Chapter 4 - During the chase...

Then, we ran for our lives.

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We both ran as humans, but naturally I was faster, being a full-blooded wolf.

“Hey! Najiku! Wait up for me!” Ritari said in anxiety.

“Heh, sorry. You're just slow, Ritari!” I said tauntingly.

“Ooh, you've crossed the line, now, Najiku!” Ritari said crossly.

“So? It's just the way nature is… I'm a swift and powerful wolf; you're a lousy, lame, little human.” I said coolly.

“Stop it, Najiku, you're getting on my nerves!” Ritari said.

“Or what, human? I saved you! You should be thankful to me!” I said.

Ritari mumbled something that even my keen wolf ears couldn't pick up.

“Don't let'm get away! We have to kill them today, before they assault other villages!” said one of the villagers heatedly.

“Oh, we're gonna get away, don't you worry. We're bound for escape. We will. We have to. We've come this far, we're gonna escape!” I said simply to pass time. I slowed down enough for Ritari to draw alongside me. I grabbed her hand, and sped up to my top human speed, which was approximately 15mph.

“Oi… Are you always this determined, Najiku? Or are you just desperate?” Ritari said, an exasperated tone to her voice.

“Hmm… Was that out loud? Oops. Oh well, I suppose it doesn't matter now. Besides, it gave me something to talk about. Or are you just naïve, Ritari? Or am I just crazy? Maybe we're both crazy… That gives me something to think about… Crap, I just lost my train of thought… Oh well. Whoops, I just found it again…” I said calmly, simply to annoy Ritari.

“Najiku, can you forget about your stupid little train of thought and, oh, I don't know, maybe run a little faster? And maybe try to remember that we're in a life-and-death situation? Or maybe YOU are the naïve one? Eh, Najiku? Or should I just call you idiot wolf?” Ritari said through clenched teeth.

“Hey, my train of thought was not stupid, I'm running as fast as I can, I don't really care that we're in a life-and-death situation, I've been around longer than you, and, lastly, but most importantly, I am a proud alpha wolf, so therefore I cannot be an idiot wolf.” I said to even the score.

“The alpha of what pack? Your pack is dead, Najiku, you said so yourself. Don't deny it, it's true, and you know it.” Ritari said, this time taunting me.

A shadow crossed my eyes. “Ritari, that hurt. That cut me deep. You cut me deep. Don't insult me like that, ever. Got it?” I said, a tenor of hurt instantly apparent in my voice. “I only told you that so that you would be familiar with the reality of what destiny had made of my pack. Alright?”

Ritari's only response was a look of shock. She could not even stammer an apology.

The shadow across my eyes lingered as I deftly jumped over a log about the width of my body.

Ritari was absolutely mystified as to why I was taking her words so coldly.

I simply kept running.

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