The Very Essence Of Us - Octagon

Chapter 17

Filo and Neptune had returned from their hunting trip later that night; they'd managed to get ahold of some little animals, and it was enough for everyone, though it was becoming scarce. During the night, Neptune stayed awake to keep watch. The weak wind brushed against their fur, causing it to flow. They heard a quick rush of air, before a quiet thud beside them. "Can't sleep, huh?" Asked Igneo. Neptune looked at him in confusion "I don't need to,".

"I get it" Igneo continued "I was a spirit once, stayed on Earth for 40 months, I have."

"Oh yes," Neptune turned to look at their tail, which was a sixth gone "I recognised you as soon as I saw you, Igneo. Though I don't understand, what do you mean by 'once'?" they asked. Igneo shook his head "Don't you know? If a spirit stays down here for too long, they get their own bones and flesh! You still have your powers, but you can't go back. Once you get proper fur, you're stuck here". Neptune gagged "Eurgh... I don't like the sound of that" they stared up at the sky "Though I can only imagine it's going to happen to me someday..."

"Well it depends on what kind of spirit you are. If you're a commoner like me, it doesn't take long to transform. It only takes ten months since a lot of us... aren't really needed. Up there we're just formed and then we exist" Igneo stood up and jumped into the now empty clearing "I decided that I was going to look after this volcano and keep it from erupting, it was purpose enough".

"What if a spirit chooses to tether to a wolf?" Pondered Neptune, following close behind Igneo, who replied "Oh, they never transform. It's only if you go to Earth and stay for your own reason. They may've chosen it, but it's still kind of unfair if they change... as well, you can go back up, can't you?". Neptune sighed in slight relief "Yes, thank goodness...".

"Though, if you remember, there is a leader line up there. It's members have to be here for 60 months before they get stuck. Speaking of which, one of my close buds really envied the people in the leader line, I remember we used to come to Azuro together occasionally. When I found the volcano they told me to go for it, though I tried visiting them later that month and they... weren't there. No one really knows why they left" Neptune turned to Igneo in confusion as he rambled on, but they listened, and something popped up in their mind "Our enemy wants to be a leader..." they murmured.
"What was that?"
"He wants to take the Octagon's powers and use them to rule over this place..."

They both stopped talking and stood stationary in the clearing for a few seconds, before Igneo whispered "You don't think your enemy's been... you know, do you?".
"Well, no, I never introduced myself to him but I've kind of known him since I came down to Earth. He's been a little like this all the time... Though, seeing him turn to the bad side was honestly devastating" answered Neptune, looking down "I'm not going to jump to the conclusion that he's been possessed just yet. Of course, if he is it'll make it a lot easier to give the powers back to Harper and get him back, but I don't want anyone getting their hopes up too high."
"That's understandable."

---

"I would've thought she'd only take an... an hour at most, I'm worried about her!" Yelped Harrison. Unknown nodded his head "I am too, I'm going to look for her in a bit, and hopefully I'll be able to capture the pink-eyed wolf now that it's night". Harrison inhaled through his nose and stood, facing the large field.

Faint rustling noises began coming from the distance at a walking pace. Lifting his tail he put his paw just above his eyes, before pelting it out of the tree den and towards the shadow. Unknown stood up to follow and trotted to the entrance of the tree den, but decided against following Harrison as he didn't see much of a point.

As Harrison got closer to the silhouette, he could just about piece it together as being Tetra, and gradually slowed down as he got closer to her. "Tetra?" He yipped, getting her attention. "Yeah..." Tetra murmured in reply "How are you?".
Harrison vaguely shook his head as he noticed the scar on her eye "How am I?? What about you? I was worried sick! I didn't think you'd be nearly as long as you were! We shouldn't have let you stay, you're wounded now and it's all our fault!"