CHAPTER 8

                                    

                                          
After a few days, Winter is still clueless. Sure she found a village around the woods but nothing about the panther. Winter sits in front of a bonfire with Giselle across her. they're just back from looking around the woods.
"you're here for that panther aren't you? you lied about not wanting to hunt him. how do you know it's a 'him', anyway?" Giselle grabs her shotgun. "you're a spy, huh?"
"whoa wait! What are you talking about?" Winter gets taken aback by Giselle's sudden act. "don't use that on me."
"don't think that I didn't notice you've been sneaking out at night. You've asking about that thing all the time." Giselle aims the gun at her. "I will not let anybody hurt any wild creature here."
"are you an activist?" Winter recalls. 
"I used to be one of them. They're not like they used to so I just... leave." Giselle replies not lowering her gun. "cut it, Winter. tell me what you want."
"well... I just wanna see him. he's- I've- it's hard to explain. I can't explain any further." Winter looks down. 
(you'll be in trouble.)
"shut up." Winter speaks to herself.
"what did you say? Did you just tell me to shut up?" Giselle cocks the gun.
"you won't understand!" Winter extends her fist to the side. A ball of fire accidentally shoots out of her hand and make an explosion on a tree.
"holy shit!" Giselle lowers her gun. "what the fuck?! How?!" she then aims it back at Winter. "what the fuck are you?"
Winter's breathing starts to heave. She's just as surprised as Giselle. She looks at her hands and it starts to emit some electric sparks. 
(get out of that place. Right now, dear.)
"I can't. he's here." Winter make sure that Giselle can't hear her. Winter looks at Giselle briefly then runs away, deeper inside the woods.
"wait!" Giselle chases her.
Winter turns into her dog form and quickly hides away from her. feeling like Giselle is no longer visible, Winter walks out from a bush. With her dog form, she can see better at night. 
Winter walks away, not knowing where to go. It feels like hours of walking for her. many wildlife she came across avoids her. maybe because they know who she truly is.
Going up the hills, Winter sighs when she hears growling behind her. she turns around and sees another pack of wolf. What am I? a god of animals or something? She thought.
'what do you want?' Winter growls. Then, one of them hols something on its mouth and walks slowly towards Winter. 'oh... I'm not that hungry.'
The wolf shoves the unknown meat towards her with its snout.
Winter just accepts it and eats it quickly before resuming her walk. she can feel that the wolves are still following.
'leave me alone!' Winter barks at them. They then hurriedly scatters back, run away from Winter. she then starts walking again.
After some time, she found a cave. There are some animals' remains, not to mention the horrible smell. Winter turns into her human form and stretches. 
"he must've hide here. Where else should I look for you, brother?" 
Just then, Winter hears a lot of footsteps. She's sure it's heading towards her. she runs into the cave as far as she can into the darkness. She finds some big leaves, turns back into her dog form, and hide.
"it must be here. At least, not far. The tracker that we shot the other day stops moving, sir." 
"that thing is smart. Search this cave." 
Winter can only stay still, hoping that they won't find her. she can see the flashlight towards her but it seems like they didn't see Winter.
"clear. It must've been hiding here."
"where's the tracker?" 
"it's moving too fast. Seems like it's constantly moving to hide."
"we have to find it. The lab promised give us a lot of money. Don't let it get away."
"okay, sir."
-
Still sitting on the cave, all that Winter does is think. her last option to this is to meditate. Since she can use her power here, it's not a bad idea to meditate. With her dog form, she jumps up to the top of the cave. She then turns into human again. this is the strongest she's ever got. She's a little overwhelmed but she focuses herself, sitting down, crossing her legs. This is what gods do when they need some enlightenment.
She closes her eyes and starts to gather all her power to meditate. After she's calm enough. She's starting to get some vague visions. She sets her mind on her brother. instead of a vision of him, she gets a vision of Karina. 
'not now.' 
Winter tries her best to focus on her brother. the visions of Karina keeps coming back. the more she wants it to go away, the more vivid it gets. Winter can see that Karina is crying, eating alone, working alone, cries in her sleep. it messes up her concentration. Winter opens her eyes in frustration. 
"that's not it." Winter sighs. "okay. I'll get to that later."
She closes her eyes again, more relaxed this time. then, the vision starts. It was a windy place, green grass all over the place. It's still too vague to tell the exact environment. Winter walks around the place seems like it's on the edge of a forest. She can see a beautiful view of an ocean below her.
Looking back, she's right. She can see a thick dark forest. Then, a white panther walks out. that's him. Winter let out some tears. 
'I missed you.' Winter reaches out to hug him but he goes through her body. It's so vivid that Winter forget about her astral projection. She looks at him sitting on the edge of the cliff. Seems like this place hasn't been touched by humans. This is a safe place for him. Daniel lowers his head, still in his panther form.
'oh, brother.' Winter walks towards him and sits beside him. he's so much bigger than most panther. She notices some scars on his body. She's a little confused. Usually, it'll be gone in minutes. Something's not right.
Winter looks up at him. he looks up at the sky. Streams of tears are visible coming from his eyes. 
'you miss our home.' Winter looks up too. 'me too.' Winter sighs. 'I will find you, brother.'
Winter stands up. Ready to go back to her consciousness.
(you can't bring him back.) a god stands tall in front of her. the god of ocean himself. Her great-great-grandfather. Poseidon. (I will take care of him.)
"but I miss him. he needs to go back."
(there's a reason this place is untouched by humans, Winter. I called him here.)
"please. I really want him home." Winter cries.
(he's been hiding under his animal form for far too long. Bringing him back is not as easy.)
"what do you mean?"
(leave.) he blows a strong wind towards winter.
Winter opens her eyes immediately. The sun is up, hitting her bare skin.
"Winter! come down!" Giselle calls her. what she saw earlier really frightens her. Winter glows with blue flame around her naked body but her body is as clean as a baby. She can only see her back, though. Giselle tries to climb up but Winter stops her.
"don't." Winter jumps down the rocks and lands perfectly fine in front of the cave. Giselle then gives her some clothes for her. "why did you look for me? aren't you afraid?"
"I... I am." 
Winter walks ahead of her. remembering the road is easy for her. they both managed to be back at the campsite. Giselle sits down on a log, not saying any words.
"I will leave." Winter stated."whatever you saw. Pretend you never see every second of it."