of silent surprise. It was quickly replaced by a soft but obviously fake smile as he let out a nervous chuckle. "i already ate." He said finally,turning to leave. He barely made a sound as he glided over the wooden floor. It was almost like a parasite, seeking out prey. Clary tried to shaked the thought from her mind, but it had already started to play out in her head.

The screams of her mother echoed in her numb head as she was devoured by the monster that had invaded their home. It looked like a normal wolf, but it turned into a man ocasionally. She had been saved by a hunter that killed the creature with silver; but her mother, however, was not so lucky.

Ash isn't that monster. He is completely human. She argued in her mind. otherwise i would have been dead by now. Clary shook her head and started eating silently, eyes widening at the incriedbly sweet and great taste. " he sure knows his stuff.." she muttered under her breath.After finishing up,she washed the dishes and walked into the living room where Ash was sitting, reading a book.

Stifling a laugh, Clary moved to sit beside him. If he read books, maybe he wasn't so bad afterall.

Clary leaned closer to Ash, making him stiffen. " What do you want?" Looking up from his book, He gave her a soft glare. " o-oh sorry. i just wanted to see what you were reading." She said quickly, glancing at him nervously.

" Well, i suppose you could read with me." a grin was visible on his still pale face. " Well? what are you hesitating for? go on." He motioned for her to look at the pages when she didn't. Blushing slightly, she leaned in even closer, Ash's breath on her neck. " What's it about?" She asked softly.

She could not see his face for her back was to him, but she felt him take in a breath to talk. " its a tragic love story, i suppose."

They had spent hours reading, just discussing the book when the front door slammed shut, making them both jump. Clary fell into Ash's lab, making them both blush darkly. A chuckle rang throughout the silent apartment. " Well hello, Lovebirds."

Stella stood in the doorway, her hair damp from the pouring rain. Clary's blush grew a shade darker as she struggled to sit up straight. But before she succeeded, she thought she saw Ash's eyes change color from the corner of her eyes.

But when she glanced over at him, his Charming blue eyes were the same as they always were, drawing her in. i must have imagined it. She mentally shrugged as she went over to greet Stella.

" Do you ever stop teasing me, Stella?" She groaned, hugging her best friend. She chuckled again, Bemused. " Nope." Clary gave her a playful glare and went to sit back down. " where were you anyway?" She questioned, pouting like a small child might to her parent.

" shopping." Her answer was short, as always, As she grabbed the many bags and rushed into a separate room that was her own. Huffing, She made a motion to stand up and leave as well, when she saw the look on Ash's face. he was red, no longer pale, and his eyes were closed in silent pain.

Clary gasped softly and made to touch his forehead when she was stopped once more, just like the first time they had met. She grinned as if remembering a pleasant memory. " no..." He pushed her away, almost throwing her to the ground. The grin wiped from her face as she stared, about to protest.

" j-just dont...i'm fine." He stood up rather slowly, making his way to the sofa and lying down. He never opened his eyes as he did, And it made Clary wonder if he was in pain at all.

Deciding to leave him alone, She went into her room to take a shower. She really needed one; her cloths stinked like rotten eggs. Stripping of her cloths, She rushed into the shower. The warm water ran down her freezing back, warming her body as she sang a soft tune from Melanie Martinez "Cake."

I'm not a piece of cake for you to just discard

While you walk away with the frosting of my heart

So I'm taking back what's mine, you'll miss

The slice of heaven that I gave to you last night

After Clary was done, she Blow dried her black hair, And wrapped a towel around her nude body. She then rushed into her room, shivering from the cold air.

She then proceeded to change into a blue tank top and black jeans. Satisfied with her choice, She silently went over to her bed, lying down. This was a long day.  

Clary woke up with a start, Glancing around with sweat trickling down her face. Another nightmare. She sighed, wiping her damp forehead. She stood up to walk over to Stella's room when she paused. Ash. Her heart racing, She silently walked towards the sofa.

Clary let out a breath she was holding in one swift sigh. Seeing him sleeping soundly wrapped in layers of blankets made her rather tired. The way he was sleeping made him look innocent like a small and fragile puppy.

Without thinking, she went to stroke back his silver hair that had fallen over his eyes. He didn't shift, to Clary's relief, And kept sleeping. Or so she thought. " Clary..." His voice was husky, drowsy with sleepiness.

Flinching at his voice, She waited for him to snap at her, But it never came. " come sit by my side." Were his surprising words. She did as asked, hesitating slightly. ​​" Clary" He said again, his voice soft. It made her want to get lost in it, to hide and never be found. He stroked her Cheek softly, a brush of a finger. Her face burnt where he touched her.

" Ash.." Clary mumbled. It came rolling on her tongue. She loved the sound of his name. Ash. But before she could have thought any further, or done anything further, in this case, She was pushed away. " No." She flinched at his words. His expression softened from its tensed state as he stared at her." Clary, you should go wake Stella. i will make breakfast."

Clary whimpered like a lost puppy. " Go? But-" His glare cut her off. though no words were passed between them, Clary knew She had been too straightforward, and had driven him away. But the look in his eyes tell me otherwise, it's something else.

Clary stood up and left, Her heart racing fast as ever. Stella was in her room, working on a drawing she was preparing for hanging on her wall that was lined with rows and rows of drawings, sketching and paintings. It was packed in a way, you might have thought it was an art gallery. Perhaps it was.

"Come in." Stella sighed and turned around to face her friend. " Yes?"

"Stella i just wanted to say...breakfast will be ready soon. " Her voice almost broke.

Stella glanced at her with puzzlement for a few moments before frowning. " What is the matter, Clary? You look ill."

Clary gulped down a nonexistent lump in her throat and took a deep breath. " I-I think i might have caught a cold." Her lie, she knew, would not work, for Stella was very good at telling if you Were honest or not. But to her surprise, it wasn't so today.

Stella raised an eyebrow and sighed. " very well. i will be there in a few minutes." With a nod, Clary stalked out the door and into the steaming kitchen. "Ah. is she coming?" Ash grinned at her. Why is he acting as if nothing has happened?

In a way, She wanted to forget about the event, but the other way she wanted it to be settled, To be explained. But Without a further word, She sat. " yes. she is." She forced a smile unto her face. If he wanted to Keep it this way, she would let him.

Breakfast was served and Stella joined them shortly after. They had small chats every once in a while, about cars and mechanics of how they worked. Strange subject to talk about, yes, But Stella had a mechanical mind, and therefore She talked her own language to either annoy someone, or She Was too bored to have a normal conversation. It was probably the first one.

But of course, She Hadn't expected for him to understand. " Yes of course. 

Stella and Ash, it seemed, were too deep in conversation to pay her any mind. So Clary got up with a sigh and put her dishes away quietly. " Yeah right. There is three types of wolves in a pack," She heard him say. " The Alpha and Omega, The Mid-ranks, and the Lower-ranks."

Clary however, Didn't stay to see what else they said. She was not interested, and besides, She had a new healing technique she had wanted to learn from the green book. The green book, in case you don't know, Is a ancient book that healers used for their powers.

Healers, at that time, were called Witches and often feared by the locals. But after many trials, it was decided that Healers were no harm, and that should be respected and called upon in times of need and when treatment of a certain individual would be beyond saving. But one thing they cannot do, Just One simple law, Is that not under any circumstances they Should bring anyone back to life.

If a Healer should break a law, They would be killed or ridden of their powers immediately. Not that a Healer cannot bring anyone to life, But the High-ranked Healers, Which are called Lunars, Believe that death is a natural thing, and shouldn't be tampered with, Ending up in forbidding any Healer from the practice.

However, Meanwhile with Stella and Ash, it was strangely quiet. They were glaring at one another as if they could tear each other apart right there and then, And maybe that was what they both wanted. If one could know Stella, She was awfully violent. But she was even worse with the ones she hated and therefore anyone would die if she wanted them to. But that was intact only with Humans.

Stella, of course, knew what Ash was. And she despised him for it. Stella could also be possessive, and cared for Clary like a sister despite her attitude towards others. Which, Clary's childhood, Made her hate other half humans other than Healers and the beautiful and also aggressive Mer-people.

It made her remember her crying so horribly, just sitting in that corner. "It killed them." And Stella had known what she meant, Even though she hadn't said anything more. She hadn't needed to.

Clary lay on her soft bed with its golden and blue sheets. Her eyes wandered to the picture on her bedside table, twinkling in the light. It was two girls, one with blond hair and the other with black, grinning happily. sighing, she took it in her hands, feeling the smooth surface of glass against her worn fingers. Her mind wandered back, to the old times. The first time she and Stella had met.

Walking silently towards her new school, Clary gulped a nonexistent lump in her throat and took a deep breath. Having been home schooled by her parents until now, She really didn't know what to expect. If she would be honest, She was almost afraid. Having been with other Healers almost all her life, She didnt know how to treat others that weren't healers. Whats worse, She was asked to keep it a secret. Her mother had stroked her head kindly like she always did, and told her. " Clary, i need you to promise me something." Clary had looked at her mother with curiosity. " promise me that you will keep this a secret. that we are Healers. Alright?" Her mother had smiled warmly and held her daughter. "Okay mommy! i promise!" Clary thought her life was flawless, just being with her parents made her beyond happy. And Healers would not age after a certain amount of time, so she did not have to worry about losing her parents at all. She thought they would stay with her forever. Then she had met Stella, who was sitting at the edge of the school gates. Her grin was burnt into her head like a creepy doll might smile at you in a haunted house. With a violent shiver, Clary had tried to ignore her; But that was impossible. They had the same classes, and Stella followed her everywhere at lunchtime. One day She had come over to Clary, making her recoil in fear as to what she was going to do. Stella's glare was unmistakable as she neared her. And then, to her surprise, She smiled warmly at Clary, holding out her hand. " I'm Stella. What's your name?" Clary, at a lost for words, only managed a utter of " C-Clary" Stella beamed. " My mom told me about you! I thought you might be a Healer too." It was her turn to beam. " really?! your a Healer too?! oh but what if my mom thinks i told you and gets angry at me..?" Stella had laughed for a good while, making Clary pout. " whats so funny!" And then they laughed together, their voices echoing off the playground walls.

