To Mend a Broken Heart

[IshWolfy]

It's like she couldn't catch a break. Life just kept tossing shit at her no matter where she turned. First it was her mate then it was her best friend. Tamar had passed away so suddenly, the image of his body slumped over the table as they ate dinner was etched deeply into her mind. One moment they were happy, laughing, as they ate dinner and the next Tamar was clutching his chest and slumping over the table. The paramedics hadn't arrived in time to save him. The worse was Tamar could have been saved. Ryan wouldn't have to be dealing with the loss of Amnesia by herself. If only Tamar had gone to the doctor or maybe if she'd known. She should've known what was happening. She blamed herself for his death. She knew everything about him, except that he'd been born with a heart defect that had escaped notice until it killed him just a few months ago.

Not soon after Tamar passed away did she lose her best friend. Amnesia had been there as she grieved and had made her smile and pulled her out of her worse after Tamar had passed and now she too was gone. Her death had been a bit more....violent then Tamar's. Killed by their own kind. Thats what she'd read in the obituary. Unfortunately, Ryah had been unable to make her best friends funeral. Her boss was an asshole sometimes. So she didn't know all the details for her best friends death. She knew Amnesia's mate had been there when it happened though. That had to be rough.

But she couldn't even begin to imagine what Amnesia's mate had to be going through. To lose her like that had to have been rough and he had no one to lean on. At least, no one Ryah knew of. Whenever Amnesia spoke of Aztrex she made him sound so mysterious and brooding. Truth be told, Ryah knew next to nothing about him. She knew what he looked like from the countless amount of pictures that Amnesia gushed over as they chatted over who's mate was better. At least Ryah had had Amnesia to lean on when Tamar had died, who did Aztrex have?

Shaking her head she stepped out of her car, clutching a bouquet of flowers in her hand as she stepped into the cemetery. Unlike most days, today she had two bouquets. One for Tamar and one for Amnesia. She would visit Tamar's grave first. There she would switch the dead flowers for the livings ones in the little vase next to his tombstone. She would talk quietly to no one in particular. She would tell him how much she missed him, how she missed Amnesia. Once her little chat was over she stood and began walking the rows and rows of tombstones, looking for the one that would mark her best friends grave.

But instead of finding a tombstone she would find a familiar face hunched over a grave. She only knew him from pictures and word of mouth but this had to be the infamous Aztrex. He looked like he'd come and gone from hell. He had to be in hell. She knew what the male was going through. She'd been in his shoes just a few months prior. She cleared her throat to let him know she was there before she placed the flowers on the tombstone. "Hey." She murmured quietly, chancing a glance at him.

 

[Tayssi]

His nose still stung with the coppery scent of blood. Even now he could smell it. Three weeks had passed since that day, but Aztrex could still smell blood, feel the burn inside his nostrils. He could remember every detail of that day the day his mate was murdered. Amnesia. She was special. So small in size and yet so full of life. He could remember clearly how he had constantly pushed her away for months and yet she ignored his warnings and glued herself to his side like a thorn he couldn't remove. He didn't know when, but somewhere along the way, he had grown fond of her company and soon after that, he had accepted her pleas to be his mate. Even though she had been no less annoying in his eyes, he had come to realise he enjoyed her constant chatter and zest for adventure.

Only a couple months later, was she ripped from his life. His world had shattered that day. The first time he truly opened up to someone and she gets murdered. The devastating surge of loneliness he felt crushed his lungs, almost suffocating him. It was like he had forgotten how to breathe. But then, what was the point? If he stopped, then maybe he could see his precious Amnesia once more. Hear her voice once more, watch her bound around with energy he could never hope to match. See her smile once more. Oh what he wouldn't do to see her smile again.

Staring down at her tombstone, Aztrex stood there for what felt like forever, clutching the single white rose in his hand, its thorns piercing his skin, blood running along its stem and his hand. After a while, he finally decided to sit, crossing his legs underneath him and he reached over, placing the the blood stained rose on her grave. He slowly unclenched his bloodied hand, staring at the blood without really looking at it. The pain didn't even register in his mind. He felt so extremely lost without her. She never deserved to die to soon. And certainly not the way she had.

He felt so physically and emotionally exhausted. He rarely got any sleep now, and when he did, it was fitful and full of nightmares from that day. He had bags under his eyes and his once bright blue eyes were dull and haunted. Hunching over, head bowed, holding his hands out, palms up towards the sky in front of him, Aztrex sighed heavily. He thought he may have heard footsteps, but he didn't lift his head to check. He didn't care. Didn't even care when he heard someone clear their throat.

However, then they placed a bouquet of flowers in front of Amnesia's tombstone and heard a voice. That was when Aztrex straightened slightly, tilted his head back and looked up at the person. He hadn't seen her before. Who was she? What was she doing at Amnesia's grave? Quickly stamping down on his curiosity, Aztrex stood up and brushed off the grass from his jeans muttering a "hi" under his breath as he watched her for a moment, noting how close they were now he stood, before stepping back, away from her, creating some distance, even now wanting his space. She wasn't as short as Amnesia. As a human, she had only reached 5'0'', compared to Aztrex's 6'3'', it was a massive difference. But this woman was a little taller than what his mate had been.

He didn't dwell on his thoughts though. Curiosity would only lead to him wanting to know more about her. He definitely didn't want that. Frowning, he clenched his bloody hand by his side, shoving his other hand into his pocket before he turned, ready to leave.

 

[IshWolfy]

Ryah watched this male that she knew nothing about carefully. Her face a mask of indifference though as her gaze caught his pained expression, the bags under his eyes. So this was the infamous Aztrex. He looked like shit. He must have gone through worse though over the past few weeks. She felt something for him, nothing strong, just a sort of kinmanship. He knew her pain, the pain of losing a beloved so suddenly with no explanation. She'd looked like him for a time after Tamar's death.

Her short musings were broken though as he turned away from her. How rude. It was then that the sharp scent of blood reached her nose and her bicolored gaze made its way down to his hand before she flicked her gaze to the blood stained rose on the ground. It wasn't hard to put two and two together. He hurt himself. Whether it was intentional or not she didn't know but at that moment the words of Amnesia echoed in her mind. She wouldn't want Aztrex to be walking around dripping blood.

