PIERCING GAZE

PIERCING GAZE

 (IGNAS POV)

  We set off for the journey that day. The weather was cold and it got more chilly as they journeyed through the forest. I looked at the others who didn't feel like they felt anything, making me speechless. This was the advantage of having a wolf, which I don't have. We journeyed for hours before stopping to fill our stomachs and rest. I was at a disadvantage though, as the rest were physically stronger than me, so after a few hours of nonstop walking, I felt like dying already. 

  “Hey, Fatty! Eat some bread and gain some straight, you have delayed us a lot. Why are you so weak?!” A healer who I had gotten to know named Galileo said as others laughed they cast disdainful gazes at me, which made me so uncomfortable, and I didn't feel like eating the bread anymore, but I had to force myself to. 

  Galilei continued, “Seriously, I don't know why she got to follow us. She is an extra load. Fatty but with a weak body.” 

  “Oh! About that, I heard she is a good healer. She is Madam Theresa’s student after all.” A lady said as she rolled her eyes at my innocent self, making me speechless. Though I could see envy in her eyes, I knew it was not something rare. The skill of her Teacher, Madam Theresa was widely known and praised. People came from afar to get her to treat them, which made healers want to learn from her, but who knew Madam Theresa would bypass and reject them all but choose the Weak me? I have always been grateful for my teacher's choice. So I ignored the gossip and insults thrown at me. 

  “I bet she knows nothing about the woman's teaching! I heard she only treats common-type illnesses.” Another one chimes in. 

  “Tsk Tsk… what a waste of time and teachings Madam Theresa. No wonder the Alpha sent her to assist in the Frontline. He is just disgusted by her lazy and dumb self.” Galilie said with a Tsk. 

  I speechlessly look at this woman who knows nothing other than gossip and is filled with envy. But I knew I couldn't say anything as it could bring me trouble on the journey, so I continued to ignore it, which later made the bullies stop since they didn't get a response. 

  I couldn't help but sigh in contentment at the now silent place. 

  Days passed as they finally reached the war zone. They could hear the sound of the soldiers as they trained. 

  The truth is everyone knew they were fighting a one-sided battle, as the pack they were fighting against was one of the most difficult and strongest packs, the “Dominic Pack.” She wondered why her Pack wouldn't just admit defeat, and give the Dominic Pack what they requested, but their Full Moon Alpha is just a narcissist who likes to prove powerful even if he wasn't anything. The funniest part of all this was that the Pack had lost so many soldiers in this one-sided war, but the Alpha of Full Moon still kept sending more soldiers but wouldn't budge from his pack. He had never come to check on the soldiers but kept sending more. Truly a useless Alpha. 

  I walked around the camp to see if there was anything I could help the soldiers with since nobody devised work for us. The soldiers were scattered around, as most of them looked hopeless. My sigh couldn't just stop coming because I could feel the gloomy air surrounding my pack, The Full Moon pack which was saddened. 

  On getting to a corner, I could hear voices coming out from there, and my curiosity wouldn't wane if I didn't check, so I peeped and was surprised to see the commander and Better of the pack. He was talking to a young man who also seemed to be part of our soldiers.

  “Is the Alpha crazy?! Why would he send more healers and soldiers when what we need is for him to restore his orders and make us go home, we have lost many soldiers and healers. Hasn't he done enough harm already?!” The other man I couldn't see fumed angrily. It could be seen from his clenched hands that he was full of anger, even his body was trembling. 

  Beta Lucas held his shoulder tightly, “Get hold of yourself, Adam! We have no choice but to follow his orders. Besides I heard the Alpha of Dominic Pack is here, he came to check on his people, so advise everyone not to pass their boundaries.” 

  “You mean Alpha Leo Packer?! Oh goddess of the Moon! Why can't the Alpha just release the lands? It's just some land! We have lost so many lives because of some Lands!.” The Man the Beta called Adams panicked as he paced around, making me so curious about the Lands and why Alpha Leo Packer wanted it so badly since it's just a land. 

  “It's not just a land Adams, it's a Fruitful Land! We never knew what lands were until this war started. It's a land full of energy, and very good for the cultivation of Werewolves. It also has the quality of growing various plants. And that is what they are greedy for!” The Beta corrected and explained. My jaw couldn't close when I heard him, and when I looked at Adams, he was the same as me, with his mouth wide open. 

  Adams resignedly said, “So that is the reason…But I still want this one-sided beating to end!” 

  Feeling I had heard enough, I smoothly turned and skipped back to the place given to us healers to stay. 

  Days passed uneventfully, I watched the soldiers prepare for the fight tonight. According to what was told, there might be an attack tonight and they had to be prepared to treat the injured soldiers. I also prepared some herbs I think might help. Though I know they might look down on me, I don’t care, I learned the skill to help and not to take revenge on ignorant people. 

  The night came unbashful, the soldiers stood on standby, and they readied themselves to fight, though I could see most of them indifferent with soulless eyes, it was like they were just waiting to die and they had lost hope. I couldn't help but shed tears for the wolves who might die tonight.

  I looked at the war from afar with red eyes, this was the first time I had seen a real battle. I felt nauseous as I watched wolves get divided into two, throats pierced through, headless wolves. My mind felt blank as if I was in an illusion. Some first-time healers had already fainted, but I didn't know how I was still holding on, I was sure it was because I didn't want more deaths, I wanted to save the helpless soldiers and I did just that. 

  I rushed to help a wolf that was struggling to escape the war to get treated, and he was able to pass, I immediately assisted him, not minding the bloody body, and I bought out my herbs immediately. 

  “Can you still shift back to the human form?” I asked urgently. 

  The wolf forced his eyes open, and I could feel he heard me clearly as his eyes blinked. In a minute, he shifted back to normal, so I immediately got back to work. After treating him, and seeing everything was okay, I left him to rest at the side and went forward to check on others, But suddenly I felt a numb pain in my chest. It was strange, but thinking it was just being nervous I dismissed it. But when I went closer to the fights, I felt it again and it was so stifling this time around, and I couldn't help but hold my chest in pain. 

  “Hey, what are you doing?! If you don't want to help, then get the hell out of here!” The voice of a soldier who was annoyed at being ignored yelled at her but Ignas wasn't focused on him, her eyes looked ahead and focused on the eyes of a man. The man’s piercing gaze looked coldly at her, but somehow she could see the shock in his eyes, as he also held his chest, and muttered something. What is this strange feeling? What is going on with her body?