Then Clary remembered what had happened after that day, and the color went out of her face to try and remember it.

It was a summer evening and Stella had come over to show Clary a new technique her mother had taught her. They two girls were so occupied, they did not notice the strange aura the surrounded the house. Stella excused herself to go to the washroom, And Clary sat there, glancing over at her parents. Her mother was in the kitchen, cooking, and her father was going over some papers he held in his hand. Suddenly, they both stopped what they were doing and rushed over to Clary just as the wooden door of the house broke into a thousand pieces. A wolf was standing there, its eyes blood red. It lunged at her parents, and they got into a fierce battle right there and then. Clary watched in horror as the wolf growled and slashed out with its claws, while her parents threw balls of energy, meant for harm, no doubt. " CLARY! GO! HIDE!" Her mother shouted. When she did not move, She growled and shouted again. " GO!" Snapping out of her shock, She obediently ran to her room, and her knees gave out then, As she slumped to the floor in tears. After a few minutes, a wail that sounded like a scream rang throughout the house, and the sounds of battle died out. Clary had struggled to her feet, shaking all over, And quietly walked downstairs. It was all she could do to keep herself from screaming. Her parents lay in puddles of blood, and the wolf was wailing silently, struggling for its life. It suddenly had turned into a young boy, about 18. Her mother had warned her about werewolves, and she suddenly knew why her mother had told her to not tell anyone what she was. She had wanted it for her protection. Stella had rushed to her, and had seen her in a corner, Wailing loudly. " It-It killed them." Stella's eyes wandered over to the battleground, and over the werewolf, and Clary's parents, and had embraced her, telling her it was alright. Clary then had went to live with Stella, letting the Lunars take care of the rest. 

A sound broke Clary out of her miserable trance, and she realized from her drowsiness, that she had fallen sleep and dreamed the whole thing. Yawning while she stretched, the sound came again. It was the sound of wood, coming from the door.

" come in." She called loud enough to be heard. The door creaked open to reveal silver hair and blue gleaming eyes.

"Ash." He looked distant, the color gone from his face. " Is something the matter-" She was interrupted by a thump as Ash's legs gave out, panting for breath as if underwater.

Clary, worry clear in her golden eyes, rushed to his side. " Ash. Ash, can you hear me?" The terror was clear in her voice, though steady. Ash looked up. His face hit her like ice; his eyes glowed blue, and he was scowling through clenched sharp incisors.

Suddenly remembering the werewolf responsible for the death of her parents, she recoiled. His expression was indifferent, still glowering at her like he had seen food that had sprouted feet and was escaping his clutches.

Hurt flashed in her eyes, and she touched her cheeks in realization that they were wet.

Ash, as if moved, suddenly looked at her with normal blue eyes gleaming with guilt. Clary, now sobbing silently, had cradled her head in her hands and was rocking back and force.

" C-Clary i-"

" save it!" She shouted, rage clear as glass. " Just...go, Ash. Please." Her tone was softer, but not without hurt.

Ash protested. " Clary what did i do? Clary tell me i'm-"

" LEAVE ME ALONE!" Clary's shout echoed throughout the empty apartment, Ash flinching away from her as if frightened. Clary shook her head violently. " Just GO, Ash, i Cant have you here. Just..please."

Hurt flashed across his face before he turned to leave. He was disappointed to see the tense in her shoulders come loose as if a weight was lifted, and stalked out the door without another word.

 

Stella was passing by the white fountain with the angel holding the sun in one hand and the moon in the other, sprouting water from its mouth in Aprikus Park when she saw a glimpse of silver hair.

"Ash?"

He looked up at her, his fine hair in tangles as if he had ran a hand through it several times. His eyes were dark, the light gone from his features. " wha... what are you doing out here? Clary will be worried sick. Come on lets-" She was interrupted sharply.

" No." His voice was firm, his mouth shaped in a thin line. Puzzled, Stella began to reach for him when realization hit her. She retreated her hand and recoiled as if she had been slapped.

" She found out you are a werewolf, didn't she?"

 

After she had explained Clary's story, he looked as if he had been given a silver ring to wear. His face was twisted into an unreadable expression, and his hair fell over his eyes, blocking out his soft blue eyes now seeming a shade darker.

After a few minutes, he looked up, his expression carefully neutral. " I...Could i still be her friend? i mean.."

Stella sighed softly.

" I don't like you, but you seem like a decent enough guy if you care about her that much."

Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and managed a weak smile. Thank you. He had wanted to say, but he just couldn't make a sound. He soon realized the world around him was starting to sway as if he was on a carousel.

Before he could process it, he saw Stella's worried face and blond hair swirling together and blurring like a badly made painting, and then came total darkness.

Clary had willed herself to cry until she could no more, and lay tangled in her golden sheets while she stared at the plain ceiling in a certain bitterness; it was as if she had drank a whole bottle of cold water, and her throat burned where it threatened to choke her. Guilt churned painfully in her chest, her heart fluttering against her aching ribs.

She had seen his face, so broken and vulnerable with guilt and weakness, and had known right away she had broken his heart. Fear had been the only thing holding her back from running after his crumbling form. He had looked like he was going to pass out right there and then, in front of Clary; as if she had slapped him, though she had done no such thing.

She had not drank anything or ate in the past few hours, and her stomach did not only turn from guilt; it was from hunger as well, which did not help the matter. Truth was, she could not have eaten. Her body ached to feel the smooth surface of bread, to feel it under he teeth as she munched away. But she could not will herself to do such thing. It was her punishment for recoiling from Ash as if he were a poisonous plant threatening to harm her, though he had restrained himself not because of himself, he did it for her.

Clary knew, and yet could not push his growling and hunched form from her mind. It was printed at the back of her eyelids every time she closed them, and in front of her eyes every time she opened them. She shaked her head several times to clear it, and forced her exhausted body to move and sit up to glance blankly at the wall.

And then everything else came in a blur; brushing her teeth, glancing out the window, the nausea and clinging to the closest object as if her life depended on it. And she had opened the door, feeling another rush of nausea as her stomach turned. The bushes looked great to let it all out, but then Clary realized there was nothing in her stomach to throw back up. With another bitter glance around the deserted streets, she quietly walked back inside.

 

"I believe it could have been three or four, ma'am." Said the man that stood as their waiter.

" i was mowing the lawn of my mistress when i heared it. Quite frightening, i say." He held himself as if to shudder, and was called for an order of wine.

" If you will pardon me." He bowed and walked away quickly. Stella sighed and stared lazily at Ash, who sat across from her with rings under his now dull blue eyes. She made as if to speak, but thought better of it. It was Ash who spoke:

" What is this place anyway? It's a bit-" He struggled for the right word and then spoke again. " Old fashioned." He finished, glancing around the muddy brown walls of the restaurant Stella had suggested to go investigate in. The waiters wore loose long sleeved plain shirts, touched with a set of loose black pants. It looked as if he was at an Inn in the 1850's, the ones he had so often read in books that it was implanted in his mind like an image.

Stella grinned; it was one of her threatening grins that would have made the one 3 meters from her faint from horror, but Ash was quite oblivious to this effect and awaited an answer.

" Well, i suppose you wouldn't know. You are new to the Night World, aren't you?" She said, and when Ash gave her a blank look, added: "The Night World is the world of supernatural creatures, divided into 3 sections: The Moonlings, the Lunars, and the Nightlings. The Moonlings, also known as the night children, are werewolves, while the Lunars are Healers and at the top, while the Nightlings are vampires." she finished in one big breath and smiled unpleasantly like one might before they stab you in the heart and leave you to bleed to death.

Ash looked glumly at Stella- no he saw through her like one might glass. Stella sighed softly and patted him on the back. " This restaurant, for instance, is a Night World one. Humans have a certain block on their minds, so this is hidden from them." She explained. Ash nodded and glanced at her, having barely touched his fries that were now growing cold.

Stella gave him a twisted smile and grabbed for his hand, leading him out the door.

" Alright. It's time to face Clary and apologize. Actually, both of you need to apologize. But i will talk to her first to calm her down and then you come in. Deal?"

Ash, not looking up, let out a sigh.

" Deal" He was looking up now, grinning broadly. Stella could not help grin back, and led him towards the wooden apartment where they lived.

Clary had began to doze off just as the click of the front door being shut snapped her out of drowsiness, and she looked up in dry curiosity, not really interested in what had made the sound.

"Clary? are you here?" The voice was female, deep but soft. In moments, blond hair gleamed in front of her. It was Stella, smiling. Actually smiling. Clary was too exhausted to even ask what the matter was, and just kept hanging her head.

" there you are. Where is Ash?" Her jaw set, she glanced at Stella like she was dead, and looked away just as quickly.

" He left." Her answer was short, pain shooting up her chest in blind tingles. Stella raised an eyebrow and sighed, sitting beside her on the bed. Clary hadn't looked at her, but knew that she was beside her from the heat and impact of her friends weight on the bed.

