'''Wolves Pt. 1'''

Written by Cathe

Song by Selena Gomez; Marshmello

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Plot : Lloyd and the Ninja went off on a quest to find his mom who was presumed lost in the woods. It's been a year and Harumi decided to find him herself. Since she knows where he went, she went to the same forest and had an ugly encounter with a wolf pack.

Info : In Harumi's POV. Is set in an alternate universe that is somewhat similar to the show.

Warnings : -

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A/N : I haven't posted a oneshot in a while so... I cut this one in, not half, more like a two-thirds. So, enjoy! Btw, chapter 7 of It's Complicated has been updated!

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Harumi's POV

(One Year Ago...)

I watched in worry as my boyfriend, Lloyd Garmadon, paced around the room of the cabin we rented for the holidays. Lloyd's mother, Misako, said something about meeting some old friends to get some information. Then she left after a goodbye.

It's been over a week now since she's left, and it made Lloyd worried that something's happened to her. Well, don't get me wrong, I'm worried too but I think that Lloyd's going overboard about this. The slow arising panic in him got so bad that he even called his friends to come over.

Sure enough, the rest of the team came the next day. And may I add, they came at a very early time too. It was four in the morning when Lloyd and I heard a knock from the front door. I wasn't able to even get any sleep that night because of Lloyd's worry. Lloyd had wasted no time to open the door for his friends while I took a while to get there.

Right now, we were all in the living room of the cabin, sitting down on the sofa while watching the Green Ninja mutter some inaudible things in concern. The other ninjas were trying their best to calm Lloyd down while I couldn't even think straight.

If I know Lloyd, which I do, he's probably formed a crazy plan by now. Probably something involving going into the dangerous forest that his mother got lost in. In all honesty, sometimes I wonder why I even chose to date him.

I mean like, I'm dating a ninja. Not to mention, the Green Ninja. He goes on all sorts of crazy adventures, and every time he leaves, I worry non-stop about him until he comes back.

All those times, I got lucky that I never lost him. But what if one day, I lose him for good? What if I never get to feel the safety I always feel when I'm in his arms again? What if I never get to hear his sweet voice anymore?

Too many what if's. I just can't imagine a world without him.

"We're going after her."

Lloyd's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I instantly turned to him and got up from my seat on the couch. Lloyd noticed me coming towards him and he squeezed his way towards me, his team watching us.

When Lloyd came to a halt in front of me, I already felt as if I was going to burst into tears. My eyesight started getting fuzzy as I quietly asked, "You're leaving?" My voice was barely over a whisper. When Lloyd nodded, I felt my mouth start trembling.

I didn't want to lose him.

I couldn't lose him!

"N-No! Lloyd, please. Just stay here, please!"

I begged him to stay but he only sighed sadly at me. "I have to. I need to find my mother. She couldn't have been gone for this long if it was just to meet up with an old friend, especially if it's in the woods."

Each word that came out of his mouth stung my heart. And it wasn't because his words hurt me, it was because he had to leave. If I was in his place, I'd go after my mother too.

Envisioning myself being in his position, I would do the same thing. If my mother left into an unknown creepy forest, I'd ask the ninja for help as well. So I just decided to go with my gut feeling.

Surprising myself, as well as everyone in the room, I nodded and ran into my room without another word. I heard Lloyd and some others call out my name as I ran but I ignored them.

As soon as I reached my room and the door was shut, I flopped onto the bed and started sobbing. I was mad. Mad that Lloyd was going to leave me. But I was mostly scared. Scared that I might never see him again. Scared that I might lose all my friends.

I had thought about asking to come with Lloyd, but I already knew that he'd say no, so I just decided against it. I stayed in my room until it was evening. I was too distracted by sorrow that I didn't notice the door opening.

I had only realized another presence in the room when I felt someone stroke my cheek. "Rumi?"

The voice was not possible for me to not recognize. Lloyd.

"What do you want, Lloyd?" I answered coldly. I didn't want to answer that way but I couldn't help myself. I was angry at him, though I didn't want to feel that way.

Ugh. Stupid emotions.

I was lying down on my side on the soft mattress. I didn't look at Lloyd. I was too angry at him to look at his face. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to do so. Because I was crying so much, each breath I took was shaky.

I felt the mattress shift and then I felt someone snake their arms around my torso. I already knew it was Lloyd. I couldn't deny the gesture he gave me.

I sighed before turning around and hugging him back. We were both lying down on the mattress while embracing each other. Lloyd pulled me closer towards him and I buried my face in his defined chest. I sniffed in his natural scent and couldn't help but start crying. My tears soaked his ninja gi and it left a damp spot on it when I retracted my face from his chest.

