"Sorry about… Questions," Sveta scratched the back of her head, "I don’t know when to shut up sometimes."
"Beat it, Svet. The fault lies with me and me alone. You have done nothing wrong." Annie smirked, showing that everything was fine. The temperature inside the room was great! After the annoying breeze outside, the overheated air of the room felt like true home to her. Whoever prepared this place sure was aware of the heat preferences of the Wolf Tribe members.
"Piss off, sis. I know when I screw up. Anyway," Sveta pointed at the dresser with a mirror over it. Annie's backpack lay carefully on the dresser along with her jacket, a thin TV, one of the latest models, judging by the appearance, was mounted against the wall, "If you want to have a midnight snack, it's better to call me over the terminal. The restroom is down the corridor, pass the dining hall and then head on to the left. If you get lost, don’t worry, just find any servant, they will show you around. Spirits knows, I got lost here quite often as a kid," The wolfkin chuckled softly. She looked at Annie in a mild confusion. Annie saw a hint of fear in the eyes of her sister and allowed another surge of self-hate to bloom within, "There is something we should talk about... Would you like to… You know what? It doesn’t matter right now, we can speak tomorrow. Have a nice sleep!" Svetlana cheerfully waved her paw in a gesture of goodbye before closing the door behind herself.
With a tired sigh, Annie lowered herself on her knees, looking in the mirror. This whole room looked more expensive than anything the soldier ever had in her life. Although, technically, her power armor probably cost more... But then again, the armor belonged to the state, not to Annie. And this home was not the only thing that Sveta had. She had a loving family, she had friends, and she was smart.
Spirits, my sister is truly amazing. How can I even start to compete with her? She won before we even met. Annie happily smiled at her own reflection. Losing to her doesn’t even feel bad to be honest.
She stood up before the mirror, pressing her paws together. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to fall into a trance, silently intoning a prayer of thanks to the Spirits over and over again.
****
Annie’s eyelids opened wide when the scout realized that she spent a good portion of the hour in her trance, silently speaking prayers to the Spirits over and over again. Lack of sleep was nothing to be worried about, the scout was too excited to sleep anyway, yet bodily needs snapped Annie out of her prayer. She did eat a bit too much. Taking a deep breath, she stretched her entire body before walking out of the room. In times of need, she could go on for weeks without an ounce of sleep, tomorrow she will be as fresh as today. Her worries receded, meditation allowed her to take reign over the destructive self-hate impulses and allow the brighter parts of her personality to resurface. Dragena’s lessons really paid off.
I won’t spoil Sveta’s day this time. Annie promised herself, going toward the walkway that led across the kitchen. And besides that, there were plenty of places in the Core Lands that Annie herself wanted to see. For example, the sports palace of the Dynast in Houstad. Aside from regular sports events, there were also numerous schools and trainers of martial arts from around the country. The state paid trainers to give free lessons for the young and old, trying to keep citizens healthy by involving them in sports activities. That was all well and good, but Annie herself was more interested in getting stronger. The Olympiada thingy proved to be incredibly fun, and, with the right amount of training, Annie may even be able to actually use it in combat. Who knows what else she could learn? Maybe there is some form of martial art in this world that would allow the scout to become even with Virginia after all. Or, perhaps, become even greater than the bitter rival?
"…Sveta, you have to agree that her behavior is a bit…" Annie stopped before stepping onto the walkway above the kitchen. Her ears caught the voice of mister Jeysich coming from below, the man spoke in a half-guilty, half-worried voice.
"Wild. Lass is sure one wild horse." The voice of mister Ronson finished the sentence.
"Dad, she is my sister. Not a horse." Sveta answered her parents in an icy voice.
"I received a call from the Sunblade household today," Jeysich said in a calm voice, matching the tone of her daughter, "Details are a bit sketchy, but apparently, she attacked one of their kids…"
"Dad, I was there. No one was hurt. Zeke was fooling around and got what he wanted. You know how sensitive Sunblades are, they are ove…"
"Fine, lemme ask a simple question then," Mister Ronson cut off the explanation, "Daughter, did ya felt yourself safe when the young lass gored the table tonight? Cause I’ll be honest with ya, I nearly shit bricks at her sudden mood shift. Reminded me of that one time in a bar when one fellow introduced my forehead a bit too close to the bottle all of a sudden. Her look made me want to jump in front of ya."
