Title: The Last Time Around

Author: Growly

Fandom: Ranma 1/2 (And Original)

Rating: PG

Pairing(s): N/A right now

Genre: Fantasy, romance, drama

Disclaimer: The Ranma 1/2 characters do not belong to me. If I rewrite the fic with my own chars, it would all belong to me.

Warning: None that I can think of at the moment

Summary: Anya the wildcat has dreams of a past life when she was human and in love with a boy named Ranma

Notes: This is perhaps my longest running fanfic. I started writing it in 2001. It hasn't been beta'd.

This is a Ranma fic, but with my own twist. I think it will become obvious in time. I tried to make it accessable for people who don't know the show too. In fact, if I wanted I could probably write this as an original fic...

The Last Time Around
by Growly
~ * ~ * ~

For every life lost another is born. And all things come around from the end to the beginning. Such was the philosophy of life that all enlightened creatures subscribed to. All of them knew as well, that something better awaited at the end of their many long cycles of living and dying. It is a state many creatures long to reach, but sometimes… there have been those who would deny that paradise.

And some bonds are stronger even than those of fate…

* * *

Growly-chan presents
A Ranma ½ story about life, death and love…
The Last Time Around


Prologue:

"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."
~ Prologue - Star Wars

It was a well-known fact that felines were often both aloof and elusive. Taryn had been hunting this particular cat for a long time, and never once had he caught more than the slightest glimpse of her. Today, however, he had the feeling that something was different. Perhaps it was nothing… but he had learned to trust his feelings.

Sure enough… he had only been out for a short while when he caught a glimpse of a sleek white coat. It was her. Rumor had it that she had been wandering these hills long before his father had come to hunt her. They called her Bakehime, the ghost princess, because of her pale coat and proud air. No man had ever managed to catch her and claim that glorious white pelt for his own.

Fitting arrow to bow, Taryn crept through the brush, moving closer to where the graceful feline lay sprawled in a sunbeam. As he drew back the string the cat's ear twitched.

"I know you're there…"

The arrow fell from Taryn's numb fingers as the soft, impeccably calm voice reached his ears. Sure, there had always been rumors that the mountain cats were more than mere beasts, but he had never put any stock in it. He tried to back away, only to be stopped by that silky voice again.

"Don't be foolish boy. Come out."

Unable to speak, and quivering with superstitious fear, the young man emerged from the brush and approached the white cat. She looked him over, golden brown eyes raking over his form. He couldn't help but think she was sizing him up. Finally she sat up, grooming her already spotless white coat in an off-handed manner.

"You have come to hunt me." There was no need for him to answer, it had been a statement not a question. The she-cat seemed neither frightened nor angry as she continued, "Or perhaps, you are curious…"

He was that as well. Swallowing hard, he managed a slight nod.

"Would you like to hear a story then, boy? I have nothing else to do, and the days are long… so very long…" For a moment there was a hint of wistful longing in the cat's voice.

Again Taryn nodded, unable to trust his lips to form the words. He still wanted the glorious white coat… but he could get it just as easily later… perhaps when the cat was tired from her tale-telling. That would only make it so much the easier.

"Well then…" The cat settled down in her patch of sunlight, paw crossed over paw, eyes fixed on some point past Taryn's form… "This is a story set long ago, before the tribe of humans settled in this valley.

"It is the story of a cat named Anya… and how she set off from her home in the Guir on a quest…"

Part 1: Dreams

"These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away"
~ "These Dreams" - Heart

Dreams were not entirely uncommon among the feline-kin, but even so, they were few and far between. Elusive things, hard to come by and forgotten all too quickly. Dreamless creatures are often content creatures. So it was that Anya found herself dreading sleep, and the strange reoccurring dream…

She was not a cat in her dreams…far from it. Instead of being set on four paws with a coat of beautiful fur, she stood precariously on her hind limbs with only skin. It was a frightening dream, but even that was not the worst part.

The worst part…

The Man… he was always in her dreams. In her dreams she felt a closeness to him that was different from the closeness she had found with any other. The feeling she had was…quite indescribable. He was…mate… no, not quite…

But he felt like mate, and that sent quivers of fear and repulsion down Anya's spine. The strange two-legger was an ugly creature, and yet… and yet…

And yet, Anya could not recall having seen anything more beautiful.

She woke up to a feeling of incredible loss. This dream had been worse than the others. She had been… in danger… yes. Something large was falling… she would be crushed! Yet she stood there, unable to move, unable to utter even a scream. Then she was shoved aside by a second
form. She knew right away that it was him, that he had been watching over her for a long time.

