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” Inspired by: The Quote: “The human heart has ever dreamed of a fairer world than the one it knows.” ~Carleton Noyes
It was so white, white as snow. In between another perfect wonder of here and there and when and where. Trees so tall their peeks grazed the sky surrounded a little area. Even though the sky was grey with snow and wonder, the trees still reached their pine branches up for hope of just a bit of the long forgotten sun. All around the surrounding forest seemed perplexingly silent as the white wonder fell. Between the fallen branches slick with ice and the snow blasted trunks of the ancient trees, stepped a figure. It moved without a sound and was more silent than the falling snow itself. Moving through the forest, the thing headed toward the small clearing where the trees parted in a circle. Pausing like a statue its acute ears pricked up to any absent sounds in the forest. Pure golden eyes searching, while a fluff of a tail held high. The wolf seemed to smile, its pink gums curling back into a twisted sneer. Daggers of teeth showed through those gums and threatened all who came within range. The wolf’s hind legs tore into the ground propelling its agile body forward. It wove around the trees like a master and disappeared as though painted right into the scenery. His white coat hid him from prying eyes, while his own golden orbs stalked them. Close and closer still he came to that clearing. His long bony legs carried him effortlessly as the snow swirled around him with almost mythical intensity.
Between the trees there was a splash of bright red against the cold pallid ground. The color shone with sweet vibrancy, as though the forest had never seen something that stunning. It was…out of place. Jin looked too frail to be moved from the very spot she laid in. The white dress that adorned her did little to hold back the cold. She lay on her side with her frail legs slightly bent. The white snow settled all around her, but it didn’t seem to settle on her. Her fragile arms lay close to her body as if a futile effort to keep warm. Her long snowy hair whimsically curled on the snow as though it were water and blended into the ground as though there were no clear definition of either one. She was as unmoving as stone. Her eyes closed, the expression on her face was one of quiet bliss. If you pulled back her hair you could just make out the corners of her pale lips turned upward.
Suddenly though it was if the ON switch had been jammed on. Jin’s eyes flew open; the golden orbs seemed to burst to life. She moved as though she had not moved for a very long time. Her frail arms seemed less pale as they pushed her upper body from the cold snow covered ground. They stretched working long forgotten muscles. The forest around her seemed void of all sounds. That was never a good sign in any aspect. Turning her slender neck she faced her head toward a section of the forest. Some of her white hair hung across her face and it seemed less pale. Her small smile turned to a grin, and then she even showed some teeth.
Between the trees the wolf lurked. The closer he had gotten the more she seemed to come alive. Before he knew it the wolf stood at the edge of the circle of trees. It was there he saw her watching him. Her eyes the colors of molten gold were almost identical to his own. The snow could have buried her and made her disappear like a ghost. It was the sash that drew his curiosity though. The bright red silk seemed too out of place to be in the stark forest. The sash was wrapped around Jin’s waist once or twice and then the two long ends splayed out in different directions. Pushing himself up higher the wolf pricked his fuzzy white ears in her direction. Curiosity was not only for cats it seemed. He made a mental note to remember that.
The wind picked up slightly and pulled some of the powdery snow off the ground swirling it around a bit. In Jin’s line of vision the wolf almost disappeared for a moment. The regal thing seemed posed as a memorial to sheer defiance and beauty. His head held high with his chest out he watched her as she watched him. She could tell he was a proud creature just by looking at him. She could see it in his eyes.
“Are you a spirit?” she asked, her voice small and soft.
As she spoke her breath clouded from the immense cold she seemed not to feel. Her voice, the very sound seemed to interest the wolf. He raised one of his forepaws as if to take a step forward but made no actual movement to do so. Shifting her weight Jin stretched out her arm toward the wolf, her palm up as if beckoning him closer. Still the wolf made no movement toward the girl, he did however start to move. Sidestepping, he started to weave through the trees, always with his eyes on the girl though. The wolf seemed to never truly step out from the cover of the trees. He followed the line of her fate.
The border was protection, Jin thought watching the wolf start to slowly move in a circle between the trees. Maybe he was afraid to come out into the open she wondered as he circled. She laughed and life seemed to flow back into her like the floodgates being released.
“Look at you!” she laughed pushing herself up to sit on her hip.
“Great spirit of the North! Afraid to cross the line” she taunted.
Through her white hair Jin’s golden eyes shone with sweet intensity, more alive than ever before. Her voice got stronger, as she herself grew bolder to taunt the wolf.
“I know who you are,” she said casually as if it didn’t matter.