" come on, dont lie to me." Stella held her hand and smiled softly. Clary finally looked up, making Stella flinch.

" Oh by the moon, Clary. You look Horrible." Clary couldn't agree more. Her once soft hair was in tangles, falling in curls on her shoulder. Her face was pale, all life drained from her lively expression.

" Clary... come on tell me what is wrong. You know you can tell me anything." She gave her a weak smile and hugged her friend. Clary managed a weak smile and started telling her about Ash, how he had transformed into a werewolf, how he had tried to apologize and begged her for forgiveness but she had pushed him away.

Stella listened with a frown, nodding her head now and then. Truth was, it was very difficult not to say anything, for Clary sounded as if she was hurt, and she probably was. 

She couldn't take it anymore and started took a sharp, shaky breath. Clary gave her a puzzled look but quickly masked it with a blank one. Stella stroked her head, making Clary flinch at her touch. 

" Clary...I-" She was at a lost for words, for she had never comforted someone before. So Stella stretched her arms wide, and Clary quickly clung unto her, sobbing violently as her chest shook.

Stella rubbed comforting circles on her friend's back, and made soothing noises until her sobs had quieted to silent whimpers.

A voice then cleared their throat, making them both flinch and turn around to stare at the doorway. Silver hair glowed in the light, and blue eyes bore through their own.

" Ash?" The look on Clary's face made Ash stare with anxious blue eyes. " No. Go. GET OUT!"

When he didn't budge, She stood up and flung herself at him, pushing at his chest. 

" leave..." He grabbed her wrists, squeezing softly as he took a shaky breath.

" Clary, please.."His voice was desperate and gentle, and so it made her pause as she escaped her bound wrists from his hold.

 " Just let me explain. If you still don't want me here, then i PROMISE you i will leave."

"I lived with my parents and little sister, rose, who was only 8. I loved them all. But one night my dad went out to get some firewood, and didn't come back. We waited and waited, while my sister kept sobbing in my arms telling me he wouldn't come back, that he was taken by the wolves. I tried to comfort her, told her it was alright, but i knew for a fact it wasn't close to it. Dad, no matter what he did, always came back. Days passed, and still no sign of him. I grew wary that maybe he had tripped and hit his head somewhere, so i offered to go look for him. though i wish i hadn't. I wish i had stayed with my family while i could before this happened.

" so i headed into the forest after saying goodbye, not knowing it was the last time i would actually see them. I kept going, calling out my fathers name, looking under and over every bush and tree. But he was nowhere to be found. So i thought. Just when i was about to decide to go back, i heard a sound sounding like the screech of metal on metal. But somehow, there was something so-so familiar about it. When i figured it out, the forest was already silent with the rustle of leaves and bushes against the wind. It was my father's scream.

" i didn't know what to do. i was scared. For the first time in my life, i was. If only i hadn't been so pathetic and had ran over to the location of the sound, maybe i could have saved my father's life. But no, i just had to stand there like a statue and not move. Then, there was a loud rustle. I was still frozen as ice from fear, and didn't make any move to run for it. I couldn't have. Then a head shot out of the nearby bush. At first, i thought it was my dad, alive and well. I thought that the scream was just a fragment of my imagination. And then, i realized with a sudden horror, something was holding my father's head. It was severed from his body like a doll. I tried to scream, but no sound came out." Ash paused, looking grim. He did look scared even now, with his bright blue eyes and silver hair as he remembered the horrible events of that one night. It was just one night, and yet a lot happened to change his life. No, change Him. Clary thought with a shudder. Ash then continued:

" I stood still, hoping that the wolf would leave me alone and keep going. I was so very wrong. The wolf reverted its golden eyes onto me and stalked forward very slowly, like it was trying to calm a scared prey. I finally found my voice again and screamed as it threw itself at me, and then everything went dark.

" And when i woke up, i was in your apartment. You know the rest." Clary let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and pat him on the back.

" My parents were killed by werewolves as well." Clary started, but Ash only offered one of his heart melting smiles.

" i know. Stella told me all about it." Clary stared in wonder, and before she could have said anything, her body moved on its own and then her arms were around him in a warm and comforting hug. Ash was startled for a brief second, and then he was returning the hug tightly.

" It's fine. You can stay." Clary whispered softly in his ear, startling him even more. And then he was chuckling, his chest vibrating in the process.

" I wasn't planning on leaving anyway."

" HEY! you lied!" And then they were both laughing, clinging to each other until someone cleared their throat.

" Ahem. I'll just..uh..leave you to it then, lovebirds." It was Stella, grinning broadly. Clary felt heat rush to her face and let go of Ash quickly, looking away. But the glance that she did spare him, she knew he was blushing as well, and they both yelled at the same time:

" Shut up!" 

Clary sat in her dark room, now feeling chilly. Sweat ran down the side of her face, falling on the hard, wooden floor. She had opened her eyes to find that she had been dreaming, and had opened the tinted window to get some fresh air. She had been broken with sweat for no apparent reason; her dream had been sweet and everything she dreamed for, but she didn't know just how much of it had been a dream.

Scrambling to her shaking feet, she padded, barefooted, to the living room. And to her surprise, Ash lay there on the sofa, his chest heaving up and down slowly, his breathing steady and calm, as if he had no care in the world. She trotted to the sofa, leaning on the edge, and stared at his silver hair. It seemed to glow in the dim light, and she let herself smile softly. finally comforted that he was there, Clary got up and went back to her room, and slept the rest of the night in ease.

The next morning, Clary woke up to the familiar scent of bacon and eggs, and yawned despite herself. Setting up to stare blankly at the walls, she got up and changed into her everyday cloths and went to the kitchen. As expected, Ash was seated on one of the tall wooden chairs, his face hidden behind a book.

Chuckling to herself, Clary went to his shoulder and shouted:

" Boo!" And Ash, startled, almost dropped his book. After steadying himself, he turned around to glare at her playfully.

" very funny, princess." Was his response, setting down the blue covered book down on the table. Clary rolled her eyes at the nickname, and sat down facing his pale face. He seemed to have read her expression for he asked:

" Are you okay? Did you sleep badly last night?" She gave him a nervous chuckle, and glanced around.

" Yeah." Ash, seeming unimpressed, banged his fingernails on the wooden table impatiently.

" And?"

" Nothing!" Clary answered quickly, and Ash narrowed his blue eyes so tightly that she had to revert her eyes in nervousness. She then hung her head, considering telling him. She finally decided, and looked up at his anxious blue eyes that seemed to pierce through hers.

She started to tell him all about her dream, that she had seen him as a werewolf, that she had been afraid of him. And then he had come back and told her all about himself, and of course, leaving out the part where Stella had teased them. When she had finished, Ash proceeded to chuckle.

" What wild dreams this young lady has," He pat her head affectionately, and sighed, his eyes suddenly cold and distant. " You know, the story is true. Werewolves did kill my parents. But i didn't become one. I Became a hunter." Clary almost spat out her scrambled eggs, and swallowed them clumsily.

" Oh. Does that include healers?" Ash grinned at her for a moment, and she thought he was going to say yes, but instead he shook his head, chuckling with once more warm eyes.

Clary let out a sigh of relief, and proceeded to finish her breakfast in silence. But Ash interrupted:

"So, is that some kind of power that Healers have? Seeing the past, or the future?" He stared at her curiously, silver bangs hiding his alarmingly bright blue eyes. 

" Well..." Clary let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and inhaled, starting to speak shakily. " Only Lunars are able to do that. It takes powerful magic, and besides, the future keeps changing. You can't exactly "see" it.

"But then, i saw the past, and maybe an alternate universe where the werewolf bit you and you became one. It is confusing even for me." Ash nodded, considering this, and then let out a sigh. 

 Ash then told her about the things he had killed to lighten the mood. the times he had almost lost his life to a werewolf, or a vampire. The vampire that always chased him had the same name as his: Ashton.

Though all of his stories were more funny than frightful, and she even laughed at one or two, which was his prime goal. By the time he was done, Clary was wiping her wet eyes with her sleeves in laughter.

He had chuckled, and pat her head again, leaving out the door after asking her to keep it a secret from Stella. Clary, of course, didn't hide anything from her best friend, and told her everything that Ash had told her, and Stella had scoffed all the way to the end.

" Yeah right, and i am a Lunar." She chuckled, waving it away as if it was a fly. Clary rolled her eyes and sighed, smiling gently at her friend, and had gone to her room. But before she had sat down, there was a knock on the door.

" I'll get it!" Stella shouted, followed by silent footsteps and the creak of the wooden door as it swung open. And then silence.

" Uh, Clary, i think it's for you." Clary raised an eyebrow, and rushed to the door beside Stella. There lay a not ein her hand, which read:

Come to the forest, We have your friend. You have until sunset. Else he dies.

Clary, swallowing against her dry throat, had hurriedly made for her cloths, and grabbed at her cloak with such force she almost knocked the closet over. She had then, fully dressed, wore her familiar leather boots, and rushed out the door after giving Stella a hug.

Of course Stella had protested and had insisted that they went together, but Clary had refused and insisted instead that the note had been for her and for her alone, and had squeezed her friends hand affectionately before leaving. Stella had stared after her with anxious blue eyes, and then after Clary had disappeared through the tangled trees, had shut the wooden door with a loud "bang".

Having walked for a few minutes now, Clary glanced around at the plant life all around her, fascinated. She had never actually taken the time to look about her for different reasons: Hurry, fear, distractions..Ect.

Right now, her mind was preoccupied, but not as much to make her forget anything else around her. Clary's hand flew to her pocket watch which hung around her neck on a golden chain, squeezing it harshly against her palm.

