12. I miss them

The next day,

Kora woke up earlier than any child was supposed to and started to get ready for school, she was extremely excited about her first day in school. Before the sun could fully rise on the horizon she was already done getting herself ready.

She jogged out of the room and headed to the door next to hers in an attempt to knock and open it. Just when she was about to touch the door to knock she remembered that that was not her parents' door. Her parents were no more and she was left all alone, her hand paused midway as sadness clouded her being.

She walked away from the door and sat on the stairs with her chin on her hands as she looked down, suddenly feeling the impact of losing her parents. She didn't have the time to feel this way before but now that she was not able to do something that she always did every morning with her parents, she was greatly affected.

Silent tears rolled down her eyes, she sobbed silently sitting unmoving on the top stair. She stood up and walked down straight to the window and looked up at the sky, a few stars were still up and shining. She remembered her mother's words, 'We will be up in the sky among the stars watching you'.

"Morning, Mommy.....rise and shine," she said as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "Morning, Papa....rise and shine." A small and sad smile played on my lips.

From the distance, Lazarus stood and watched everything that she did but did not know what to do. He did not know how to comfort her so he just stood and watched. He was never good with children.

Lazarus had woken up the moment Kora approached their door and wanted to knock. He wondered who that could be since no one from his pack would go to his room that early until he picked up her scent. Now he wondered why she was up so early. He rose to his feet and followed after her but maintained some distance between them.

When he saw her by the window muttering words to herself and silently crying, he descended the stairs and approached her. "Kora!" he called and crouched down to her level.

Kora turned around and pounced on him to hug him. She hugged him as she cried into his chest but no sound came out.

Lazarus was so taken off guard by her sudden attack that he froze for a moment giving no reaction. He soon returned to his senses after remembering that she was just a child. No matter how mature she was, she was still just a child, a five-year-old child who still needed her parents' guidance, love, and care.

He lifted his hand and awkwardly patted her back three times and then dropped it back to his side but he allowed her to hug him as she cried.

"I miss them," Kora said in between her cries. "I miss them." She continued to repeat those same words over and over again.

Lazarus finally held her in his embrace, hugging her back, giving a wordless comfort to her. He remained on one knee as he held her.

*****

Dana woke up when she felt the cold and empty space beside her on the bed, she narrowed her brows and stepped out of bed, she sniffed the air caught his scent, and followed it.

What she saw left her stumped. Lazarus was on one knee hugging a crying child? She must be dreaming. She walked a bit forward and was finally able to make out who the child was. It was Kora to her surprise. Or not.

"Let me take her, Lazarus," Dana said and bent forward to take her from him. "You can go back and rest, I'll take it from here."

Lazarus nodded and handed Kora to her.

Dana walked up to the couch and sat cradling Kora in her hands. 'What happened to her?' Dana asked Lazarus through the mind link.

 'I think she misses her parents.' Lazarus answered as he watched how Dana handled the child in her arms. He liked the sight of her with a child.

'I see.' Dana said in understanding 'Leave her to me.'

Lazarus looked at the two walked over to an empty seat and sat down there, 'I will stay.'

he said to Dana and she gave up trying to send him away.

After more minutes went by, Kora finally calmed down and her cries died down as well she only huffed and choked on her breath once in a while and soon her breathing stabilized as well. Dana who had been caressing her back finally breathed out a relieved sigh and gave a small smile to her.

"How do you feel now?" Dana asked. "Do you want to sleep? I will stay with you if you want." Kora shook her head and looked out the window that she had opened earlier and shook her head again. The sun was almost up in the sky, and the stars had receded and given way to the sun.

"You don't want to sleep?" Dana asked for clarity. Kora nodded and hugged her a bit more. "What do you want to do then?"

"I want to go to school," Kora said with a hoarse voice, the cries had gotten into her. "I don't want to sleep."

Dana helplessly looked at Lazarus who was sitting quietly and watching them. "What should we do? She isn't in her best state."

Lazarus looked at Kora and asked, "Do you still want to go to school?" Kora nodded and he nodded as well. "You will go, no one will stop you." Kora nodded again and snuggled more into Dana.

Dana shot a dagger look at Lazarus for doing the opposite of what she had expected him to do. "What are you doing Lazarus? She is a mess right now and you want her to go to school?" She asked as she stroked Kora's hair.

"There is no point keeping her at home when she wants to go to school, the pack house will be empty and you and I have work to do, we can't stay to take care of her. She will be lonely alone here." Lazarus said.

When put that way, Dana relented. She understood now that it was better if she were to be around kids her age at school. "Okay, I will get her ready," Dana said and stood up with Kora in her arms. They went into Kora's room to get ready.

"I have taken a bath before," Kora said. "Do I still have to take another one?"

"No sweety, if you have already had a bath then let's wash your face, okay?" Dana said and placed her on the edge of the bed. Kora nodded and sat down. Her eyes were swollen from all the crying about her still insisted on going to school and training after school.