Crooked Tree Forest

It was getting late and the sun was almost gone, but that didn't stop Rakku from wandering into the Crooked Tree Forest. It was so dark, quiet and peaceful. She loved it. It gave she and Shiori a chance to think and calm down when they needed it. But today that were here to simply relax. Rakku got out her Mp3 player and put it on the lowest volume and Shiori sat in her lap. Their eyes closed, but their ears were peeled for any oncoming danger.

The sun was setting a dark shadow fell over Zarxya's hiding place, a tall tree in the crooked forest. Zarxya lay in the tree when she heard a sound... footsteps... she looked over and saw a girl walking in the forest Zarxya slid into the shadows to not be seen.

Rakku's eyes opened and wandered around the forest. As far as she could see, there was nothing around for miles. But seeing isn't always believing. Something felt wrong. Like a gaze boring into her very soul. But then again that's how she feels anyway when people look at her. She kept her eyes open and locked on all of the trees and her sword partially unsheathed in a slight defensive mode.

Zarxya sat in the shadows ready to spring if needed. She watched the girl trying to read her. the girl looked around hand on the hilt of a sword. Zarxya's hand automatically moved to her own sword. who is this girl? she though.

Rakku shut off her Mp3 and stood up. "So... Who's out there? I know someone's out there. So show yourself you stalker!" She said in a moderately loud voice so the entity in the tree could hear. "So? Are you a man or a mouse?" She taunted hoping to get whatever was in the tree out and on land.
Shiori flew up when Rakku stood and transferred to her shoulder.

"and why would i do that girl?" Zarxya yelled back at the girl. "why should i show my self to you?"

"Because otherwise you're nothing but a coward who can't face others. Maybe it's because of a facial deformity? Or are you some morbidly obese beached whale that's uncomfortable with her body?" 'So I was right. It is another person up there.' Rakku thought

"you are a cocky little girl. you know not of who or what you speak to." Zarxya jumped from the tree landing on her back paws. She stretched to her full height of 6'2" and pulled back her cloak's hood to reveal her feline face. "now you see what you insult girl." she purred, her tail twitching as she looked through her multicolored eyes at the smaller girl.

"Oh! I just pissed off a nitty snitty kitty! That's all." Rakku fully unsheathed her sword preparing for battle. "Please tell me you're not gonna try and kill me over a bit of name calling? That would be quite childish of you. Just sayin." Rakku taunted once more. This was beginning to become fun for her. Seeing the pissed off look in the cat-woman's eyes was fun. But she had some secrets in store if a battle were to commence.

"very funny now if you don't mind i have other more important things to do then fight with children" she said as she walked away. some humans... she thought as she strolled not caring about the fretful girl behind her.

Her wings fluttered and she sat back down. "You you mean playing with a ball of yarn? Or is it just that your master needs you home by now?" She yawned and pet Shiori on the head with her free hand. The small white dragon let out a small breath of fire and churred with happiness.

Now that got her mad "I ANSWER TO NO MORTAL MASTER CHILD! I ANSWER TO THE GREAT GODDESS BASTET! STILL YOUR TONGUE BEFORE SPEAKING OF THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW!" as she spoke the area around her grew darker like she was calling the shadows to her. this child is trying my patience. "i would not expect a mortal human such as yourself to know of the powers higher then your 'god'" that was sure to make the child mad i know she is not human and if she is proud of what she is she will take offense

"Human? HUMAN? How dare you call me human! I am a dragon! Do you see my mighty wings? Or are you blind?!" She stood up and expanded her wings to the fullest. "Get that right or die! And God? God.... What God? If there truly was a God, then I'd be back at home with my brother, mother, and a sane father! If there was a God, then my mother would actually be alive....." She trailed off and had a small flashback of the abuse and torment she endured and survived for seven years of her life. She winced at the thought and snapped back into reality.
Shiori ducked down behind Rakku and made a small whining sound. "It's alright Shiori. This creature won't hurt you. I'll kill her before she does." Rakku muttered to the small dragon to comfort her, but she still wouldn't come up.

