Hope dies last (Azula)

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Summer. The worst months of the year, the air thick and muggy, the sun beating down relentlessly, the ground cracked and dry, it was if hell was trying to surface. The young girl, looking no older than 17, although looks are deceiving, she stood at thirty two years old, trod into the quiet village of Thrinter, looking as if she'd topple at any moment. Zoey was a pretty sensible woman, but she looked pretty out of place at that moment, because in the heat of the day, the sun baking the small town like a puff pastry, she wore long jeans, a white shirt, and a green, light coat that reached her elbows. She looked far to warm for the summer, but that didn't seem to be what was weighing her down, not the heat of her clothes, hardly the heat of the day. Moving off the street, she pressed into the shadow of a nearby building, leaning against the warm brick and breathing a heavy sigh.

Zoey was a lone lycan, in search of possibly her only flesh and blood- and it was a somewhat hopeless mission. How did she know Azula was even alive anymore. She outwardly flinched at the thought of her sister being dead, just like everyone else. Was that how thirty years could pass so quickly? That, after that dreadful day, time could go by, her sister slaughtered, or if not then, killed at a later date, and Zoey was looking for nothing? She closed her eyes, swiping her hand through her tousled brown hair before leaning her head back against the brick building. She remembered that day so clearly, as much as she wished to purge her mind of it. The blood, and screams and snarls, a lycan on the hunt, Azula taking Zoey and fleeing- and then leaving her, the Lycan on her trail. Zoey fled soon after that, and met a nice young man, who took care of her, eventually turning out to be lycan himself. Just days before he was killer, she pleaded with him to change her, so she could go look for her sister- and he gave in, a soft kiss... a sharp bite, a jolt of pain. Days later, the man she was coming to love would be killed, another crushing blow to her mental state- however, his death as well fueled her. She had no reason to stay in one place anymore, and so set off to find her sister, alive she prayed, but at the same time, with all the other deaths in her life, what made her believe Azula was alive? Faith.

However, despite her hope she had just checked around, and was now returning from one of her frequent trips out of town, to see if she could pick up anything on Azula- of course, she came back to Thrinter, her current "home", staying at the inn there until she once again picked up and moved on in her searches. Gathering her composure, she righted herself off the wall, straightened herself out, and walked on, heading back towards the inn. She would eat, rest, enjoy the night, but come morning, she figured it best to push off again, find another place Azula could possible be, if only passing through- anything to find her sister. She wouldn't loose hope, and she couldn't give up.

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Light paws lead a midnight colored wolf to the outskirts of a small village. In the eyes of this wolf was an uncertain look as if this creature knew better than to head into the town in such form. Anyone could tell this wolf was Lycan. The scar on her forearm in the shape of teeth could show that. Even if it was stupid to venture to a human place as a wolf, Blue had to do it, she had to get things clothes, without showing her face.

The black wolf lowered her eyes, she knew their distinct color could give her away to an observant person should she ever show up human. She slipped under a large bush and gazed about the streets, dusk quickly coming in, and with it, the night. She'd blend in perfectly in such a darkness. As she looked to the darkening sky, she saw the moon as only a sliver of silver, it was perfect.

A few more moments of restless crouching and the night overwhelmed the town, the last few people slipping into their homes or into the near-by pup. Blue took her change and came from the bush, quickly running across the dirt road into the invisible boundary of the village and pressed herself against the wall, the stone cool against her heavy fur.

Blue tried not to think about what she was doing as she trotted around the corner and slipped into the alley, she despised thievery but it had to be done in this case. Her stomach twisted with hunger, she hadn't eaten in a few days and though more wolf blood in her might've been better off, she was more human, and this hunger was painful; not to mention her desperate need for clothing.

The black wolf slithered around another corner, carefully keeping her claws from clicking to loudly on the cobblestone, and stopped dead in her tracks. There, not twenty feet away, was a woman, walked away from her down the side-walk. She was young, tall, and though the wolf could not see this girl's face, she felt she knew who it was. The way she walked, carried herself, a hopeful type of essence seemed to vibrate of her skin. But the most important thing about this person, she smelled Lycan.

Blue sat down carefully, looked around quickly to make sure no one was looked, and let out a sharp bark. She hoped desperately that this person turned. She was down-wind and Blue knaw she wouldn't be able to smell her, but if she truly was Lycan, her eyes would see the black wolf in the shadows.

If this stranger turned to see the wolf, the wolf would see her face, the wolf would stare into strange eyes and try to find resemblance...

[silent]

The in was farther in town, and Zoey was still right at the limits of the small village, and although it wouldn't be too far of a walk, the heat made every step feel like running a marathon, even as the sun began to set, there was no relief from the heat, only from the burning sensation the sun caused on flesh. Nonetheless, she pushed forward, eyeing the road in front of her solemnly. She was lost in her own thoughts, wondering what he next plan could be. Where would she go? Where could she look next, was it too late? She looked up to the sky, turning shades of red and blackness creeping across it, summoning night, stars specking the distance.