The steady ticking calmed her, and a soft sigh escaped her libs. Her free hand glowed green in the darkness of the night, lighting her way and being her way finder.

She had precisely used a tracking spell for this, using a strand of Ash's hair. She didn't know what friend they were referring to, but she had no one else but Ash and Stella. Sakura had been killed and crossed to the other side, her parents killed, she didn't go to school ( For various reasons) And She rarely went outside.

So no friends there, really. It had been a wild guess, but then it could as well be a random person they had seen her with and had mistaken them for her "friend". But it wasn't very good to take chances. She had learned that long ago after what happened to her parents.

Her grip tightening on her watch, the green glow in her hand strangely flickered and went out. Her vision was woozy, her hands falling to her sides as she felt her knees give out under her, and the last thing she saw before her eyes closed was a figure stalking towards her.

.

.

.

.

.

Clary woke up with a start, gripping the sheets about her. She was in a white queen bed, sweat trickling down her face. The room was plain, except for a blue closet at the side and a green beside table on which sat a vase with a single rose.

Clary made to sit up, but her head felt strangely light, and she could only sit about for a few seconds and then fell into the sheets again. Her body felt strangely weak, and now, the crook of her neck.

Her hand wandered to the place of the pain, and there, on her smooth skin, she found two small lumps the size of her fingernail. She let out a sharp gasp and grabbed her pocket watch, glancing at herself in the back which there was a hidden mirror.

Clary heard a scream as if from far away, and it took her a while to notice it was her own. Two sharp puncture marks sat on her once smooth skin, and dried blood was around it with an agonizing smell of iron. Her vision darkened from the shock, and when she came to, she saw a figure sitting on the windowsill, grinning at her with sharp, threatening teeth.

Clary had staggered back from the shock, but had recovered almost immediately and just stared. Not a fearful stare or a frightened one, or even a glare; just a blank expression, carefully neutral. The boy seemed rather amused at this, and laughed. A sadistic, teasing laugh that would have made anyone who heard it shiver.

But Clary was a Healer, and Healers had seen worse; much much worse. And so she didn't move a muscle, or flinch away. She stood her ground, and her eyes bore through his, unwavering. Then the boy spoke up, walking into the dim light painfully slow, as if just to annoy her.

" Oh my. We have a brave one." His chuckle echoed in the silent room, and it was then that the light revealed his face, which was all sharp angles. He was thin but broad shouldered, his grin never faltering as he neared her. The dim light made way to reveal more of him, the unnaturally blue eyes, the long, bushy eyelashes and his soft brown hair, which fell over his eyes slightly as he walked with the grace all vampires had when they did walk.

It was rare to see one do so for many reasons: One, they could teleport easily and reach the target. Two, they moved almost as fast as air, becoming one with the wind, and it would be almost impossible to see their movement with untrained eyes. So why was he walking? Probably to annoy her more.

Clary sighed in her head, and made to tuck a loose strand behind her ear, but found that the moment she had been distracted, he had secretly bound her hands, and she sneered as she looked behind her to make sure, and then glanced back at him again, not bothering with formalities.

" Who are you?!" She growled, her eyes burning fiercely as she glared. The vampire took a step back in false fear for a moment, his face mimicking the expression, and then grinned again.

" Oooh," He cooed, his voice barely audible. " The little mouse scared me~" Clary flinched violently at the nickname, and the vampire knew he had crossed the line. But of course, he could care less. He only stared, waiting for her response.

" Dare call me that one. more. time." Her voice was dangerously low, her eyes hidden behind her fallen bangs. When she looked up, her eyes were golden, their glow lighting up the room slightly.

" You know," She continued when he didn't respond with a frown. "I always hate dirty, lying scum like you," Her frown slowly turned into a grin. "So do me a favor and die." Before the boy could have protested, her whole body lit up and momentarily blinded him, for it took vampires longer to adjust to light. Clary took advantage of this; and ran to the door. To her disappointment it was locked, and she had to use an opening clasis to open it.

The tip of her finger emitted a soft glow, and she hastily drew a clasis mark for opening, and the door swung open under her fingers, making way for her to leave. She didn't spare the boy a second glance as she took off into the forest, the trees towering over her form which seemed small in the muffled area.

Clary soon found she was lost, and stopped for breath. She knew she shouldn't have taken the risk, but her lungs ached, and her legs felt too weak to support her as she leaned against a random tree. Before she could have even become comfortable, the nearest bush rustled and made her straighten her spine, ready to pounce if needed. But the bushes opened to reveal a small white rabbit, and Clary let herself relax.

But having made that mistake, something large pounced on her, the weight taking her down onto the ground. Stunned, it took her a moment to come to and realize it was a person, their silver hair glowing slightly from the little light that was allowed to pass through the tangled trees.

" Ash!" She heard herself shout, and he lifted himself on his elbows beside her chest, his blue eyes steady as he stared. His cold eyes suddenly became warm, the ice gone from his expression. But the liveliness suddenly changed to puzzlement, and Clary felt his fingers trace the skin just under her eyes. Her hand flew to the same place and brushed against it, and she noticed it was wet slightly.

She had not noticed she had been crying, but when she found out now, she was not embarrassed at all, and instead pulled Ash into her chest once more, sobbing into his shoulder. His body tensed in surprise no doubt, but relaxed after he heard her loud sobbing and held her tighter to his chest, rubbing her beck in soothing circles.

" Hey Clary," He said in a questioning voice after Clary quieted down. " What happened to-" He paused and lifted his head slightly to glimpse at her closed eyes and soft, steady breathing. She had fallen sleep. Ash let himself chuckle softly and lifted her into his arms, proceeding into the forest silently.

 
 
 
 

When Clary had stirred awake from her sleep, her body felt strangely heavy. She rolled over slightly, and winced in pain. Her chest and back throbbed, and she rubbed them in protest.

" Oh you're awake." A voice sounded behind her. Turning around slowly as to not trigger any more pain, Clary opened her eyes to stare into blue ones. Ash grinned and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear slightly, flinching when his hand made contact with her skin. A gasp escaped his libs as he made for the towel that sat on the bedside table, wet it in a bucket full of water which also sat on the table, and put it on her forehead.

" Why won't it go down.." Ash mumbled, his libs pressed into a firm line. Clary tilted her head slightly, which was a bad idea considering her body pain, and winced silently.

" What..do you m-mean?" She questioned, her voice barely a whisper. She tried her voice out in hopes of getting it to get louder, but her local cords strangely wouldn't cooperate. But she saw Ash let out a small sigh, and his libs forming into a soft smile as he gently stroked her soft hair which was in tangles.

" Ah. Well you see, you have a very high fever. 41 degrees Celsius , i believe. Almost 42, which is very dangerous." Clary felt her eyes widen noticeably, and clasped a hand over her mouth.

" I-i don't understand...what might have caused this?" Her voice came stronger from the anxiety, making her flinch slightly in surprise. Ash chuckled. Not a fun or amused chuckle, but a nervous and low chuckle which meant he was either very nervous that he was laughing, or too panicked that his voice would crack if he were to talk. Ash slowly and patiently lifted the collar of her shirt, his hand tracing the two lumps that had healed slightly over the hours.

Clary, of course. understood immediately without him having to say anything, and suppressed another gasp which was about to escape her libs forcefully. The vampire which had bitten her had been a pureblood, and their bite is the most deadly. It is like poison, except it doesn't kill you. Just turns you into a vampire after a while.

It worked, however, differently on healers. They had to go through a series of more complicated processes to survive, for their bodies were the purest of all. If they were not to tend to it in 48 hours, they would either die, or become extremely anemic. This meant she would barely be aware, and would be too weak to do anything. The blood of a pureblood would kill off a healers cells, which would weaken them or kill them. Neither was appealing.

Now to get to the point. He had bitten her to get enough blood out, then had fed her some of his blood. That was illegal by the law in the night world, therefore punishable by death. Clary let herself shiver, which sent another throb of pain through her body. She grit her teeth in an attempt to not bite her tongue, and took steady, deep breaths.

" Ash, you know how to get the blood out of my system, right?" She questioned hurriedly. She knew they had less that 34 hours, and that was not much time at all. If they were lucky they could make it.

Ash nodded in response, his cheeks tinted with the slightest of red. Why? Well, you got the blood out by making a small cut on the arm of the victim, and sucking the blood out. This was done by a trained human serving healers, or a vampire, because this only had effect on healers.

He silently grabbed his silver knife, putting the sharp tip to her exposed wrist. He then proceeded to cut, which burnt her arm painfully, but not enough to make her yelp in pain. It was endurable, as many other pains were when a healer had to do a 'Job'.

thick, mild black blood poured out of her wrist, filling the room with the sickly scent of iron. Ash quickly put his libs to her wound, sucking silently with an obvious blush on his face. This continued for a minute before he pulled away, spitting the blood away in the sink.

When he came back, Clary had closed her eyes, her breathing steady. His hand automatically went to her forehead, where it was finally cool to the touch. he could now rest easily, which he did, moving to lay beside her and falling sleep silently.

Clary woke with a start, and turned around briefly to glimpse at ash's sleeping face. But when she felt around the bed to grasp his hand, the only thing she clenched was the fabric of the bed.

" Ash!" Springing up quickly, Clary jumped off the bed and wore her normal cloths; and then came a sharp jerk of her arm when she was wearing her blue sweater, and pain shot up her wrist.

Glancing down, Clary noticed a slight half-healed scar on her wrist, and remembered the night before; the vampirem almost dying, Ash sucking the corrupted blood out...

