Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Fantasy

Chapter 1 : The Howls   
   The day grows cold as I carry tomorrow's breakfast across the fallen leaves. The sky begins to turn darker and darker while the moon begins to appear over the trees. The stars slowly begin to shine across the now darkened sky. Before my path disappeared from sight the bugs begin to shine showing a whole new world only seen at night.
  The trees begin to look as if they where dancing as the bugs fly here and there. Animals begin to sleep as some awaken in their place, only to repeat when dawn arrives the next day.
   The silence comes just as I begin to see my home, a shack half way ready to fall in shambles. The only noise being the crunch of the leaves and twigs beneath my shoes, I begin to feel as if I'm the only living creature here.
   That though is quickly gone as an owl  hoots it's presence on a nearby tree, a mouse scurries beneath the leaves hoping to live another night. I wrapped my jacket tighter as the wind blows messing with my hair as it blocks my view. 
   I always enjoy the wind at night after I light a fire it makes the trees look as if they dance a dance no one else knows exists. As if it's a world is trying to be seen to those that choose to see it.
   As the noises start to surround me I put down my load next to the hanging door. No animals come near this shack after I've found it years ago as if their afraid of me. 
   I'm not sure what about me they need to be safe from, I'm just trying to survive out here as much as they are. Maybe there is something about me that they know that I don't. 
   I hope I find out someday, better if it's soon it's pretty lonely out here on my own.
   The night has settled, I should start to look for firewood for the morning. I begin to wander away from the shack to gather sticks and twigs, that's when I started to smell a faint sent of metal.
   I should see if the hunter left anything behind for me to salvage. As I followed the smell  I continued to collect sticks. The smell grows stronger as I hope over a fallen tree, thats when I see that it probably wasn't a hunt but a battle.
   Theirs claw marks on the trees some large and a few small seems like a large bear and an unlucky wolf. The blood is splattered on the leafy floor and broken saplings.
   All around me is a brutal fight that hint of only one winner.
   I continued to inspect the trees and grass for any sign of where the fight headed. The dark of the forest doesn't help me see the blood trails I have more luck following the trail of scattered leaves.
   Going down a hill I can almost see the whole fight, the bear may be almost eight feet tall with how high some of these marks are. With the lack of wolf fur the bear was definitely lacking in speed where it had strength.
  With how far this fight has gone the wolf was probably fighting alone, if it had a pack the fight would have been over long ago. This is the last battle in this lifetime for the lone wolf.
   I froze when I heard a thump, I quickly hid inside a nearby bush. Scanning around me trying to see through the dim moonlight, nothing seems to be moving. 
   I slowly shuffled out of the bush being cautious, I slid my hunting knife out of my boot never knowing what my jump at me. Grunts and growls are heard farther down the hill. I began to slowly walk down making sure not to slip.
   The wind began to blow again as I made it to the bottom of the hill. I attempted to block it with my arm with no success. The noises seemed to have stopped as the trees shake in the breeze.
   I continued my search for the two animals, when I heard a roar to my right. Ducking behind a tree I saw something crash into a pile of rocks not to far from me. I started to hear small weak whimpers coming from the fallen form as it tried to get back up to fight.
   A larger form limped it's way to the rocks in an attempt to finish the smaller one off. Passing under a slip of light I could see that it was a very wounded brown bear. It's right side was completely mangled from it's claw to it's neck and jaw.
   I'm gonna guess that the smaller on is the lone wolf with it's small  shape. The wolf finally got hold of it's footing and began to make a swift jump to the left. Getting a clean bite of the bears jaw, it was quickly slammed back into the rocks. 
   The bear stood on it's back feet and roared as the wolf tried at another attempt to stand. With the look of this fight the bear will definitely win but die from blood loss later. Gipping my knife I hoped to at least save the wolf.
   The wind began to blow as I snuck my way towards the large bear praying it doesn't attack me. As I hid behind a nearby bush, as I peaked out I saw that the bear was looking my way. It's eyes showed nothing but anger as it was sniffing the air.
   I froze really wishing the wind will stop. The bear continued to sniff in by direction, I tried to crouch lower into the bush. Strangely the bear stopped sniffing the air and started to limp in the opposite direction from me. Sighing I've never been happier for what about me that's scaring all the animals.
   I crawled out of the bush towards the injured wolf. It seemed to have passed out while the bear was distracted, worried I searched it's body for any serious injuries. During my inspection I noticed it's a female, which gives me more questions on why she is with a pack.
   She has many broken bones mostly on her right, probably from crashing into the rocks. A few cuts and scrapes but nothing life threatening, at least on the outside. I took of my jacket to wrap her in, saddened by the fact it'll be covered in blood.
