Drip…drip…drip
The drips of pellucid water dripped on continuously all araw and night, m right ear flopped and buzzed almost half an oras or so.
I stretched and yawned while I was still laying on the ground.
I rosed with an ache, popping my neck sideways.
The sun was barely rising as its heat started flowing inside the cave.
Damn it made me feel drowsy, wanting to go back to bed, well…in a cave; though what’s the difference.
I twisted my body to get a good glance over at Tesla, but she wasn’t there; neither her cover nor journal.
I forgot, she volunteered as a(n) councils apprentice which she helps whether if the councils; the four leaders from our village, have equal mga boto for ideas, soldiers, supplies and etc.
Tesla has the help for their votes, whether it stays or goes.
I left the cave, walking aside near cliffs trying to get my mind away from violence, deaths, weapons and most of all…my life, what I only wanted was relaxation, peace, and Tesla sa pamamagitan ng my side for the rest of my life; I’m even thinking about asking her out, but I never have any nor the right time.
I wandered over back at my place where I take care of my mom Sweets, a pretty Brown-Goldish female lobo with match making eye color.
I’m like an Inch or two taller than her.
She’s not a Southern; plus that’s not even her life way to do she said, but it was never in her role the councils chosed her to be.
We only live together, I always ask her why….but the story’s painful for her to say nor from what she saw before she had me.
I entered through the front, closing the open sliding doors slowly, trying not to make a sound.
‘Marshall…’ Sweets sinabi in a medium tone.
I grinned my teeth, I was caught.
‘Yeah..’ I answered back.
I walked into the main room where we chat at, I sat susunod to her calmly, but I can tell ‘bout her face how she was worried.
‘Where were you? You had me worried.’
I chuckled.
‘Don’t worry mom, I’m ok.’
She looked the other way at the wooden mesa sad with her eyes glaring.
I felt bad for my mom, she must’ve had a terrible pup-hood than mine, wey’re usually not their for each other no more; she tried her best to raise me well when we had no food, but I survived without a Father sa pamamagitan ng my side.
I can still hear her song she use to song to me when I was a pup.
-No matter where,
No matter where you go,
I’m always near you wherever you go,
Don’t be fooled,
Don’t be scared,
Feel our pag-ibig and wey’re never alone.
No matter where,
No matter where you go,
Sleep and hush little baby go to sleep….
Mommy’s here to wander you home.-
I don’t remember the rest of her lullaby, but it always changes my puso and feelings for her like I do for Tesla.
I glanced over at her, smiling like I’d use to when I was a pup.
I hugged her, giving her my pag-ibig from her only son.
I felt a tear dropped from my right side of my arm.
‘I have to go now ma, it’s gonna be a busy day.’
She hugged me back, meaning to be ligtas when I go to my studies from the arts.
I left.
Gem…. I thought about what Tesla sinabi about last night, about what the Gem meant in her life, but what did it represented?
It was the councils law: what we had when close or loved ones pasts away.
The people with the ‘lost’ objects are passed among them to live on and tell their stories for generations, but it’s not about the objects; it’s the story that counts…. I have no interest from their laws.
A sign was above me ( S.S.M.M), a short saying for Sixth. Southerns. Mixed. Martials.
I walked in property, the ground felt rough as usual with trees, a bit of damo and stages of smooth stone places where some of us sit on.
‘Your here early.’ A voice accured
The third leader from the councils, a female council name Maria-san.
She had clear blue eyes with silver balahibo mix with white.
She approached to me as I turned towards her.
‘I wouldn’t say early. What are you doing here?’ I asked.
She breathe in and looked around, feeling the fresh air.
‘I’m just wondering around, I barely go out and enjoy myself.. I only have three minutos now.’
It’s true, the councils don’t go out much cause of their works and trainings for younglings and others.
After her service around as a member for our village they don’t have breaks ‘til every six years accured.
The only time they have left for themselves are over til quarter to noon.
She gave me a warm smile.
‘It was really nice when it lasted….good araw to you Southern.’
I grinned and smiled softly in a sarcastic way as she turned, why did she called me southern anyway; didn’t she knew my name already? I mean the councils know every Southerns name.
She disappeared, as well as our time we met a few segundos ago.
Mumbling, soft noises were rising as I leaned over sitting down on a tall, widened root tree.
mga lobo like me; Sixth Southerns, were entering the gates: gold, red, dark blues, blacks, and whites, male and females.
They each had different types of weapons: Daggers, Archery, Swordsmen and camouflagers.
Camouflagers were the rarest for our village, they can either go good or bad; I was picked for swords.
I ignored there talkings and rested my body, but their voices kept me awake so I just crouched.
minutos later I heard guys laughter and shoutings…especially thumps?
I stared over beside me, a kid was being huddled and pushed over as he fell.
They circled him still, almost hurting him.
Did the kid had a bad story from his generations? If true I thought, then where’s his object?
‘No object’ I sinabi softly, I stared closer; jumping off to get a closer look.
I shouldn’t even jumped off..his object wasn’t around him it was on him…….. A scar.
Pure bright red on his left eye, representing a traitor from our village and for the battlefield.
I don’t really know much about his story but I heard rumors.
Poor kid, I thought.
He was being pushed and pinned down for something he’d never done, outta nowhere the crowds voices were ascending, a Brownish male lobo with yellow bright eyes picked him up and pinned him towards a wall; the kid actually tried fighting back!
