The Wolf's Daughter

5 - Nightmares

'Hey you two, I'm home.' Athena's voice rang out as the door closed behind her. My palms were still stuck to my face but she hadn't seemed to notice. I heard a thud as her bag of goods hit the table. 'Tell ya what, the market was busy today. Struggled to get that scope I wanted but in the end I got a pretty good deal.' Her rummaging paused. 'Jacob?' Lifting my head heavily, I caught the concern painted on her face. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'

'I fuckin' have.' I lamented, a deep exhale emanating from my chest. Leaning back onto the dining room chair, the leg squeaked a little as it scratched on the floorboards. 'Joseph was here earlier.' The twine of copper wire in Athena's hands dropped onto the ground and rolled beneath the counter.

'As in-'

'Yep.' Dragging a palm over my face, I fumbled my fingers through my beard. 'He was talking to Wren.'

'Where is she?' Athena froze up, eyes darting around the kitchen frantically.

'In her room. I-' Groaning, I tugged a few red tinged hairs away and dropped them on the floor. 'I yelled at her.'

'For?'

'Runnin' off and talkin' to strangers.'

'Well that seems fair.' Athena knelt down and picked the wire up, rewinding the loose end. 'You're gonna have to tell her off sometimes.'

'I think I went too far.' Casting a glance to the closed bedroom door, I grimaced. Not a peep had come from there in an hour or so.

'You aren't going soft on her are you?' Brunette plait dangling over her shoulder, Athena rose an eyebrow at me. Rolling my eyes, I rubbed the back of my neck guiltily. 'Jacob you're a good dad. Don't beat yourself up about this. Besides, it's important she learns right from wrong.' The ex-deputy busied herself with packing everything she traded that day away. 'I'm going to start dinner, why don't you go talk to her?'

'Fine.' Scraping the legs of the chair on the floor, I took tentative steps to her bedroom door. Knuckles wrapping gently against the frame, I leant close to the woodwork. 'Wren? Can I come in?' There was no response. Wrapping my hand around the handle, I turned it gentle and poked my head through the door. A lump protruded from under the green duvet, like a hill in a meadow. 'Your mom's makin' dinner.'

'Not hungry.' A tiny muffled voice escaped out from underneath the quilt.

'S'your favourite.' I coaxed her and the lump shifted a little before settling.

'I'm not hungry.' She said again before hunkering down. Sighing, I dragged my head away and shut the door. Bracing my hands on the frame, I pushed forward and let out an exasperated sigh. It was no use. She was too stubborn.

'Just leave her Jake.' Athena wrapped an arm around my waist and rested her head against my back. 'Come help me make some food.'

***

Miller's chest heaved lightly in his sleep. Every breath he took drew the wolves closer. I could hear them. Each paw pad pressing into the sand, teeth bared and saliva dripping. We were going to die. I didn't want to die. My hand rustled inside my pack searching for the water bottle that I knew was empty. Just a drop, it was all I wanted. Instead my fingers found their way around the handle of my knife. Drawing the blade slowly, I stared at my gaunt reflection in the metal. So thirsty. So hungry. So weighed down. My gaze landed on the sleeping form of my comrade, his legs bent inward and skin riddled with mosquito bites. He was weak. He was the reason that we could die. Turning the knife in my hands, I stood to my full height and loomed over him. So hungry. My shadow cast over his dormant body and he stirred, looking up at me with a mixture of surprise and terror on his face.

'Jake?'

'Jake?! Jake!' Hands shook me from my tossing and turning, sending me bolting upright in a flush of sweat. The bedroom focussed into view and I turned wild-eyed to take in Athena's soft face. 'Just a nightmare.' She soothed me, running her fingers up and down my arm.

'Miller-' I garbled, slamming my palms onto my face and dragging the sweat from my cheeks.

'Shhh.' Athena pressed a kiss to my shoulder, pulling the strap of my vest back into place. 'Do you want me to get you a glass of water?'

'No no, go back to sleep pup.' I mumbled, pulling the duvet away and getting up. I tugged at my boxers and rubbed my sleepy eyes before heading straight for the stairs. Soles of my feet pressing down on the wood, I paused at the bottom as a flurry of red hair span to look in my direction. Wren sat at the kitchen table with her mouth open and spoon in hand, her now cold dinner from earlier half-finished. 'Thought you weren't hungry.' I grunted, moving to the cupboard and taking out a glass.

'Changed my mind.' She hummed, shoving another spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth. Turning the tap, I dipped the glass under the stream of water and watched it fill up. 'You were doing the screaming again.'

'Mmm.' Was all I could say. How do you tell a six year old about the horrors of war?

'You kept yelling Miller.' I turned off the tap and glanced over my shoulder at her. She wasn't paying a great deal of attention to me, more focussed on the peas rolling around her plate. 'What's a Miller?'

'None of ya business.' I sighed heavily, tipping the cup to my lips and relishing the taste of water. You learn to appreciate it when you've been starved of it for weeks.

'Mommy does the screaming sometimes too.' Wren mumbled. 'She yells about a Hudson and a Pratt and sometimes a white horse. Is mommy scared of ponies?'

'No she isn't. Those were mommies friends but they uh, went away a long time ago.' Gulping the rest of the water away, I tossed the used glass into the sink and padded to the table. I sat across from Wren diplomatically and watched her finish her cold potatoes. 'I'm sorry for yellin' at ya earlier little red.'

'S'okay.' She smiled, eyes still a little puffy but back to having their usual mischievous twinkle.   Kicking off the chair, she came over and clambered onto my lap. 'Mommy says that you worry a lot.'

'I worry a lot about you.' I replied, picking up one of the napkins on the table and wiping the corners of her mouth. 'Particularly when you run away and don't reply when I call for you.' Wren's freckled cheeks flushed a light pink and I smirked, ruffling her long hair. 'Maybe we need a signal for the future so I know where you are.'

'What about this?' Wren pursed her lips and let out three distinct whistle tones. 'Then if I need help, you can come find me!' I repeated them back to her and she nodded, stifling a yawn. 'Just like that.'

'You're tired.' I stated, wrapping an arm around her back and standing. Wren dangled her legs on my front and pressed her head against my shoulder.

'No... I'm... not...' She mumbled into my shirt. Shaking my head lightly, I carried her upstairs as she clung to me like a koala to a tree.

'We have a visitor.' Plopping Wren down onto one side of the bed, I clambered back in between her and Athena.

'Is that so?' Eyes closed and voice weary, Athena rolled over and placed a loose hand on my chest. Wren cuddled into my other side, fingers clinging onto my vest. And all was silent. As I lay there, I couldn't help but feel the most at peaceful I'd ever felt and soon surrendered myself to sleep with my two favourite girls in the entire world.