Without a second thought Ryah suddenly reached forward and snatched his hand. Although she was taller then Amnesia, it wasn't by much. Compared to Amnesia's 5'0 frame Ryah was a head taller at around 5'4 but still considerably shorter then the male before her. Even then, it wasn't hard to use her momentum to swing him back around to face her. Like Amnesia, she had no concept of personal boundaries. But unlike Amnesia, she said nothing as she held onto his wrist tightly so he couldn't pull away.

Ryah reached into the bag she had slung over her shoulder with her other hand rummaged around until she pulled out a bottle of water. She let go of him only long enough to open the bottle and pour some water on his wounds before she let go of him. As cold as she came off, she cared. Especially for the male that had made her best friend happy. She knew nothing of him besides what Amnesia had told her but she knew enough to care. "She wouldn't want you to be hurting yourself like this..." She paused as she looked at the gravestone before flicking her gaze back to him. "And she wouldn't want me to just stand around and do nothing. I can see her giving me the stink eye for doing nothing." Ryah smiled fondly before she nodded to him and turned to begin walking back to her car, assuming that was that of their conversation and they'd go their separate ways.

 

[Tayssi]

Aztrex was ready to go. He wanted to stay beside Amnesia, but he didn't want to be in the company of someone else. Especially when that someone else was a female. He certainly wasn't ready for that. Even at his own mate's funeral, Aztrex had stayed against the wall, making sure not to be close to anyone and to stay in the shadows so others didn't notice him, either. He liked people even less than he already had before Amnesia untimely passing. And he wasn't ready to spend any sort of time with another.

He had taken only one step away from the woman, however, when he felt thin, feminine fingers wrap around his wrist with surprising force and yanked it backward. It threw him off balance and he had to turn sharply and take a heavy step toward the woman before he was able to steady himself. He blinked in surprise, taking a moment to let what just happened register. His blue eyes slid down to wear her much smaller hand gripped his wrist, just above his injured hand. His brows pinched together and he tried to pull his hand away, his breathing hitching slightly, instantly wanting his space.

However, she kept her grip on him and refused to let go as she searched through the bag with her free hand. He was about to demand that she let go of him when she did, to unscrew the lid to the water bottle she had pulled out. Aztrex stepped back quickly, but she snatched up his wrist again quickly and poured the water on his wounded hand. He didn't even feel the sting like he probably should have. The pain just didn't register.

Moments later, she released his hand and he quickly snatched it back to his side, his wrist warm from her touch. Again, he was about to leave when she started talking, telling him Amnesia wouldn't want him to be hurt and then telling him she wouldn't want her to do nothing, that she could see Amnesia giving her the stink eye for it. Aztrex could certainly see that. She certainly would do that. She never liked seeing him hurt. Which was why she had sacrificed herself. He frowned at the memory, his heart squeezing in agony at the memory.

He took another step back, his breathing suddenly shallow, hurt. But then the woman started to turn away and Aztrex panicked. She was a connection to Amnesia and he didn't even know her name. Clenching his hands by his side and gritting his teeth, pushing away his desire for solitude momentarily. "Wait," he said quietly, taking a small step toward her. "Who are you... To Amnesia?" he asked, brow knitting together. He wanted his silence, but he wanted to know who she was to his mate.

 

[IshWolfy]

Ryah hadn't been expecting Aztrex to halt her or to call out for her. She couldn't really see him as the type of guy to ask for her help. Then again, she wasn't the type of girl to offer a shoulder to cry on either. She was more of a suffer in silence type of a girl. Which was why Amnesia had practically beat the confession and tears out of her when Tamar had died. It had been an amusing sight if she did say so herself. It was a memory that was fond to her.

She turned her gaze to Aztrex and frowned slightly before she spoke. "My name is Ryah. I grew up with Amnesia we are.....were best friends." It was hard for Ryah to refer to her best friend in the past tense. It'd been a few weeks but she still hadn't come to terms with Amnesia's death. She knew nothing about it. She probably knew as much as everyone but Aztrex knew. She wanted to grill the male for information concerning Amnesia's death but she knew now was neither the time or place.

As she waited for Aztrex's answer her sharp eyes studied his body language. She wasn't much of a talker, Amnesia had been the talker, but Ryah excelled when it came to the art of body language. Thats what it'd been impossible for Amnesia to hide Aztrex for long.....not that Amnesia could keep many secrets. "If you want to talk some more I feel like this is not the place to do so." Not with her own beloved buried a few paces away from this very grave. "She talked a lot about you though. Had a lot of pictures of you two together."

She wasn't usually one to offer advice or an ear to listen but she knew his pain. "I know what you're going through Aztrex. Amnesia was there for me through my....pain." She wasn't about to tell him her life story. "She wouldn't want you suffering alone. Knowing her, she'd slap you silly for even thinking such a thing." Ryah smiled warmly at the thought before her mask slammed back down and her face was once again indifferent.

 

[Tayssi]

The young woman told him that her name was Ryah, that she had been Amnesia's best friend. Aztrex flinched at her use of the past tense, feeling like someone had just sank their fangs into his heart. He knew it was true, but he could not come to terms with the fact that she was no longer truly here. That someone couldn't speak about her like she was still here. It tore him apart inside. He didn't know that was even possible at this point. He had slowly been tearing himself apart after her death, even if he didn't realize that.

He knew of Ryah though. His mate had told him more than once about her best friend, Ryah. He remembered once she started, it was hard to make her shut up. He almost smiled at the memory, but his lips seemed unable to move upwards. "Ryah.." he repeated quietly and then brought his good had up and ran it through his black and maroon streaked hair, feeling so exhausted. He just wanted to sleep, but he knew what sleep brought him. Nothing but nightmares full of blood and great pain.

