Early Morning (Marree)

A gnarly set of teeth flash before my eyes. Sharp, pointed fangs that are pointed right at me. The muzzle of the wolf displaying his threat for me. Showing me that the wolf's intentions were meant, not only for show, but of the last thing I would see before my untimely demise. My breath hitches in my throat, a small hiccup escaping my lips as I take a very slow step backwards away from the wolf. I have to escape... I need to protect Matthew. My thoughts come to my mind. This starts repeating what I've already done once in my waking life, but this can't be a dream. There's too much pain. Too many things going on around me that feel so real. The wolf takes a step closer toward me and I shake my head very lightly.

"Go away, you damn wolf!" I mutter under my breath. My heartrate quicks so fast. My breath seems to be labored in the attempts to keep calm but staying calm while facing a wolf is impossible. Especially when I've already seen what their teeth can do. I remember it all too well. "Matthew, RUN!" I scream out to him, and I see, in the corner of my eye, something moving beside of me but it doesn't run away. No! It's coming closer. My vision shifts suddenly to catch another wolf coming after me, but there's something different about this wolf. The color of it's fur is brown and as I glance into it's peering eyes, they change colors and shape. The iris's begin to form into a human shape and I suddenly realize that I'm not in danger from this one wolf. Instead, it takes it's position right beside me and digs it's paws into the ground, then its front two paws spread out to brace itself for attack and the brown wolf lowers its head to the grey, manical looking wolf that gnashes in my direction.

"Help.. me..." I whisper to the the brown wolf and I see as the wolf's head nods subtly to me. I reach into my pocket for small dagger and I let it show to the grey wolf. Instantly, the grey wolf lurches forward and I find myself being knocked backwards onto the ground. My head connects to the ground with a thud but I scramble to roll over even though my vision is spinning. Run, Kyanite. Run! He's saving you. You need to go! I scream to myself and with all my might, I leave the two wolves to their fight.

"Please don't be hurt, brown wolf... please be safe. You ...just saved my life... how can I repay you?" I mutter in between breaths. My arms swing furiously in efforts to try to get my momentum going; in order to get as far away as possible. EAch step is a foot further away. The sounds of howling reach my ears and then the growls are next. A yelp somewhere in the distance makes me think that one of them is hurt, but I can't go back. I can't sacrifice myself for the two when I have no clue who will still be alive. I fight against the ground. I run for as far as I can until something catches my leg and I find myself rolling on the ground into a heap of dead leaves and come to a halt against the trunk of a tree.

Pain.

Exhaustion.

Fear.

I moan from where I lay and my fingers grab hold of a leaf that suddenly turns to dust as I hold it in my hands. The very dead leaf I hold just disappears between my fingers and falls into a heap of dust on the ground. My eyes grow weary suddenly and I lean heavily on the tree as I make myself get to a standing position. That's when I hear it. Silence. Complete and utter silence from where I stand uneasy and swaying. Get a grip Kyanite. You're fine. Just run! Run! Don't stop until you get somewhere safe! There's a moment of hesitation, my fingers touching and groping the tree to stay in a standing position. My mouth dries instantly from the sudden fear. The hair on the back of my neck prickles with the very essense of the atmostphere that is trying to crush my lungs. I hiccup once again while my eyes begin to search the forest. My vision darts between ever tree. My nose catches nothing but the scent of the stream nearest to me. I feel sweat beading on my forehead and for a moment, my eyes begin to tear up. I'm scared. I"m truely terrified.

My feet hit the ground running and with it, so does something else. I scream. Something behind me growls. I scream again. Something clamps around my ankle.

I fall. Down. Down. Down. My body smashes against the ground and I momentarily am too shocked to even move. My left arm ends up being draped across my face as I lay on my side. My leg burns like something is being set on fire and I begin to cry real tears for once not caring who sees. If this is going to be my last moments alive, I don't want any false things about my life. I don't want to hide the tears that need to show my emotions. I wait for the moment to feel more pain. I hope for a fast death instead of a slow agonizing one that I feel this wolf is going to give me. Where the fuck is the creature?

