Good, Evil, and the Gray Area (FIRST DRAFT)

Chapter 41

Sooooo.... I've been editing. A lot. And editing pretty much sucks, as I'm sure you all know. I have it all done on paper, but I'm working on getting that onto the doc... etc. That'd be the reason for the delayed upload, anyways....

One question for ya, other then the usual.... Comment, Vote, Fan, Enjoy, ETC.... Should I do a cast? And if I do... any suggestions? You guys are so...... silent...... usually, that is. So speak up!!!:)  aaand im working on a couple of other stories, par norm. One is not being posted on here.... but one might be? Yays? Nays?

Without further ado: Behold, chapter 41!

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I cocked my head and looked at her, disbelieving. Ava, have a sister? She had never mentioned one. Briefly, jelously flashed through me. Ava and I were sisters. We were like sisters, anyway. Or were we? Did this random girl, who Ava hadn't seen for god only knew how long, mean more to her then me? I thought that the bond we had formed was important, that we'd be best friends for life.

The wolf just looked at me, and I realized that I could understand wolf-speak. As a human. That was weird, because I had never been able to understand Ava unless we were both animals or both humans.

"Oh..." I said, not knowing what else to say.

"Well?" Asked the wolf, just staring at me with those big green eyes that were so much like Ava's.

"That's good, I guess." I said. Then, Ava stirred, breaking up the moment of awkwardness.

"Lee?" She breathed. I answered with a nod. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay! They said they killed you, and-" I cut her off, shushing her.

"I'm fine. I won the fight, they didn't." I smiled cockily."And who is this?" I gestured toward the wolf.

"I'm not sure... I've been out since I tried to run back in the camp. I fought off a good twenty fully grown male werewolves, but then I got jumped from behind and hit in the head." She stopped, looking curiously at the grubby wolf who's dull brown back she sat upon. "So, who are you?" She asked. 

"Lee and I have already been over this. I am your sister." The wolf said, rolling her green eyes. 

Ava looked at her for a second, and then burst out laughing. "I'm not your sister," she said, "so get over that delusion quick. I don't have any blood siblings. Lee is as much my sister as any blood sister, and she's the only family I need. So, thanks for saving me, but..." She trailed off. There was a cruel edge to her voice, but I knew that it was from fear, not anger or true cruelty. Ava was scared. 

"So, what is your name?" I asked, breaking the uneasy silence that had fallen over the group. 

The wolf morphed back to her human form, which did look remarkably like Ava. She had the same brown hair, the same fine features, and the same green eyes. "Achen. Achen Rachir. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not. Ava is my sister, my twin. My very name means twin. I was separated from Ava at birth, and trained separately, in different things. I was taught how to act in high society, how to be a werewolf lady. Fighting came second. I knew about you, but didn't care, Ava. You were never told about me. They thought you were too high strung, too emotional. You would've wanted to meet me, and they did not want their children to form any attachment to each other. I was mellow, brainwashed. When they killed my parents, they took me hostage. They were going to kill me, but they knew they could use me as a bribe to those who still supported, support, the monarchy. They are going to get me my throne." Achen finished her speech with her chin thrust into the air, the picture of a confident, snooty queen. But there was fear in her eyes. 

"So, they were training you to secede them, and me to... what?" Ava said. She believed this girl. I couldn't believe it. Achen Rachir couldn't be real. 

"You to be my backup. If I failed, you would be a backup plan. So, they had you schooled and trained in fighting, just in case. They didn't want their backup plan to need a backup plan. And I was to become queen." Achen looked saddened. 

"Why did they choose you, Achen, if that's who you really are. Why you and not me?" Ava asked. She looked shaken up. I wanted to whisk her away from the liar and comfort her. 

"They schooled us in the same way for four years. But I was prettier. Not smarter, but more submissive. That's what I believe, anyway. How else would they have chosen? And I was always like a little puppy dog, wanting to please. I did whatever my parents, our parents, asked. I don't regret it, because it was preparing me to be a great ruler. But they were cruel, and mean, and I regret my lack of backbone." Achen looked almost confused, like she didn't know if she should admit now that she regretted obeying, even with her parents dead. 

"Ah, I hate to break up the family reunion, but we're going to have company. Really soon. We need to go." I did want to hear Achen's alias, but I also didn't want to get caught. 

"She's coming with us, for now." Ava said, looking at me. "Okay?" 

"Yeah, okay." I said, and then I morphed into a snow leopard and we ran for our lives from the pack of angry werewolves.