When Ryah suggested going somewhere else to talk if he wanted to, Aztrex tensed. Talk about her? He wasn't sure he'd be able to. Talking about her made it feel too real. But then she told him that Amnesia spoke about him often, that she had had heaps of pictures of them together. He remembered how often she tried to get pictures of them. How many times he had pushed her away. There were very few photos where he actually looked even relatively happy. He was pretty sure that she only had one photo where he looked happy - laughing, actually. And that was a photo she took without him realizing.

Still, he was about to leave. She couldn't help him with his problems. What good would it do to talk to someone who wouldn't understand? However, then she told him that she did, in fact understand his pain. And Aztrex knew that she had lost her mate, as well. He shook his head softly, raising his injured hand and staring down at it for a moment. "I appreciate the offer, Ryah, but I must decline," he said, voice raw with emotion. He had done so much to not think of Amnesia like just a memory and now that's all he was doing. His heart ached. He took a step back, shaking his head, body shaking momentarily.

Instead of walking off, Aztrex turned and started running. After a few paces, he jumped into the air, over the fence of the graveyard and even before he landed, he wolf form had taken over. He paused momentarily, glancing back at Ryah, large ears flicking before he took off, into the trees, wanting the silence. Wanting to rid his memories and go back to blissful silence.

 

[IshWolfy]

Ryah watched Aztrex take off after declining her offer. Briefly, she would debate whether to chase after him but thought better against it. It'd be too....weird. Clearly, he wanted nothing to do with her so she'd let him mourn on his own terms. Turning her gaze back to the grave site he sat down in front of the tombstone and spent the portion of an hour just talking and rummaging through her bag. She'd leave a few items at the grave, nothing tremendously flashy.

In fact, they were mere common household items though they obviously held some sort of importance to Ryah and secrets of her relationship with her best friend. Some stickers, a coffee mug, and a small statue of what appeared to be some sort of dog. She also left a picture at the grave, a picture of Aztrex and Amnesia together, happy. She knew the male would be back to the grave and she figured he'd want the photograph. Amnesia had left it at her cabin by mistake the last time she was over.

Once that was done and an hour had passed Ryah stood and she began the walk to her car. Stopping by her mates grave once again and passing a hand over the stone before continuing on. But once in her car she found she couldn't...move. It was as if the sudden realization that she was truly alone now hit her. Amnesia had been the closest thing she had to family, she'd been like a sister to her. An annoying, bratty baby sister but a sister nonetheless. She'd been there after Tamar's death and thats how Ryah had moved on. But who did she have now to help her move on from this? She had no one. Alone.

It was the first time in her life that she'd been truly alone and it was not a feeling she liked. A feeling that made her heart pound in her chest, her pupils dilate and her breathing hyperventilate. She felt like the walls of her car were closing in on her and she struggled to find her claustrophobia medication before simply giving up and practically bolting out of the car. No. She couldn't be alone. She didn't know how to be alone. This wasn't good for her heart, not at all.

Out of panic she ended up shifting down into her own wolf form before slinking away to Amnesia's grave. She gave Tamar's a wide berth, terrified that she'd go into another panic attack. Once at Amnesia's grave she curled up into a ball, as small as she possibly could and just stayed there. If she had a tail she'd hide under that but all she had was a stump of what was once her beautiful tail. Ryah was small in this form, not as small as Amnesia but still small and even more so now that she was trying to hide. She couldn't do alone. She couldn't handle alone. Maybe she should get a cat. Or a dog. No not a dog. Yes a dog. A hyper, bratty little dog. A yorkie maybe.

 

[Tayssi]

Aztrex just ran. He didn't know how to cope with people, so that's what he did. With everyone. Amnesia's best friend wasn't any different. Growling to himself, he pinned his ears flat against his head and he shook his head, forcing his memories down into the deepest depths of his mind. He didn't want to remember. Didn't want to be forced to accept it. He wasn't ready for that. Wasn't ready to accept it and wasn't ready to face the emotions that would smother him.

Slowing to a halt after approximately twenty minutes, he sat down, curling his massively fluffy tail around his body with a sigh. His ears eventually loosened and he flicked them in different directions, listening to the wildlife around him as he closed his eyes. After a while, his heart rate slowed, as did his erratic breathing. A gentle wind rustled his fur and he opened his eyes, tilting his head back to look up at the sky beyond the canopy of the trees. It didn't take long before he felt as peace again, in nature's silence. He hadn't done this in a long time. Just sat there and listen to the animals and the wind around him. It was soothing. It was the most relaxing thing Aztrex had ever come across. It was something he needed to do more often.

Once he was calm and his thoughts more under control, he stood up again and turned around, making his way back toward the graveyard. It took him around forty minutes to arrive at his slower pace and he gracefully leapt over the fence and walked over toward his mate's grave. However, someone was there. Another wolf, with no tail, curled up to make them self appear smaller. He inhaled deeply and came t realize it was Ryah. His blue eyes widened slightly and he stayed where he was for a time, watching her.

He could almost feel her loneliness, her grief and it pulled at his own. Aztrex watched her for a long while before he did something he hadn't done before. He walked over to Amnesia's grave and sat down in front of it, within a relatively close distance to the female. And then he swept his tail over to cover her small body. He knew exactly how she was feeling. He understood just how much she wanted to hide, knew that her lack of a tail prevented her from feeling that sense of security.

So Aztrex had decided to lend her his own. The desire to feel safe and hide from the world was a physical pull that he frequently felt. Amnesia would be proud that he had made the decision and taken the initiative himself. Aztrex glanced in Ryah's direction, even though she was now covered by his large tail, before he looked at Amnesia's grave, hanging his head low. It was then that he noticed the items Ryah must have placed there. Including a picture of himself and his mate, Amnesia looking completely blissful and himself giving a lopsided smile that Amnesia had threatened out of him. They were good times.

"You're not alone, Ryah," Aztrex told her quietly, his throat tightening around the words. "I'm sorry I ran before.. I needed air... But, the offer you made to me applies to yourself, as well. If you need to talk, I am here," he glanced in her direction once more. He wasn't sure why he offered her that. He wasn't the type to do that for someone. And yet, he did it. He told himself it was because that's what Amnesia would want him to do. Help her best friend.

