Rebirth of the last flame

chapter eleven: helpless

To lose both parents in a day was more than tragic, it almost felt unreal, like a dream, no, a nightmare was more like it.

This really was a terrible nightmare for Makumi as she shut her eyes tight, hoping that once she opened them again, her mother would be holding her in her arms, singing to her a song, while her father fed her his delicious food.

But that was no longer the case, the life she once knew had been snuffed out like the flickering lights of candle. just like that she was plunged into eternal darkness.

Once Makumi's eyes opened again she saw nothing had changed, she was still in this horrible nightmare.

Makumi began to hyperventilate, her heart pumping so much blood that she almost passed out, but she didn't, all she was left with was a sickening feeling that kept raising to her throat.

Out of fear, Makumi stepped away from the treeline, but had accidentally stepped on a dry twig which Snapped underneath her weight. Despite the chaotic mess, the sound it made was clear as day, giving up her location as she began to panick.

Sure enough the strange man had heard it and his green eyes searched for the Source, he was well aware of the child that lingered around.

His attention was pulled in her direction as he spotted her between the trees and bushes, looking like a startled fawn and he smiled wickedly at her.

The man's attention was drawn toward where she stood and his piercing green eyes sparkled in excitement as the grin spread across his face cracking up the sides of his lips, as though he had hoped she saw what he had done to her parents .

"well hello little girl..did you enjoy watching your father die like a weak man? heh, oh dear, I'm sorry you had to watch your father die like this... now come here.." his voice was velvety and smooth as he stepped over Zarin and Diane, hand stretched outwardly in a friendly gesture, but his intentions were far from friendly as he still held onto the bloodied blade.

He was like a butcher calling upon his cattle in a friendly manner, only to cut them down the moment they let their guard down.

Even as a seven year old child, Makumi could tell that this man was the devil and a deranged man to think she would listen to him. especially after he'd seen him murder her father with her own eyes .

Not waiting around to get caught by him, the little girl turned on her heels and ran as fast as she could.

"run girl! run! our paths will cross again..." the man's maddened laughter echoed all around as strange fogs began to roll in, then everything went completely blank.

All Makumi's life she's been running, running away from that dreadful night, yet after all these years she never stopped running...but she never knew where exactly it was she was running too or what she was running from, from that man maybe? or maybe she was running from the fact that she was all alone in this world and it wasn't changing anytime soon.

* GASP*

Makumi's eyes flew open as she gasped desperately for air, it was as though she had been tossed into ice cold water and was feeling as though she still had water in her lungs and was drowning.

In contrast to the devastating dream she'd had, her surroundings now were much dimmer and there was no fire or chocking smoke filling the atmosphere.

" why do I keep reliving this nightmare?" She grumbled in her stead, gazing up at the ceiling above with a deep frown. but the ceiling above didn't look familiar to her.

Her head slowly churned to the side and her eyes narrowed down at the room that looked different from the one she'd become accustomed to. It was more spacious, but lacked the basic things a room would require. There was only a bed, a wooden table and a simple chair next to it.

she took in her surroundings without moving her body much, this clearly wasn't her room.

It then dawned upon makumi that this was Dakota's room and she was in his bed, his scent was all over the place and she couldn't get enough of it for some reason.

other than the change in rooms, she realised she was wearing clothes that didn't belong to her and as of then Makumi didn't think much of how the clothes had gotten on her, because of how much her head was hurting from thinking too hard.

"ugh"

she groaned as she lifted her hand up, Makumi touched her throbbing head and realised It had a bandage wrapped around it.

A long sigh escaped her mouth as she closed her eyes again, hoping that once she would wake up the headache and whatever was troubling her would go away.

But Dakota walked into the room as soon as she did that.

just like Makumi, he too had changed out of his wet clothes and was now wearing a black shirt with grey loose pants, his long black and thick hair was still wet, a few strands sticking to his neck and forehead. it had been let loose as well so it could dry naturally.

"You're awake.." Dakota walked into the room. a bit relived that Makumi was finally awake. Since before they reached the cottage, Makumi had fallen asleep on his back and since then she hadn't woken up again, right now it nearing nightfall, so he was thankful she was awake.

Dakota worried she might have starved if she didn't wake up to eat anything, which was why he returned to the room in the first place, but it was good that she was up.

'"I guess this isn't a dream" Makumi mumbled to herself.

Holding a wooden bowl filled with hot steaming porridge in his hands, Dakota brought it to Makumi who flashed him a weak smile.

"how do you feel?" Dakota asked as he sat next to her making sure she was alright. worry knitted into his forehead.

"well..I still feel sore,but I'll be fine..."

"Hmm" he hummed in response as be helped the girl sit up right;

"you must be hungry".

The very thought of food made her stomach growl and she blushed at how loud the grumbling was.

This had Dakota smiling, it was good to know that her appetite was strong.

As Makumi ate, she kept her eyes cast down and Dakota took it as a sign to give her some space, alot had happened already.

The girl was sad about what had happened, but even more so confused as dakota hadn't brought it up.

Wasn't he going to ask what happened last night? Did he not care? Why was he so calm about it? Her hands curled into fist as these questions rushed through her mind.

"Maku-"

"I'm sorry for keeping it from you" she suddenly blurted out, completely cutting whatever it was he was about to say.

Dakota sighed.

"You don't need to apologize for anything..." His words were gentler than before as he made her look into his eyes. makumi's eyes were glassy from unshed tears which surprised Dakota a bit.

Despite the reassurance he had given her, Makumi couldn't control the tears as they rolled down her cheeks.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He then added

"I....i was scared,and you would have thought I was crazy. Half hog half wolf,ever heard of anything more ridiculous before?" She sobbed...

And just like before, Makumi told him her truth and this time she didn't leave anything out.

She told him everything, from the dreams, her grandmother, her parents, the fire that claimed he childhood.. everything...it felt as though a huge log had been lifted off her chest while she spoke to him about it.

Dakota had a serious expression on his face as he listened to her speak, it was both sad and unbelievable, but if he hadn't witnessed it himself he wouldn't have well... believed it.

"Hmm,so that means your parents...?"

"Yes,my dad was a Lycan alpha and my mother was a free spirited hog who happened to wander off far from the wall... From what my grandmother told me, my mother was a healer, but also an adventure, she liked to wander off from time to time, especially outside the wall And that day my father was..well out on a haunt...*sigh* I guess you can say,they had a connection of some sort, they fell in love, but it was unorthodox, a Hogllin and a Lycan. My Father left his pack and mother Left the village to go be with him. They lived far off into the north close to the mountains inaccessible to others,then they later had me....they were lovely parents who cared for me. I was too young to understand what I truly was then. I could remember faint memories of my childhood,my wolf side would sometimes over run my pig side and I would lose control, but my father was always there for me and for a long time, I believed he was invincible, but that wasn't the case. When I turned seven, my whole world came crashing down with the death of my parents. I felt helpless as I watched my mother fight along sides my father,she was beautiful,strong and smart..and my father was the best. They fought hard to keep me safe, the last thing I remembered was seeing this...man, slicing my father's throat open and all I did was just stand there frozen in fear."

That night had traumatized Makumi for life. She loved her mother and father more than anything. She wasn't sure why their lives were taken from them that night, but one thing's for sure, she would find the man that took everything from her, she would kill him with her own bare hands.