Ninja gi. He wasn't wearing that earlier. He really was going to leave, or else he wouldn't have put this on.

I closed my eyes and looked up at him. He was frowning sadly. I guess Lloyd is also upset about having to leave me here.

"Rumi," Hearing his voice, I looked down. I made sure to avoid eye contact with him. "I'm sorry. I know how much you hate it when I leave you to go on a mission, but this is my mom we're talking about. I don't want to leave as much as you do but-"

"I understand, Lloyd." He froze and looked at me in shock, "I would do the same if I were you. Don't get me wrong though, I don't like the idea of you going off into a dangerous forest, but if it's what you want, I can't stop you. This is your mother so... go save her."

The day passed quickly before I even knew it. Lloyd told me that he was going to leave with his team first thing tomorrow morning so it gave us both a chance to spend time with each other before he has to leave.

I hated how fast the night went by. It was over in a blink of an eye for me. The next thing I knew was standing in the front doorway of the cabin, saying goodbyes to all my friends.

I saved Lloyd for last and when I looked at him I frowned. He carefully pulled me closer to him and leaned in. Before I knew it, he brushed his lips against mines. This might be the last time we see each other for a while so we better make it count. Our lips moved in synchronization during the whole make out session.

I felt as if I was the only thing that's making Lloyd hesitate to leave. As much as I wish for him to stay, I can't keep him all to myself. For all we knew, Misako could be in trouble. If I had Lloyd stay, I'd be a selfish person. I can't be clingy. I need to know when and when not to let him go his own path.

That day he left was the day I felt my whole world get torn apart. Lloyd left along with his friends- scratch that, our friends. He was my everything, and I let him go. But just so you know, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, I love you.

(Present-Day...)

A year has passed since Lloyd and the team left. A year. Their search couldn't have taken up a whole year. Sure, there was a dangerous blizzard that stormed throughout the whole Ninjago Island but that happened around a month or so after he had left. He should've found Misako and came back already, but he didn't.

Did the blizzard kill him? Did he die in the forest? Did he even succeed in finding his mother? Is he still alive during this past year?

Even if he was still alive, where could he have gone to? If he was in the city or somewhere safe in Ninjago, I should know, right? The cabin we rented out last year had expired and I packed up both of our belongings and went back to our home in Ninjago City. Still no sign of him. I had waited for a whole two months in that cabin, but he hadn't returned yet.

With each passing day, I start to lose hope. Hope was slowly slipping out of my grasp. I keep trying to hold onto it, but it keeps slipping away. And every time I find it again, it always finds a way to slip out of my hold.

More than 365 days. I've lost count after the fifth month passed. How many times have I broken down because I let him go? Why was my past self stupid enough to let him go?! I let the love of my life just stroll into a dangerous forest that could contain who knows what. Not to mention, a blizzard happened a month after! Have I said that yet? I don't think I have.

Ugh! Again, why am I dating Lloyd Garmadon? Why do I insist on dating a guy who goes on dangerous quests all the time, huh?! Why?!

It's been too long. I have to go after him. I have to make sure Lloyd is okay, or if he isn't, I need proof! I'm not gonna believe a story. I'm not gonna believe photographs or videos! They could just be trying to get money out of it.

Trust me, I've seen some images and videos of the Ninja's 'dead bodies'. At first, I really thought that they were real. But then I remember that the word of the Ninja's disappearance had spread out. And some people were selfish and cruel enough to make up stories about them just for attention.

Horrible, horrible people, if you ask me!

The blizzard that I mentioned earlier went on for a year. But now, it was finally over. And since the blizzard is gone, I'm able to go inside the forest. I really would've done it earlier, but I couldn't risk going into a blizzard and dying. If that happened, how would I get the proof of the Ninja's death or if they're still alive? I can't. So that's why I waited until it was over. Took waaay longer than expected though.

I've prepared for this mission ever since I got back to the city. I've packed all the essential items I needed for this. Not too long ago, around a few months after I had started dating Lloyd, he got PIXAL to make a ninja gi for me. It was pretty, for a clothing that ninjas wore. Dark green with some black and gold. I loved it, so of course, I wore that for my adventure.

I came to the Monastery, the Ninja's headquarters, to grab some items. No one was currently there because well, there was no apparent reason. PIXAL spends most of her time at Borg Tower. Master Wu has sadly passed away because of age. And any of the Ninja's girlfriends don't live here.

As soon as I opened the large doors of the Monastery, the place was like a ghost town, well, more like a ghost house. It was dark and empty. I guess PIXAL hasn't went in here in a long time too. I went inside the Monastery and found that the place was dusty and filled with grime.