 

[IshWolfy]

The darkness that came from being alone was one she was all too familiar with. She'd spent most of her life alone and had only learned to love and depend on companionship when she met Amnesia and then Tamar. They had been her little family, her only family, and now she had no family. No pack. She'd heard of wolves going insane from having no pack, was she destined to follow their footsteps? It had to be better then the darkness and the cold right? At least if she was crazy she wouldn't be able to feel any of it, or she assumed so.

Her musings were broken as she felt a sudden warmth envelop her and immediately her tense body relaxed underneath this unfamiliar warmth. She was hidden now and thats all that mattered. But wait a minute, this wasn't her tail or her warmth. The smell was familiar though. Suddenly, the tail started to speak and she perked her ears up in curiosity. Oh? Was that Aztrex she heard? He came back? Why would he come back?

Ryah listened to his offer quietly before she pressed her ears down again and sighed softly. She didn't want to talk. She didn't know where to start and whats to say he would even listen? Why would he care? But he'd come back....no, he'd come for Amnesia and she'd just happened to be here. But he spoke to her not to Amnesia. "If I could run I would." Came her voice from beneath the mound of bushy fur covering her. "I don't blame you."

Running would be better then suffering through panic attacks and claustrophobia, but she'd never run by herself. It struck her now how utterly dependent she was on others despite the air of independence she gave off. She was such a frail and sickly being that neither Amnesia or Tamar had trusted her to be alone. If she didn't have the one she'd always had the other but now she had neither.

As reluctant as she was to leave the warmth of his tail she didn't want to overstep her boundaries. Slowly, she would uncurl her body and sit up. In her wolf form she barely reached up to Aztrex's snout. "I wouldn't know where to begin speaking." She murmured in concern to his offer. Besides, she assumed he'd be the one that needed to talk. Her mate had died a few months ago, she'd moved on, but his mate only recently. "Amnesia had been the one to force the words out of me when my...Tamar passed away. Talking is not my forte as it was for her."

 

[Tayssi]

Aztrex felt her relax under the warmth of his tail, a few moments later, he could feel her ears perk up. And then she told him that she would've run as well. Aztrex sighed quietly, almost in relief. Though he preferred to be alone, that didn't mean he liked to be misunderstood. He liked his personal space, but he didn't want to be disliked by his mate's best friend. That just didn't sit right with him. He could picture Amnesia spear tackling him when he wasn't paying attention for leaving her best friend behind to suffer on her own. As much as he wanted to be alone and shut himself away from reality, he couldn't do that right now.

He felt her shift beneath his tail and glanced in that direction and watched as she slowly sat up. The male brought his long tail to curl around his body and returned his gaze to Amnesia's grave. She must be feeling a little better.. That was good. He looked at her once more, noting how she only just reached his muzzle.. In her wolf form, she was a lot taller than Amnesia, how had only just reached the base of his neck. She had been such a tiny little thing, it had amused him greatly when she had attempted to intimidate him. And when she got mad. She had been adorable when she was mad at him as it always came across as more of a pout.

The memory felt too raw, too real, so he quickly shoved it down and he huffed softly just before Ryah spoke and he returned his attention to her. When she spoke about Amnesia, saying that talking had been her forte and not her own Aztrex nodded. "She had always been great at talking, that's for sure. She always spoke enough for both of us," he said and paused, his mind reeling as memories flooded his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily and shook his head.

But he fought for control and shoved them away. He squared his shoulders and glanced across at Ryah. But then his stomach growled and he blinked in surprise, completely taken off guard. Right.. He hadn't been eating properly. Every time he went to eat, he would remember how he would never eat with her again. Never get to watch her eat one of his home cooked meals ever again. It choked him up every time and he would quickly lose his appetite.

He cleared his throat and glanced away, feeling a little embarrassed.

 

[IshWolfy]

Ryah could tell speaking about Amnesia was hard for him but it had been his mates philosophy that holding anything in was bad for you. It was a philosophy Ryah had attempted to adopt as well but found her lack of verbal communication made keeping this philosophy hard. "It was easy to keep a conversation going with her since she did most of the work." She commented lightly before she flicked her ears at his growling stomach. It reminded her of how she had yet to eat anything today. She too was hungry.

The question was, would he like to eat with her? The thought of being alone again nearly crushed her and as quiet as he was she found she enjoyed his silent company. Even if it was hurting. It was a refreshing turn from both Tamar's and Amnesia's boundless energy. "When was the last time you ate?" She paused. "Don't answer that. Amnesia would have a heart attack if she knew." She turned her gaze to the gravestone as if the body buried beneath could hear their conversation.

She didn't have much food in her cabin. She depended mainly on takeout and chinese food to survive. "I'm not sure if you'd be interested but theres a small cafe near here that Amnesia and I frequented whenever we went on our girls day outs." She paused. "But if you'd rather like I can let you go so you can eat in peace." This was where she was unsure. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries but she also didn't want to be alone. There was no win win situation in this. Glancing down at her paws then to the grave then to him she sighed softly. "I.....am not used to being...alone." She admitted quietly.

She didn't like it. When she was alone it brought up memories of a cold and dark cage. Memories she always pushed back down. "Amnesia suggested I get a dog...or a cat at one time I think. I wasn't sure if she was joking or not though." It'd been hard for Ryah to tell whenever Amnesia was serious or joking. Her bubbly personality made it hard sometimes.

 

[Tayssi]

Aztrex could only agree with Ryah's comment about Amnesia doing all the work when it came to a conversation. It was true. She had loved to talk. On a couple of occasions, he had gotten worried about her passing out from lack of oxygen as she hadn't stopped to take a breath in forever. Somehow, she had managed to finish her tirade before she took a gasping breath and Aztrex had almost collapsed in relief, at both her not passing out and that she had finally shut up.

When Ryah asked when the last time he had eaten was, he thought for a moment and was about to answer when the female spoke again, telling him not to tell her and Amnesia would have a heart attack if she knew. He glanced at his mate's grave, the corner of his lips twitching slightly, slightly amused. Indeed. Amnesia would have fretted over him like a mother hen if she had been here and he hadn't eaten in as long as he had. And probably smacked him in the back of the head and forced fed him with a spoon.