Annie folded her arms on her chest and leaned against the wall, lost in thought. All her instincts are inside her to announce herself and defend herself from accusation. Yet at the same time, they had a point. She lost control, not once, but twice at least. Once, when she nearly hurt Zeke. And the second time, when she was called on about her lack of care for her father. This was not someone else’s fault, but her own.
"Listen, we're not trying to say she's evil or anything," Mister Jeysich said quickly after a long period of silence from Svetlana, "Given the circumstances of her life, such behavior is completely understandable. But you can’t deny that she is bad news for now and in need of prof…"
"Answer the question, please, Sveta. Did ya felt safe or not?" Ronson demanded to know.
"I got scared for a second," The wolfkin sounded like she had to squeeze out an admission, "We were happy all day, sure, some troubles happened, but who cares. Annie is alive. And yet, for a moment, Annie looked like she was about to hurt me. But…"
Annie silently turned away, storming toward the room and praying that no servant appeared in her path. She felt first numbness, then cold in her arms, cold that spread all the way toward her head, turning into scorching heat, before turning to cold again. And yet, the scout refused to let confusion derail her walk, refusing to succumb to anger or depression. Her claws remained in her fingers. Her eyes were calm. Each of her steps produced next to no sound.
Hurt me. Annie walked down the corridor and looked at her paws. She would never hurt her sister, right? Annie prayed, she begged the Spirits, she…
Scout stopped before a large painting on a wall. On this piece of art were portrayed nearly sixty people: several cubs with their parents, who were wearing work clothes, Sveta’s parents, Sveta herself surrounded by a group of teens of her age. Every single one of them looked happy, despite being originally from the Wolf Tribe, Svetlana barely looked out of place on this picture. Her size was similar to that of people around her, no scars marked her body. Annie's paw ran across her own face, allowing her fingers to feel the ugly marks left by this blasted scumbag during their first meeting. The bones of the scout were tough and sturdy, the product of countless days of training and healing after countless cracks. Compared to the people in the picture, Annie was a person from another world.
She looked down at her paw, her trusted oversized weapon of maiming and killing, as realization crept inside her head. Bad news. This is true, isn’t it? Annie swore to herself that she would behave properly and would not ruin this day in any way, but on this day she had already snapped at Ulrica, hurt Zeke, scared her sister at least twice, and scared her sister's foster parents... No. Not foster parents. Parents. Etch this into your head, dimwit. And who knows what else she did indirectly. Yes, it may be a bit assholish to speak about the scout behind her back, but with someone as unpredictable as Annie, can she really blame these people? Can she blame her sister for being careful? Of course not, no matter what Annie may swear to herself, the fact remains. Scout can’t control herself, she can’t behave as a normal human being would. And worst of all, the mere presence of Annie in this house has already started to drive a wedge in Svetlana’s family.
I got scared. Thought snapped her out of confusion, and the scout nodded, understanding what she must do. Returning to the room and quickly gathering her things in the backpack, the wolfkin took a piece of paper, taking a pen in her paws, and briefly became lost in thoughts.
I never intended to scare you… No, this sounds way too much like Annie was blaming Sveta. Please forgive me for causing troubles… Again, this sounds like Annie blames either Sveta or Oaksters. No, the scout needs to tread carefully here; she can't afford to stir up more trouble among the Oaksters. Annie bit the end of the pen, wondering what exactly she should write to make this whole situation look innocent enough. What would Dragena do in her place… Well, she would never be in her place at all… Annie bit off the tip of the pen when inspiration finally hit her like a lightning bolt: "Apologies for my sudden disappearance, unexpected duties call me back to the Wastes. Can’t tell you more, military secrets. Please thank misters Oaksters instead of me for their hospitality and for the greatest dinner that I have ever had in my life. Love you all, stay safe!"
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Annie, satisfied with what she had written, briefly considered asking for an apology for her behavior tonight, but decided against it. People were not fools, they would easily figure out the true reason behind her disappearance if she left as much as a hint. After sending a signal to Angoro, mapping the place of the meeting and picking up her backpack, Annie opened the windows and took a breath of the night air, frowning from the cold and allowing the breeze of the night to wash over herself. And then she jumped, crossing several meters between the wall and the room in a single leap, gracefully landing on top of the stone wall. Despite the late hour, gentle moonlight illuminated the lands, allowing even the normie's eyes to see in the darkness. Meanwhile, Annie could see her surroundings as clearly as during the day. She turned around, looking at the mansion, keeping a smile of happiness on her face. Some things are just not meant to be.