Feeling blood rush to her face, she quickly shoke her head to clear it and stepped out into the kitchen, catching a scent which hung in the air stubbornly. It was the scent of burning meat. Slightly puzzled, Clary walked up to the pan which sat on the stove, and stared.

Instead of meat there sat a black chunk of coal.

"Oh! Clary." A familiar voice sounded behind her, making her flinch slightly. She'd know that voice anywhere...

" S-S-Saku-ra." Stuttering and clinging to the stove's edge like her life depended on it, Clary silently and slowly turned to face her long-lost friend.

Her black hair with dyed pink bangs gleamed in the morning light slightly, and Clary started to feel sick. Her head swam, making her cling to the stove even tighter; her legs felt as if they would give out any minute, and they did eventually.

Feeling her fingers slip from their desprate grip, Clary crumbled to the wooden floor like a broken down doll and sat still, taking shallow, unsteady breaths.

" No. No. No No No. You were DEAD. I SAW you die..." Sakura's eyes were as wide as soucers when she gripped Clary's shoulders and shoke her slightly.

" Sh..No i didn't die, Clary....You just had another bad dream. Its okay...." Clary clung to Sakura and sobbed, with her rubbing soothing circles on ger back.

" B-but it felt so real..." She managed to choke out between sobs.

" I know. I know." Sakura continued to amke soothing noises, and something about her always calmed Clary, and so it did now; her sobs slowly subsiding to nothing more than silent whimpers and occasional sniffs.

" W-where's Stella?" Sakura's libs parted to answer when a voice answered for her.

" Someone called?" There stood Stella with her light blonde hair and feirce blue eyes, in a blue tank top and ripped jeans. Clary felt herself chuckle dryly at her friend's arrival, and broke herself out of Sakura's grip and stumbled over to Stella, gripping her shoulders tightly.

" Where is Ash?" Her golden eyes were clouded with worry, her voice strong once more.

" Who?" Stella scanned her form, worry and confusion clear on her face.

" Is this a boyfriend you haven''t told me about?" And when seeing Clary's horrified and helpless expression added: " Clary, are you feeling alright? Did you hit you head or something?" Flinching away from her outstreched hand, Clary quickly took a shaky step back and then another, until she collided with the familiar wooden door. Her hands scrambled over it until she found the door knob, and without warning, bolted out the door into the towering trees of the forest.

“Hallo will.” Glancing timidly at the young boy, Sarah quickly grabbed him and embraced his broad form.

“I missed you too.” He groaned, clearly choking slightly in the pressure of Sarah’s embrace. Loosening up slightly, Sarah handed him a small golden pocket watch, which there sat a carving of a butterfly on the front; and Will gave a small gasp of recondition.

“My mother’s watch! Where did you get that?” Sarah shook her head, silent tears falling from her golden eyes.

“W-Will…I...” Sarah couldn’t find the strength to speak the words, and so Will became impatient and shook her shoulders slightly.

“What?? Tell me, Sarah! Did something happen?!” She was sobbing now, shaking her head violently.

“N0 no. I can’t. I just…can’t.”She pressed the golden watch into his palm and pulled away, bolting towards the tangled trees of the forest once more.

“SARAH!” Will called; but Sarah only sped up, sobbing as she ran, wiping her eyes free from tears so she could see clearly.

A few days ago, March 15

"Yuki, do you think I should?” Sarah sat at the round table in the small kitchen, playing with something golden in her hands.

“I don’t know. I mean, he deserves to know, Sarah.” Beside her sat a snow-white wolf, whom she was stroking gently.

“You of all people should know, yuki.” The wolf shook his massive form and stood up, causing Sarah to pull her hand away in alarm.

“I suppose,” He started, “You, young warlock, are the only one who can help him. So yes, tell him and get it over with.” Sarah looked down grimly, seemingly thoughtful. She looked up after a few minutes and sighed.

“Alright. I’ll tell him.”

Current day, March 17

Sarah felt as if her legs would give way any minute, and so pressed her hands into fists, ignoring the sharp pain which shot through her legs every time she stepped. Only did she stop when she reached a small window in the air, which was slightly circular, and stepped through hesitantly. She glanced behind her, and saw a wooden wall instead of the forest.

“Ah. Sarah.” There lay Yuki in the wooden floor, cleaning his fur with his tongue. Sarah let out a groan and fell on her bed, exhausted. Her legs ached still, causing her to toss around uncomfortably.

“ You were not able to tell him,” Yuki sighed, his voice more disappointed than anything. Sarah shook her head slightly and groaned again, her voice muffled in the bed sheets.

“ I knew you wouldn’t tell him. But did you at least give him the watch?”

“ Yeah,” Her body was half turned towards him, tears gathered in her eyes. Sarah quickly wiped them and glanced out the window which sat just beyond her bedroom, letting patches of light in to illuminate the room.

“ I’m sorry Yuki. I just didn’t find the strength to tell him. It would have hurt him.” The enormous wolf whined slightly, shaking its furry and giant body.

“Sometimes people have to get hurt to learn, Luna.”

“Don’t call me that.” Sarah hissed, her voice suddenly low and dangerous. Yuki sighed once more, and got up to leave.

“ As long as you gave it to him.” And then he was gone as if a ghost. Sarah closed her eyes, falling sleep after a few minutes due to her exhaustion.

Will had searched the nearby towns and forest, but there was no sign of the dark haired female.

“Sarah!” He was panting from all the running and searching, and the exhaustion was slowly getting to him as he stumbled through the dirt road alongside the forest. ‘Where is she?!’ He stopped to rest beside a tree, leaning heavily on it as he panted. How many hours had it been? Two? Four? He couldn't tell anymore. As he rested, he turned the golden watch in his hand, confusion dawning on him as much as ever. Where had Sarah gone? Why had she given him this? Why was she crying?

‘So many questions unanswered,’ He thought as he silently slipped the object back into his jeans pocket. 'And I can’t even answer one.” And so he sat down, still leaning against the tree, and went deep in thought. He had known Sarah since kindergarten, and they were very good friends until that MAN came and took her away. He never saw her again until high school, which they were reunited once more.But he had noticed so many different things about his friend; Like the fact that she was more mature and…distant. Sarah wasn’t herself anymore and she probably would never be again. The thought scared him even now, and he allowed himself to shiver slightly. The MAN had changed her; but for the better or the worse?And then he snapped out of his thoughts, for something vibrated in his pocket. At first he thought that perhaps it was his phone; but he was sure he hadn't brought it with him. Puzzled, Will reached into his jeans pocket, only to grasp the watch. It shook violently in his palm, as if begging for him to open the lid. He was hesitant at first, but then slowly pried it open with sweaty palms.There sat a row of dots on the clock screen, moving about busily, and Will felt himself gape at the screen as if he had seen a ghost. But then, this was no better, for the dots started to form words; First “I” And then “Am.” It paused for a moment, and then continued. “The” Then “Truth.” And “I” And then “will” And so it paused once more as if taking a breath, and then continued: “Answer” And “Your” Then “Questions”. The dots scattered once more, as if awaiting a response. Will took a shaky breath and spoke:

“Where is Sarah?” The dots started to form words once more, and he understood. It spelled:

“She is in her own world, separate from yours.” At this Will panicked.

“WHAT?! Another world?!” And when he turned to ask another question, the dots had disappeared mysteriously, the only thing left were the clock which ticked silently. Cursing, Will made as if to throw the clock away; but didn't have the heart, and so slipped it back inside his pocket.

“Sarah. Wake up, child.” Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw Yuki standing beside her bed.

“Yuki. What is it?” The massive wolf shook his head and glanced down.

“Will has learnt how to use the watch.” At this Sarah was up in seconds, throwing on her cloths and rushing out the door. Yuki protested, but had barely gotten a word out when the door slammed shut in his face.

“If that child doesn’t get herself killed it would be a miracle.” He sighed, walking back to lay down and wait.

“Show me Will.” Sarah held a replica of the golden watch Will had, except hers was silver, with the pattern of the moon and stars. The dots formed words:

“He is north where the clouds reside.” The watch mostly talked in riddles, and so she had to learn to understand it, and she did now; grasping it tightly, Sarah slipped it inside her shirt, for it hung on a chain around her neck, and started walking.

Will woke at a voice, which called him rapidly. He shot up, panting and sweating, his hand feeling his pocket for the watch; it was still there, and Will felt himself let out a sigh in relief.

“ Ah. Why hello, child.” The same voice he had heard before came from his right, and Will flinched in alarm, turning his head to face whatever there was.

There only sat an eagle, who was staring at him with wide eyes and a slightly open beak. The voice came again:

“ What is the matter? Are you perhaps…afraid?” It took Will a moment to comprehend, and when he did, he felt himself take a shaky breath.

“ W-what are you..?” scrambling to his feet in alarm, Will held out his hands in front of him for protection.

“ Do not be alarmed, Will.” And when Will’s eyes widened even more, the eagle added,” I shall not harm you, child. I come in peace.” Will narrowed his eyes and took a step back cautiously.

“ How do I know I can trust you?” The bird tilted its head and let out a noise, which sounded like a screech, making Will flinch slightly.

“ I come from Luna.” And when Will gave it a blank look, it let out another squawk, which Will now knew was meant to be a chuckle.

“ The one who gave you that watch.” Then Will understood, and his tensed body loosened.

“Oh…” He breathed, gripping the tree trunk for support; as he felt his legs shake and warn to give way.

“ She has…a talking bird?” The bird did not seem offended, but let out another high pitched laugh.

“Why, you are an amusing human. No wonder the Luna took interest in you.” Will cradled his head in his hand, trying to absorb the sudden information.

