A howl is heard across the forest, reaching Shadow as she sits on a rock staring at the arrow buried in the ground. A wooden shaft that tries to unleash itself from the blood soaked ground. A silent command was spoken and the arrow remains still. Blood is only around where the arrowhead is buried. The part of what Shadow wants to remain hidden and she is the one who commanded the arrow to remain. She hears the howl of her protector once again and knows he is running closer to where she is. She turns to the direction of his howl and sees the blood red sun setting against the purple-blue sky near the edge of the forest. Shadow turns her gaze back to the arrow in the ground to secure the safety, but she stares into the amber eyes of her golden wolf. He sits by the arrow with his gaze questioning hers. No emotion is needed. No words are spoken. Brown eyes stare at amber eyes.
Shadow closes her eyes to keep those majestic amber eyes from reading them. She bows her head down to look at her palms, hoping to avoid displaying the pain of why her arrow lives in the dark part of her forest. As she looks at her palms, she sees where she has dug into the skin, breaking it. Never looking up for she knows that her eyes will always betray her.Only a few get that and her protector knows too well of everything she buries away. Out of the corner of her eye, the golden wolf emerges into the human form and places his hand over her palms to keep her from damaging her palms even further. Instead he only seeks to give his warmth she seeks for she is cold and knows she has been sitting here watching arrow slowly fade into Mother Earth. He also knows that she doesn't want him to see what is in her eyes, yet he already knows what lies in her heart. A heart that has been bruised over time. He glances at her arrow buried in the ground. Amber eyes scan the area around and glances back at Shadow who is staring at the arrow. He senses her grief. Her struggle to keep the arrow where it is, buried and hidden away. A heart that carries a pain only known to a few. Amber eyes watches the arrow struggle to unleash itself from the blood soaked ground, then hears Shadow give the command to cease. The arrow remains still.
Shadow pulls her hands from her protector for she wants to leave the area. So much loss. So much pain. She doesn't want to answer his questions he holds in his eyes about why the arrow remains. Shadow avoids looking at him as she pulls herself up from the rock. She named him Hunter, for he hunts to put her soul at peace. He hunts to soothe the very fears, hurts, and dreams Shadow once treasured. Hunter, her golden wolf and the very beacon of light that is here in this forest that has many dark colors. Nothing is vibrant here. What has color? Hunter and the arrow.
Hunter refuses to let go of her hand and gently pulls her toward him. Shadow refuses to look at him so he placed his hand on her chin to guide her to look at him. Her skin soft and cold. As he looks into her brown eyes, he sees what he has known along, pain, humilation, and wanting that sense of belonging. As he gaze further into her eyes, he sees the explaination of why the arrow is buried in that blood soaked spot. Her grief crushes his being. His breath is lost for a moment for the pain is great. Never ending. Shadow breaks eye contact for Hunter does not need to be trapped as she in her walls. Hunter moves his thumb across the silky skin of her chin trying to warm it. His other hand caresses the back of her skull as he pulls her head to his chest. Shadow wraps her cold arms as Hunter wraps his arms around her. She seeks his warmth. His strength. His love. She seeks for the inner peace that is denied to her at every waking moment. However, her protector manages to give that to her now and only now. She buries her head into his chest and feels him place a kiss on the top of her head. She cries at the gentle gesture he gives, yet also crying for the arrow - the very part of who she is truly - she had buried into a realm of no return. An arrow that reflects the gentle being of her soul. The part that remains hidden in the walls she created to keep it safe from the constant reminder of what was taken from her by an act of violence.
Hunter feels the tears on his chest. Silently cursing that she does not feel release from the pain. Every shake of her body as he holds her giving her warmth makes him want to hunt. To hunt in the manner that is only known to him as a predator, yet he cannot and will not leave her alone in this dark forest. Will not leave her to face the very aspect that makes her hidden for that unknown part of what triggered the violence will kill the gentle being he treasures. He pulls her into him closer to ease the shakes of her body and hopes that her tears will cease. The same silent command she utters for the arrow, he said for her. The tears and body shakes ceased. He can now give her the warmth she needs. He places another kiss on the top of her black with red streaks hair and looks at the arrow to bury into Mother Earth for her to protect the soul of Shadow. No more is there blood on the ground where the arrow once stood instead there are multiple wild flowers growing. Mother Earth emerges into human form to look at Shadow and smiles at her. She conveys to Shadow that the arrow can remain here until she is ready to have it back. Mother Earth places a hand on Shadow's cheek to send her love. She walks back and emerges into her natural form. Hunter moves both of his hands on Shadow's face and makes her see his amber eyes to send his message of hope. Shadow knows she is protected and loved by those who she treasures. To have that hope is all that matters now.
