Chapter 49: Chapter 49

IN THE TUNNELS

: In the Tunnels

Kitee, North Karelia, Finland

Aatu slowly turned around, staring back at Aku, who was struggling even more to get his breath. Aku knew that if he even bothered to move just the tiniest bit that he would probably end up collapsing. Aatu's torch shone brighter against the walls of the tunnel. "I'm really not feeling anything."

Aku wanted to scream out and call Aatu the foulest of names, but he kept his mouth shut. "Maybe it's just all in my head."

Aatu's eyes looked like those of a demon when the light hit them from the light. "Well, I guess that's possible." Aku could tell that Aatu didn't even believe his own words.

The air area Aku kept growing heavier. There was something in here for certain. He reached a hair out, but could feel nothing in the air. There was no sense of the heaviness that he was feeling in his hand-only normal nothing greeted him.

Aatu took a couple of steps forward. From his place, Aku could faintly make out another fork in the tunnels.

Aatu looked back at Aku. "Aren't you coming?"

Aku took a few wobbly, small steps forward, feeling like more of a drunk than anything. "Yeah." He rested a hand on the side of the tunnel, struggling to get his breath. It felt as if he had an elephant sitting on his chest.

Aatu paused at the new fork, with his eyes closed. Aku paused next to him, listening to the sounds of his deep breathing. Aatu's lips moved slightly, but his words were too soft for Aku to make out.

Aku allowed the faint wind to send chills down his body. It seemed to actually help with the whole not being able to breathe thing, but it was still going to be next to impossible for him to walk without ending up on the ground.

Aatu nodded to the tunnel to the far left. "That way."

Aku tried not to groan as he looked at the distance. There really wasn't anything for him to hold onto, but he did have to admit that he did feel some of pull coming from down there. The wind also seemed to be blowing harder from that direction. "Okay, let's do it."

Aku began his slow walk, feeling like a child who was just taking his first steps. Aatu seemed to be picking up his pace the closer they got to the tunnel. The burning in Aku's lungs seemed to be moved stretched with each step, making it feel like his entire front was on fire.

At the entrance to the tunnel, Aatu paused. Aku leaned against the side of the tunnel, letting the coolness from the walls sink into his skin.

Aatu's eyes quickly shifted over the tunnel, as if he was sensing something that shouldn't be here. "Come on," he said after a few seconds.

Groaning, Aku lifted himself up from his resting place.

Aatu shook his head. "You really need to learn to shake these kinds of things off."

Aku's eyes narrowed. "Maybe if I'd had a teacher, then I would be able to stand on my own."

"You seem to be quiet capable of biting someone on your own and you haven't even been to make sure that he's okay."

There was something in the tone of Aatu's voice that put a little bit of a fire in Aku's soul. He really couldn't explain it, other than it was a spark burning in his core. He moved closer to Aatu, feeling the power burning in him. He had not forgotten about the boy; he had just been tied up to really go and check up on him. It was on his list of things to do, but it was rather low of Aatu to even suggest such a thing. He was not the type to leave a newly turned wolf on his own, unlike Aatu.

Aatu's eyes narrowed. "Do you really think you can take me?"

Aku snarled. "I think you really need to think about what you say before you speak your words."

Aatu rolled his eyes. "Is that really the best you can do?"

Aku started circling Aatu, knowing that this going to be a unless fight. Aatu could flip him over and have him down on the ground before he even had time to react. Plus, it was really odd that the weakness that he had felt just moments ago was gone.

He lunged at Aatu, like he was a rabid animal going in for the kill.

Aatu dodged to the side just as Aku came within centimetres of his neck. "What is wrong with you?" Aatu roared as he tossed Aku to the ground.

Aku quickly climbed back onto his hunches, just as Aatu whipped back around on him. Aku snarled, sounding more like an animal than a man.

Aatu reached out and quickly grabbed onto Aku's neck, before Aku could even move. Aku screamed as Aatu dug his nails into the tender skin. "Are you done yet?" Aatu whispered as he applied more pressure, breaking a little bit of the tender skin.

Aku head butted Aatu in a movement that was so quick and so forceful that it even surprised him. Aatu stumbled enough to release his death grip on Aku.

Aku ran away from Aatu, putting himself against the wall. The moment Aatu regained himself, he charged at Aku. Aku bared his teeth as Aatu came closer. Just as Aatu was ready to grab onto him, Aku sprang out like a cat and attached himself to Aatu's face.

Screaming, Aatu stumbled backwards, almost falling onto the ground. He brought his own hands up, but Aku held on for dear life. With each swipe that Aatu made, Aku dug his nails that much further into Aatu's face.