He snapped out of his musings when Ryah spoke once more, asking if he wanted to eat with her, or if he'd prefer to go off on his own. He certainly would prefer that. But when she told him she didn't wasn't used to being alone, he paused. He stayed silent for a moment, thinking, listening as she told him Amnesia had suggested once to get a cat or a dog.

"Dogs are better," he remarked, glancing away sheepishly, "cats don't like me for some reason," he told her and then he stood and stretched his front legs out in front of him, yawning, large ears flicking. "As for lunch, I don't mind eating with you. I'm not much for company, but if you don't mind being seen with me, I don't mind," he thought for a moment and glanced at her as she straightened, to stand at his full height, "Just..." he wanted to tell her not to touch him, but he didn't want to come off as rude.. He sighed heavily. "Just, please give me space," he told her as he glanced over at her blue eyes watching her.

 

[IshWolfy]

Give him space? He'd been the one to wrap her up in his tail which she had quite enjoyed. But she'd respect his space for the time being. She didn't want to lose the only possible company she'd have for a while. God, she needed a life. Maybe if men weren't so intimidated by her she wouldn't have this problem. Tamar hadn't been intimidated, or at least he claimed he hadn't. Men like him were a dime a dozen though. She quickly tore herself from her musings of her beloved before turning her attention back to Aztrex.

"Gee, I wonder why cats are afraid of a giant wolf with big sharp teeth." She muttered sarcastically, feeling a little better now that she had company but she was obviously still wary around him. Even if he hadn't told her to give him space she would have given it to him anyway. She wasn't like Amnesia. She didn't immediately cling to every person she met. Not physically anyway. "Why would I mind being seen with you? Amnesia never went after serial killers so I think you're good."

As she spoke she stood from where she sat and stretched out her own fore paws in front of her before shaking out her fur ending with her little stump of a tail shaking in the most adorable of fashions. "Do you want to eat at the cafe I was telling you about? Or do you prefer somewhere else? I don't have much food in my cabin since I'm not much of a cook." She admitted quietly before she began trotting away. She paused at a few feet, glancing back to see if he'd follow or if he'd stay.

 

[Tayssi]

Aztrex sighed softly. The way he had said that probably made him sound really weird. Maybe a little crazy. He was the one that had willingly put his tail over her just minutes before and now he was saying to give him space. Yep, crazy. But he didn't know how to explain it. He had done that because it was what his mate would expect him to do. He had asked her to give him space because that's what he wanted. He really needed to learn to communicate better.

When Ryah made a sarcastic comment about cats and wolves, he gave her a sidelong glance and snorted in amusement. Indeed, that was a point. Yet, cats had liked Amnesia. But then again, he thought they may have pretended as she'd smother them until they gave in to her affections. When Ryah asked why she'd care if she was seen with him, he shifted on his paws. And then she mentioned he wasn't a serial killer. The word killer made him tense, muscles freezing with tension. But he forced himself to relax.

He watched when she stood up and stretched before shaking her fur, her stumpy tail moving as well. Then she asked where he wanted to go, saying she didn't have much food at her place as she wasn't much of a cook. Neither had Amnesia. She had burnt everything she attempted to cook.. Even toast. He could remember when she had attempted to cook him a meal and the pan had gone up in flames. After they put the flames out, he had found it quite funny that she was that bad at cooking.

Ryah trotted away and then paused, glancing back. He flicked his ears and then followed her, "I don't mind going to the cafe. I don't go out often, so I don't really know any where to go," he told her once he caught up with her, glancing down at her.

 

[IshWolfy]

Ryah was glad he followed after her. A part of her had been expecting him to turn tail and run like he had before. He had no obligation to follow her, as far as she knew he was doing this out of pity because she didn't like to be alone. The last thing she needed was to be pitied. Then again, she appreciated the company even if it was out of pity. She'd been alone for so long now. She'd ben half expecting Amnesia to come barging into her cabin like she always did, movies in one arm and food in the other as she proclaimed the night to be movie night. It was a memory that made Ryah smile with fondness as she led Aztrex to her car.

Glancing around her carefully, she trotted to her side of the car and shifted into her human form. Being naked in this form, she quickly reached into her backseat and threw on some clothes to protect herself from roving eyes. Although she would never see it, Tamar had sword up and down that she was beautiful. She didn't feel it but she didn't know about the other people around her so better safe then sorry. After she had changed she reached into her car again and took out some of Tamar's old clothes. Jeans, a t-shirt, shoes, whatever she assumed Aztrex would need.

"I can see you don't have any clothing of your own and you look to be the same size as...Tamar. You can borrow these clothes for the time being." She murmured softly before placing them on the ground in front of him and walking over to the drivers side to hop into her car. She didn't want to see him shift. She didn't want to see him in Tamar's clothes. She had no idea if the sight would make her angry, hurt, depressed or just indifferent. Would it bring back memories? He looked nothing like Tamar but would his clothes by enough? It'd been a few months she assumed she was over Tamar but one could never know with these things.

 

[Tayssi]

They soon came to what must be Ryah's car and he stopped and sat down, watching as the female trotted around to the other side. He knew what she was going to do; shift. So Aztrex being Aztrex, even though she was covered by the car, he turned around and sat down, his back facing the car. He could be very polite, and besides that, he had no interest in seeing Ryah naked. It just wasn't something that appealed to him. He wasn't trying to be rude like that, but his heart belonged to Amnesia. Another female just didn't appeal to him. Amnesia had been small, missed half of her right ear and had many scars on her body, but she had still been perfect. Each of those scars had made her her annoying self. Each of them enhanced her inner beauty; beyond her nosy and very annoying side.

He heard her soon start looking for something inside of her car and when she spoke, he stood and turned around, looking up at her. Nodding in thanks for the clothes, he stared at them momentarily as she got in her car. He could just imagine the inner turmoil she was going through lending him her mate's clothes. He wouldn't want someone using Amnesia's clothes. It would hurt to see someone wearing them. Flexing his front paws, his minds reeling, Aztrex decided he may as well shift. It wouldn't do to go into town as a wolf. That wouldn't go down very well he'd imagine.

