The Burnt Forest

The trees hung over in an arched fashion, gnarled branches blackened and grey with ash even after all these years. They knotted together, merging with the dense brambles and thorns. It was a place that looked as though it had long since been forgotten. Not a single footprint could be seen on the loose earth of the ground. It seemed even small critters avoided this area of tainted memories...

Nayla pushed her way through, landing with a light thud, her face and hands scratched, torn and a little bloodied. Leaning on her hands and knees she didn't move for a moment, merely looking up and around at the place which haunted her dreams. As though it were that day she saw fire in front of her eyes; heard screams. She flopped back helplessly, sitting on her legs and bringing hands up over her ears as though that would stop it.

A few deep breaths later and she had calmed a little. Enough to see that it wasn't quite as it had been that day anymore. Small flowers were blossoming over the trees bark and the faded grass which grew in pale green patches. She reached out fingers and touched lightly over a solitary buttercup, teardrops fell down her cheeks and onto its' petals.

Like her, this place was slowly trying to mend...

Callahan had been to this place many times. Once a week since the fire started and burned down his home and split his pack. The brambles were easy for him to weave in between, since he knew the routes that he could fit through without a scratch, but something stopped him in his path this time. Molly and Lily were not with him today, they were on the hunt, so when he saw foot prints in the newly forming grass he knew they were not of his current pack. Out of instinct he dropped down onto all fours, a low crouch, and began to crawl forwards silently. While his girls would be able to smell Nayla's scent from the grass, Callahan couldn't, and while he was in this area, even though it was long past, all he could smell was the lingering ash..

Ears down so they wouldn't give away his position, he advanced forwards until he could peer through a not-so-leafy bush into the clearing that the footprints led. There sat Nayla with her face in her hands and immediately Callahan's ears perked back up. She smelt familiar, could this be why..? Why was she here..? Unsure of what to say just yet, he sat back on his haunches and watched the young girl in the clearing for any indication.

Nayla was so caught up in the memories, in the heartbreak, that she wasn't aware that anyone was close by. She didn't even expect anyone to be able to get out to this place anyway... besides Callahan. But he had a new pack now...

She slowly stood, taking a few steps forwards and resting her palm against a familiar tree. It was one she often laid beneath during warm weather, along with the other younger poochyena and mightyena of the pack. She looked upwards, imagining the lush leaves which used to be studded with pink blossoms... not anymore, now its' branches were barren.

A few steps more. A light stumble over a charred root. Before stopping.
"Momma... Papa... little Pip... did you survive too?" she whispered hopefully as she stared up at the overhanging ashen trees. "Did you get away like Callahan..." she clutched her chest, "I don't have to give up hope right?" she murmured although tears still fell silently down her cheeks. "I don't want to be alone anymore..."

Nayla jumped slightly at the sudden noise and murmur, she hadn't heard him say her name but the look in his eyes told her that he now knew who she was. With a rough swipe she wiped away the tears with the backs of her hands and glowered at him. "Wh-what are you doing here oaf?" she said through slightly gritted teeth as she tried to relax her slightly trembling voice.

A part of her wanted to run into the arms of her childhood friend and rival and seek comfort... but... it had been so long. There was no doubt they weren't the same as they were back then. They weren't children anymore.

"You stalking me or something?" she muttered tearing her puffy eyes away from Callahan and looking to the floor.

Nayla looked at him briefly before looking away again, "Because... you were saying you had a pack... it seemed like you didn't remember me..." she gave him a fierce glare, "You should remember things like this yourself. I shouldn't have to tell you." she said in a slightly spoiled tone as she pointed to herself indicating that she could hardly believe Callahan hadn't recognised her. Even though she herself most likely wouldn't have recognised him either had it not been for the mention of his name. But even so... he hadn't even bothered to ask her what that was anyway.

She pouted slightly without realising it before sighing, "I suppose my patch made it a bit harder..." she muttered (hand floating idly to her eye), as though she were giving him a free pass this one time.

Callahan caught her hand as it came up, to get her to look at him. He was still scowling, though it was showing through that he was amused with her childish tone. "Ya idiot, ta pack I mentioned is our pack. 'a found Molly 'n Lily couple days after ta fire. They're ta only two 'a found so far. Ya remember 'em, right?" he chuckled lightly and released her hand. Had she been jealous that he just up and formed another pack? Oh no, it wasn't that easy. Such a tight bond required years, and although he felt like Kipper and Trixy could be apart of his pack, and he treated them as such, truly they were not like how Molly and Lily were to him.

" 'n yes, ya look quite a bit different. Yer a woman now," he gestured with both his hands at her, but then he sneered playfully, "Well, on ta outside ya are. Yer still a bit childish 'n ta inside."

Nayla looked at him, her eyes widening slightly when he mentioned Molly and Lilly. "F-for real?! Of course I remember them!" she shook her head disbelievingly, "I'd nearly given up all hope... yet here you are..." she chuckled lightly, if she didn't laugh she would have cried all over again. "Molly and Lilly too..." she sighed before whispering, "Thank goodness I didn't give up..."

She looked back at Callahan blushing furiously as her brows furrowed at that gesture. As soon as the words 'still a bit childish' came out of his mouth she wasted no time in aiming a sharp punch to his gut. Expression not changing even a bit. "Hmph."

"Ah! You ass! Let me down!" she yelled flailing and punching at his back with her fists. "Fine! You win! Put me down and I'll tell ya!" her feet finally touched solid ground and she gave Callahan a pissed off growl but didn't attack him any more.

She slumped to the ground and hugged her knees. "After 'a fire... I weren't used to bein' alone." she said, forgetting for a while about the proper english she'd been taught to speak. "I tried comin' back ta see if anyone were 'ere. Little Pip had been in the nursery at the time and I wan'ed ta go there first to see if he were there... or my parents... or anyone..." she took a breath, "But these poachers turned up before I could get back 'ere an' I was near 'auled off with 'em. I fought and got shot in the eye, but I ran... I just ran until my chest felt like it was gonna burst... it's gone all white now and I can't see outta it well." she said lifting the patch to show him the white eye which resembled glass.

Nayla nodded, she really wanted to see them. Those two lovable hounds. "Molly an' Lily huh... it gives me more hope that we aren't the only ones..." she said softly.

She punched Cal in the arm for his 'filled out' comment before looking up at him. He'd always been a short twerp when they were younger, barely her own height... but now he really was a man...

"I missed ya..." she murmured quietly, almost too quiet for 'normal' ears to hear. Her face flushed slightly, "The fightin' I mean... and the rivalry..." she added hastily turning away from him.

"Ya ya," he sneered, then as she turned away he wrapped an arm firmly around her head and gave her a rough nugie between the ears with his knuckles. " 'a missed ya too, though my body didn' miss ta torment ya put it through. Good luck now t'at 'a cann' feel it!" He laughed as he quickly released her and jumped back far out of her reach, landing into a defensive stance just in case she decided to rush him like she used to. At least now she couldn't knock him over, but he was always ready for a play fight from her. Slowly his happy puppy nature was filling back in, even though they were standing where their pack had lived, died, and lost one another..

Nayla pouted at first and then dived at him with a chuckle. Running and head butting his stomach attempting to knock him down. It wasn't like when they were younger though, she could easily floor Callahan back then... this big oaf was one tough cookie to crumble. She rubbed her head, "What ya got in there? Armour?" she asked poking at his abs section and then blushing as she felt up just how firm it was. She then looked away feigning a look of disinterest and punched him in the stomach before slipping around him and jumping on his back to bite his ear.

She walked through the burnt forest, wondering why it burnt down. "Hmmm..."