A Broken Pair
"What do we do?" I wondered aloud. "If anyone here dies, there's a chance this prophecy is completely ruined." "I guess we try to protect them from each other." Ghastillo murmured. I could tell he had recently been crying. My hard expression melted and knelt down to look him in the eyes. "Are you okay, Ghast?" I asked with the gentlest voice I could muster. His tears flowed anew as he began to sniffle, avoiding my question by turning away. We sat like this for a good thirty seconds before he cracked. "No! I'm not okay!" he cried, running into my arms. "I'm so scared!" "Why?" I asked, chuckling. "Aren't you the little guy that kept following me last week?" "I'm scared of being such an important anthro in our timeline." I picked him up like a toddler. He didn't object, and I stood up. You don't know that for sure, I wanted to say. I knew it wouldn't be true. I could feel a change coming, and I felt the only thing I could do was comfort him. In the process of doing so, I could only see my younger brother, and I smiled a sad smile. I couldn't help nuzzling his head. He sniffled and took a few deep breaths."We can't stay out here in the open. We need to get higher." I decided to say. "I can walk." Ghastillo insisted with a shaky breath. I let him down and took off towards the highest tree in the forest with Ghastillo in close pursuit. We both climb the tree with relative ease and gaze over the arena. We were in a jungle terrain that had a clearing in the middle. There was a forest fire going on in one area, and both a rainstorm and supernatural winds were keeping it in check. I guess the pyromancer found something he didn't like. "I'm sorry." Ghastillo said after a minute. "What?" I asked, shocked that he was apologizing at all. "I'm sorry for losing my cool back there. It was embarrassing." he muttered. He was sitting near the base of the giant sequoia on the same branch as me. I sighed. "Why are you sorry that you're showing normal emotions?" I asked, sitting down next to him. I put my arm around him to comfort him. "You may think you're tough, but you're still eleven." "I just hate it when my emotions get the best of me." Ghastillo admitted, "The loss of my brother might've had something to do with it." "Well, I lost my brother too. Same age as you, even." I said. "You already knew that though." Ghastillo's head rested on my chest. "I'm so tired that I didn't notice this at first, but I never gave you my age. How do you know it?" He asked. "You look the same age as my brother, so I guessed." I answered. "Lucky guess, then." he commended. "Why do I feel so comfortable near you? We only just met." "I guess we both might be trying to replace the siblings we lost." I theorized. "I wouldn't mind if that's what it is."
Ghastillo admitted. I smiled. "Then it's settled. We're brothers in spirit." "In spirit?" Ghastillo asked with a tone that made it sound like what I said was stupid. I frowned. "Oh, shutup." I said, immediately cracking a smile. "I like it, actually." the dark-furred husky snuggled into my chest and closed his eyes. It wasn't five minutes before he fell asleep. I watched the arena for abnormal activity, praying that the weather pair could keep that fire contained... "Ghast, wake up." I urged. The husky groaned in protest. I was watching two bears walking through the brush. "I don't wanna get up today, Nillo." he complained. "Ghast, it's Friz. You need to wake up." Realization dawned quickly on his face and bolted upright, ready to move. "What is it?" he asked, trying to sound as grown-up as possible. I merely pointed at the bears with my right hand and motioned for his to keep quiet with the other...