The Valley Of The Wolves

A wolf friend.

Authors note: The first few chapters are bad since this started as a projects I did begrudgingly, but I enjoyed the plot and continued the story until it became a passion project and I've learned to write much batter from this story. This is the first draft and should not be judged for any spelling errors.

Leaves crunch and I spin around to face a squirrel. It darts up the tree. I sigh. Just a squirrel.

To be honest I'd been jumpy all morning. Something was coming, I could feel it. I'm supposed to be hunting. I scolded myself. I turn back to the path. Food. The village needs food.

I don't like hunting but it's a job. And if I want food I need a job.

I grit my teeth, bottle up my fear and continue on the winding path into the forest.

Snow begins to fall like a blanket of impending doom. No no no. Now all the animals will be hiding. Our crops are failing. We need this meal. I pick up my pace and pull up my hood. This wasn't it. This wasn't the feeling I got. Just then my gut tightened and my feet stopped. Planted to the ground I listened to the dead silence.

A wolf walked out of the brush stopping just in front of me in the middle of the path. Its fur was a coppery brown and its eyes yellow, like the setting sun. Its breath was visible in the cold morning. Our eyes were locked.

Something I knew you should never do when you encounter a wolf. I pried my eyes away from the wolf's gase and looked down. Sorry wolf.. I would never challenge you. I willed the thought in the direction of the wolf. It lifted its head and continued walking, disappearing into the brush again. Like it decided I wasn't worth its time.

Surprised and terrified I laughed. I almost died. That's what I sensed. The wolves had come down into the valley to hunt for food. The snow would reach there first so the animals would come down into the valley. Then the realization hit me. I only saw one wolf.

Normally, one would assume that would be good, right? It means one; that was a lone wolf which means it's stronger and faster having to hunt itself and I just escaped a worse encounter than I had previously thought. Two; It was in the small chance we now have a werewolf in our woods and our people will start being Killed or worst of all it was a scout. Sent ahead by the other wolves to check if it was safe. Which means the pack will be coming soon.

I started to debate whether I should turn around and get safely back or try to find some food before the pack comes and hope that they don't smell me and steal my food (best case scenario).

I started to turn around and walk back down the path home. The snow was building up, turning the path white. The sound of many feet running through the woods accompanied by panting made my breath catch in my throat. Then the sound stopped. I spun around looking for evidence of being surrounded by wolves. I would not die here.

I held up my bow and placed an arrow on the string. Nothing's there? I started to walk again. I am really losing it.

Hearing noise in the brush nearby and thoroughly freaked out I drew my bow once more. The rustling calmed down and around walked a rabbit. Leveling the bow I let the arrow fly quickly killing it. Thanking it for its life I scooped it up.

"This will help people not starve. Thank you again." Breaking into a run I was desperate to get to the village and not lose my meal to wolves. The copper wolf jumped onto the path in front of me nose in the air. Seeing me it lowered its mussel and crouched down. I stopped and for the first time noticed how skinny the wolf was.

It wasn't as big as it should be. Bones almost showing under its thick coat of fur. I was not thinking when I dropped the rabbit and backed up. Offering kindness. Gratefully the wolf stepped forward and took the rabbit in its jaws. It stared at me for what felt like a long time, locking eyes once more. But it was kindness and confusion that showed. My stomach growled, startling the wolf again. This girl offered me her food when seeing me, even though she was also starving. Then the wolf, not sure what to do, departed back into the woods with the rabbit in its jaws. It's going to come back for more food. I scolded myself. That was the stupidest thing you've ever done. Unaware that decision saved my life. With newfound fear I strode forward home.

Swift enough to be quick and slow enough not to draw unwanted attention, or so I thought. Then when I thought my day couldn't get worse I heard a growl from in front of me where the path turned to go around a tree. Then the growl echoed. Coming from beside me as well.
Praying to my village god I swung my bow off my shoulder, knowing full well it won't be good in close combat I held an arrow in my other hand to stab. Wolf tails flicked in and out of the brush, ears twitched, and hungry mouths drooled. I swallowed thinking of how to bide my time but 'I smell like rabbit.' And 'I'm going to die here.' Was all my panicked mind could muster.

My heart that was pounding heavily in my chest growing faster the closer they circled and my breathing slowed. One wolf bit the air warning me back. "I'm sorry I have no food." I winned in submission. One white wolf with a scar on its back leapt forward to clamp onto my arm. In slowmotion I dropped my bow and arrow and put my arm up defending my chest and face. The copper wolf leapt out, tackling the white wolf to the ground. I pulled in a deep breath, My lungs begging for air.

Rabbit still in its jaws it growled at the white wolf. The other wolves backed off and folded back their ears, winning their apologies, though not sure why their leader was defending this meal.

A few wolves started drooling at the food in the copper wolf's mouth. It dropped it and barked at some of the wolves. Then it looked up at me straight in the eyes. A look close friends give you when they return a favor but know it can never really be returned. I smiled. Why I smiled in that moment was beyond me.
This wolf just saved my life.

Breaking the silence 3 wolf pups broke though the other wolves, yipping and fighting. Weak and slim as most of the pack, smelling the rabbit they scampered over and ate up the scraps ripped and teared off by the coppery she wolf. Feeling uneasy but brave I eased my way into a sitting position while some of the friendlier more curious wolves inspected me. Sniffing and brushing up against me until I was brave enough to pet some of them.

The pups done with their meal sniffed me out by the same smell of food and came up to me. I was again scared the wolves would think I would harm the pups so I stayed still. The three pups licked my fingers with their warm fragile tongues and layed in my warm lap while snow fell silently around us. Blissful and calm. Almost like a dream...

I led the wolves to a cave not far from there. Gently I put the wolf pups that I had been carrying in my jacket on the ground to scamper around and explore the shallow cave.

It was dark and roomy with a low ceiling and it didn't seem to go very far. Trees were at the entrance, hiding the cave and sheltering it from wind and snow. And keeping it fairly warm and dry.

After accompanying them to the cave and finding a fawn that had run into the very back of the cave to hide from the snow we were snuggled up all warm and them full.

I ran my fingers through a black wolf's coat, it was thick and warm, not to mention a bit wet from the snow. A musky smell clung to the wolves that felt familiar, and like family.