I ignored the uncleaned Monastery and just walked to the weapons and armory room. I knew this place pretty well because I came here often. The Ninja team always giving me tours of the place, now it was pretty much stuck in my mind.

Once I came into the designated room, I grabbed two katanas and a few daggers. Just in case. Never know if I happen to come across a wild predator. I also got some armor that was attachable to PIXAL's ninja gis. Nya showed me how to do it so I just tried to remember the steps the best I could. It came out pretty decent. I grabbed a pair of winter boots and attached some armor onto them, inside and outside. I also grabbed a chest plate since I needed to protect my vital organs from attacks. But instead of using it over my gi, I used it under and then I placed the ninja clothing back over it.

I've learned some tips and tricks from the Ninja about how to survive. You have to pack only essential needs and you have to try and bring as little as possible. The lighter luggage you carry, the better chance you have at running away from an enemy or fighting one. Listening to that piece of advice, I only brought a small sling bag and stuffed some food that could fill me up more than snacks and also a few water bottles. I didn't bother to bring extra sets of clothes or showering items since I was going to be in the woods. And even if I needed a small bath, I could probably just jump in a river for a few minutes or something. The armor I'm using is all rust-proof so it's safe to do so.

I left almost immediately. Though not before leaving a note in the Monastery for PIXAL. I told her about leaving to find the Ninja so she wouldn't panic if I wasn't at my apartment. I didn't say goodbye to anyone else since I really only talk to PIXAL and Skylor. My parents died when I was young so I didn't have any family members to say goodbye to anyway. I've gotten over it but it still stings sometimes.

Aside from that, after taking a taxi to get to the winter cabin villa where I last saw Lloyd and his team. I didn't have to rent or anything since I wasn't staying. Just being back in front of the same cabin brought tears to my eyes. I kept them in though since now was not a time to cry, it was a time to take action.

Without hesitation, I walked into the forest ahead of me. It was actually pretty bright since it was daytime. The only creepy things in there were the snapping of branches and the cracking of twigs. An owl hooting would sometimes cause me to throw a dagger at its way by accident. Luckily, it never actually hit the owl because the animal flew away before it could be sliced. I felt kind of bad since I could've killed it by accident. Anyway, I grabbed the dagger and slipped it back into its scabbard to make sure I don't accidentally stab myself.

The further I walk into the forest, the more dangerous it gets. It got dark since, you know, nightfall struck. I may not have proper training like the Ninja, but my friends had complimented my aim that was seemingly flawless, always hitting the target if I set my mind to it. I also knew how to survive if I got lost in the woods, well, in this case, I kinda just went into the woods but the survival steps were pretty much the same.

Step one. Master my attitude...
I came here on purpose so I wasn't really panicked or scared.

Step two. Make an insulated shelter...
So I did. By my luck, I found a tree that had two of its branches at the perfect angle to make a rooftop. I used a bunch of sticks and used vines to tie them onto the branches. I didn't bother to cover the sides since I was only going to stay here temporarily.

Step three. Make a shade shelter.
Skipped that one since that was if I needed protection from the sun. I'm in a snowy region so heat wasn't really a problem.

Step four. Find clean water.
I've come prepared with that so I don't have to find any water.

Step five. Find other water sources.
Unnecessary. The water I have is already clean.

Step six. Collect water from vegetation.
Again, unnecessary. My water's clean.

Step seven. Light a fire.
I packed flint and steel for this so I grabbed a stick and lit it on fire.

Step eight. Build a fire.
I've already got a lit fire so all I had to do was stack a bunch of sticks and then place the torch inside, creating a fire big enough to not freeze me to death this night.

I skipped steps nine and ten since I already had weapons. So anyway, I rested for the night safely.

I woke up the next morning, put out the fire, and left to continue my quest. I walked deeper into the woods, looking in every direction possible in hopes of finding the Ninja. The cold wind didn't bother me much, other than the couple of times my hair flew at my face, it wasn't too cold thanks to my ninja gi.

Something unexpected happened as I was drinking my water. It wasn't dark yet, but the sun was starting to set. I positioned my water bottle back into my bag when I felt something on my shoulder. I gave out a short scream and turned around as quickly as possible, my hand grasped a dagger. But when I saw who it was, I sighed in relief.

"PIXAL," I exhaled, "What are you doing here?"

She looked down, "I got your note at the Monastery that you left to find the Ninja. I do not want to just let you do this on your own, so I decided to come after you." She smiled.

I smiled back and let out a relieved scoff, "Well, thanks for coming with me. It was starting to get lonely out here all by myself." I chuckled.

"I guess coming after you to keep you company was my second reason. The first reason was so that we'd have a better chance against any wild creatures."

"Wild creatures-? Oh, yeah. I've come prepared just in case any attacks happen."