Shifting, he quickly pulled on the clothes and then straightened, glancing down. The shirt was a little tight on him and the jeans were just big enough for him, but the shoes fit nicely. He glanced into the car, at Ryah before he sighed softly and opened the passenger side door and slid into the seat. "Thank you for lending me.. Tamar's clothes," he murmured gently, glancing across at her before he ran a hand through his hair, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

 

[IshWolfy]

~Week and Half Timeskip~

Ryah was both surprised and not so surprised that she would end up spending so much time with Aztrex. At first it was the company she craved. Even though seeing him in Tamar's clothing had brought about a wave of emotions that almost caused her to have a panic attack, she managed to compose herself. But then she ended up coming over to Aztrex's place after afternoon at one on the dot. Or he would come to her place. They were silent for the most part whenever together. She didn't know what he gained from her company. For all she knew he saw her as nothing more then Amnesia's annoyingly clingy friend. But she gained peace of mind from him.

She hadn't suffered another panic attack since she'd begun spending time with him and although he would probably never allow it, she would gladly call him a friend now. Even if they rarely talked. It was their silent companionship she craved and enjoyed. She made sure he ate and if he did end up hurting himself one way or another she'd force him to sit still while she bandaged him up. Claiming that if she didn't Amnesia would visit both of them in their slap and tear them a new one.

That was a good threat. If he didn't do something she wanted she'd bring up Amnesia. That usually got him around to doing it. Both of them knew Amnesia would never allow them to sulk and wallow for too long. She certainly wouldn't allow self mutilation or going without food for too long. If they did speak to each other it usually was to reminisce about Amnesia. During that week and a half she ended up telling him bits and pieces of Tamar as well, just so they had something to talk about besides Amnesia. It was strange but it worked for her at least.

But one afternoon, Ryah would be very late to his house. She was never late, in fact she made it a habit to either be a few minutes early or right on time. It was only a few times that she had showed up even a few minutes late and she had always called him ahead to let him know. Usually it was traffic, other times it was personal errands. But she was never more then twenty minutes late. But this time, she wouldn't show up at all. With no call to explain why.

If he went to her house he'd find it empty, the front door practically torn from its hinges. Signs of a struggle evident through the whole house. Chairs and couches overturned, the table obliterated, her bed flipped over as if at one point in the struggle she'd hid under there. There was blood in almost every room. Paw prints of it that told the story of what happened, or least a partial of it as they lead through the house and ended in her bedroom. There the paw prints were replaced by a trail of blood as if a body had been dragged out of the house through the back door where the blood disappeared replaced by tire tracks and the smell of gas and oil.

-------

Ryah would wake in all too familiar setting. A cage. Her head was throbbing the sounds of other animals yowling and howling around her. She could barely remember what happened. One minute she'd been getting ready for bed, cleaning up the kitchen. The next there was a bang at her front door so loud it had instinctively caused her to shift. Of course, that had been her undoing as her kidnappers had recognized her wolf form and she had recognized her kidnappers. Now she was laying on the cold metal floor of a cage, surrounded by bars. Her head throbbing, she was starving and thirsty and so tired and weak. She could barely move and was soon lulled back to sleep by the movement of the truck she was traveling in and sounds of terrified animals around her.

 

[Tayssi]

At first, Aztrex hadn't been thrilled about spending so much time with Ryah. It was like Amnesia when he first met her all over again. Constantly having someone near him wasn't something that he liked. He liked privacy, silence, time alone. And yet, he quickly became accustomed to her presence. She was quiet for the most part and didn't disturb him, which he liked, so eventually he opened up a little about having her around him constantly. Yet, he had drawn the line at her staying at his place over night. She had wanted to, almost insisted, but he had put his foot down and flat out refused. He rarely allowed Amnesia to stay at his place for fear she'd witness his not-so-good side, or even his weak side. He had never opened to her enough to allow that, so what hope did Ryah have? She may be quiet, tolerable company, but he did not want her knowing anything. As it was, he had refused to tell her anything about Amnesia's death even after getting to know her a bit more.

There had actually been a couple times where he had even gone over to her place, for she had wanted him to know where she lived. He had noticed that there was a distinct lack of food in her house and he had instantly thought that it wasn't healthy. So, he could be one of those people who insisted someone have a proper diet. So what? He had his quirks. Ryah had even put her number in his phone when he wasn't looking and then before she had managed to send herself a text, he had snatched it from her. But then she had full on demanded he give her his number, in case something happened to either of them.

He had come to notice that she would always arrive at a certain time, maybe a little early and if she was ever running late, she'd always tell him. Not that he cared. If she didn't show up, it just meant a day by himself. Something he hadn't had since the day he met Ryah. When she had lent him Tamar's clothing and she had seen him, she had basically had a panic attack. He had been quite surprised by her reaction. He understood, but the amount of emotion she had showed had thrown him off guard. He was the kind to lock his emotions away, so when others showed it to such an extent, it threw him off kilter.

But then one day, Ryah hadn't come to his house. At first, he thought nothing of it and felt even a bit relieved. But he checked his phone and saw there was no message from her and he felt a little worried then. He had thought he wouldn't care, but the small flutter of worry was there. Which surprised him. He shifted uncertainly in his chair and sent her a text asking where she was. But even after a few minutes, she didn't answer, so he rang her. No answer. He tapped his foot on the ground and his brow furrowed as it rang out. Grunting, he quickly stood up and straightened his red tank. Shoving his runners on, he put his phone into his pocket and left the house, locking up behind him, being careful as always. It bothered him. More than he'd ever care to admit. He'd become so used to Ryah around him, it felt a little odd without her.

He arrived at her house fairly quickly, the unsettled feeling in his chest dropping to his stomach when he saw that her door was ajar. He stepped inside, calling out for Ryah, but he quickly saw the state of her house. His eyes widened in shock and he called out again, a note of panic in his voice. When his blue gaze landed upon the blood, he could feel the panic spreading through his veins. His breathing quickened and his palms became clammy. He rushed to every room, searching everywhere he could think of, but she was no where to be seen. By now, his chest felt like it was being crushed beneath someone's boot and he was practically panting in fear.