“All these years…she hasn’t been human?”

“No, child. I am afraid not. But let me tell you one thing: If she chose to lie to you, it must have been for good reason. Do not blame her in the future.” Will felt sick in his stomach, gripping the tree for dear life. His head spun at a dizzying speed, and the world seemed to spin along with him as his grip loosened, and he barely felt his legs give way as he crumbled to the dampened soil.

“Ah…what a shock it must be...” The eagle poked him in curiosity, eager to know more.

“Of course it is!” Will growled. Irritated. “She has lied to me for 12 years!”

“My oh my…But do not grudge her for the things she has done, Will. It shall not benefit you in the future.”

“What do you know about these things?! You’re just a stupid bird!” And there and then, the eagle’s skin fell away to reveal brilliant light, which gleamed brightly, threatening to blind anyone who dared to near it.

And so, there now sat a young man, who smiled at him warmly. His golden hair still shined on, making Will grimace slightly and look away.

“ Oh. Do pardon me, child. I have quite forgotten the ways the human body works.” With that his hair’s light dimmed, leaving a cool golden light around his head like a halo. And that revealed his cloths; which were bright blue and gold, long and ragged like an elegant dress.

“ I am the God of the sun and the sky. Luna is my dear cousin. Pleased to meet you, Will.” It took him a few moments to process what lay in front of him, and when he did, his mouth hung open wide as if it might catch a fly.

“U-um…Sarah has…a cousin..?” Will managed to choke out, his voice high and silent. Clearing his throat, Will tried again.

“Who exactly IS Sarah?” The great creature seemed to consider this; and then after a few moments spoke:

“That is for her to tell, not I.” Will grunted and rolled his eyes, still holding the trunk for support as he got up.

And then he noticed the great mass of the creature in front of him, the greatness and brilliance, though he was not much taller than he; and so Will hung his head in respect and shame.

“Please excuse my behavior, sir. I-I didn’t know what came over me..” The god glanced down at him, and offered his warm smile.

“Do not hang your head before me, child. I shall open the doorway to the other world for you, but I cannot guarantee you will find her right away. There might be troubles on the way. Are you willing to accept that?” Will looked up, a strange and bright gleam in his eyes.

“Yes. I will do anything for her. And plus, I want answers.” The massive creature nodded and twirled his hand in mid-air, making a small circular window which stood out among everything else.

It really did look like he were glimpsing outside of a window; there sat damp grass, bright green in the gloom. The time, however, was different by a wide span; the sun shone in the bright blue sky, warming a small patch of grass just outside of the window where he was standing.

“Go ahead, Will. All the luck to you, child.” Will took a deep. Shaky breath, and stepped inside the circular window.

When Will’s body passed through the window, he felt cold rush through him like ice and for a moment he thought that he was perhaps in water; but that was proven wrong as the cold fell away to reveal warmth.

Will opened his tightly shut eyes to glimpse the sun overhead, which shone brightly, surrounded by the blue sky. He unconsciously glanced back, only to glimpse an endless field of grass and trees. The window was gone!

Will turned around and looked straight ahead, taking a shaky breath. The grassy field stretched as far as the eye could see, and maybe even farther.Will took a step, and then another, until he was sprinting gracefully forward.



“Oh…” Sarah stood in the dim light of the moon, frowning deeply.

“I believe he must be there by now.” The area surrounding her was shining brightly, however, and she flinched away slightly.

“Why, Celestial? I thought you wouldn’t give me away…” Furrowing her eyebrows in distress, Sarah stared at the god in front of her.

“He was desperate. And you know how I am, dear cousin.” Shaking her head, she felt her temple, as it was aching quite freely.

“Alright I will go and find him…” And then her wrist was seized, the massive creature standing before her.

“No. This is his task, and his alone. You must go home.” Sarah opened her mouth to protest; however he was serious and threatening, and she closed it in respect for her elder. Suddenly the ground gave way and it felt as if she were falling; however she soon found stable ground on wooden floors, and held her head as she looked up.

The familiar bright golden walls of her “home” gleamed in the dark, and she flicked the light on with a huff.

“Yuki! Are you here?”

“Yes, young mistress. Were you successful?” The massive white wolf stood at the doorframe, looking amused as he always did. Sarah shook her head, sighing in frustration.

“Celestial won’t let me go to him.” Sitting down on her bed, Sarah played with her fingers and Yuki closed in on her.

“Are you perhaps…sulking? “ Sarah felt blood rush to her cheeks and looked away, crossing her arms in the process.

“N-no! I am simply…upset…” Yuki raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

“And you will deny that you love him, too?” Feeling her eyes widening, Sarah clawed at the bed sheets and got a firm grip. Her eyes had changed to a fierce red color, making her the more threatening.

“We do not discuss that here, Yuki.” He bowed down on his front legs respectfully, his head hung low.

“Please pardon this foolish familiar, Lunar.”

“Yes, yes. Now get out of my sight, you filth.”

“You must not allow the divine power of the ancient goddess take over, Sarah. Come here.” Yuki was covered in cool, white light, and the next moment he was standing as a young boy, with brilliant silver hair and blue eyes.

“Ah…Ash…” Her eye changing back to the familiar blue, Sarah allowed herself to shed tears and ran into his arms, sobbing violently.

“I-I’m sorry, Ash. Please forgive me…” Clinging to him for dear life, she sobbed and clenched and unclenched her fists on his shirt, choking on every breath that she took.

“Hush…It is quite alright, Sarah.”

“N-no…I hurt you…and you left…”

“I didn’t. I am right here…shush…”

“I am so sorry…I turned you into this…I thought-I thought that you would be happy…Oh how wrong I was! I wish I could turn you back into a human forever!”

Ash stroked her hair and soothed her best as he could until she stopped sobbing, and then his time was up and he gracefully and sorrowfully turned back into a wolf.

“Are you feeling better, Sarah?” She still clung to his fur, not letting go. Sarah then slowly lifted her head, her bangs hiding her blue eyes.

“Yes, Yuki. Thank you.” He nodded at her and started to unclench her hands from his fur gently; however Sarah still refused to let go.

“Miss, would you be kind enough to let go of my fur?” He asked finally, Sarah shaking her head violently.

“Stay with me, Yuki. Just for tonight.” He looked away and sighed greatly, a pang tugging at his heart as he lunged for her warmth.

“Yes. But only tonight. Alright, Sarah?” She nodded, wiping her tear woven eyes and getting into bed.

Yuki gripped the blanket with his teeth and put it over her, and then jumped up and curled up on her chest as she stroked him.

“I love you, Yuki.” The massive wolf chuckled dryly, his voice no more than a pained whisper:

“I love you, too.”



“Hello?” Will had been walking for what felt like hours, and there still wasn’t any signs of human life. That is, until he saw the shadowy figure who was perched by a tree, leaning against it.

When he was close enough to be in range of hearing, Will could hear gentle whimpering coming from the figure, and so gently stalked up towards her.

She had lifted her head and was staring at him, her eyes a golden hue which gleamed in the shadows.

“H-hello?” He called, but the girl refused to speak, only staring at him with those golden eyes, which sucked him in…

“P-please…do you know where I am?” She spoke suddenly, making him flinch.

“In another world. Where do you come from?”

“New York. And you?”

“California.” She nodded at him, playing with the watch which hung around her neck.

“So, are you human?” She looked at him strangely, but then sighed and hung her head.

“I suppose so. But not the sort you think I am.” Will narrowed his eyes and took a step back unconsciously.

“O-oh…so what are you, then?” The girl sighed and shook her head.

“A Healer. In my world, Healers are creatures of magic,” And when Will gave her a blank look she added, “We use magic.” He nodded, a bit dazed.

“I-I am Will, by the way.” He held out his hand hesitantly, and she took it, smiling slightly.

“I am Clary. Clary Grey."

Stella sighed, glancing at the ticking clock which hung on the plain white wall.

"It has been hours and she still isn't back…" Sakura sat beside her on a wooden chair, her hands perched on the kitchen table to support her weight.

"Don't worry. She will be back. I mean, she HAS been sleep for a few days. Probably just confused." Stella shook her head, worry clear in her blue eyes.

"But the look she gave us…it was like she had seen ghosts…" Sakura glanced at her with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Maybe she has."

Will was temporarily shocked, for the name sounded so utterly and terrifyingly familiar that his voice shook when he said:

"O-oh…have we met?" Clary raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"No, I don't think so…why?" He wiped his eyes and massaged his temple, for they both hurt from all that he had seen and heard. What was real and what wasn't? He couldn't tell anymore.

"I see…You just looked familiar that's all." She nodded at him in understanding and tucked a loose strand behind her ear, and he saw the scar on her hand and pointed to it.

"Where did you get that from?" Clary's eyes wandered to where he was pointing and felt heat rush to her cheeks.

"uh…u-um…so that is a very long story…" Will sat beside her, grinning slightly. "You can tell me! We have all the time in the world." She could not refuse that, and so told him about the vampire and how their bite effects healers, and told him her friend had sucked the corrupted blood out after cutting it.

"O-oh…" Will had felt himself flush from the way she described it, and avoided eye contact for a few minutes until both of them had calmed down and their skins had turned the rightful color.

"So, how come you're here?" He asked her finally, and she shook her head.

"I don't know. I was with Ash, and then when I woke up he was gone. But Stella was here, and Sakura too… They said that I was dreaming about him but I know this a parallel universe. I have been in another one before this one." Will nodded at her, deep in thought until she spoke again:

"You don't even belong here. I can tell. How did you wander here?" He glanced at her bitterly, sighing silently.