She also knew that his heroic actions must be his last. The sound of metal and stone groaned in her ears as she turned, a scream finally rising in her throat. Denial and fear was mixed with sorrow and anger, and she screamed his name.

`Idiot! Stand up! You can't do this to me!' He couldn't be…dead… no… it was impossible. He had been hurt many times worse than this. He would get up…

The red trickle emerging from the unmoving pile of rubble was enough to break through her barrier of hope. There was no chance.

"Ranma!" She didn't realize she was screaming, didn't recognize the voice coming from her throat. "Baka!!!" Her voice was raw and ragged, and she could barely feel the comforting arm curling around her shoulders, pulling her into an embrace. Finally her sobbing screams died down and she was able to look up at the person assisting her.

A pair of mournful turquoise eyes met her brown ones. "He's… gone… Ran-chan…"

"NO!!" Again that cry, like a wounded animal. She fought the strong hands that sought to drag her away, but it was a hopeless battle. Finally the world seemed to fade into a dark haze, leaving only a single thought.

`I never got to tell him…'

"No!" Anya jerked awake, halfway to her feet before she realized that she was still in her den, and that the morning sunlight was streaming through the cave entrance. She sat down, trying to smooth her ruffled white coat with her tongue, wishing she could smooth her nerves over so easily…

"Anya…?" The white cat recognized the voice easily; it was her friend Yumi. It was unusual for a mountain cat to get along with other predatory species, but somehow she and Yumi had struck it off right away.

Padding out of her den and into the light, she greeted her friend with her usual rumbling purr. The wolf greeted her with a sharp happy yip and a wagging tail. She did not lick Anya's nose, as was customary among wolves…mostly because the mountain cat didn't like it, but she still gave her the simplest of wolfish greetings.

Sometimes Anya had to wonder about the wolfish way of fawning about, but she supposed Yumi found her ways just as odd.

"Good morning, Anya. Did you sleep well?" The wolf cocked her head to the side and regarded her friend curiously. The wolf's eyes were deep turquoise, not an unusual color for a cat, but for a wolf… "You look like hell! Another of those dreams?"

Anya nodded wearily. She'd been plagued by those strange, hurtful dreams for almost a month now. "Oh Yumi… I wish they'd just stop… What if I'm going crazy or something?"

"Come now, don't overreact!" Yumi wagged her brush of a tail in a reassuring manner. "I'm sure it's not that. Say." She cocked her head again, "Why don't you tell me about them. Maybe they mean something."

"Oh Yumi…" Anya shook her head. Yumi had always been something of a strange one. She remembered her friend telling her once that she believed that dreams meant something, but it had never occurred to her to tell the wolf about her strange dream…

"Well… In my dream… I'm…" She hesitated for a moment. "I'm not a cat…"

"What are you?"

"A… a strange creature… with no fur… and…" Encouraged by the curious look on her friend's face, Anya continued. "..and standing on my hind legs… like a bird does, but without wings…"

"Sounds like…" Yumi twitched her tail. "Sounds like the creatures in the old tales my grandmother used to tell me. They lived a long time ago, before Gaia's Rising… I think they were called humans…"

"Humans?" Anya tested the word on her tongue, and found it strangely familiar. "Yes… that's it. I was a human. And my name was… Akane…"

"A…Akane…" Yumi stumbled over the word, but got her tongue around it. She frowned, her muzzle wrinkling. It was as if she was trying to place the name.

"Yumi?" Anya was puzzled by the look on her friend's face.

"Yes?"

"Is something the matter?"

The wolf shook her head. "No… no, it's nothing. Keep going."

"And in my dream… there's this boy… man… and… and I think I love him." A slight flush rose in her cheeks, and she was grateful for the thick fur that covered it up.

"Ah…" Now there was something like wistfulness in Yumi's voice. "And he loved you."

"Yes…" Anya swallowed. "But, in my dream… he died. And I never got a chance to tell him I loved him."

"Very sad…" Yumi's voice was a soft murmur. "I think I know what your dream was, Anya…"

"What?"

"I think you were remembering a past life." Yumi frowned, signaling Anya not to interrupt her. "It has been my belief, and that of my grandmother, that all creatures have more than one existence. What you remember is a past incarnation of yourself. In this incarnation you were a human girl named Akane, and you were loved by a boy named Ranma."