I moan out a pitiful sound and then I hear the footsteps padding near my head, but I don't stop the moan. I'm in too much pain. Too much fear is gripping my mind to really filter what I'm doing. Instead, I let it hear me. I let it see the fear that it has instilled in me. How dare I give it that kind of satisfaction? How dare I just lay here and take it? I can't help it anymore. I've been strong for too long and it's time to finally let go of this illusion of fate that would keep me safe if I just hold it all in.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I scream out. My voice echoes out into the forest as it travels for a while. Over and over again, I hear those words as they become lower and lower. A second later, I feel something bite into my leg again. This time, I scream in pain and that is what I hear being echoed throughout the forest. Over and over and over again. "Stop...." I whimper out.

Another bite further up my leg.

My eyes leak this poison far more than I've ever let it before. It rolls off my eyes, and down the bridge of my nose until it collects enough that it falls carelessly into the ground only to be soaked up by the ground.

"Had enough?" I hear this voice come out of nowhere. The deep, raspy voice of my assailant. I can't muster the energy to roll over or remove my arm to look to see who the voice belongs too, but I've heard the voice enough to know who it was. It's enough that his voice puts me into this paralyzed state of fear. I hold my breath. Keep my eyes closed. I try to envision anything but this to happen to me. I pray to be anywhere but here with Jins. My worst nightmare. My most evil of dreams and he is running the show, but where is the wolf?

"My dearest sweetheart... I'm sorry. I'm sorry it had to come to this. You and me... we were meant to be. Not you and that damned Matthew. You were not suppose to save him. That wolf was suppose to kill him. Ravage him to bits. Why did you save him? Why did you kill him with that knife?" His voice comes across with anger. Hatred. The most vile attitude ever and I suddenly feel my cheek sting with the force of his hand against my face. I moan once again to the pain.

"Stop... hurting me." I manage out with my soft, hurtful voice. I wait only a moment before I feel something being hit against my ribs and feel something crack with the force. I gasp and try to roll out of the way, my body finding its movement back, but it does no good. He pulls me back to him and he removes my hand from my face. I stare up at him, with half open eyes. My eyes seeking death for him, but I'm unable to move.

"See, my love.. it doesn't work that way. You don't tell me what to do. You listen to me. You answer me. You serve me, cause that's all you're good for. Unless you are mine, you will always find yourself on the other end of my affection." He says to me as he places his hand against my throat, pushing slightly on my skin. I move against the touch and try to wiggle out, but he pushes harder making me stop. "I said... if you aren't mine, then you will perish. I've already threatened you once. Don't make me do it again."

"Let... I can't..." I try to force out but the breath has left my lungs and what I did have, I just used to try to tell him to let me breath. A gnarly smile comes to greet me just like the wolf's did. His teeth shining at me as if he is saying he wants nothing more than to keep me for his own. To devour me and leave no trace of my presence on earth. Another set of tears falls gracefully down my cheeks and get soaked up by the ground. My eyes begin to close. The vision around my eyes darken and the moment I start seeing dots form infront of my eyes, there's a release on my throat.

"You don't touch her, you good for nothing..." I hear the scuffle so near to me, and the moment that my vision comes flooding back to me, I see who has come to help me. The image of the boy isn't who I thought it was going to be. Instead of Matthew, I see Mark. I see his tall form take a swing at Jins. I notice the blood that forms on his lip as Mark takes another swing against teh guy. They battle it out right there in front of me, and as I try to move to get up, I feel something not right with my body. There's this sharp, penetrating pain in my leg and as I look down, I can see the three knives sticking out of my leg. Blood pooled around my body and I crumple back to a laying position.

I lose track of time laying there until the scuffle around me ends with a loud thud of a body and I close my eyes. Please don't be dead, MArk... please... You have to be alright. I find myself wishing just like I did with the two wolves. It starts to make sense now. The two wolves were them. In my time of need, the wolf with brown fur and human like eyes was the one to protect me against the grey one. Now, once again, Mark has come to my aid and I feel this overwhelming sense of fear for him as I did the wolf. Are they the wolves? Did they change their shapes... could they be fighting once again.

