Home -- Wolv book 3

Ten - She's Alive

I bounded into the treeline, leaving the tiny valley and the icy creek--along with a furious Machk--in the dust behind me. Pine needles nipped and scratched at my fur, begging me to slow down.

I bit my tongue, ignoring the pain...and foraged forward.

I had no idea where I was going--I didn't even care where I ended up--but if I stopped, if I stayed still I would snap. I could feel the icy brew of emotions swimming around in my head, threatening to spill out if I gave them the opportunity.

I worked my legs, propelling myself forward and forward until the stand of pine trees ended and the ground turned to flat, grass-covered bog...and still I ran, putting mile after mile behind me until my unfamiliar legs finally betrayed me, buckling and sending me face-first into the ground.

I tumbled through the grass, rolling to a stop in the midst of the field. Without missing a beat, I leapt back up to my feet and whipped around in a circle, half expecting Machk to be right behind me and ready to pounce.

My eyes darted from side to side, finding no one. I squinted angrily as the wind blasted in my face, chilling my nose and muzzle down to the bone.

How could he possibly expect me to just 'let go' of what happened to Nadie? She's dead because of him, and no amount of moving on is gonna change what he did!

I stomped my paw down and let out a bitter, snarl of a howl, emptying my aching lungs into the wind. It didn't take long for my weak cry to fade into oblivion, muffling itself over the field. The wind silenced the howl, whistling loudly as it cascaded around numerous granite upwellings in the field.

I hate this place.

I gazed north miserably over the tundra, almost wishing to catch just one last glance of the yellow bush plane. I blinked my eyes again and again, seeing nothing beyond where the field ended in a forest, several hundred yards ahead of me. By now, Mingan is so far gone...I don't have a hope of catching up to him at all. I don't even know where I'm going without Machk here to guide me!

I crawled up to a lone pine tree, standing firm and defiant in the midst of the field, and curled up beneath the needles, draping my tail over my muzzle. My vision began to blur as the tears came, and as exhaustion set into my joints.

I lay there motionless, letting my breathing even out and my eyes flutter closed slowly. Get up, Humfrey. Mingan is moving further and further away with every second that you stay here!

I pawed at my ears, as though to silence the thought. I'd been running for what seemed like hours; coupled with my lack of coordination and the fact that my body was still healing itself from shifting, I had no strength left to muster.

Slowly but surely, the air around me began to cool and the light bleeding through my eyelids began to dim as the sun set. I curled myself in tighter, huddling against the cold of the coming night.

I'm so sorry, Nadie. I promised that I wouldn't give up and I promised to move on, but this just seems so hopeless right now. I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my face in my paws, praying silently.

Please. I can't do this alone! I know I have Machk, and eventually Daanis too, but...oh, why did this have to happen? Haven't I lost enough friends already--

"Awoooooooooo!"

My eyes snapped open, and I wiped my black tears from my muzzle with my paws. What...was that?  My tail twitched involuntarily as the sound echoed through my mind.