He tried pulling his sword out but the male quickly exposed his reddish daggers and attacked his weapon making him drop it.
He grabbed the kids neck, I was shocked.
‘It’s time to learn your lesson as a traitor, maybe add another mark on your face!’
The male pulled back his right arm making himself armed to launch his attack.
As he attacked, I blocked the dagger with my sword, the daggers point was almost in contact with his face.
Quickly I swifted my right elbow and injured his right side as he crouched down.
I held his throat and pushed him as far as I could with my strength.
Everyone started whispering and mumbling, I faced the kid as I helped lifted up his sword.
‘You ok?’ I questioned.
He quickly grabbed his sword and faced it towards me.
I stepped back a bit, he must’ve thought I was gonna hurt him, the rest started spreading, scattering away.
‘Don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt you’
I slowly moved my left arm, trying to touch his wrist.
I did.
Slowly we both ascended as we slowly placed his sword away.
I looked at the other one who I pushed earlier, he wasn’t there no more.
‘I guess he left…didn’t he?’ The kid questioned.
‘Yeah…’ I answered.
‘But he’ll come back, I suggest you stay with me for a while.’
‘I…’ He added.
‘I guess.’ He wiped the dust off his clothes.
‘Bad reputation from your members huh...’
The wrong words flipped outta my mouth, It was so rude for me to say.
He looked down, almost with a sad grin on his face.
Mistakes, I just can’t use my head correctly can’t I?
A sudden vibration rumbled the ground.
The trainer.
‘C’mon..’
I grabbed his wrist.
‘We better find a spot.’
The other Southerns rushed and shoved others just to sit near behind a tree; not just to lean back or rest against it, but not to be selected, If selected then they are demonstrated to get hurt, just to give out new tricks to survive.
‘Are we gon’ be snitched out?’
I stared at him confusingly; doesn’t he know anything about southerns?
‘They’re not stupid’ I said.
‘Once a witness sees something; like us, they keep their mouth shuts. Period.’
I sat down as he sat with me.
A dark brownish male approached us slowly, studying us and the rest.
He stood there with a cold face.
‘Good morning…’
Suspiciously his voice changed from medium-tone to deep sound, so were his movements than before I’ve been here.
Something wasn’t right.
‘Adol, stand up.’ Trainer said.
My ears flickered as I glanced over at Adol.
He approached slowly towards the trainer.
The trainer held his shoulders as he was nervous, well not completely nervous just a bit scared I thought.
I can tell he’s not satisfied, the way he goes through changes and how his face changed emotions.
‘I heard you were from the above… is it true?’
I gasped in a low tone, everyone else mumbled clearly.
The Above, known as a child losts, living without or abandoned from their parents; I heard about (The Above) childs or youngsters, but never met one this close.
I was surprised, so surprised that the word ‘Above’ almost blinded my ears.
I wanted to ask him so many tanong about him, how he lives, how he survived, but It’ll be rude to ask him like I did earlier.
‘Yes, it’s true. They sinabi I was one of the lucky ones to be bring in and to be nursed. Some witnessed my parents death when I was separated sa pamamagitan ng them; I don’t know where or how, but I was a newborn when that happened.’
Everyone stared at him….no reaction.
I suppose they have better stories, I thought.
‘But…’ He added.
‘Being from The Above as a Southern is worser than just being a regular animal we are-‘
‘Enough!....’ Trainer shouted.
He immediately reached out for his dagger rapidly.
As soon as I tried reaching out for my handle his eye swifted towards me.
He paused as Adol stepped back surprisingly.
I paused with my paw still on the handle; my puso beated rapidly as my own eyes kept in contact on his weapon.
He snickered as he slowly placed it away.
‘Protection for another Southern. Not much of those are around here.’
He tapped Adol’s back and slightly gaved him a push to return susunod to me…….Crazy old man.
‘Now..’ Trainer added.
‘Time for a strength test. Four male Southerns; two in pairs, anyone.’
Randomly a sharp edge poked my back head as I moved quickly.
It was the guy; the guy who tried to mark Adol’s face with his dagger.
He snarled at me quickly as his other friend; a darker male followed him.
‘Mark and Joseph… nice to have you back.’ Trainer sarcasted as he rolled his eyes.
I growled softly as he growled back, my back head felt like there were scraps of metal left still in me.
A couple of minutos later, no one else challenged or standed up against them, Trainer shooked his head as he was not pleased.
My eyes were still locked on him.
‘A big disgrace to you male Southerns… Mark- Joseph, you decide.’
Mark, the one who poked my back head approached and chuckled evily.
Adol gulped his fears, but it camed back up to choke him one way or the other.
‘Those…’ He pointed out towards me and Adol.
We both stood up, walking down already feeling our body pumping in heat.
I had that feeling, a rush of a sudden anger and rage in my eyes.
Face to face the four of us were, just a few Inches away from fighting…or dying.
‘This is no life or death battle, anyone who breaks my rules shall be head straight towards the four councils. First partner from each group either scratched or open wounded looses automatically for their team.’
The trainer explained while taking a few steps back himself.
I held my swords handle, but as soon as I did, I heard my mother’s voice…jogging my memories.
I can still feel her hugging me.
-Please be careful-
I closed my eyes and breathe in upon my nose slowly, then out thinking.
I forced my sword out from my cover and held it between my face…
‘I will…..’
(To Be Continued)