"oh i see now no family fending for yourself then? looking for a way to get revenge? and you think this is noble well i have news for you its not you will only end up harming yourself farther young dragon and i knew what you were i just was looking for a reaction and look what i got!" she turned again to walk away

"I never said I wanted revenge. Stop putting words in my mouth you mouse-brain. But if you want to stop this entertaining quarrel then fine. I'll let you take your leave." Rakku sat down and leaned against the same tree again and brought out her Mp3. Shiori climbed back on her lap and closed her eyes.

"now you are a big girl aren't you? never had mommy or daddy there for you? and now you think you can do this all alone take on the world even well guess what the world isn't ask forgiving and easy as you want it to be so you can sit there and think back on the life you could have had or you can make a life of your own... which will it be?" she asked turning back to the girl why am i doing this? why do i care for this girl?

"You're really pissing me off. I've already started going ahead with my life. In fact Miss Priss, I did so when I escaped. If you'll kindly quit with the assuming and interrogate me. It would make things much easier. Or don't. Whatever you want. I couldn't care less." She said and turned her Mp3 on and set it to the first song on the list which was Paranoid Doll by Gakupo Kamui, a Vocaloid.

"and so you chose.." she whispered to herself as she looked at the girl she had wanted to help she knew how the girl must feel for she herself had felt like that once she turned up her hood ans started away then stopped and added as an after thought "...I..I lost my parents to when i was very young in fact today marks 1821 years they have been dead"

Rakku looked at the cat-woman with genuine sorrow. For both of them "I'm so sorry. My mother hasn't been dead but around two years, but it still hurts as it was such a short while ago. How did your parents die? If you don't mind my asking."

Zarxya walked over by the girl and sat next to her "no i don't mind. It was a long time ago in a land across the ocean my homeland i was only 195 which is young for my kind maybe equivalent to your 8 or 9 year old and one day I had gone to far from the house to play i a stream I play there for hours unaware of the rest of the world when the wind suddenly grew cold and I got a horrible feeling something wasn't right so i ran back through the forest as fast as I could...but i was to late. By the time i got back they were all dead blood sat in pools all around me bodies littered the streets but still I hoped that my mama and papa were alive so I ran to my home... though i later wish i hadn't"she paused to take a breath pain of the memory coming back to her "I walked in the door to find my papa laying in a pool of his own blood on the floor and my mama a spear through her chest on the kitchen table. I couldn't take it so i collapsed on the floor feeling alone and forgotten when I heard the war horn that couldn't be mistaken for anything except that of a human's then my world went black. That is what happened and I will never forget but I will not seek revenge for revenge destroys all" she finished her story with a heavy sigh

"That's terrible.......... I...... That must have been hard to endure until a few years passed huh? Wow..... I never knew you had it that bad... I'm so sorry." Rakku's eyes began to water a tiny bit. She could get a bit emotional at times.... Shiori, who had been listening to the story, flew up to the feline and nuzzled up to her chin. She let out a small noise. "She said 'That's really sad...'"

"it's alright like i said along time ago and besides I had a great master to show me the way after that but you don't have anyone do you?" she asked looking down with concern in her eyes

"I do. But I haven't been able to find him for a few years. My older brother. His name was Tsukai and he was the most wonderful older brother in the world. So caring, so kind, always had a smile on his face. He could make anyone cheer up. But otherwise no. My mother died by the hands of my father and my father's completely nuts. He's probably out there somewhere searching for me in a final attempt to kill me." Rakku watched Shiori as she got comfortable on the cat-woman's lap and looked back and forth at she and Rakku.

Zarxya placed a hand on the little dragon in her lap and smiled. She then turned her head back to the girl "would you like to travel with me until you find your brother? It would take alot of stamina, skill, and courage for the road I travel and what I do are both very dangerous but I would enjoy the company and I could help you in many ways you can't on your own."