"I…lost a friend, and it turns out she isn't human and lives in another world. So her cousin, who is a god-"

"Wait! A god?! Like God-god?!" She cut him off, and he nodded slightly.

"Yeah. And so her cousin opened a window, which I assume is called a portal, into this world, and here I am."

"Wow. You got to meet a god! I had always dreamed of that. I mean, in our world we had Lunars. They are about as close to a god as it can get." Clary was grinning and cheerful, discussing this casually like it was just a normal chat with a friend.

Will stared in awe as she told him about her world: They had vampires and Werewolves, magic and glamour, demons and angels, and also gods! Though he wasn't surprised because of the recent events that had happened that day/night.

After she was finished Will could only gape at her; there she was sitting beside him, a make-alike of a witch.

And then an idea hit him: What if she was lying? There was only one way to find out.

"Can I see your magic?" He asked, and she brought up her hand. For a moment nothing happened; and then there it was: Green sparks flying off her fingers like electricity. Will was even more awestruck than he had been, and smiled at her brightly.

"Magic exists!" Withdrawing her hand, Clary stared at him in confusion and something else he could not identify.

"Sorry! It's just in our world we don't have those kinds of things…" Will then noticed a pang building up in his chest: Fear. What if she was dangerous? What if she hurt him-killed him, even?

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you." Will flinched at that, eyes widening as he stared at Clary. Her golden eyes stared into his brown ones calmly, making him the more nervous.

"U-um…how did you know?" Clary's expression changed; one moment it was serious, and the next it was…amusement.

No. I think it is actually a teasing face. He thought as she started laughing loudly.

"Oh god this is priceless!"

Yeah no. She can't be dangerous.

"Ah…" Wiping her eyes from laughter, she grinned at him again. But then frowned.

"Wait shh…." Putting a finger to her libs, Clary glanced around widely. And then something blurry sprang out of the bushes, and in moments he was pushed behind the girl.

It was a panther, growling and sneering at them. And then out came a second figure, who was a young boy with black hair and…red eyes?!

"Ho ho…What do we have here, Claus?" Will guessed it was directed to the panther, who grinned with sharp teeth gleaming.

"Humans…" It spoke, sniffing the air as he circled them. Will's mind was about to explode:

What is happening?! Why did this animal speak?! No actually how did it speak?!

"Eclipse…" The girl growled, and Will tilted his head in confusion. What a strange name!

"Ah. So you know who I am…" The boy in dark cloths seemed impressed and amused, not a tad bit shocked that a stranger knew his name.

"Of course I do! You were the one who-" And with that the panther sprang, and Clary narrowed her eyes, grinning. Before the creature could reach them, it had hit some sort of invisible wall, and whined loudly.

The boy growled, holding his arm which was injured as well.

"You worthless mutt! Couldn't you see the barrier?!" Eclipse spat at the panther, making it stand up straight and put its injured paw on the ground. Will could tell from the way it was holding it that its paw was broken badly.

"Okay I am bored. See ya!" And the sparks expanded and grew, until they reached 5 feet, and blasted them both with a loud "boom"

Will had turned away, not wanting to watch the boy and the panther get roasted by lightning. But the boy's groans could still be heard, and he peeked from in-between his fingers.

It was all he could do to keep from laughing.

The threatening and frightening duo lay on the ground, now no more than frightened puppies as they whimpers and ran away with their tales in-between their legs.

"Whoa."

"I know, right? I never knew I could do that…" Will stared at her in confusion

"what?!"

Wait a second! I take it back. This girl is definitely something to be afraid of...

So, where do we start looking for this Sarah person?" Clary questioned, dusting off her perfectly clean cloths.

" Let's just focus on getting out for now..." Will sighed, leaning against a nearby tree to recollect his thoughts.

" Alright-"

"Hey! You two!" Clary was cut off by a voice, which sounded from behind them. Will shot Clary a quick look, only to find her eyes widened, and her body frozen in place. She was already looking to the place where the voice was coming from. Will followed her gaze and froze himself:

There stood a boy their age, with silver hair and blue eyes- and he was holding a katana.

"Ash..." Will heard Clary exclaim, and flinched slightly. This was Ash? He looked like a psychopath! How could he be Clary's friend?

The boy, having heard his name, looked in her direction and glared fiercely.

"Hey, you. I don't know how you know my name, or why you are wearing those funny cloths, but i know one thing: I have to bring you to the mansion." And so "Ash" walked up towards them; but Clary still stood frozen in her spot, and Will shook her arm gently.

" Hey," He whispered in her ear. No response. He tried again:

"Hey, Clary! Snap out of it!" As if snapped out of a trance, Clary blinked and looked over to the boy, bringing up her hands in defense; but it was a moment too late, for the boy had the sword at their throats.

Will swallowed nervously, and glanced over at Clary. But once he saw her, he felt himself shiver slightly. Her once golden eyes were dull, her soft black hair in tangles. Clary's delicate hands were loose by her sides, and she looked as if she would fall down any moment, for her face looked pale and transparent like a ghosts, her eyes half closed as if sleep-walking.

Ash took her hand and started dragging her away, but left Will where he was. Confused slightly, Will called over to him:

"Hey! You can't just take her!" The boy stopped, now in a patch of light, and now his clothing was really visible; he wore pure silver armor, which gleamed and twinkled in the sunlight. Will now knew why he had called their clothing funny: They were in a completely different era! But how? Had they walked through another window without noticing??

"Who said you weren't coming either, boy? Start walking." Will felt a strange duty as to not let Clary be taken by herself, and so followed hesitantly.



The sky was clouded over with grey, making Yuki grimace slightly. He had made sure that Sarah had fallen sleep before walking out the small cottage, noticing the silver barrier which surrounded the area, having been placed by Celestial in case Sarah did try to escape.

Its wooden walls colored the distance now, and Yuki glanced away from it silently. He just had to get away from Sarah. He could not bear to see her sleeping so soundly and not being able to touch her and feel the same way about her anymore.

Just thinking about her made his ribs throb from his aching heart, and he pawed the earth and howled and howled until his voice was scratchy and hoarse. The pain in his throat distracted him from his bleeding heart, even if only for a few minutes, and he crumbled to the hard and damp earth.



The rain poured like patches of water, wetting the earth and feeding the trees, refreshing everything around it. Sarah sat beside a silver haired boy, and they spoke cheerfully in the park's shelter as the rain showered all around them.

" I went to Celestial and he told me how to use water magic! Look look!" The blonde waved her small and chubby arms in the air, causing the rain to waver slightly. Ash clasped his hands together and embraced his friend.

"Wow! Thats so cool, Sarah! I wish my family would teach me that..." She stroked his hair and kissed his cheek, making him flush slightly.

"Don't worry! Even if you're human i still love you!"



Yuki cleansed his fur with his tongue, staring at the distance with unseeing eyes; it felt so real, as if she was still there and they were still children...

He broke away from his fur and glanced up at the sky longingly; what a beautiful sight it was! He remembered Sarah's first goddess mark when she was 13: A new moon on the inside of her wrist, glowing and burning her arm as she whimpered and gripped and clawed at him like her life depended on it.

It had been like he himself had been in pain; the screaming and the crying had been too much for his heart to handle. Celestial had said that the pain was normal, but Will would not be consulted. Afterwards, the moon grew fuller and fuller as she grew a year older, and on her 18th birthday, which was a few years from now, the moon would be full and she would be a full-fledged goddess by then.

The thought scared him so greatly that he curled up and shivered violently for a minute or two, for it was said goddesses lost most of their humane memories when they became full fledged. Did that mean she would forget him? He buried his head inside his chest, curling even tighter, and felt a single tear escape his eyes.

Sarah, i love you.

The light from outside stung Sarah’s eyes, making her moan and toss around restlessly. The familiar feeling of Yuki’s fur comforted her, and her eyes fluttered open.
Her hunch was right; Yuki was resting beside her, his chest heaving up and down silently. Sarah stroked his white fur, making him whimper and rub his head against her palm.
Chuckling, she continued to stroke him until he stopped, getting up groggily as she withdrew her hand.
“Morning, Sarah.” He shook himself, taking a good, long yawn.
“Good morning.” She groaned, her back to him as an attempt to hide her grin. Yuki dropped of the bed with a ‘tap’ of his long claws, walking around the blue and golden sheets of the bed. Before Sarah could react or wipe the grin off her face, he was raising an eyebrow at her with a frown.
It was usually a look that meant: ‘Really, Sarah?’ but this time it wasn’t that; there was something else mixed in it. She decided to look closer and then it was almost clear to her-
“Sarah! How many times did I tell you not to stroke me in my sleep?!” Yuki yelped at her, obviously pissed off. Sarah took the strange look as anger, and shrunk back.
“I-I’m sorry, Yuki! It was just so tempting, and I was half sleep anyway…” His expression softened and he licked her cheek affectionately, making her giggle.
“No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. You are still a child, after all.” He smiled at her with those sharp teeth, and pulled back. A pang sat in Sarah’s chest as he moved away from her, and she whimpered gently.
Little did she know that Yuki felt the same pain, and a tear rolled down his cheek; for he had heard her small whimpers.