"I don't think it will be as easy as anyone thinks. We must be on high alert-" A sudden sound of a twig snapping made the female nindroid in front of me go into defensive mode, "Ready your weapons, something's here."

I nodded. I took out both of my katanas and PIXAL did the same. The rustling sound came from all around us. "Back to back." I whispered and she nodded. We did back to back and looked around, ready if anything pounced.

Suddenly, the rustling stopped. It was all silent. I couldn't hear anything but the quiet freezing wind that flew in the air. The silence lasted for over five minutes and I decided to ask, "Why'd it become quiet all of a sudden? Is it safe?" I asked the well-experienced nindroid.

"I do not believe that we are safe, yet. Be on high alert. Whatever the case, we are not alone here." PIXAL warned me.

Of course, I decided to listen since she knew more about adventures than I do.

We both kept quiet for ten more minutes, still in the back-to-back position. It was creepy, knowing something's somewhere around you but not knowing their intentions and where they are. It scared me.

It was getting cold. Ninja gis could only block out the frozen, winter air for so long. I should've brought a jacket or something, that way I wouldn't be freezing. But if I had brought a jacket, it might slow me down so... no regrets in that department.

Another few minutes passed and that was when PIXAL got rid of her fighting stance. I copied her movement, lowering down my katanas. "Safe?" I asked her.

She didn't answer me. Then she said, "It's been over twenty minutes and nothing is here. I don't get it. My sensors detect movement around us, but perhaps, it is not a predator. Perhaps, we're safe for now." She took a guess. Her guess didn't assure me enough.

She said she sensed some movement around us. Unless it was just a bunny or a small, harmless creature. But that didn't really make sense, did it?

And that was when it happened.

I positioned my katanas back into their scabbards on my back. PIXAL soon did the same with her golden katanas.

PIXAL turned to me as I was inspecting the frosty area around us. I felt her gaze on me so I looked back. She opened her mouth to speak, "Maybe it would be best if we return- AH!" She quickly got cut off by something pouncing on her.

I felt my survival instincts take over my body and I grabbed a dagger, running towards PIXAL. "GET OFF HER!" I shouted at the creature. The predator looked at me, it was a wolf.

I gasped before kicking at the animal and then throwing my dagger at it. The wolf easily dodged the weapon and snarled at me.

Ignoring the one wolf, I came up to PIXAL. "PIX! Are you okay?" I questioned, helping her up.

She slowly nodded, "I am... fine." She stated whilst gripping her golden katanas, looking at the wolf with daggers in her eyes.

I decided to do the same, but I only grabbed one katana. We both slowly walked towards the wolf, hoping to scare it away as we didn't want to hurt it.

We thought we had the upper hand but that was when the wolf let out a howl. We both froze in our places as we heard low growling behind us. Looking back, we saw a whole pack of wolves, ready to eat us for breakfast.

Looking back at the wolf PIXAL and I had the upper hand on, I noticed something. The wolf was the alpha. We were their targets.

Just as I thought things were going well. No wonder there's the saying 'The quiet before the crazy'. Because this just went from quiet to crazy.

Without warning, the alpha barked and charged at PIXAL and I. We looked behind us and saw the rest of the wolf pack charge as well.

There were around nine wolves running at us.

We're so done for.

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The End

In your eyes, there's a heavy blue
One to love and one to lose
Sweet divine, a heavy truth
Water or wine, don't make me choose

I wanna feel the way that we did that summer night, night
Drunk on a feeling, alone with the stars in the sky

I've been running through the jungle
I've been running with the wolves
To get to you, to get to you
I've been down the darkest alleys
Saw the dark side of the moon
To get to you, to get to you
I've looked for love in every stranger
Took too much to ease the anger
All for you, yeah, all for you
I've been running through the jungle
I've been crying with the wolves
To get to you, to get to you (oh to get to you)

Your fingertips trace my skin
To places I have never been
Blindly, I am following
Break down these walls and come on in

I wanna feel the way that we did that summer night
Drunk on a feeling, alone with the stars in the sky

I've been running through the jungle
I've been running with the wolves
To get to you, to get to you
I've been down the darkest alleys
Saw the dark side of the moon
To get to you, to get to you
I've looked for love in every stranger
Took too much to ease the anger
All for you, yeah, all for you
I've been running through the jungle
I've been crying with the wolves
To get to you, to get to you (oh to get to you)

I've been running through the jungleI've been running with the wolvesTo get to you, to get to youI've been down the darkest alleysSaw the dark side of the moonTo get to you, to get to youI've looked for love in every strangerTook too much to ease the angerAll for you, yeah, all for youI've been running through the jungleI've been crying with the wolvesTo get to you, to get to you (oh to get to you)