"Yes!" It all made perfect sense now. But one thing was still puzzling her. "Just… I don't know. Why am I having this dream now?"

"Maybe it's a sign…" Yumi sighed, "If he died before he knew your love for him, then it was basically unrequited. Consider yourself as having been given a second chance." She scratched her ear with her hind leg, "I wish my grandmother was still around, she could figure this whole thing out easily.

"According to her, we all live many lives, and we don't get to go to… some sort of paradise, until after our cycles are completed. If you're having these dreams, then maybe…"

"What!?" Anya was getting tired of her friend's unfinished sentences.

"Maybe it's your last time around."

The cat didn't know what to say about that.

*

Last time around. Paradise. A chance to find your soul mate. Yumi's words still swirled around in her head. She paced back and forth across the entrance to her den, not sure what to do, but restless nonetheless.

"What will happen if I don't find him again?"

"I don't know… You won't be reunited in paradise, I guess…"

What could she do? Finally, exhausted, she curled up and fell asleep. She was dreaming again… she knew that right away.

He was there… Ranma… and she knew then that she loved him, and he loved her, but he had never known that she loved him. Because she hadn't told him until he'd…

Anya was trembling when she woke, tears running wet tracks down her furry cheeks. Her tail drooped as she headed to the front of her cave and noticed it was raining.

"Ranma…"

Her mind was made up.

*

"She's leaving…" the darker wolf murmured, turning to the golden brown female.

"I know…" Yumi rested her head on her paws, gazing out at nothing in particular, ears pricked for even the faintest sounds.

"Are you upset?"

"I'm… not really sure." She sighed. "Did I do the right thing, Cyrill? I'm not sure letting her head off on some mission to find her soul mate is the wisest move…"

The black wolf made a chuckling sound deep in his throat, "Did other people's warnings stop you?"

"I suppose not." Yumi laughed softly, nuzzling the other wolf's neck. "Which was lucky for you. If I hadn't shown up, you'd probably still be wandering around the Agrippe mountains wondering where the ocean had vanished to."

"Don't tease me about getting lost!" Cyrill growled good-humoredly, "You know I can't help it."

"You jackass…" Yumi smiled, letting her tongue loll out in a friendly grin. "I don't know why I put up with you."

"You know you love me."

The chestnut colored wolf nodded, "Yeah… but it took a lot for me to realize that, didn't it?" She rested her head on his strong back, "It's hard to believe what we tried to do…"

The black wolf was silent, a solemn look on his face. "You're still feeling guilty about that, aren't you?"

Yumi's silence was answer enough to that question. Her mate nuzzled her shoulder gently. "It wasn't your fault. You weren't the only one there…"

"I was jealous…" The female's voice was barely audible. "He loved her… I knew it already. He loved her long before I showed up." Her turquoise eyes fixed on his brown ones. "I just didn't want to let myself believe it."

"She loved him too…" Cyrill murmured, "You weren't the only one who tried to break them up for selfish reasons. We were all in it together…"

The female wolf nodded, "You're right, Cyrill…" She couldn't help but laugh a little as a thought hit her. "Or would that be left?"

Frowning, he growled softly. "You know I hate it when you make fun of my sense of direction."

"…Or lack thereof…"

With a mock snarl, Cyrill launched himself at his mate, "Take that back!" He slammed into her, knocking her onto the floor. The two of them rolled around on the floor, apparently engaged in a furious fight.

Well… that's what it looked like anyway. The loud laughter coming from the combatants was enough to dispel the belief that they were having a real fight. After a great deal of playful tussling, they finally stopped, panting and still laughing between their gasping breaths.

When she had finally gotten up enough air to speak, Yumi rested her head on her mate's shoulder. "I think you're right, Cyrill… I did the right thing." Her eyes slowly closed. "Will it be enough, do you think?"

"I know it will. It was meant to be…" He licked her ear gently.

"I hope so…" Yumi murmured sleepily, resting her head on her paws. As she drifted into slumber she added something that sounded to her mate like, "Good luck, Akane-chan…"

"Sleep well, my Yumi…" Cyrill smiled, "Paradise is closer than you think…"

The only sound to be heard was the rain splattering on the rocks.

Part 2: A Grand Meeting

"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows!"
-(The Tempest II.ii. 38-39)


Anya didn't like the rain… few mountain cats did. But she felt a sense of urgency in her mission, and did not want to wait for the weather to clear up. Her passage through the forest made no sound, but left deep prints in the soft mud. She was soaked to the skin, her white coat splattered with the mud that was kicked up when she walked. It was washed off quickly, of course, only to be replaced by yet more mud.

