The Platform

"... Huh... Never thought I would find myself here..." 

Anaree stood there in the emptiness and the darkness of the station. It felt so gloomy and weird within a place like Crowfoot Train Station. The sound of silence, only broken by Anaree's soft voice of curiosity and wonder. Her wolf ears violently twitched under the red hood she concealed herself in. For once, without anyone around to even care or point out her strange looks, Anaree let the hood of her red cloak fall. It almost felt like she was free for that moment within the empty and quiet station. 

For a moment, Anaree felt at peace. Finally without worrying about the threat of the Seekers, or the thought of her family desperately searching for her. Finally away from the crowded life of the main city, this silence and solitude was all that she desired. And for once, a small smile appeared on her face. Anaree let out a bit of a yawn, making herself over towards a bench that looks like it had seen better days. She sat down, letting out a heavy sigh and kicking back, staring at the dark ceiling.

"Perhaps I could just stay here for now... call it 'home'." She grinned at the thought, closing her eyes and letting out another sigh. She was so tired, it had been a long time since she found peace and quiet, and it certainly had been awhile since she had slept. It almost was like she was going to pass out right then and there on that bench.

"Home? It was, at first, a seemingly innocent question, a voice that penetrated the gloomy tunnel. But as the last echoes faded away, the word was instilled with more force and aggression than before, "HOME! Who was it? The voice was boundless, coming from all directions and yet nowhere at once. "There is...no home for you." The velvet voice sung as a shape slowly took form in the shadows. "Back to the woods run, run. To the babbling brook of Orochi's blood. Run back to the crags, the cliffs, and hills. It's Calling you."

Now only visible in the darkness was a silhouette of undiscernable features. It stood at an awkward angle, slightly hunched with limbs bent awkwardly in some wild display. There was no denying the presence of the Reaper. The station was unsafe. "Sleep now, Little Wolf Girl." The voice now became a growl as the silhouette disappeared. "Little Tide and Rough Winds, I am only a voice on the wind...for now." A sinister promise lingered in the air before the presence vanished. But the Reaper was not gone. One could be absolutely sure he was somewhere...watching...waiting to sstrike.

WHAT THE HELL?!
Anaree jumped hearing the voice, nearly scrambling out of the chair where she had decided to rest for now. She thought she had been dreaming in that very moment, but that couldn't have been just a dream! It was pure insanity to do such. The voice startled her, but what startled her even more was the strange figure she thought she saw through the darkness of the station. She quickly pulled her hood over her head, baring her fangs slightly, not out of fear, but of slight annoyance.

"Great... Guess I'm not alone again... It's probably me being hungry again." She groaned in annoyance. "Alright voice of whoever that was! I'll guess I'll see ya around! Can't someone just get some peace and quiet for once?!" She let out an annoyed sigh, dusting herself off and turning to head out. But her nose twitched ever so slightly. Was there really someone around? Or was that all a dream? She couldn't really see anything all that well, but the seemingly empty station now felt eerie.

"Peace? And quiet?" The deep rumble started up again, followed by an incessant clicking. "Where did it go?" Again the voice dropped to an agitated hiss. "There is none. The voices don't leave us alone. If I can't have any, then neither can you!" The voice grew and grew until it reached its peak of a shout. Whoever it was was clearly distressed, enough to space back and forth muttering inconsolable nonsense in the dark. As Anaree rose to leave the station, the muttering ceased. There was silence, and then an anguished moan. "Where are you going? Are you leaving us?"

"Why don't you stay? Have some tea?" Anyone with sense couldn't have been fooled by the pleasant purr. There was no tea to be had, not here! But in the moment, the voice insisted on company, only to take it back a second later. "No! Go! Get help! Get help now.." Once more the voice tapered off into a moan. There was a frantic scraping noise, and then the dark tunnel fell silent.

What the actual hell was going on...?

The curiosity got to the best of Anaree as she neared the Platform's exit. She turned to face the empty station once again, now clearly not tripping out like she had originally thought. Her eyes wide with surprise. Ok, there really was someone here, and now Anaree was freaking out. Her body shaking slightly as she scanned the seemingly empty station. After some time, the fear turned into... annoyance once again. Her wide eyes turned to a glare.

"Alright. This isn't funny." She growled into the darkness. "Who's playing this trick on me? I swear if it's one of you stupid seekers someone's gonna get their throat torn out." She warned. "So reveal yourself! Because this isn't funny!" She bared her fangs slightly, glaring into the complete darkness.