Testing For Hope

Chapter 7 - A New Friend?

Hysteria woke up with a start. When did I fall asleep? She thought as got dressed into her adventuring clothes which consisted of a white button-up shirt, a brown vest, and tan khakis, all accessorised with an assortment of random junk she had found on her travels sewn together. In one ear, she put a pearl art project someone must have thrown away. It was blue and green with purple speckles and had a cat-like pupil. Her fingers had rings of all different kinds, all sealed to not fall off unless she permits them to herself. One man's trash is another man's treasure as my mom would say!

After she was done, she walked downstairs to grab some loaves of bread and sweet berries from the kitchen. She ate in silence as she looked out the window. How she wished the animals liked her aura.

When she was done with her food, she grabbed her velvet coat and boots along with her satchel. After making sure she had enough resources to make the trip there and back, she took one more look around before she ventured out to the abandoned village not too far away. The path wasn't too long so there was no need for a sleeping bag to weigh her load down either. This isn't going to take long.

A few hours later, Hysteria was walking around a massive mossy rock blocking the path home when she heard a whimper coming from the shrubs surrounding the area. As she got closer, the whimpering came to a close after a particularly painful yelp.

She moved the bushes aside only to reveal that the whimpering was coming from a wounded wild grey wolf hiding there to keep away from danger. Dangers like-

"That looks painful. Let me help!" she exclaimed. Just as she was about to try and wrap the wound with something in her satchel, it shuffled away to the best of its capabilities. Suddenly, she remembered the home she mostly found dull and lifeless. Where the animals always run away...

Trying again, she asked politely, "May I help?", her voice dripping with hope that it would listen, desperate for attention. She hated it when animals wouldn't let her help them.

The wounded creature in front of her looked conflicted and deep in thought. For fear of being rejected from helping the poor animal, Hysteria started standing up reluctantly. The wolf kept its eyes trained on her and when she moved away, the dog started to sniff the air that was around her to try and get some evidence of her personality thus far.

She turned away for one second to grasp her fear before it got out of hand. When she looked back at it, it was in wonder, for an animal had never done such a thing around her. It nodded and relaxed all its muscles, waiting for her help.

She then thought lovingly, Well there's always a first for everything! Kneeling, she looked at it with a newfound appreciation. So it is possible... I didn't think I could do it, but here I am with a creature full of life and hope. So much hope it is blinding.

Smiling, she wrapped its paw in the piece of bandage she had in her bag for emergencies. When she finished, she stepped back and let it get up. It stood on wobbly legs that almost dropped the poor animal multiple times. Hysteria ached as she watched it in those first few seconds, hoping it wouldn't fall and get further injured. After a while of standing there, it gained its composure and looked back at Hysteria with a loyalty deeper than all seven of the great seas.

Woah. Shocked by the look, Hysteria froze. She had never been stared at like that. Like she meant something. At least, not for quite a while yet. "Are you coming with me?" she asked the wounded pup. It nodded with such conviction, it brought another smile to her face, I've smiled a lot today. "Well, then come with me!"

Hysteria had never felt as light as she did now, the pup following her and her satchel full of food for weeks to come.