Running With ghosts (Melissa)

Kaiko looked up at the sky. The sun just barely rising above the horizon. She still felt bad about the look in Melissa's eyes that night. The last thing she had intended on doing was wounding her old friend. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the tree turning her face to the sun.

It's warmth just barely reaching her skin through the branches. It was starting to get a little chilly with the coming of winter but she didn't mind it.
Do you think she will come, Arzevic asked.
I hope she does, Kaiko thought opening her eyes only halfway staring up through the branches. She had sent her a note through the mail.

Since she had no one aside from Melissa in the city she'd had no choice. The only thing she could do was hope it had reached her hands and not another. Kaiko slowly slid down to sit at the base of the tree. Enjoying the smell of the bluebell flowers of the meadow. She had chosen this spot in a hopes that Melissa would remember the good things about life instead of all the other terrible things.

She just hoped Melissa wasn't to hurt or mad at her to come. Kaiko continued to stare up through the branches "She'll come I know she'll come."

[Sorry for such a long wait]

Melissa fumbled with her thumbs as she stared down at the basket she had packed. It was filled to the rim with food, glasses, and only the best wine; a little picnic. The weather wasn't looking favorable, but Melissa had hardly thought anything about it. She had gotten her friends letter, and was overjoyed that the two would get to meet again.

During their last meet Melissa thought it would be just that, the last. The two had picked very different paths, and meeting as they were may even be considered dangerous. She didn't have much friends within her packlines, which she would have to change really fast if she wanted to evade rumors of unloyalty. No doubt some of her packmates were thinking it.

Her footsteps were muffled by the sound of her light brown uggs sinking in the powder. She wore leggings and a tightly-knit sweater that kept her warm while not making her look like a stuffed marshmellow. She also wore a knitted white headband that covered her ears, but allowed her hair to dangle down her back. She'd even put on a dab on lipshine and blush to brighten her features. It was the most work she'd put together in an outfit since her meeting with The Alphess.

Pushing through the last of the coniferous branches, Melissa could finally spot a familiar figure sitting against the base of a tree. Snow had not yet reached this area, and Melissa could still spot patches of grass. "Hello Kaiko." Melissa smiled brightly, remembering the basket that hung from her arms she fumbled with it till she held it out to her friend. "I brought with a little lunch that I thought the two of us could share, unless you're not hungry." Melissa withdrew the basket, had her friend already aten? Melissa felt foolish suddenly.

Kaiko looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. A welcoming smile spread across her face at the appearance of her friend. It was so good to see her looking well. Kaiko adjusted the collar at her neck its tag lightly chiming as she looked at Melissa. She was certainly dressed for the approaching cold. Yet what was her deal?

All she was wearing was her typical boots, jeans, and a light zip up hoodie. It was no wonder people often mistook her for a guy.
Kaiko faintly smiled at her "lunch sounds fantastic." She watched as her friend sank down beside her. Wondering if and how she should go about apologizing to her friend about that night.

She tightened her lips slightly looking at her friend. Deciding it was now or never to take the risk. Reaching out she gently placed a hand over Melissa's. Making her look up from what she was doing.
"Melissa..sweety, listen I know this is hard on you, Gabrielle's death impacted you worst of all. You watched him died, you know why he died and that's not something you just get over but let me tell you something. Something I don't say lightly or even talk about but I've been down that road to in one form or another. It's always terrible, it always hurts, and it's never EVER easy," Kaiko murmured.

She waited a moment gathering her thoughts and then very slowly she reached up and pulled one of the tags off of the collar. It was an almost unbearably painful action. Gently turning Melissa's hand over she placed the tag in her palm and curled her fingers up over it. Kaiko looked carefully at Melissa "I just want you to know, that when that pain seems unbearable, that when it seems like you're drowning in that deep suffocating darkness to where you're clawing for a surface that seems unreachable, it's not, you want to know why? Because I'll be here I promise you that."

She gently squeezed her friends hand before letting it slowly slip away. It never occurred to her how good it would feel to be able to tell someone who'd experienced the same as one self that you'd be there for them. Suddenly the boundaries that had been set between them no longer mattered to her.

(Ah it's okay it happens)

Melissa beamed happily and went to sit by her friend. She slid down the tree trunk, beginning to unload their meal. It wasn't anything super large or fantastic, and with a frown Melissa realized she'd forgotten the little checkered blanket that she seemed to picture whenever somebody spoke the word 'picnic'. But Melissa was fine when she grasped the bottle of wine, thinking of the buzz it would bring.

She was about to show the fine drink to Kaiko when she spoke up. Her tone surprised Melissa enough and she looked up with shock when she spoke about Gabriel. The glass bottle slipped from her hand and fumbled back into the basket, clattering against the glasses that still lie inside. Melissa blinked multiple times, trying to stop her hands from shaking as she retrieved it. She was stopped short when Kaiko grabbed her hand and gently laid something inside it. Again her attention was pulled from the basket. Her fingers remained clutched over the tag, and she looked up at Kaiko, her eyes glistening.

