"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next."
I completed the prayer and opened my eyes to stare at Cassandra.
She sneered at me,"I cant believe that you still continue to practice my father's faith. There is no need now, he is dead."
"I practice the faith because I believe that the power we hold and the belief in a higher power are one in the same."
Her eyes flashed and she darted toward me in a speed that was very impressive.
I snached her paw out of the air as she went for my throat. I smiled and easily held her away.
I blocked the flow of energy to her arm and threw her at a near by boulder, shattering it as she smashed into at great force.
Her body hit the ground and skidded aways after she hit the boulder.
She stood slowly, blood slowly trickling down from the cut above her forehead. Her radiant white fur now covered in dust and dirt.
She glared at me, "Dont toy with me, I know you could have killed me there. I made a mistake in my arrogance, but you, you did as well. You see now," she said touching her arm and releasing the flow of energy, "you are going to die."
A gust of wind hit me in the side and slammed me into a stoney hillock that jutted out of the ground. She pinned my arm to my sides and advanced slowly towards me.
I smiled calmly at her as she approached, but inside I was despretely trying to find away to extract myself from the flowing air that pinned my to the hillock.
She reached me and put her paw to my chest. She smiled at me and kissed me as she dug her claws into my chest, going for my heart.
"I could have been yours in every way if you had just loved me the way I loved you,"she whispered into my ear.
I gasped in pain as I felt her claw pierce my heart. My paw touched the rock and I felt the energy flow through it. I excited the energy, making it flow faster. The rock shattered and I fell to the ground and rolling. With all the strength I had left I leaped for her throat.
I grabbed hard and dug in my claws, and in that last moment I stared into her eyes. I saw regret, surprise, admiration, and I saw obsession.
I tore her her throat out and watched as she collapsed. Her beautiful fur now stained crimson. I watched her life blood seep into the ground and couldnt bring myself to feel for her the way she wanted me too.
Her eyes glazed over and only then did I allow myself to fall next to her. I watched my own blood seep out from where her claws had dug in. I coughed and there was more blood.
I laughed to myself, "looks like I never found that peace that you wanted me to, Dev, but now I will be with you shortly brother."
My friends all came running towards me, calling my name. My final thought before I went unconcious was of how in the middle of explaining to them everything that had happened in the two years that I was gone, I was happy,
Maybe I had found peace.