Truth be told, she was getting heartily sick of the whole thing after a whole day of being cold and damp. But she couldn't just stop now. Well… She would probably need to stop for the night, to rest and regain her strength. Maybe she'd get lucky and run across a cave or something…

It was as if some god had answered her prayers. No sooner had the thought of lodging passed through her mind than she spotted a cave. It was not far off her path, and it HAD to be drier than sleeping under a tree or something. She headed eagerly for the cave.

She had barely stepped inside when she heard a fierce snarl that caused her to backpedal rapidly. Her fur fluffed, her long tail puffing to nearly twice its size. Before she could help herself, she
hissed angrily, baring her sharp fangs.

Her angry retort was met with sullen silence. Finally a voice emerged from the cave's depths. "All right… enter if you must, but know I allow thy presence only under duress…"

Anya blinked, not sure what to make of this unusual invitation. Finally she chose to accept it, padding forward warily, fur still on end.

Crouched on a pile of dried grass and fur was a dark brown forest cat. She could tell the difference easily, although the different types of cats were often mistaken by others. Forest cats tended to be thinner and longer, with slightly larger paws. This one was a fairly nice example of the breed, with a bright shiny coat and large dark eyes.

Her fur was still fluffed as she approached. The other cat was far larger than she was. But he seemed to be busy rearranging his nest and muttering something about a red female with a tufted tail. She wondered just what a tufted tail signified.

There was something strangely familiar about this cat… but Anya wasn't sure what exactly it was. He looked up at her and she noted with curiosity that his eyes were midnight blue, not black as she had previously thought.

"Welcome to my abode." The forest cat rumbled, his voice surprisingly formal. His eyes widened further when he saw her. "It is not often I have the honor of welcoming one of such extraordinary grace. Might I ask your name?"

"I'm Anya." She didn't trust his flowery speech and compliments, so she kept her introduction short and to the point. "And who might you be?"

"Ah…" His slightly tufted ears flattened back in chagrin, "I'm afraid I have made a faux pas. After all, is it not the custom to give ones own name first? I am the rising new star of this forest, the undefeated champion over all the Chitaken felines. The sound of my roar strikes fear into the hearts of my enemies. My friends call me the Blue Thunder of Chitaken Woods!" He paused. "Well… I'm sure they would if I had any… Anyway… I am Sukio, age… three years." He scratched thoughtfully at his neck as he finished talking.

Anya wasn't sure what to make of his introduction. She was tempted to dismiss him as being insane or something, but he didn't SEEM overly dangerous. She settled down on the cave floor, not bothering to pull any straw from his nest to make her own. She would not be here long…
if she could help it. Curling her paws neatly under her chest, she rested her head on them.

"You don't have any friends?" She inquired, partially out of curiosity, but mostly out of boredom.

"Alas… I am afraid not." For a moment he looked down at his mottled paws, a solemn expression on his furry face. "There are not many forest cats left in these woods. I have not seen any since I was a barely weaned kitten."

The female cat perked her ears, it sounded like a mystery to her… a very curious one. "Do you know what happened to them?"

The male shrugged, his ears flat against his head in unease.

He wasn't being completely truthful… Anya could tell that much from his discomfort. But what she didn't and couldn't know, was what he was lying about. She thought the thing about there being few cats was probably true. She had seen no signs of other felines being about, had not even known of this male's existence until she had wandered right into his den.

That in itself was strange. She was a good tracker and hunter. The male must have been trying VERY hard to remain unnoticed. But why? She sighed and let the question remain unspoken as she drifted into a weary slumber.

*

Anya awoke to a screaming snarl and the unpleasant stink of smoke in her sensitive nostrils. She jerked to her feet, still half asleep and blinking in confusion. When the blurred images finally cleared she was able to identify the source of the scream.

It was Sukio. The male cat was pressed against the wall of the cave, his deep voice full of defiance. And in the mouth of cave, barely visible against the smoke were some strange beings that were oddly familiar. One of them took a step closer and Anya gasped as the features became clear.

A human! A creature thought to exist only in legend. But what was it doing here?

A sharp twang followed by the hiss of something moving swiftly through the air was enough to make her shy to one side. There was a soft thunk, and something hit the area where she had been standing. It appeared to be a long, straight stick. She wondered how such a thin stick had gone so deep in the ground without breaking. She nosed the quivering thing and wondered if it was enchanted to keep moving so.