"Kyanite?" I hear my name being called out with such a sweet tone. The voice so calm. Collected. Fearful, even. I open my eyes to see the face of the chocolate brown haired guy whom I had met before in my waking state. His face displays a few red spots. His mouth bleeds from the corner. I grimace as he takes me into his arms. The biting pain in my legs and the stinging pain on my neck seems to make me realize that I'm losing my battle fast. I try to talk, but the only thing that comes out is a faint wheeze. My windpipe was crushed with the force of Jin's attempt to sufficate me. I shake my head to Mark, and the moment he tries to talk to me I fade away, my eyes closing into nothing but blackness.

~~~~~

"HELP!" I jolt awake, my body flinging forward with a sudden cry out for help for anyone to listen to me. My voice returned to me in my waking state that when I realize it was just a dream, I hear the footsteps of running coming down the hallway and the door to my room slams open. My eyes land on my father instantly, seeing the fear in his face until he realizes that there is no danger. No reason for me to call out for help. He purses his lips together, but his eyes seem a little soft for once.

"You okay?" He mutters in a sleepy tone. All I can do is nodd to him, and he rubs his face of the sleep that I interrupted and he nods back to me. "Alright. Go back to sleep, Kyan. You got training in three hours."

He shuts the door and leaves me sitting up in bed. My body drenched in a cold sweat to fend for my own self and the dream that makes me shudder with just the thought of what happened in it. I draw my legs up to my body, wrap my arms around my knees and lay my head down on top of my arms. I lean against the wall beside my bed and I remain there, until I hear my brother start his early morning routine and I start my own. I dress rather quietly and find myself completely a wreck as I walk to the door and take my leave to attend training at the gym at such an early time.

By the time I reach the gym, I've yawned more than a dozen times, but the closer I get to the gym, I can hear people inside already. The thought of having to meet up with someone this morning is a bit daunting. I can't stand it, but I have to train and this is the only way. I open the door to the training center and walk in only to see the one person that my dream was predicting that I'd see. Mark. A small hint of a smile comes to my mouth as I start to wonder what a weird coincidence this is. That I dream about him then he's suddenly the first person that I see this morning and whose the little girl he's playing with? I muse to myself and watch him spar with her from afar and the moment he locks eyes with me, the little girl smashes the the wooden sword agaisnt his legs and he falls.

I laugh, letting my voice ring out softly, but then try to hide my amusement. It is too funny to see the girl take him down. I watch eagerly as I try to make my way over to him and the moment he takes down his friend, he declares her done and sends her off to the obstacle course. "That's not very fair. Taking advantage..." I halt in my footsteps when someone appears out of nowhere that I really wasn't looking forward to seeing this day. Jins. What's worse is seeing him hold the sword against Marks neck and I instantly get reminded of my dream when he crushed my neck with his bare hands. I couldn't let that happen to Mark. Not in the waking world. The little girl suddenly clings to my leg and I put a protective arm around her suddenly to keep her hidden.

"Jins..." I say, my voice a little raspy, but confident. "What.. are you doing here?" I ask of him, but once again, my vision goes to the sword at his neck and I'm painfully reminded of my dream. Fear seems to be right there as I feel my fingers shake. I turn to the girl. "Run to the medical room. Don't come out..." I tell her and send her off. With this frighten fiber in my body, I turn back to Jins and take this sudden shove against him, to get him away from Mark. If only I had my knife... Mark... Don't let this be like my dream....

I take force against Jins with strength that I find somewhere hidden because of what's going on. The look on the little girls face as she ran was definately heartbreaking, but since she was running off, she wouldn't be my soul reason for defending her brother. Now, it was just me because I know how Jins could be. I know the touches that he can forcefully use against a person. The pain of the strength. The speed. I've felt it too many times and just as I try to barrel him down, there's this moment that I didn't see the sword cut into Marks neck because I was trying to do something to get him away from Mark. I balance back on my two feet and watches as he is back up on his feet in no time.

"Lea...leave him alone... Jins." My voice comes out with this sort of fear. A very faint shake it in as he talks. His voice comes across in a cunning way. Sly. His voice that enters my ears makes me feel offended.

