Blood & Cinders- Choose your Own Adventure Story

20. B

Isabelle bounded with hands full of cloth strips, a pale of water and a wrapped piece of chicken she'd swiped from the cook.

She slipped into that familiar dream.

Watching the younger, brighter version of herself bound across the family estate gardens with Dutchess, her shaggy sheep dog in tow. It was only in her dreams that she could see the shiny gray coat and lolling tongue of her beloved pet, who passed on several years ago.

Though this time, the flowers were washed. The colors dull, like she had forgotten the vibrancy of their petals under the sparkling sun. The dream came as a comfort. How many moons had it been since she'd last dreamed?

Isabelle slowed as she neared the hooded figure once again, inching toward it. Dutchess had followed her back and was already greeting their guest, sniffing and circling around with further inspection.

"I brought some meat and ba-bandages for your wounds." Isabelle fumbled over her words nervously, dumping the supplies on the grass before the creature.

Her hands trembled slightly, but she pressed on, filling the silence with her voice.

"My name is Isabelle," she introduced herself, picking up the cloth strips. "May I clean your wounds?"

The figure nodded, claws coming up slowly so as not to frighten her and ripping open the lace front of his shirt to give her better access. The wound was sticky, some of the blood already dried to the fabric. Three large puncture holes marred black tuffs of short fur. It was hard to see just how deep the wound went.

She offered him the piece of chicken to nibble on and he devoured it greedily, catching a glimpse of long white fangs that jutted past his lower lip as he ate beneath his shrouded hood.

She dipped the cloth in the bucket of water, wringing it out, and dabbed at the blood with delicate hands. It flinched at her touch.

"Does it hurt? I'll be more gentle." The creature's head turned away from her, as if fixated on something in the distance. "What's your name?" Isabelle asked as she worked on cleaning the blood.

Silence.

Undeterred, she continued her one sided conversation.

"This is my friend Dutchess, don't worry, she won't bite." Dutchess gave a bark at the sound of her name. "May I wrap your wound now?" She waited for the slight tilt of its head her way before reaching for some fresh cloth. It was difficult to get it round his torso. The beast was large, and she had to use several strips to make sure it would be enough to contain the leaking wound.

"You'll have to replace them by tomorrow with fresh ones,'' she cautioned, standing up to brush off her dress and gather her things. Uneasy staying any longer.

A clawed hand reached out, grabbing the bottom of her dress, and she squeaked in surprise, heart pounding as she looked back at the creature.

"Thank you. I will return the favor one day." the gruff voice whispered from beneath its covering before letting the fabric go.

A smile spread across her face and she answered him, "My Papa would say, 'kindness is a gift that cost's nothing but an open heart'. You need not return the favor."

It struggled to its feet, nodding at her in thanks one last time, the hood slipping down from its face to reveal ruby eyes and wolf-like ears fixated on her, before turning to disappear into the thicket of brush and trees.