   Trying not to injure her anymore than she already is I slowly began to lift her up. Thinking about the long way to the shack I decided to fly there, I let out my wings in a long stretch. I'm not a fan of flying at night but I don't seem to have a choice at the moment.
   Flipping I began to slowly rise up, it easier if I did a running start but the movement would hurt her more.
   The bear continued to sniff in by direction, I tried to crouch lower into the bush. Strangely the bear stopped sniffing the air and started to limp in the opposite direction from me. Sighing I've never been happier for what about me that's scaring all the animals.
   I crawled out of the bush towards the injured wolf. It seemed to have passed out while the bear was distracted, worried I searched it's body for any serious injuries. During my inspection I noticed it's a female, which gives me more questions on why she is with a pack.
   She has many broken bones mostly on her right, probably from crashing into the rocks. A few cuts and scrapes but nothing life threatening, at least on the outside. I took of my jacket to wrap her in, saddened by the fact it'll be covered in blood.
   Trying not to injure her anymore than she already is I slowly began to lift her up. Thinking about the long way to the shack I decided to fly there, I let out my wings in a long stretch. I'm not a fan of flying at night but I don't seem to have a choice at the moment.
   Flapping I began to slowly rise up, it easier if I did a running start but the movement would hurt her more.
   I flew over the tree tops trying to see where I was, I turned to the way I came walking. With the trees out of the way I began to see the she-wolf more clearly in the moonlight. Whether it's the lighting but her fur seems to have a ting of purple, it may be the blood.
   Finding my home I went into a glide, I began descending through the trees. I lower her down to the patio, I spread the jacket around her in case she wakes up in panic. I went inside to find something to use as bandages, I grabbed a bucket of water and alcohol medicine.
   I found an old towel in the closet and began to make long strips out of it, having most of what I need I went back outside. The wolf was no longer laying down, she stood in front of me in a strange defense pose.
With her standing in front of me she look a bit to tall to be a normal wolf I can almost make eye contact. Her left arm seems to be seriously broken with the way it lays in the dirt.
   I slowly put the objects in my arms to the floor, with the sudden movement she began to give a low warning growl. I froze halfway in a crouch, I stood in this awkward position for a few minutes. Her growls slowly disappeared as she look ready to faint again. I quickly put down the bucket and dropped everything thing else beside it, I began to rush to her before she falls injuring herself more.
   Catching her I began to carry her back to the patio, I kicked my jacket away and layed her down. I crouched down I began to clean the wounds of dirt and blood. Grabbing hand fulls of water I gently rubbed her fur to get the tangles of drying blood lose.
   I repeated this for almost an hour until I was happy with the results, I got up and went is inside  to get a blanket to lay her on before she starts freezing in the wind. When I returned she was standing again looking into the woods, looking in the same direction I was shocked at what I saw.
   Right at the edge of the trees I saw a group of wolves staring in this direction.
   The wolves stood there for a few minutes when more came out to my left, they looked at each other confused. Another pack came from my right also looking confused at the other packs, one of the pack leader started to growl. 
   The growling became louder as the others joined him along with the other two packs, I guess the meeting is going to be brutal. Some started to show fangs as others snapped their teeth, but before they could go at each other's throats the she-wolf let out a angry bark.
   As soon as she started growling they slowly became quiet, even I wanted to be quieter than I already was. She glanced at me then walked up to one of the pack leaders, the others didn't take to kindly at this and started to get angry again. She glanced their way and just as quickly they became silent, she continued with her limp arm dragging all the way.
   I had to hold myself back from helping her and  soon as she was in front of the alpha wolf. Her size made him look like a dog that he had to look up, she slightly bowed and he did the same. They stood there for a few more seconds when it look as if they were communicating, whatever she said made him angry.
   She looked at the other leaders as if adding them to the conversation, they also seemed to get furious at her. She walked to the front of the shack to sit, it looks like she might pass out any second. The others went to sit in front of her in respect, each one raised their head and started to howl. 
   After a minute of this she joined them then the others also joined. She slowly got tired that eventually she fainted, the others continued to howl. I slowly dropped the blanket and tried to make my way to her, that's when they quickly took notice at me. They still howled but kept a sharp eye on me as I went to her side, wishing my smell would scare them off.
   I guess I was all out of that luck because the leaders around her slowly rose to attack me. With the way their tails are tucked in it seemed they where trying to fight the urge of running. Furious I let them protect her and went back to the patio in surrender.
   The howling continued throughout the rest of the night that I slowly started to fall asleep against the wall.