Your sister was left in your care, you useless idiot! … you can’t deny that she is bad news… she was about to hurt me… The wolfkin chuckled, keeping a smile on her face despite the pain in her chest. If Oaksters had cameras, it would be easy for them to get a hint. At the corner of the building, she could see light falling from the windows of the dining hall, indicating that Sveta was still there, talking with her family even during this late hour.
Why am I such a failure? Why am I the one who is the bad one? Annie wondered, trying to understand the reason. Sure, she wasn’t the greatest person. Not smart, prone to anger, killed people before. But surely there had to be a reason for her misfortunes, a solution to her constant...
Spirits, take my life, give Sveta back. Annie looked up as a cloud obscured the moon's view, leaving the land in complete darkness. Darkness, the patrimony of the Spirits. This time, darkness came accompanied by the barely audible squeak of a rat, beast expired under the pressure of the metal trap on the field. The mind of the scout remembered the plea that she was saying to the Spirits over and over again. This was the deal, was it not? Spirits gave Sveta back, in a sense. And they also took Annie's life away, also in a sense.
"I will protect you all, don’t you worry and live happily, Svet. Goodbye." Annie widely smiled, feeling how the pain in her heart was disappearing. Everything became clear once and for all. Her life for the sake of Sveta's happy life. This was the price that she was willing to pay. Not just to absolve herself of a sin before the family. But also, for the sake of living. The Spirits gave her a task, and she will see it through.
The wolfkin made a jump backward, making a somersault in the air and landing on her feet. The long and large car stood near the gates of the mansion, the car itself was covered with ornate gilded symbols, and the vehicle had been painted in a deep blue color. Annie could not remember if she had seen it when the taxi arrived here, yet the lights of the rich looking vehicle were off. It was probably the car of one of the owners of the mansions. In any case, this is no longer relevant.
Like a bullet, she charged across fields, evading traps meant for rodents. Making sure to not crush even the tiniest thing underneath her mighty legs, Annie ran across the field, unbothered to hide her presence. There was no need for this, her long ears would warn the scout in advance about any presence of the night guards, if the local owners even had them. Angoro was supposed to meet with Annie at the other side of the river and…
The scout stopped, hearing a strange noise of the door being open behind her. Turning around, her amber eyes caught the silhouette of the rich car before the main gates, the passenger door of the car was wide open, showing nothing but the darkness inside the car. Annie looked around, trying to see if anyone was following her. But aside from the barely audible night wind, the cracking of the wood in the greenhouses and the rustle of leaves, there was nothing. There was not a single bird in the sky, and no movement of rodents from beneath the ground. In fact, the silence that surrounded her was unnatural for such a place. At the very least, at this very moment, she should hear the sounds of a trap slamming shut, crushing the rodents on the fields. She saw couple of dead rats already. Why the sudden change? The silence that fell on the plains reminded Annie of the silence when an alpha predator moved across the rocky lands of the Wastes. All living beings tried to hide themselves, begging for the scary thing to pass by. Silence right now reminded her of a time when skinwalkers were on a walk.
Turning away from the mansion, the scout walked forward, this time slowly. The feeling of someone or something looking at her was almost unbearable. At times, Annie could have sworn that she had heard a step just behind herself. During such times, she would stop, turning back rapidly. The emptiness of the night farmland was all that welcomed her. Even the scout herself started doubting if she even heard anything to begin with. Her own steps, silent as they were, produced small tremors on the ground. If anyone had followed her, she would have felt the same tremors.
Yet the sense of being watched, the feeling of being followed, refused to recede. Fur moved at the back of Annie’s neck, her instincts screamed to her "Protect your neck! Run! Hide! Defend yourself!". Angrily the scout turned toward the river and ran, deciding to ignore the sense of several eyes looking at her. Maybe she was on edge because of some hidden cameras. Or simply being paranoid because of the stress. Regardless, there was no danger. The Core Lands had no large enough wildlife to threaten a grown-up human.
Annie reached the outer wall, a wall that was made of a series of the iron bars that marked the end of the Oakster farmlands. Barbed wire ran at the upper end of the wall, and the wall itself reached five meters in height. Annie squatted, feeling muscles strain in her legs for a brief moment. In the next moment, Annie launched herself into the air, leaving perfect footprints on the ground. The scout landed on the other side of the wall after making a spin in the air just for the sake of fun. Wolfkin made two steps toward the river and felt the ground beneath her tremble when something or someone landed behind her. Once again, Annie felt that several persons were looking at her, gauging her every move. The clouds that blocked moonlight moved on, allowing moonlight to fall on the ground once more. And Annie saw. Some immense being stood behind her, casting a shadow big enough to cover the entire body of the scout in the darkness.