Aku could actually hear himself roaring louder with each passing second. It sounded almost like he was laughing at Aatu's struggle. Blood poured through his fingers and ran down his arms, coating them in a sea of brilliant red.

"Aku, stop!" Aatu screamed. His breath was ragged with each pitiful breath and his scream sounded tried. "Remember that I am not your enemy! Remember that! It's all in your head!"

Aku slowly loosened his grip, not because he believed Aatu's words, but because he didn't want to become the very thing that he feared: a killer. He slowly looked down at the blood on his arms, while Aatu struggled to get his breath. Aatu would not properly heal until the moon was back in the sky and there was something about that that made Aku feel actually good about himself.

"Come on," Aatu muttered, his breathing still kind of hard.

Aku followed him down the tunnels, not saying a word. The sound of their heels clicking against the smooth floor and their own breathing was all that they could hear. Aku wanted to turn back, but he could oddly enough breath a lot easier in this tunnel.

The wind started to pick up, blowing their clothes tight against their skin. Aku struggled to walk forward, but Aatu did not seem to be having any trouble. Aku shook his way. Why would Aatu have trouble walking into the wind?

The torch's light seemed to dance off the walls, but now they weren't so empty. Every once in awhile in the flickering light, Aku could have sworn that he saw some kind of markings on the wall. They were faint, but there was for something there.

"Look," Aku whispered as the light seemed to pause on a marking that looked like a snake.

Aatu turned around, bringing the light closer to the marking. Sure enough, there was a snake there, surrounded by what looked like a pack of wolves. In the background, there was a group of what appeared to be heavily armed Hunters, sneaking up on the entire group. In the middle of the mess, there was a young woman, hugging a young man. Only the young man did not look one bit terrified; he seemed to be looking lovely up at the woman. Aku felt his eyes narrow. Everyone else in the picture had a look of fear in their eyes, but the humans just seemed so calm about the whole situation.

Aatu shifted the light away. "There's more."

Aku stared down the tunnel, blinking as a little bit of dust entered his eyes. "What does it mean?"

"I think it's some kind of a story," Aatu whispered. "I really do think we weren't supposed to find this."

"And what makes you think that?"

"There's a herd of snakes coming right at us!" Aatu turned and started running before Aku even had a chance to process what was going on.

Aku peered down the tunnel and sure enough a group of snakes stretched across the width and was slowly making their way toward them. Swearing, Aku took several steps backwards before turning and running after Aatu.

"What is this madness?" Aku screamed. Behind him, he could hear the snakes hissing and could almost make out the faint sounds of their little bodies dragging across the floor. "Why now?"

"I don't know!" Aatu roared as he rounded a corner.

The wind seemed to be trying to push them backwards and into the snakes. It took every bit of strength that Aku had to keep himself upright and going in at least what he hoped was the right direction. He had no idea where they were even going. Aatu just seemed to be taking any route that was possible.

Aku chanced a look over his shoulder. The snakes were so close now that he could make out their faint tongues as they lapped in the air. Snakes shouldn't even be out this time of year. Weren't they supposed to be warm weather creatures?

They came to a fork in the road. Aatu didn't even pause to decide a way; he just dived down the closest one to them. Aku followed. At least in this tunnel, the wind was blowing in their faces instead of trying to pull them back to certain death.

In the flickering light of the torch, Aku thought he could make out even more cravings on the wall. He looked back over his shoulder. The snakes were still gaining on them and there seemed to be even more of them.

Aku stumbled over a rock. It took everything he had to right himself and even that wasn't enough. The first snake reached him. He closed his eyes as he caught sight of the long, white fangs in the torch light. This was it. This was how he was going to die.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Aatu appeared out of nowhere, striking the snake with the torch. The snake went flying through the air, landing somewhere on top of his mates. Aatu grabbed Aku's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Keep going, you fool!"

Aku gasped, but kept running. Aatu picked up the pace.

Ahead of them, Aku could make out a faint light. He wasn't sure what it was, but it had some kind of warmth to it. If Aatu saw it, he didn't let on. He kept is pace just as fast as ever. A small pain started to form in Aku's side and his muscles were begging him to stop, but there was something screaming at him to get to that light.

Behind him, the snakes' hissing seemed to find a way to get over their own heavy breathing.

As they ran harder, the light seemed to be getting further and further away. Aku could feel his body trying to slow down, screaming at him that it was all it had and not to make it go on any further.

"Come on!" Aatu roared.

The light was blinding, calling him to come home. It's warmth sent a wave of relief through Aku's body. He just wanted to go to sleep.

Ah, sleep…Now, didn't that sound nice?