Melissa threw her arms around her friend, her eyes squeezed shut. She refused to sob, to even let a single tear drop. "I've missed you, ya know?" Melissa whispered. She pulled back, resting her hands on Kaiko's shoulders. She smiled weakly, before laughing lightly almost to herself and blinking away the rest of her tears. She dropped her hands to her sides, smiling at her friend. "I don't even know what I'm doing have the time anymore, ya know? I mean, after it happened, I was so angry and upset, all I could think about was revenge. I thought about, what I would do if I ever found them. The Hunters, I mean." Melissa appeaered almost distracted as she reached the wine and poured herself and Kaiko a glass. She rested back on one of her hands, watching the wine as it swirled from within.

"I would think about how it might feel to sink my teeth into their throats, showing them what I was capable of, giving them what they deserved..." Melissa smiled faintly, pulling the glass to her lips. But before she could take a drink she set it down again, clasping her hands in her lap. "But now... I don't think I can do it Kaiko. It was rediculous for me to even consider, me? A mutt, killing a hunter? That's like asking to get slaughtered. And even at Home, if i could even call it that, I have no friends. Honestly, I haven't even tried to talk to anyone. The only two people I've talked to are the Alphess and one of our Doctors after I hurt myself while training..." At Kaiko's questioning glance Melissa stopped short and suddenly burst out in giggles. "I was trying to practice with a knife and instead of cutting the stupid dummy I cut my own arm. You see how rediculous that is? It's only further proof that I'm definately not cut out for this. But It's not like I could just up and leave? Remember that Ryker guy that wanted protection because he'd tried to leave? The Alphess would probably put a bounty on my head as soon as I tried to walk out the front door."

Melissa shook her head, feeling hopeless. There was still a part, a very small part, that wanted to go through with her original plan. But the majority of her sensed that she was being rediculous and knew she'd picked the wrong path. Now she was left to make the best of an impossible situation. Melissa sighed, picking up her glass before abruptly downing it and pouring herself another of which she sipped slowly, watching her friend. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude and talking all about myself and my stupid problems that only I got myself into. It's just, I haven't had anyone to talk to, ya know?" Melissa smiled gratefully, then downed her glass again. She did not hesitate when pouring another glass, and she began to stir the rosy liquid with her finger.

She said nothing as the glass bottle slipped from Mel's fingers. It clanked lightly back into the basket from which she had been trying to pull it from. It seemed her words had taken her by total surprise but she knew that Mel needed to hear these words. Needed to know that she wasn't alone and that there was a way back. Given it wasn't an easy road but it was one none the less.

Kaiko said nothing as Melissa fumbled to get the bottle out again her hands slightly shaking. She could tell her words had affected her deeply at the tears that threatened to break in her friends eyes. Kaiko almost jumped in surprise as Mel suddenly wrapped her in a hug. She had never been much use to physical contact with other people so it seemed strange to her. As Mel released her and spoke she slowly nodded at her words.

It was understandable that she wanted to hurt the hunters, wanted them the feel that same pain, same terror she was sure Mel had felt at that moment. Yet another voice in her told her that it was the last thing that needed to happen.
Kaiko looked carefully at Melissa "violence and fear only breeds more violence and fear, we live in a world where the ignorance of man foreshadows even the slightest possibility that the things they fear are not truly the things they need to worry about. If we take it slow, through little deeds of kind none aggressive actions. In time I'm sure some of them are bound to notice."

She took the glass of wine that Melissa handed to her and lightly sipped at it thinking. Listening all the while as she spoke. She carefully studied Melissa as she mentioned not having any friends within her pack and how she hadn't even really tried to talk to any of them. It reminded her a lot of herself and to be honest with herself she was still quite a bit like that. It was a difficult behavior to get out of.

Kaiko smiled as Melissa broke out giggling, not failing to note how many glasses she downed already.
"I won't lie I've done things like that before, and then things that were much more ignorant and embarrassing then that," Kaiko chuckled smiling at her. She shook her head almost laughing as Melissa apologized. She had no reason to be apologizing when talking about what had happened had been the main reason she had invited her here.
"Don't be silly you're problems aren't stupid in the least, besides its just good to talk, to clear the air. Sometimes if you don't talk about you're problem much worse things could happen," Kaiko explained smiling.

The thought of problems brought to mind a certain quote to her mind that she had read in a book 'Sometimes, people don't address the terrible things they see. They bury them in a deep place. And they come to live in a constant state of darkness.' The thought alone made her think of Melissa's alphess and it made her shiver slightly. That was the last thing she wanted for her friend.

( "Sometimes, people don't address the terrible things they see. They bury them in a deep place. And they come to live in a constant state of darkness." -Dr. Alicto (Death Match) Just thought this quote was kind of appropriate for this :D)