"Who is there?!" Annie shouted, spinning around and attempting to land a kick at the being behind herself. Her kick hit only the empty air behind her. Once again, she felt neither the tremors, nor the sound of the footsteps. Annie was not the best person when it came to stealth, but she knew the basics well enough. Whoever was toying with her right now had to be an incredibly dangerous person to move like a ghost.
"My apologies for the scare. Tell me when you become calm enough for a talk." Someone said behind Annie, words that were almost whispered into the left ear of the scout.
The scout jumped away, spinning in the air to look behind her. Her wide eyes dart around the open field, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything or anyone who said these words. Once more, all she could see was air and land. But this time, an unknown person did not bother to hide their footsteps. The presence of something powerful could be heard behind Annie, sound of steps could be heard while the unknown person walked to keep the distance between itself and Annie’s back.
The moment her feet touched the ground, the scout ducked and landed a low kick behind herself, combining it with a rapid elbow strike at the night behind herself. Once more, her leg sliced through the empty air and only the night air touched the fabric of her clothes. Whoever was chasing Annie was both faster and more experienced than her. Annie's ears picked up footsteps behind her once more, and she leapt from the spot, covering ten meters of ground in two giant leaps. Hoping to bait the pursuer into making a mistake, Annie made one more leap forward, hearing how someone was keeping the same two steps away from her. This time instead of landing on her legs, Annie landed on her paws, looking into the darkness behind her.
"Not the worst attempt," the voice said in approval behind her. Judging by the voice, the unknown person stood the same two steps behind Annie, "Can we talk now?"
Like Abyss! Annie thought in annoyance. She can’t run back to the mansion, not with this unknown person after her. She had to find a way to draw whoever this was away from the mansion long enough for Angoro to arrive and hopefully help her. There was still one way for Annie to reveal the unknown stalker. Up to this point, the scout was running along the side of the river. The wolfkin dashed toward the river on all fours this time, leaving prints in the mud. The thought of being submerged in the cold water horrified the wolfkin at some subconscious level, but she stubbornly charged forward to the calm and dark waters. The cold can be endured, her fur and clothes will dry out. And the pursuer will either have to jump after Annie and reveal itself when the water slows down the movements or stay at the shore and reveal itself as well. The scout made a leap, casting her shadow over the water of the river. The impact of her jump carried her all the way to the middle of the twenty-step wide river before gravity slowly took its toll, lowering her body in the air toward the waters. When a hand closed around the Annie's neck, jerking her in the air, her fingers nearly touched the surface of the river. The grip around the neck of the woman was strong, and yet at the same time, the unknown person mostly held her by the nape of her neck, allowing the scout to breathe freely. The fingers of the unknown person felt almost gentle despite the strength of the grip. The crater of water rose in the air with the booming sound of an explosion when someone stepped on the water, pushing all the water away from the middle of the river and spilling it over the shores.
"Sound idea, cousin. However, the young lady should not embarrass herself by getting soaked in the water all of a sudden. " When Annie and her captor landed at the bottom of the temporarily empty river, the same calm voice said. The unknown person's single step diverted the river's flow. The water started gathering back, flowing in a torrent toward Annie and her captor. The scout blinked in surprise as her surroundings rapidly changed when her captor made a soundless leap away from the midstream all the way to the shore. The hold on her neck was released, and the unknown person allowed the scout to softly land on her feet. Turning around, Annie finally saw the person who pursued her.
She was tall, easily reaching Dragena's height, although the build of this stranger was slightly leaner. Moonlight from above caused the pristine white fur to shine in the darkness. Her long hair was put into a lock and held with a silver lock just over her head, allowing blonde-colored strands of hair to fall all the way to her waist. Twin crimson orbs, shining just as brightly as the eyes of any warlord, glanced at Annie with casual interest. She was dressed in long riding boots, trousers, and a jacket of deep-sea color. A duo of black belts run across her lithe waist, holding in place a thin longsword in a metal sheath at her left side. Both of her paws were covered by a pair of black gloves, one paw lovingly lay on the handle of her sword. A silver brooch in the shape of the moon rested on the right lapel of the jacket. Rare glimpses of the skin that was visible through the thick fur bore signs of tan, slightly different from the tanned skin of Annie. Whereas warlords were built to be a testament to raw power and ferocity, this being was built to be a testament to artistry and efficiency, even her every breath was elegant, but the scout knew just how deadly this being could be if she so desired.