But all along she turned her body to watch him circle her.
“I wouldn’t have woken up if it weren’t yo...”
The wolf stopped dead in his tracks, his gums curled back to reveal his pearl daggers of teeth. From deep within his throat came a growl that the gods would have shaken to.
“You were imprisoned here for 10,000 winters. I see it has not changed you Jin,” the wolf growled.
Jin on the other hand rolled her head back and laughed, her eyes glancing to the sky.
“10,000 winters…” she repeated slowly, as her smiles faded and her laughter died away to just a memory.
It was the wolf who had the upper hand now.
“This place has only known the cold bitterness of winter because of you,” he growled.
“Keep your neck exposed,” he whispered idly to her.
The wolf advanced and Jin pushed herself away in retreat.
The great wolf tentatively stepped forward into the circle breaking the trance. It suddenly didn’t feel safe anymore. Jin pushed herself to her feet and tried to back away only to fall to the ground from her weak legs. She scrambled in the snow as if trying to build a wall between her and her possible death.
“You selfish thing” he growled. “You selfish wretch!” he snarled, moving forward on silent paws.
Jin held up her arms in defense, there was no running away from this.
A spirit that walked in the form of something mortal was a watcher. A punisher. The ones that could pass judgment on those who deserved it. The price for this job was high though. It meant giving up ones immortality to watch over the undeserving.
Jin stared down the Spirit of the North through her arms. She was not afraid of him; he could not scare her!
“Leave me alone!” She yelled franticly.
The wolf only advanced though. One of his paws came to rest on one of the tendrils of red silk that wrapped around Jin’s waist.
“You carry your sins openly?” he asked more to himself than her.
He seemed…confused.
He stood still, his great head bowed staring at the red silk with curiosity for a moment. When he brought his head up he met eyes with the frightened Jin.
“Yes. Yes I swear it!” she hurryingly said throwing her arms down into the snow and pressing her forehead in-between them as if bowing to the wolf.
The wolf flexed his paw snagging the silk within his large smooth pin black claws. Taking a step back he tugged at the fabric pulling Jin forward and sprawling her across the snow.
“Look at me.” he growled.
Jin’s head snapped up and she locked eyes with the wolf.
“You are selfish! And you care only for yourself! Do you hear me Jin?” he snapped loudly.
She nodded her head hurryingly.
“You only know how to take and not to give. That is why you are scorching summer. You steal the water from those who thirst for it. But today you gave something back without even knowing it,” he said, a smile creeping across his muzzle. “Maybe you aren’t so a selfish after all.”
Jin looked in shock at the Wolf.
“Spirit of the North,” she grew bold, “who are you but killing winter, cold, frozen, barren winter."
“I do not kill,” his voice boomed in anger. “I make it all... slumber,” he whispered softly.
Jin nodded.
“You came into the circle,” she whispered finally understanding. “Even thought I taunted you, I still made you conquer you own fears.” She muttered in shock.
The Wolf grinned, “10,000 winters is long enough for your selfishness,” he jested releasing the red silk from his claws.
“But always remember Jin,” he started. “The heart will always wish for greater things. But you must grow and learn to give them back. Because we are born selfish, knowing only how to want and need. It is within time and great effort that you learn to give,” he said nobly as he trotted back to the edge of the circle of trees. “And one more piece of advice,” he said with a wicked smile. “Never steal the heart of the one you love in blind anger.”
With his final words the Great Spirit of the North bolted back into the shadows of the forest.
Jin watched him disappear for a few moments before falling onto her back. She stretched out her arms and flexed her fingers like she was grabbing at something.
“Winter is finally over,” she laughed. “It’s… finally over,” she cried. No longer snow would gently fall from the sky, a gift from the Great Spirit of the North himself.
“He always made it snow for me,” she sobbed.
Pulling her arms to her she buried her hands into her face as if to hold back her tears. Instead though she thought of something better.
Rolling to the side, Jin shakily stood up and with tentative steps walked toward the edge.
“I will no longer be selfish,” she said stubbornly.
One of her hands glanced a reticent old tree; she found the snow was already melting off of it.
Stopping, Jin looked at the tree for a moment and how the soft green moss was growing. Summer would be coming soon after a quick spring... Putting one foot in front of the other she started off.
“To the North!” she shouted into the silent forest. “Its time I give back what I stole!” she laughed.
And the forest erupted with life.
The name Jin originated in Japan and means tenderness in Japanese.
 Desert--Mirage · Mon Jun 25, 2007 @ 12:35am · 1 Comments |
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