Casmas Clan: Josiah and Clara
Epilogue

~ Clara Something tickled the fingers of her right hand, but it was not enough to rouse Clara from her sleep. Her hand jerked when whatever it was refused to stop. Clara slowly started to wake and her hand clenched on whatever it was that was still bothering her. 'What is that?' She kept her eyes closed while her hand clenched and unclenched several times on different spots upon whatever the thing was. 'Is that...fur?'

Deciding to finally figure it out, Clara slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head to stare blurrily around the cave. She saw nothing but pitch black surrounding her. The lantern must have gone out while she was taking her nap. Cursing, she fumbled around the ground with her free hand until her fingers found the overturned lantern.

Messing around with it for several minutes, Clara got it relit and peered into the darkness before her. She jumped slightly and jerked back at the glowing golden eyes tinged by brown, peering back at her through the darkness. The wolf shrank back and tried to run away, but Clara was able to reach out and grab its tail before it completely disappeared once more.

"Wait, please. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to do that. I just wasn't expecting you to be there. Please, come back."

The wolf hesitated for several moments, obviously thinking about it, which gave her hope. He glanced at her, and then in the direction he was heading, before returning his gaze to her. After hesitating once again, he turned and slowly approached her, as though afraid she would be frightened by him again. Clara released the breath she was holding when the wolf entered into the soft glow of the lantern. Its fur was a sandy brown color. "Josiah?"

She quietly asked as she reached her hand out toward it, with her palm up. His right ear flicked back before he reached forward and rubbed his head against her palm. Clara smiled brightly positive she had finally found Josiah. ~ Sai and Aria Sai shifted restlessly beside Aria, extremely tired of just standing around and doing nothing.

"Aria, it's been over six hours since Clara entered that cave. We need to go in there. She could be injured and need our help!"

Aria rolled her eyes skyward and wished for the patience to deal with this whiny little child. "Or Clara could have finally found Josiah and they are in there making up. You'll feel pretty stupid going in there and seeing them doing something you have no desire to see."

Sai's mouth dropped open for a moment, before slamming shut with an audible snap. She was about to comment when a rock tumbled out from the darkness of the cave and came to a rest at her feet. Sai and Aria went instantly on guard, hopeful it was Clara, but unwilling to take the chance on it not being her.

"Aria? Sai? Are you still out there?"

Relief flooded Sai at Clara's voice and both of them relaxed their stances. Sai smirked at Aria, trying to prove to the elder Clan member that she wasn't afraid, even though she had been. "Did you have any luck, Clara?"

Aria called out the instant Clara appeared from the shadows of the cave. The answer followed closely behind Clara, though he was still in wolf form. It didn't bother Sai...much, Josiah had been in wolf form for so long, it might just take him a few days before he calmed enough for the change.

"Problems, Clara?"

Again Aria called out, evidently seeing something that Sai was not. Clara smiled in response and curled her fingers in Josiah's scruff.

"Nothing we won't eventually be able to work out."

Aria hesitated a moment, before finally nodding.

"Good. Are we ready to head back to Kosta, then?"

Clara tightened her grip on Josiah as her smile grew wider.

"Yes. Let's head home."