His mind quickly flashed back to Amnesia's death, the last words she spoke to him, the last agonizing breath she took, the blood, the light leaving her vibrant eyes. "Shit!" Aztrex snarled, his pupils dilating in rage. No way in hell was he going to let that happen to Ryah. The force of emotion astounded Aztrex, but it quickly got shoved to the back of his mind and he opened his senses to his wolf side, inhaling deeply, trying to keep his rational side with him whilst he could. He followed the trail of blood out the back of her house and scented the air again. He soon found the tire tracks and he quickly put two and two together. She had been taken by someone. Snarling in an overwhelming amount of rage, he could feel his fangs lengthening and his nails growing and sharpening to claws.

A low, guttural growl emanated from his chest and he took off after the car that had taken Ryah. All calm and rational thinking had vanished. He had lost to his beastly side in his rage. Just like he had when Amnesia had died and he slaughtered those that had hurt her. And now someone dare to try and harm Ryah? His mate's best friend? His friend? In his state of mind, he certainly didn't stop to think about what that meant, but he surely would later.

He wasn't sure how long it took to track them down, but the sun was almost down. Aztrex's pupils had dilated so much there was barely even a sliver of his blue irises. Growling like an animal, he crouched, watching. Three cars and a truck were parked and there were a group of men around a campfire and a few others mingling around the back of the truck, the doors open. He could hear cries from the inside, calls for help. His ears now had a pointed edge and tufts of fur at the tip. His shirt was hanging on by strips after running into many branches and bushes along the way in his blind rage.

Baring his teeth - the canines elongated and pointed - he crept forward, like a predator stalking its prey. His eyes shifted to every man in the area. He didn't waste time, didn't take time to plan ahead. He surged ahead, towards the men at the campfire - they were closest. Before they even noticed, he had killed four of them. Tore out their throats with his claws. He spun around as the men leapt to their feet and called to their mates in a panic. He snarled and lurched towards them, his claws grasping one's neck and the other sinking into one's stomach. He man screamed and Aztrex yanked it out, leaving him to suffer as he crushed the other's windpipe.

Done with the one's at the fire, he ran towards the truck, tearing down after another. This was one side of him he was ashamed of. The beast he kept caged. His dark side. He was dangerous. And dangerous things should be kept away from everything to prevent harm.

One man came up behind him whilst he was preoccupied with killing another man and he felt the cold sting of a blade being sunk into his side. With a hiss he slowly turned toward the man and growled. The man yelped in surprise, noticing his mistake. He tried to turn and run, but Aztrex took after him. Like a cat toying with its prey, he let the man think he could escape. But then he pounced onto him, tackling him to the ground and then digging his claws into the man's shoulder. He howled out in pain and a slow, cruel smile spread across Aztrex's features before he slashed them across the man's throat and left him to choke on his own blood.

Not seeing anyone else, Aztrex yanked out the knife from his side, not even feeling the pain. He slowly made is way to the back of the open truck, crouching like a predator stalking its prey. He easily jumped up into the back and straightened. He still hadn't calmed, but he knew his objective. Find Ryah. His heart was beating a mile a minute, pupils still massive and he was basically panting. A normal thing that happened to him when he was like this.

He inhaled deeply, ignoring the pleas of the other creatures, single mindedly pinpointing Ryah's whereabouts. He soon found her scent and he followed it. He stopped in front of her cage and stared down at her in the cage, his expression frenzied. The bars were much too close together for her to even get a hand out. With a quick swipe of his powerful claws, he slashed the padlock open and it tumbled to the ground. But then he heard a man coming up behind him. Could hear his heart beat, smell his fear. Aztrex's head slowly tilted to the side, an almost feral smile tugging his lips upward, like he thought this was a game. The man was almost behind him and he could smell the metallic scent of metal. He had a blade. Spinning around with a savage growl, he grasped the man's throat and took a few steps forward, causing the man to stumble backward, his back crashing against some other cages. But he didn't care. He had freed Ryah, the others didn't matter. Not when there was still one man alive. But.. He could give him information. Growling again, he clenched his hand around the man's throat and brought his face close to his, snarling, "what did you plan to do with her?!"

 

[IshWolfy]

The sudden attack had taken everyone by surprise. None were prepared for the raging beast that showed up in camp, none knew what he was after just that he had appeared seemingly out of nowhere and had proceeded to attack. Ryah was roused from her stupor long enough to notice something wasn't right. The other animals were making too much noise, the truck wasn't moving, there was shouting. But it all sounded as if she were underwater, in a dream maybe. It was all too familiar. The shouting, the noise, the smells. Memories of her childhood home being destroyed, her family slaughtered were brought to the forefront of her mind before she could stop it.

Ryah was half awake by the time the....creature made it to her cage. Why her cage? What was so special about her? He smelled familiar. Was he part of the dream? Well, dream turned nightmare. There was a harsh sound of crunching metal then the creature left and Ryah had the sudden realization that her cage had been left open. How odd. Then again, Ryah was drugged beyond recognition to really pay much attention to what was happening. Ignoring the open cage she collapsed back into a sleep just as words were spoken.

The man that faced the Beast was one of the last left standing and he had a job to fulfill. Each animal in this truck belonged to an owner and he would see to it they were delivered and he was paid. He tried his hardest to remain calm, unafraid of the monster that had killed his comrades. He watched warily as it advanced on him. He drew his knife from his belt but he had a feeling it would do nothing to the creature. But suddenly it spoke, catching him off guard. His gaze flicked to the torn open cage then to the beast. "Does she belong to you? Had we known we would have taken the proper precautions and legality to purchase her from her owner." He paused. "Do you not know of her value? Her tail fetched such a high price in auction that my boss wants the rest of her now. Her people, they think she's a goddess in a mortals body, cause of her markings and all. They'd pay a high price to have her returned. I can split profits with you. 40/60 since I did most of the work in capturing her. Or we can settle on a price and I'll buy her from you."