Sukio screamed again, but this time it was a sound purely of pain. She whirled about, catching a glimpse of the human, still with the funny thing in its hands. On the floor of the cave, the male cat crouched, his hind leg dragging painfully in the dirt. He eyed the human with eyes that were both angry and resigned.

"What's going on here?!" Anya demanded, her voice shrill with frustration and barely suppressed fear.

The dark-furred male continued to eye the human warily as he spoke. "Humans… they're killers…" There was a smoldering fury in his eyes that made Anya glad she hadn't mentioned dreaming about being human. She thought the male was probably overreacting… but who was she to say that? After all, what could the human do with a stick?

The sharp scent of blood filled her nostrils as the male cat edged closer to the front of the cave. For the first time she could see Sukio's left flank where an unusual thin twig protruded. Anya nosed it, recoiling as droplets of warm blood splattered across her muzzle.

"What the…?"

"Arrow…" Rumbled the male, "Human weapon… Only humans would stoop to using weapons other than those nature grants them. Humans are cowards…"

Anya hissed as an arrow struck the ground near her paw. From what she had seen, she was inclined to agree with Sukio. This human certainly seemed to be rather barbaric… not at all like what she remembered in her dreams. Why? What made this human different. She was so caught up in her turmoiled thoughts that she almost didn't see the second arrow aimed for her head.

A heavy, furry weight slamming into her flank caused her to stagger aside. She whirled on Sukio, angry at the fact that he had pushed her. "What do you think you're doing?"

Sukio's midnight blue eyes were a bit hazy, his voice only slightly slurred as he answered her. "I think thou shouldst be grateful to me, lady. I saved thy life with mine actions." This said, he allowed himself to sink to the ground with a pained groan. "Not that it will be of any real help… The situation looks dire…" His last words were spoken in an almost NORMAL manner, with no flowery and archaic words.

Denial was foremost in Anya's mind after hearing the male cat's words. No! There was no way she could let it all end now. She couldn't let her last chance die on the end of some barbarian's arrow. She had to find Ranma! There was no way she was going to let anyone stand in her way.

"YAHHH!!!" Anya rushed the human, not bothering to pull out her claws. Her teeth sank into the fabric of the man's clothes, and she twisted her head and upper body around, throwing the man bodily over her left shoulder. The human hit the ground with a bone-jarring thud, and remained where he had fallen, dead or unconscious, Anya didn't know. She found she didn't particularly care, either.

She headed for the cave entrance, not happy about having to brave the rain, but not willing to stay either. What if another human came around? For a moment she simply stood at the mouth of the cave, looking out. Then a thought hit her. What about Sukio?

Annoying or not, strange or not, the male cat had taken her in when she had needed shelter. She couldn't just leave him here injured when there might be other dangers around. With a slightly reluctant sigh, she headed back inside and nudged the forest cat.

"Hey… Come on… you can't just lie around here. What if more humans come?"

The brown cat groaned, lifting his head to look at her. "What good is it? They're everywhere now… why not just let it lie?" Again, he was using normal speech instead of the strange manner of speaking Anya had come to expect. She thought that perhaps she preferred his normal
egotistic attitude to this bleak despairing one.

She was starting to get a bit angry now. Not just at him either, also at the humans, the rain and the unfairness of life in general. There was nothing she could do about it, but that wouldn't stop her from making an attempt. Starting with this pathetic excuse for a cat. "You're not gonna just give up while I'm here." Her voice was a low, threatening growl, "I'm not gonna let something like this remain on my mind if I can do something about it. So are you getting up, or am I going to have to drag you out of here by your tail?"

Her words left no room for misinterpretation. The male cat looked up at her, blue eyes widening as he thought about what she'd said. Whatever he saw in her face must have convinced him that she meant it, because his expression changed into one of respect and he nodded. "Very well…"

Slowly - too slowly for Anya's liking - Sukio pushed himself to his feet. He stood there for a moment, swaying slightly, then placed one paw shakily in front of the other, heading for the mouth of the cave. The white cat followed close behind him, ready to lend a shoulder if he needed it.

Somehow the both of them managed to reach the exit and head out into the rain. Their steps were unimpeded by humans, but hindered by their own weariness and the sticky mud that clung to their fur and their feet, as if trying to trip them up.

Humans came later, but no trace of the pair could be found. It was as if they had been swallowed up by the storm.