Oh baby, look, when were not together you get people hurt. He says and that's what makes me turn around to see Mark as he had bellowed out and fell to one knee. Blood coming to a head on the back of his neck.

"Mark!" The shock is apparent. I turn back to Jins and glare at him with hatred but his words come once again to me. Ones that makes me want to throw up my hands and walk away, but there's something in his voice that makes me fear it. As if his voice is demanding I do something or else. I know what 'Or else' means to him and that usually ends up with me against a wall or laying on the floor. I dont' fancy that kind of torment today. I've had so much to deal with in the past week that honestly, I'm done.

"Go to hell.... Jins." I hear the words leave my mouth and instantly, I have guilt. Those words will definatly come back to haunt me now. They always do. Reprocussions. Everything I do around Jins has reprocussions to them.

Something confuses me. Why is it that I'm able to lash out with my words towards Jins when others are around but not when it's just myself and him. Is it that I feel safer with the extra set of eyes? Hands? Strength? Perhaps, it's just the feeling that Jins won't hurt me in front of someone else that gives me the courage, but I know the moment that he finds me alone, I will end up paying the price as he already threatened me once with. Those words scare me to death. I look over at Mark who has taken to a fighting stance and I hear him say that only one of them is walking out of here. That can only mean that if I don't do something, MArk could be injured. He was already bleeding from the neck. I don't think I could stand to watch him get hit with another blow. I fight my own need to stay out of it and finally speak up.

"Jins... if you promise... not to hurt him..." What am I saying? When has he ever been honest? Never kept a promise in his life. "Just leave him alone and I'm yours, okay? Just don't hurt him again."

I am nothing but weakness around Jins. I can't stand to be pushed around, yet for some reason, I can't let him do it to others. I can handle what he dishes out. I always have. I'm used to his hideous words and forceful spirit. I don't look back at Mark as I come in between them, knowing good and damn well what position I just put myself in. I stare into Jins's eyes and my eyes evoke this soft spirit. I don't plan on doing anything now cause I know what will happen if I anger him.
]

Come on kitty cat. You and I both know that's a lie.

Shock. There in the pit of my stomach, I feel it drop when he says those words. The only thing I can't beleive is that he doesn't understand my need to keep Mark safe from him. He's already taken the blade against his skin. I really don't want Mark to suffer again because of me. This is all my fault to begin with. It wouldn't be this way if I just gave in to Jins instead of denying him. Instead of keeping my distance. I shake my head to him furiously. "I'M NOT LYING." I try to reason with him, but what he says next has me biting my bottom lip. I refuse to beleive what he says. I don't see anything wrong with him. I don't see how he was almost killed. Though, my voice has been silenced now. I can't find the words to battle him when he begins calling me 'kitty'. Jins... I'm sorry. Don't do anything rash.. I'm sorry.

I plead with my eyes instead of my voice because I feel my throat tighten all of a sudden. I look back to Mark for one second before looking back at Jins. I see the motion that he starts doing with the sword and the only thing I can think of is the way he used the sword against me when I was twelve and he crushed my hand with the hilt of the sword. It was then when he was straddling my hips that day that I saw that wild look in his eyes. The ones that I see everytime I look at him now. It's this bone chilling glare that makes me wonder what horrible thoughts are going through his head.

I close my eyes instinctively the moment I see the sword move. I move my body to protect myself, my hands going to protect my torso and face when I feel this shove against my body, and I land against the ground with a thud. I gasp out and I find myself scrambling to get up when I see Mark standing where I was just at, and Jins is on the ground, blood dripping from his lip.

"How...?" I question with such a low voice. I move to stand beside of Mark, bend down and pick up the sword. I see the deep gash on Marks arm and nothing but guilt rises up into my throat. "Mark, I'm sorry..." Is all I can say as I point the swords tip outward at Jins. How am I going to do this again... to fight him. Mark can't even hold the sword. Close combat... there's no way...

"Jins... your angry with me. Not Mark. Don't fight him." I find something close to courage in my voice, but the situation is daunting. I stare into Jins' eyes. Whatever Matthew has done to him, has me paying the price now.