It was then that Ryah stirred from sleep, the drugs wearing off her system as a sharp whine escaped her. The pain of the wound on her head coming back full force. The man flicked his gaze between the beast and the moving form of his most prized capture. "I'd decide quickly though. She needs another dose to keep her silent through the trip. I don't know how you managed to keep her silent all these years, she's a feisty bitch." He cast another nervous glance to the the cage that held Ryah as the drugged wolf stumbled out before laying down outside her cage. Her multicolored eyes looking to the scene before her as she slowly started inching towards the one scent she recognized. Before she could even reach Aztrex though the man drew a gun from his belt and fired at her. Earning a startled yelp from the half drugged Ryah and the bitter scent of new blood filled the air. He'd been paid to retrieve her not to deliver her without damage. He was being paid for her coat after all.

The drugged animal reacted instinctively, charging forward and attacking the man with the gun. Her teeth sinking into whatever she could reach. The force of the tackle caused the man to stumble out of the truck, taking Ryah with him. There was a sickening crunch as his neck was broken from the force of the fall but in Ryah's mind the man was still alive so she continued wrestling with the piece f skin she'd grabbed, yanking off the man's hand before she laid down on the ground. Her head reeling from the drugs and the wound. That surge of energy from adrenaline had left her dizzy and weak. Sleep. Thats what she needed. Ignoring the pain of the bullet still lodged in her shoulder she laid her head down on the ground, panting hard and whining occasionally as she drifted to sleep.

 

[Tayssi]

Did she belong to him? Belong to him? Those three words sent him spiralling back into the dark end just as he had just started ebbing into calm. The man spoke something about how much she was worth due to her markings, that her tail had fetched a high price. Aztrex had been caught off guard at that and his mouth parted in surprise, his rage dripping away.. Her tail caught a high price? Her tail... Even through his mindless rage, he could come to the realization that he meant they had cut off her tail and sold it. His mouth twitched, and he bared his teeth at the man when he offered to split the profit he would make off of her.

He heard Ryah stir and he glanced back at her and then returned his attention to the man when he told him to decide, that he had to drug her again. Aztrex tightened his hold on the man's throat, growling, "she is not a piece of property!" he was about to crush the man's windpipe when Ryah stumbled toward him. He paused and glanced back at her once more. But the man he held discarded his blade quickly and before he had time to react, pulled out a gun and shot Ryah in the shoulder. Aztrex roared as Ryah yelped and then watched as she barrelled toward them, grasping the man. Aztrex quickly let go of him as they tumbled off the truck. H had enough sense not to keep a hold of him.

He watched as the man's neck snapped with a satisfying crunch and he watched as Ryah, obviously drugged and not with it, tore off his hand. Another savage smile spread across Aztrex's face, his darker side proud of what the female had done. If she hadn't, he had had a much brutal fate for the man. After what he had said about Ryah, he hadn't planned on letting him die quickly. Slow and painful had sounded much more appealing to Az at that moment. Digging his claws into his stomach and..

But then Ryah fell back into unconsciousness and her whining caught his attention from his disturbing thoughts. He nimbly jumped off the back of the truck, landing beside Ryah. He breathed in deeply, scenting the air, but the scent of blood overwhelmed him. Canting his head, he tried to listen to anyone else, but the noise of the animals in the truck was deafening. He glared into the truck and roared, "be quiet!" and the animals in the truck quickly shut up. Now it was silent, he listened around him again, but there was no one else around. He was certain of it.

Aztrex crouched down and took a deep breath and stared at Ryah as his heart beat gradually started to slow, his breathing calming down and his pupils contracting back to the original size. His blinked rapidly for a few moments and glanced around, confused as to what he was doing here before it quickly crashed into him what he had done. Losing his balance, he fell back and took a startled breath. He glanced around at the carnage around him and the air hitched in his lungs. "What have I done...?" he whispered to himself before he pushed himself up on shaky legs. He glanced down at Ryah before he leapt back up into the truck. He glanced at the animals of all different kinds and one by one, wanting to atone for what he did, he slashed open their cages. Some stumbled out, some were completely unconscious and others bolted. He watched them in silence before he went back down to Ryah's side.

He stared at her wolf form and his brow furrowed before he slipped his hands beneath her and gently lifted her. Glancing back at the mess he made, he left the scene, carrying Ryah's unconscious form with him. Within minutes, he was running as swiftly and as smoothly as he could back to his house. He still hadn't managed to get a lot of sleep after Amnesia, so this use of energy was certainly wearing him down.

He had no idea what time it was when he arrived at his house, but it had to be early morning. He expertly unlocked the door without putting Ryah down and he kicked open the door and rushed to his room. He placed her on his bed before he glanced around. By now, his teeth, ears and claws had gone down to normal. He went to his bathroom and washed the blood from his hands and then he grabbed a first aid kit. After forcing his claws to come back, he managed to force the bullet out, thankful for the first time that she was drugged so she wouldn't feel it. As much, anyway. After getting it out, he washed the wound quickly and then stitched her wound closed.

For once, he was thankful he had taken an advanced first aid course that had taught emergency stitching when he was a lot younger. Once stitched, he bandaged her shoulder securely. Once completed, he sighed heavily and then went and washed his hands again but leaning back in the chair he had sat down on beside his bed. Staring at her prone form for a few minutes, he slowly fell into a fitful sleep.

It only lasted an hour and he went and searched his cupboards for clothes for Ryah. He couldn't find anything, but he knew he was a lot bigger, so he left a hoodie on the bed near her, figuring it'd be big enough to cover her enough. After that, he went to his living room and sat down on his couch and leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling, feeling totally and utterly exhausted. He just wished he could get a good night's sleep for once. But, before he knew it, the sun was rising over the horizon. Groaning, he ran a hand through his hair and then got up and went into the kitchen to cook some breakfast. He wasn't sure when Ryah would be awake, but it was best to have it cooked before she got up. So he cooked bacon, eggs and pancakes. Placing them on plates, he placed them on his small dinging table and sighed again. Atleast he'd be able to lie and say he'd eaten seeing as she wasn't awake to see whether he had or not.

He wasn't hungry, anyway.