*

Anya quickly lost track of the time. There was no sunlight or moonlight in the downpour. For a while she had tried to count their steps, tried to keep them headed in a fixed direction. Now she
struggled to keep moving. Every step was a battle, every breath burned in her lungs. She could barely feel the cold biting at her, couldn't feel the icy water plastering her coat to her body.

The male beside her moved silently, steps padded and soft. At times he was like a spectre, ghosting along beside her. Anya, too tired to glance to her side, could sometimes only tell he was still there by his heaving breaths. Occasionally he bumped into her as weariness struck, his wet, heavy body nearly knocking her off her feet.

Finally, the inevitable happened. With a sound halfway between a moan and a gasp, Sukio lurched sideways, trying frantically to catch himself for a moment but failing. He hit the ground with a heavy splat. Anya took a few more steps forward before drawing to a halt and going back to check on him.

"You ok?" She nudged him with her nose.

"Y…yeah… I think so…" The male managed, "I'm just so tired… Where are we? And where are we going, Anya? You didn't say…"

She'd been hoping he wouldn't ask, because she had no idea what to answer to either question. Where were they? His guess was as good as hers. The way they'd been wandering around in a stupor for the past…who knew how long… for all she knew they could've been going around in circles. What if she looked up and they were back where they started… she would scream or something.

But when she looked around, what little she could make out in the rain and mud didn't look familiar. That was a relief. But it still didn't answer the second question. There was only one honest answer. "I don't know."

"You…don't know?" If Anya didn't know better, she'd say the male cat's voice had gone up two notches. Interesting. Not interesting enough to warrant thinking about right now, though…

"It doesn't matter right now, anyway…" Anya prodded him with her paw, "We have to get out of this rain…find somewhere dry… look at that shoulder of yours. You wouldn't happen to know where we are?" She was hopeful, but knew it was a long shot at best.

"Never been here before in my life," Sukio sounded almost embarrassed, "I almost never left my den, except to eat. For all I know we might be in my forest still…"

Anya groaned, this was not shaping into a good day at all… She tried to turn her thoughts from such a dismal path and surveyed the area again. They were still in a wooded area, but not nearly as thick as the forest they had been in when they started. New growth, most of it. And there was a familiar smell in the air…

The rain had become a mere drizzle, which was probably the only reason she could smell anything at all. The scent of mud and wet vegetation were overpowering, but there was something else as well. Anya padded wearily over to a tree and sniffed.

Wolf scent. Not a familiar one, but still… If there were wolves here, she reasoned, it must be a different forest than the one they had left. That was a good sign. She just hoped the wolves here were as friendly as Yumi and her small pack back at the Guir. It was unlikely though. The less time they spent here the better.

But they still needed to find someplace to rest.

A hollow in the trunk of a nearby tree solved that problem. It was out of the rain, not that it particularly mattered since they were both soaked to the skin. It was also big enough for both cats. It would be a tight squeeze, but it was probably better than trying to find a cave or something.

Besides, the longer they spent here, the greater the likelihood that they would run into a pack of hostile, or at least unfriendly wolves. Anya gestured to the tree with her head, then helped Sukio to his feet. The two of them made their slow, stumbling way to the trunk and squeezed in, Sukio first, then Anya. Just in case, Anya thought, I'm in better shape than he is, so if something attacks I should be in front to take care of it.

It was warm, if crowded, and Anya found herself drifting languidly off to sleep despite the caked mud on her fur and the soft snoring of the male cat beside her… Sleep, and for once it was dreamless.

Part 3: The Gallows Dogs

~"There are only two types of people on this beach: those who are dead, and those who are about to die. "
-The Longest Day

A sharp snarl awoke Anya from her sleep. She jerked to her feet, fur standing on end, only to freeze in her tracks as a large gray wolf bared its fangs at her. The she-cat hissed, making sure to keep herself between the stranger and Sukio. The other cat was not quite alert yet, even if he was awake, he was staring about with a muddled air, long tail twitching uncertainly.

Anya was afraid this was going to become either a stare down or a fight, and she was still tired and weary. But it was the wolf who backed down first, tattered gray ears flattening tight against its skull as it took a few steps to the side, effectively allowing Anya a means of escape. She didn't take the offered path, not willing to leave her companion behind and not entirely trusting this behavior.

"Who are you?" Her voice was only slightly less than a demand, and she was amused to notice that the wolf was disconcerted by her tone. Well… she was the larger of the two, even if the gray wolf was powerfully built.

