Silver Mane - Part 5

Part One Here


     Her first conscious night with the wolves passed. Ana couldn’t find it in herself to full let go and fall asleep. Every little noise woke her. Perhaps she didn’t trust the wolves like she started to think. She woke before dawn even kissed the sky and went for a walk. It surprised her that not a single wolf stirred as she left the pack’s cave. She walked out of the clearing and into the woods. She let the magic of the land grip her and she followed trails that were normally only touched by deer and faries themselves.

     Ana took her time in the crisp fall air. The wind prickling her skin, making the soft hair on her arms stand at attention. She didn’t mind it though, it came with her new found freedom. That alone wasn’t something she was ready to give back. She came to a stream and passed over it on a fallen log, only to continue walking farther and deeper into the woods. The sounds of birds graced her ears and foxes darted back and forth across her path. Before she knew it, the sun was already up. She was also hopelessly lost in the array of trees.

     There was an odd noise on the winds, one that was deeper than the chirp of birds. It was a thundering and yet not like any storm she had ever encountered. She followed the noise. Her movements were swift as she reached the edge of the forest and the sounds grew louder. Now she could even hear the low murmur of people. Her heart lifted and she raced across the scrub and up a small hill. As her eyes could see over it her mouth dropped open with happy surprise.

     Below, nestled in a small bowl of land was a lively village. There were shops of clothes, of food, of trinkets from all over the lands. Ana rushed down there without thinking and started to look among the tents. In the center gathered a large group of people that were dancing around a fire with people pounding away on drums.

     “Thunder!” She thought. It all made sense to her. The beautiful woman was so enchanted with everything around her, she didn’t notice everyone who watched her. She had already forgotten that she smelled of wolf and still had bit’s of blood flecked on her from eating with the pack the night prior. Pair that with the fact that she had escaped being a slave, she must have looked pretty bad.

     A guard approached her. His shield at ready and his pike pointed towards her. “This is no place for you, Wild One.” The term was used more as a name. Ana was about to use her master’s name and claim she was on business for him, but then her heart sank as she realized she no longer had that protection. Her eyes grew wide in panic. “I said get!” The guard shouted and shoved his pike towards her.

    The tip was meant to make contact with her, but it never did. There was an angry roar that echoed off the tents and drowned out the beating of drums. A wolf that walked like a man came between the two humans. Stela had been swift and silent. She broke the shaft of the pike and pulled the guard toward her. Her drool pelted him in the face as she let loose another roar.

     The sound brought the crowd into a panic and within moments other guards were racing towards them. This was not good. Stela glanced around and without another thought she scooped up her woman.

     All Ana could remember of that moment was she was standing, and then the next moment she was being held against warm fur. She relaxed at the feeling and the wolf’s soothing heartbeat let her drift in and out of sleep.

     The wolf stayed on two legs and ran, taking large heavy strides. Stela tried her best to keep her arms from jostling the woman too much. Her paw pads split from the heavy impact but still she kept running. The pack swarmed around them. Guards raced up behind and a few where on horseback. “Aureal, stop those horses if you can.” Her words were a command.

     He grunted in acknowledgment and turned on a dime. The monster of a beast stood on his hind legs, reaching his full height of about ten feet tall without counting his ears. He bellowed into the air. It was a deep howl that seemed to echo even from off of the ground. The men skidded in their tracks. The horses were no fools and bolted. One even threw his rider as the human attempted to forward the animal towards the wolf. One brave man threw a spear. Aureal wrapped his fingers around it and grinned.

     The look was that of a mad man, mixed with the hunger of a wolf. The man who threw it, quickly realized his mistake. Aureal hurled the spear back towards the group of people. It made it’s target and ran right through the human who had originally used it. The large male wolf chuckled as he watched the humans scatter in fear. He nodded and returned to all fours and took off running to catch up to his pack.

     “We will have to find another home my friends. I am sorry. We all knew this day would come though, there were too many times already that the humans had come looking for us.” Stela announced to the pack once they were a good few miles north. “We will continue to head north and find a new home.” She nuzzled Ana and held the woman close, savoring the moment. 

Part 6