Lost Luna

bewilderment

noun ~ a feeling of being perplexed and confused

My paws were pounding on the forest floor, sticks cracking beneath me and my claws filling with dirt. I was losing stamina, and have given chase for quite some time now. The sweltering heat wasn't helping and Cel was tiring.

I had hoped to wear him down a little, taking the more uneven and rocky route. But his wolf never caught up to me, and I realised he was enjoying the chase. I knew I had to stop eventually so I followed the scent of a nearby water source.

His heavy pants came from behind me and I glanced back to see only his dark fur darting through the undergrowth. As I neared the smell, I wasn't paying attention. I was focused on avoiding the Alpha wolf behind me that I didn't scent another wolf nearby.

It all happened so quickly. I leapt through a particularly large bush and as I did so sharp claws dragged into my side and I was thrown sideways. I hurtled through the air and collapsed in a heap on the ground with a wail.

The wolf above me was a dark brown, its fur matted and stood on end. It wasn't Phoenix. Its eyes were black with uncontrolled rage as it swiped at me. Cel pulled control from me and kicked him away. She brought herself up to her feet just as a thunderous growl came from behind us.

The rogue wolf in front of me hesitated, its head swinging to the bush it attacked me from. Phoenix's large wolf forced its way through the greenery. He slowed to an elegant stop and bunched his shoulders up in threat.

The deep rumble of a growl sounded through his bared teeth, and I could feel the vibrations through the air. The rogue wolf gave a small growl in return, raising its hackles in defence as it backed away from us.

Phoenix snapped his jaws and lunged, knocking the wolf down in one easy swipe. Then it was a blur of fur and claws. I could hear yelps and growls as they wrestled on the forest floor. My eyes were wide as I pushed my back against a nearby tree.

The fight didn't last long before Phoenix had the wolf pinned and ripped out its jugular. It died with a small whine and I had to look away as it passed to the other side. Rogue or not, that wolf was once a person, who had a family and feelings. They just lost their way.

It was quiet for a moment; the only sound was the dripping of blood hitting the floor. The birds were silent and there was no breeze. I let out a shaky huff and turned my gaze back to the Alpha wolf.

He was standing beside his kill, dark eyes staring at me. He just stood there, not moving or showing any body language. Cel wagged her tail timidly and flattened her ears against her head. She was showing she had given up the fight from earlier, a submission to his wolf for protecting us from the rogue.

His wolf puffed out a large breath, before walking its way over to us. He was massive with huge dense fur that seemed thicker around his chest and neck. His snout alone must've been the size of my human head and I winced when I saw his huge canines. The image of the rogue flashed in my mind and I forced my eyes closed to pass the memory.

His warm breath fanned across my face and I froze when his large tongue came to lick at my jaw. He released a low grumble as he began to groom my fur. I stayed put against the tree but relaxed slightly when I realised he intended to provide comfort.

He nibbled at my ear, nudging me to stand. I whimpered as I did so, the wounds from the very brief fight still aching in my side. His large head pushed me forwards until we stood at the water's edge. I gladly dragged my paws into the warm stream and welcomed the smooth sensations of the current.

It wasn't too deep as it only just reached Cel's back hip. I slowly lowered myself into the current and whimpered when the fresh cuts encountered the water. I cleaned her snout whilst laying there, making sure that it was nice and clean.