Finally the wolf sat back on his haunches and licked first one paw then the other in a strange fastidious manner that Anya had never associated with the species before. His voice was almost singsong, and surprisingly younger sounding than she would have expected. "Welcome to the Gallows, Mistress Cat. I am Dimarouch. I would tell you to enjoy yourself if I believed it possible."

"Huh?" Anya wasn't sure what to make of the strange wolf. She could hear Sukio shifting and slowly getting to his feet behind her.

"Who is this?" The brown cat was not in the best of moods, which was probably understandable. He was still favoring his left side, even though the blood had already dried and formed a thick scab on his haunch. "What is the meaning of this indignity, cur?" This comment was directed to the wolf, who had fixed his eyes on Sukio.

Anya was startled to notice that the wolf's eyes were almost the same shade of gray as his thick coat, and the look in them… a strange fire burned in those eyes, like the fire of fever in a creature that seemed perfectly well. The white cat found herself unnerved by what she saw, yet couldn't see any reason why she should be frightened or offended by this wolf.

"She told me to fetch you… I know no more than that. I am to greet you and bring you to her." The wolf spoke bluntly, turning away from them then glancing back over his shoulder. He expected them to follow, that was plain, but Anya had a question first.

"Who is this…person you speak of?"

"Empress. Our mother."

It was a long trek to the lair of this "Empress", and it was only made longer by their exhaustion and injuries. Given this time to assess her situation, Anya was relieved to notice they were in pretty good shape. She was uninjured, given a couple days of rest she would be more than ready to go. As for Sukio…

Anya snuck a peek at her rather unwilling traveling companion. The male cat was in obvious pain, but was biting down and bearing it. She wasn't sure if it was pride or merely stupidity, but she had to respect that kind of stubbornness. Anya was pretty sure that in her past life she had possessed that kind of determination, yet she could recall overwhelming anger as well…and a sense of lingering guilt.

~What I was doesn't matter so much anymore. I have become more than I was before, and I shall continue to grow and change. I remember…think I remember… I promised myself that I would never let my anger rule my life again. If I did, how could I ever be worthy of that which I lost to that same anger?~

Shaking her head, she forced her thoughts back to Sukio. She couldn't be thinking selfishly right now. Maybe after she found the male cat a safe place to stay… but for now she wasn't going to trust that this place was the safe haven she was seeking for her strange companion.

"Can't say the scent of this place appeals much to me…" Sukio's voice was a deep wary rumble directed to her. "Think what you will…but this place smells like…" He seemed to hesitate, as if not certain whether to voice his opinion.

Anya bobbed her head to him a bit, indicating that he should continue. She wondered just what he was hesitating for. It couldn't be THAT bad.

"It smells like dank soil and rotting leaves. Like a deep cavern in the earth where the sun never casts its rays. It smells of loneliness and a great unnamed sorrow that lingers like a mist and makes my senses dead." His blue eyes had a strange spark to them, an urgency Anya had never seen before. "This is not a place for the living…"

The white cat felt a slight tremor run through her body at Sukio's flat words of foreboding. She had no reason to trust his senses, had plenty of reason not to since he was apparently rather sick in the head. Yet she couldn't help the shiver, couldn't help the way her fur stood on end as she looked around. The trees here were scraggly, dropping their leaves and needles to form a thick yellow-brown carpet on the forest floor. The limbs above their heads were twisted and bent in strange formations, like they had melted and run together. What grass and brush Anya could see and scent was also yellowish, and had a sickly smell.

It was too quiet… Anya realized now, and wondered why she hadn't before. There was no sound of birds or insects, just the sounds of their own paws shuffling through the dead leaves. It was only a short distance later that Anya caught her first glimpse of any animals other than themselves.

Two wolves, gaunt and gray-coated were resting under a tree. The first was lying on its side, a listless, half-dazed look in its golden eyes. The second was more alert, but seemed nervous. It kept tilting its head at strange angles to look at things, and occasionally it would whirl about, as if expecting to be attacked from behind. Neither creature spoke as they passed, nor did they even seem to acknowledge the presence of the group.

The strange listlessness was enough to make Anya's fur stand on end. She couldn't say with any honesty that she was looking forward to meeting this `empress' of Dimarouch's. She felt a slight prickling of the fur on the back of her neck and turned slightly, baring sharp fangs.

"What's wrong?" Sukio drew to a slow stop beside her and raised his head to glance about, blue eyes sweeping the area.