I swear, from one moment to the next, it seems like the situation seems to have gotten a little more intense with the presense of the little girl. She runs back in and holds the crossbow at Jins and I feel absolutely remorseful. I should have kept a better eye on the girl so she wouldn't have come back to see all of this. What scares me more is the fact that Jins could do anything to her and I would be responsible for it. I stay by Marks side, staring at the blood that flows freely from the wound that Jins had given him. The only thing I can think of at this moment it that it could have been worse. Jins could have hurt the little girl.

The moment that Jins takes off after having the sword against his neck, I see this glint in his eyes as he turned away from me. What was it? Dread engulfs me for a moment thinking about what Jins had said to me. That my boyfriend had tried to kill him? Was it possible that Matthew would do that to me? After everything that we had gone through, he would try to make it worse on me? A chilling moment washes over me as I feel my skin pale with this cold chill. Once again, his words echoed in my head.

I'm going to make sure you never do it again. If I can't have you, no one can."

Fear. Jins seems to bring out the worst in me even without trying. It's simply the matter that I have no clue what's he's capable of. I'm unsure of why he went after Mark. Was it because of him seeing me around him? Maybe it was something else that goes back farther than I know of for Mark and him. Perhaps, Jins has been somewhat of a bully to everyone at one point in their lives and it seems that he is still the same way around others as he is to me. Does Jins make Mark's like a living hell like he does me? I begin to wonder as the situation around me turns when Mark becomes this demanding authoritive figure to his little sister. I want to say something but, the words never can leave my mouth. I stare after the little girl and watch as she lets out a loud sigh and turns to walk away.

"Flavia wait." I hear him say and I watch as the little girl turns around just as Mark hands her a dagger. He warns her like a big brother would. Could she be his family? Could the little girl be his sister? If so, that would explain her protectiveness around Mark. Why she would risk herself to try to help Mark. I nod to her, but I don't know if she see's it. It reminds me of my brother. He's always my lookout, but protection? Never needed it much... and what protection I need is only against one person. Still, my thoughts are suddenly interrupted when Mark grabs my attention and tells me to hold the needle. He was going to stitch up his arm or I was one. I was the one who trained with weapons. The intriquet details with stitches are still on my to-do list of needed things to know.

The sword he hands me, I do as he asks. I return a few moments later with the cherry red tipped sword and wait for what he needs to do. I see the blood on his arm and his neck. Still remorse fills my mind and heart. Jins was suppose to be my problem only and now, he has become Marks.

"Do you know Jins?" I question him, but unsure if he'll answer in this desperate timing, but the curiosity and the need to know is essential.

I stand next to him when I give him the red glowing tipped sword and watch him intently. He's planning on burning the wound and closing the blood vessels from losing any more blood from his body. I watch with a weak stomach as he wipes away the blood from his arm and then uses the red hot word against the wound. He grunts and says one choice word that has me flinching but only slightly until he lets up with the sword. The bleeding stopped for the moment. It's almost gut wrenching to listen to him talk about making me doing it next, but I know it needs to be done, so with what courage I've got to readily burn someone with the hot metal, I take my position behind him and wait a moment when he speaks up.

Well Kya, I got something to ask you, but not here. Do you mind meeting me later tonight to talk about it? He says to me and I have to wonder about which topic he's wanting to discuss. Surely, he wouldn't be talking about us? I understand that one day we met was one thing. This time was different. No playing games of seduction for us. We've both had a run in with Jins and I'm afraid that's what the discussion is going to be about. I turn to look at the wound and take a peice of sterile gauze from the first aid kit and wipe fast before I answer him. Without waiting, I press the tip to the wound on the back of his neck and hold it there even though he says a few more choice words. I hate to cause his pain. In the battlefeild, maybe? But trying to help but still harming him is another story. The sword is pulled away from his wound and I gently push the gauze to the edges to wipe away the stray blood stains.

"Of course... where do you want to meet? What time? Can you spare any detail?" I ask trying to get a hint out of this meeting that is suppose to take place.