Where Winter Meets Summer (Rusame Countryhumans)

By Your Side

The soft orange that poked through the branches illuminated the young girl's silhouette like a divine aura as she scowled down at the other.

"Do you know how long I've been looking for you, Pakistan?" she demanded as she bent down. "Stop crying now. The sun is going to set if we don't get moving."

Pakistan, who had barely turned 15, rubbed her watery eyes and sniffled as the other tucked her long dark hair back under her veil. Holding onto the golden hands that reached out to her, Pakistan stumbled to her feet and the two of them began to trudge through the forest.

"India, do you hate me?" Pakistan whispered after a long moment of silence and the other flinched, clearly caught off guard by this question.

"Hate you? No, of course not. Why would you say that?" India furrowed her brow as she pulled her little sister closer. "Why would I ever hate you?"

"You always look annoyed with me so I was just wondering..." she trailed off, clutching on just a little bit tighter. "But I do know the elders hate me."

"The elders don't hate you," India said firmly but even she knew that that was a lie. "They're just... worried about you. Don't take it to heart."

Feeling her sister's tenseness, Pakistan wisely kept her lips sealed and they continued to walk in silence.

Eventually, the path became much clearer and they knew they had made it to a well-traveled road. With a little luck, they would be out of there in no time.

India glanced down at Pakistan who was still looking a bit down. The young girl was growing tired from all the walking.

"I'm sorry I had to make you come look for me. Please don't be mad at me."

"For the last time, I am not mad at you, Pakistan," India rolled her eyes as they sat down for a break. "I came looking for you because I love you. You are family."

India's golden hands cupped around Pakistan's face. "Now turn that sad frown into a smile for me, alright?" she said with earnest eyes.

Pakistan's tired eyes lit up for a moment before a small smile finally broke through. This was enough to satisfy India and her body began to glow with a golden aura that grew to surround the both of them. A small and faint trail of sunlight illuminated the path and all the exhaustion immediately rushed out of them as India's Awakening flickered over them.

"If you still don't believe me," India smiled warmly as she took hold of the young girl's hand, "This power only works for the people I cherish. Savitr's hand only reaches out to my allies."

"It feels... nice," Pakistan agreed. "Shall we go then?"

"Yes, the sun waits for naught."

Though the two were optimistic, the trees stretched on in every direction and slowly, the golden path faded with the sun and India's powers dimmed to a rest. The path was a familiar one and they knew they were getting close but that's when they heard the lonesome howl in the distance.

"India, wolves!" Pakistan gasped as her dark eyes widened in fear. Tucking the little one close, India began to pick up her pace while her eyes darted around for any signs of danger.

"We have to get home. We're almost there," she assured Pakistan every once in a while but her encouragement faltered when two pairs of glowing red eyes approached from the front.