"N…nothing." Anya turned back to walking. "I just thought…" ~I feel like we're being watched. I know it's strange but I can't help it.~ Her companion probably wouldn't understand, and - not for the first time - she wished she had asked Yumi to come with her. She wondered what her wolf friend was doing right now…

The sound of someone clearing their throat brought her back to her present situation, and she turned to Sukio with a start.

"Are you well?" That formal speech again. Anya was beginning to dread the times when he started up with it. She wished he'd quit with all the formalities and just say whatever he wanted to say.

"I'm fine. Just thought I saw something in the brush." The white cat tossed her head in her own curious version of a shrug.

"Hmm…" Sukio trotted over to the bush, his large paws making surprisingly little sound on the wet leaves and needles covering the forest floor. He froze for a moment, then lunged forward into the bushes with a frightening snarl. There was a sharp yelp, then the male cat emerged with a struggling and snarling bundle of reddish fur in his mouth.

He turned back to Anya, still holding the smaller animal tightly in his teeth. For a moment the female cat thought he might be HURTING the thing…whatever it was. Then the creature twisted about in Sukio's grasp to snap at Anya's nose. Sharp teeth grazed her, drawing a thin line of blood.

Anya drew back with a sharp hiss, feeling a sudden wash of anger. It took all her self control not to reach out and strike the tiny creature. In the end, only the memory of her silent promise to herself kept her from doing it. "Why were you following us!?"

"Tell your goon here to let me down, and I'll explain." The calm female voice that came from the animal - which Anya had finally identified as a fox - came as a complete surprise. So did the
questioning look Sukio cast at her. Obviously they both thought she was in charge here. Great…

"Put her down, Sukio."

With a frown, the male cat dumped the fox unceremoniously at Anya's feet. The tiny animal got to her feet and rapidly smoothed down her messed up coat. Anya had to admire the speed at which the tiny vulpine straightened up her short reddish fur.

"Now then." Suddenly the fox was all business. "I was just following you because I gathered you weren't going to be staying in this dump too long. I was checking you out…"

"And you thought you could latch onto us as your…what? Means of protection? Such a miniscule creature probably wouldn't last long without someone else nearby. Someone stronger." Sukio's ears were flattened back as he addressed the smaller animal. Anya was surprised by the anger in his tone.

She was about to say something, when she felt Dimarouch brush past her. "Can this… discussion… wait until you've met Empress? She can't be kept waiting long…" The wolf shifted from foot to foot impatiently, his tail held in a stiff curl over his back.

"Very well." Sukio stepped over the fox and drew up beside the wolf, both of them looking expectantly at Anya.

With a sigh, Anya left the fox where she was and followed the two males. She could have sworn she heard the little creature mumbling something under her breath like, "Gonna charge him double for that…"

Of all the things Anya had been expecting, THIS was not one of them. She looked up at the towering rock…things… and gaped. Sukio was more vocal.

"What in Gaea's name are those!?"

Anya had to admit that she had no idea, but they made her uneasy, they looked like bodies of metal with the stone flesh falling away to reveal the silvery bones beneath. As she set foot in the place she noticed the soil gave way to hard rock. Here and there grass and some bold young trees were poking up through cracks in the white rock, but they were few and far between. Frankly it gave her the creeps.

What alarmed her even more was the way the ground thrummed and seemed to vibrate beneath her feet in steady intervals. ~Like a heartbeat… an enormous throbbing heartbeat…~ "And your Empress lives here?" What kind of animal could bear to live in such a place? Dead yet alive… how well did that fit the situation here?

There were more animals here, a few wolves, a bobcat, assorted smaller animals like rabbits and snakes, all with that same listless, despairing look. They were scattered about, hiding beneath the stones, trying to take shelter under the withered trees that were trying to thrive and failing. Anya felt herself moved to pity, but knew she couldn't stop here.

At last they were slowing down. Anya turned her eyes to the front and felt the air suddenly knocked from her body as she got her first good look at the one in charge here. She was sitting atop a… a stair of sorts, resting in the slight shade of a broken piece of rubble

Outwardly there was nothing to make the wolf before her stand out from the crowd. Nothing surprising, just a female wolf with a pale silver-brown coat and deep brown eyes. But the eyes - they were full of gentle wisdom and they were familiar…

"O…oneesan?" It was the name that came to her lips first as she took a few uncertain steps towards the silent figures sitting like a benevolent queen on her pedestal of broken and cracking stone.

"Hai… I've been expecting you, Akane." The Empress smiled.

~ * ~ * ~

Japanese terms:

Hai - "yes"
Oneesan - "older sister"