On Death

Scanning her memories quickly, she pursed her lips.

She squatted down as she looked at the thing. Staring at each other, each figure was reflected in their own eyes. Qiang Lei's green eyes looked at the wolf's blue eyes. With a smile full of warmth, she softly said...

"Kai."

Kai was the name she gave to the wolf that saved her life when she was picking fruits and herbs in the forest near the shack for the first time. Unaware of any lurking danger, she casually walked around the forest as if it was her own backyard. Unknown to her, ferocious beasts live there. Though very few and low in level, it was considered death for Qiang Lei if she encountered them. And death seemed to like her as a low level hornless bull saw her! Known for its sturdy body accompanied by its large feet, a single hit from it was sure to send Qiang Lei flying away and moreover, in front of death's door.

If not for Kai showing up, this bull would have already feasted on her. It was probably the most memorable encounter she had. Kai, the wolf, was injured that time and to repay its kindness, she decided to treat its wounds. At first, Kai was reluctant as its paw scratched her arms. But contrary to Kai's expected reaction, Qiang Lei was not bothered by it at all. Instead, her hand never stopped from touching the wound. Seeing through her intentions, Kai let her be. As a 9 year old kid, she can only stop the bleeding and using her shabby clothes, she wrapped the wounded parts. Using the remaining water with her, she wiped the wolf's body to remove the remaining stains completely forgetting that she, too, was injured.

After tending to the wounds, Qiang Lei bid goodbye to the wolf and yet upon reaching the shack, she was surprised to see the same wolf as she never sensed it as it followed her.

She sat down cross legged on the ground facing the wolf. As if what's in front of her is of the same race, she reached out to it in an attempt to 'shake hands' with and said, "Qiang Lei."

The wolf stared at the hand and only noticed the scratch it caused her. It then slowly walked towards the dumbfounded being and began licking the wound. Not even a minute had passed and the wound had healed already.

"Wow!", exclaimed Qiang Lei. She looked in its eyes and smilingly said, "thank you."

Four years had passed since then and yet the memory was as clear as still water. She may have lost the couple who adopted her, but she gained a new friend then. Kai left her side every once in a while within that four years but most of the time, they were together. It kind of served like a protector for Qiang Lei as it had always kept her away from harm until the midnight of today, that is.

Sleeping soundly, Qiang Lei was alone in the shack. Unbeknownst to her, the door slowly opened and a lone bandit began stealing her things. She was awaken by the noise and before she can shout for help, her eyes widened followed by the seering pain. Her throat was stabbed by the man with a dagger that pierced through the wood underneath her. Not resigned to death, she tried pushing the man away, who was towering over her, with her slender hands and feet but to no avail.

The man, seemingly enjoying the struggle, smiled viciously.

"Haha. If only you just pretended to be asleep, maybe you will still be alive by sunrise. Hahaha."

Mad laughter echoed in the night silencing Qiang Lei's struggles. The man, seemingly not satisfied, retrieved another dagger and poked holes on her body slowly. Starting from her feet up to her neck, the man created her own art with the holes one by one. Pain and pleasure played a music of death only the two can hear. Numb to the pain, Qiang Lei's body had been convulsing non-stop wanting to give up and yet... And yet! Her will to live was still visible and very clear in her eyes as she stared at the black figure who was in ecstasy.

"Eh, aren't you a stubborn one?", said the man as he looked at her. Who would have known that he had been staying in the shack for long and yet the girl was still alive.

"Sigh. I need to go now. Lemme tell you, little girl. Don't cling to life too much. It is lesser painful", said the man followed by his manic laughter. As a final push towards death's door, the man pulled up the dagger stuck in her throat causing her blood to spurt out towards him.

Without even cleaning the blood stains on him, the man left and ran towards the nearby forest. Inside the shack, Qiang Lei laid in her pool of blood filling the air with the smell of it. She fixed her eyes up the ceiling afraid it will close once she looked elsewhere. As tears began to fall from her eyes, she tried her hardest to utter a single word numerous times as if it could still save her.

"K... K... Ka... Kai..."

Sensing something was not right, Kai ran towards the shack. Reaching the center of the forest, Kai began to smell Qiang Lei's blood. As it followed the scent, it found a man walking towards the nearby river seemingly attempting to wash away the blood on him.

Kai was very familiar with Qiang Lei's blood since their first encounter. Sure enough, it pounced on the man viciously tearing and ripping him apart completely. Standing still, it looked up the sky as it was welcoming the dawn. The river had been painted with red as blood continued to flow with it.

It felt it. It knew it. There was too much amount of her blood on this human. Qiang Lei was dead.

'Qiang Lei...'

—

As if slapping it awake from a sleep, its name being called by her made the wolf step back. It scanned Qiang Lei's body checking if she was injured. After making sure she was safe, Kai walked towards Qiang Lei whose eyes never left its own.

Sensing Kai had put down all its guard, Qiang Lei hugged the beast tightly, closing her eyes.

The owner's soul may have already been replaced by the new Qiang Lei, but she understood that Kai was the only and the most important thing in her life and she will definitely treat it as how she treated it in the past.

Kai was dumbfounded by Qiang Lei's action and until now, was unable to comprehend what was going on. It knew that Qiang Lei had died, but for some reason, she was alive and very well at that. Just as it wanted to escape from the slender arms of the girl, she only tightened her hug and softly said,

"Thank you, Kai. It is good to be alive. Let us live together from now on. Forever, if there is one."

Kai quivered lightly as its eyes widened a little. It did not know what to feel as its emotions were in turmoil. It was an animal, okay? Why did it seem like it just heard a confession?

Nevertheless, the pain it once felt after Qiang Lei's death was very excruating and something it never wanted to feel again that if it was a human being, it would have already cried its heart out until all its senses were numbed. A wishful thinking, it was, but it, too, promised to protect her life even if it was to die.

Kai can only close its eyes as it enjoyed the warmth from the human being.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***