“Alright, we’re here.” Will stood gaping at the massive castle in front of him, made of gold and silver linings, and even some stimulation of stars on the roof, if one looked at a certain angle.
“Hey kid! Come on!” Snapping out of his trance, Will started walking towards the golden gates, which there sat the initials “S.W”.
He felt for the pocket watch in his pocket, and the smooth surface comforted him as he hesitantly walked through the gates.
There stood guards in heavy armor, holding spears twice as long as themselves, and unblinking. Will cowered away slightly, having seen these guards in history books.
This was the Victorian era, the 18th century.
Panicked, Will squeezed his hands firmly into fists and walked quicker to catch up, glancing at Clary who was still in her strange trance. Her eyes were even duller, if that was possible, and Will felt his heart flutter in sympathy.
Before he knew it they were inside the massive wooden doors, passed the long and dark hallways lit by candlelight, and standing in front of a golden throne in which sat the queen.
She wore golden robes which trailed on the floor, and a red dress with blue linings. But she was…young! About 18 or 19, Will observed.
Well, He thought, this is a parallel universe after all.
“So you found foreigners, Ashton.” The girl swayed her golden hair aside and tucked a hand under her chin, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Yes, my lady.” Ash bent low, a hand over his beating heart.
“Alright. You may leave.” Ash bowed and, with a hand over his sheath which held a sword, left the room.
The queen observed them and their clothing for a few moments before clapping her hands.
“Take them and dress them properly.” A maid appeared at the door almost immediately and bowed, ushering them to follow her. Will gripped Clary’s hand and half carried her after the maid, for she was still utterly dazed.
When they were shown to the proper rooms, a butler took Will away into a room for men, and Clary was taken into the room just across the hall.
When the butler started dressing him, Will was drowned in his own thoughts, worrying about Clary. She had been the only one who was really nice to him. She was a friend.
Before he knew it his hair was brushed and he was dressed up in a suit and dress pants, and given a small golden badge which read: ‘Guest.’

Will was then taken outside, where there sat a massive garden. The queen was standing over the white roses, taking in their scent. Her hair was in a messy bun, and she wore her silver crown over her golden hair.
Her cloths had changed as well; she wore a blue dress with a small rose colored cape draped over her shoulders to keep warm. Clary sat on a nearby bench, wiping her eyes with the long sleeves of her green dress.
Will stalked towards her and pat her shoulders, making her look up with teary eyes. The dullness was gone from them, and the gold gleamed as it always did.
“W-will! We-we’re in the Victorian era-“
“Yes. I know, Clary.” She was shaking her head and gripping him tightly, and it was all he could do to keep from wincing.
“I don’t like it here! I want to go back…”
“shush….We will go back I promise. But now you must act. Act like you know where this is and you are not surprised. We don’t want to make them suspicious.”
Clary nodded at him and wiped her eyes again, taking a few deep breaths and putting on a fake smile. Will mimicked her smile and held out his hand.
“Milady?” She chuckled and took it, standing up and dusting off her dress. They started towards the queen slowly.

“What must be done, then?” The hooded figure bowed down his head, taking a breath.
“We must capture them, sir.” The man which spoke was dawned in shadows, hidden from sight in the dark alleyway.
“Of course. Then we can examine them.” The hooded figure nodded and backed away, disappearing in shadows.
The other dusted off his suit and straightened it, making for the exit of the alleyway. But he was stopped when a shadow towered over him.
At first he thought it was the hooded figure coming back for something; however it was not. A young boy with silver hair stood before him, holding a katana at his throat.
“So you are the one who was looking for the foreigners…” Though it was more a statement than a question, and before the man could utter a word, the sword had plunged into him and he was on the cold ground.
But so it happened that the hooded figure did come back for something, and saw the man on the ground and helped him up. But the man’s tongue was cut and he was choking violently on his own blood.
He lives, but cannot speak ever again. Fair enough. Ash grinned from the corner, tucking his katana back in its sheath.

The queen turned around with her always amused expression, holding one of the roses in her hand. She smiled a sad smile and glanced at it as if it was a lost family member.
“Beautiful people are exactly like roses; they are beautiful but deadly.” And the next thing Will saw amazed him to no end; the rose started withering away and dying as if struck by poison.
“You are Clary, correct?” The queen gestured to Clary, who gave her a shocked expression back.
“I am Victoria, but I suppose you already know that.” She said, not unkindly.
“H-how do you…”
“Know who you are? It is simple. I am your ancestor, which means I am a healer as well. I saw you in my dreams the other night. It was delightful!” Clary was, for once, at a loss for words.
“So does that mean that Clary is…a princess??” Victoria chuckled in amusement and nodded.
“Oh yes! She is meant to be a Lunar. Though your parents hid that from you, and so did your friends. They knew it all along, but were meant to tell you when you reached the rightful age, which would be 18.” Will glanced over at Clary, whose eyes were twinkling with tears. Whether they were tears of joy or of disheartening sorrow, Will could not tell.
“Oh do not weep, child. Come.” The queen spread her arms wide, and Clary fell into them with silent whimpers.
Victoria soothed her as best as she could until Clary was silent, and then kissed both her cheeks with affection.
“There. You may stay here as long as you would like, Clary. But in return you must tell me of the future, for I would love to hear tales! You as well, Will, for you are her dear friend.” He smiled at her warmly and nodded.
“So, tell me, dear, what is there in the future?” And so they both sat down and talked until sunset, making the queen delighted to no end. When it was time for evening tea, they had to stop and sip from their cups and eat the cakes, and so left the rest for tomorrow.
Clary’s room was bright blue with a painting of buttercup flowers on the wall, and a white bed with golden linings. There was also a seat beside the window, which was bright pink and soft to the touch. Clary took off her dress (with much difficulty) and fell on her bed, her eyes fluttering closed.
Will’s room, on the other hand, was green with silver, and a painting of Victoria herself hung on his wall. His bed was white like Clary’s, with a hint of silver, and his window was open, letting the night breeze in. He quickly closed it and changed into the clothing that rested on the bedside table, falling sleep almost immediately.

Ash sprinted through the shadows of the deserted town and reached the castle gates just as the clock struck midnight. He silently made his way to the long hallways and found her majesty’s room, knocking to be polite, even though there was not much time to waste.
“Come in.” A muffled voice sounded behind the door, and Ash threw the white wooden doors open to reveal Victoria's room. It had golden walls and a massive king bed with silver and gold sheets that he had seen so many times before.
The queen sat down on her bed, brushing her long and tangled hair to prepare for bed. Ash bowed down in respect, and began to speak:
“My queen, there has been a disturbance uptown.” Victoria looked up and sighed, shaking her head with golden hair falling about her shoulders. Her hand went to the bridge of her nose and she pressed it firmly as she always did when she was stressed.
“What is it this time…”
“A man who calls himself Carlson king was trying to kidnap our guests, to put it simply, my Queen,” Victoria's eyes darkened and she beckoned for him to continue. “ He was seen with a hooded figure, suspected as a vampire. We cannot identify what clan he is from, however. I disrupted their activities, and made sure that man could not continue; however the vampires will find another who would aid them.”
The queen’s hands shook with rage as she brushed her hair. Taking deep, shaky breaths to steady herself, she began to speak:
“I want them tracked and eliminated.” Ash bowed down with a small grin etched on his face, his hand on his sword.
“You have my word, milady.”

Clary opened her eyes, only to find endless darkness. Where am i? Panicked, she quickly snapped her fingers to light the dark, only to find that her magic was so low she could not even make sparks, even less light her fingers. Suddenly and without warning, the shadows around her started moving, circling her like predators. Clary, now without her magic, was as vulnerable as anyone, and just as frightened as anyone would be when faced with such things.
“Clary….” They whispered, and Clary had to clear her thoughts and lean in to hear them as they whispered her name over and over again. And then, just as suddenly as they had come, they left, and the air started to get thick. Clary suddenly felt the ground beneath her shake and clear, leaving her to fall into an endless pit.

Sarah cradled her head in her hands, breathing heavily as she watched Yuki struggle on the floor, thrashing about as if in pain. She felt the same pain, as the cord that kept them together was being pulled and torn. Sarah soon started screaming and having seizures, while Yuki was only half awake, his thrashing calming to a stop as his chest silently stopped going up and down. Sarah started sobbing and cradled him and kissed his fur, but it was no use; for he was not able to be revived. Sarah felt the emptiness take over her and fell on the ground herself, drenched in cold sweat.

Ash sat on his bed, when suddenly there came screams from the room near his. He knew immediately whose it was, and scrambled to his feet, clutching his sword tightly. Starting to walk, Ash started to sprint towards where the noise was coming from, and then came another scream. Ash flinched and sped up; however he felt something dreadful had happened already. And so when he reached the Queen’s room, there came the stench of iron, belonging to the crimson liquid that ran under her door. Drenched in sweat, Ash creaked open the door and something sprang at him. It was a blur, and therefore he could not identify the creature, but it went right over him and bolted out of the room.Ash got up, and the sight he saw would be etched forever in his mind; Victoria lay on the ground, out cold, with blood around her like a badly made dress.

Will woke with a gasp and glanced around widely, when he saw Sarah smiling at him from the window of his bedroom back in his own world, and for a moment he thought that perhaps it was all a dream, and stood up, throwing the window open to reveal the familiar blond hair which gleamed in the moonlight, and the shining blue eyes. But when Will took a look closer, he noticed something off, as if a black dot on a white sheet.
She was slowly crumbling from reach, small pieces starting to fall from her as if she were dust in the wind. Will reached for her hand, and Sarah gave him a distant smile, as if she really was far away, and her hand started to crumble as well, and then the rest of her was gone before Will could have done anything more. Will felt a tear roll down his pale cheek, which was white as a sheet, and that was all he felt as the world went dark.

“This is not the end, so fear not. This is, my friends, only the horrifying beginning of our story. Some things may be illusions and may not, so look for the clues necessary to find the answers you seek.”

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