Why couldn't things just look up for her, she could only wonder to herself. The town was suddenly too quiet, all of it's inhabitants heading inside for the evening- save those who were still inside, never leaving the house to avoid the gripping heat. The winds had changed through the day, however, she now had her nose to it, and hopefully that wind would bring rain, a much needed rain to dispel the heat. She was just getting into her thoughts, when a sharp bark behind her jerked her back to reality. She immediately believed it to be a dog, the hair on the back of her neck rising, like the bristling fur of a dog. After her initial shock, turned, and eyed down the dog, only, it wasn't a dog, but a pure black wolf. She took a nervous step back- she had bad memories of dogs, ever since a small, human owned pack of them attacked her, leaving her body badly scarred, and forever, a strong disdain for the canines- hardly even able to tolerate her own kind, never comfortable around them. Nonetheless, she wondered what it was the wolf wanted, it's eyes pale, silver in colour, eyeing her- was that hope she saw there? Emotions swirled in the canine eyes, did this wolf know her? Being upwind, she couldn't scent it, but she knew instantly, this wolf was lycan.

She stood in stunned silence, she didn't know any lycans in particular, so who could this one be. The growl forming in her throat melted away, replaced by sheer curiosity. It was a female, young and somewhere in those eyes, the emotions there, the personality behind them... her heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be... She wouldn't know unless she tried to ask, of course, but her mouth didn't want to work, it didn't want to open, to speak, but after a stressed moment, she blinked and slipped out of her shocked moment, denial weighing heavy on her, but hope glittering in her eyes. Could it possibly be... "A-Azula?"

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Blue waited, sitting back neatly on her haunches. She instantly felt the tense air increase around the stranger, was she afraid of her? As the girl turned, Blue could see the answer, yes, yes she was.

Tall ears lowered, she waited to see the girl's response. She wouldn't attack in the middle of a village would she?

They shared a long glance that seemed to last forever. Familiar silver eyes slowly drew from fear to curiosity. She was obviously Lycan for she could see intelligence in the black wolf's eyes. Blue was suddenly terribly sure of this person. Her face so familiar, she hadn't changed since Blue last saw this young werewolf. Her eyes brightened in a love only a family would know.

"A-azula?"

Blue's tail started to slap the ground, her lips pulled back in a bright fanged smile. "Yes!" she wanted to cry out, but she could only let out a soft yelp of recognition. Rising to her paws the black wolf began to walk slowly down the hot road, ignoring the pain of the heat on her feet. It's been too long Zoey...

[silent]

The second the words left her mouth, Zoey's body locked up. What would happen now? Had she made a terrible mistake? She bit her lip as she waited, her thoughts swirling, but suddenly, the calm in the storm, excitement filled the wolf's eyes, the black tail beat the group as it wagged, making a dull thumping noise. A sharp toothed grin formed on it's black muzzle, as an equally wide smile broke out on Zoey's. The wolf started forward down the street, and Zoey didn't hesitate, stepping forward a few feet and closing the distance between them. She sunk to her knees heavily, ignoring the sharp cobblestone digging through her jeans and poking her skin, she couldn't care less at that point. She threw her arms around the wolf- no, her sister's furry neck, hugging the warm canine close. It was like a dream, it was entirely impossible, and yet, it was right.

"Oh Azula, how I've missed you..." She murmured as she nuzzled her face into the black fur, not at all caring that the dark colour absorbed the heat and was transferring it to her. Tears burned in the corners of her eyes, her face beginning to ache from the broad smile. After all of the years of searching, the pain and suffering, the strained, but never dying hope that one day, one day she'd find Azula again, be reunited with her. She lifted her head after a long moment, gazing down at Azula. "I never thought I'd find you... I've been searching, all these years..." The words caught in her throat, there was so much to explain, so much to say, so many thoughts, memories, stories to share- and where to begin. She quickly figured, she may as well start with the most obvious thing. "The lycan... it got to you, I see."

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Small tears, too, filled the wolf's eyes as she rubbed her muzzle against her dear sister's face. She inhaled her scent, never wanting to forget it. All the while she forced her eyes to stay open, memorizing this face. It was obvious that she was turned two years after Blue. In a way she was not the oldest, Blue shook with silent laughter.

She wanted to speak with her sister, but feared giving herself away. "And now you've found me," she thought to herself.

After a moment more of reunion's embrace, the black wolf pulled herself from her sister's arms and stared into the eyes of the kneeling girl. The biggest question was asked, but the answer stood there before her. Nevertheless, Blue dipped her head in response.

In a quick jolt she rose to all fours. Eyes lifted, "Come with me," he eyes said. With this, the black wolf turned and ran for the village-edge. Blue needed to speak to Zoey, she could not bare stay quiet any longer.