Silver Mane - Part 8

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     Ana’s heart sunk as she realized how little her pack had, in luxuries as far as humans were concerned. She looked around at the wild pack around her and realized how happy they all were. They were laughing and joking, snarling over their food. It was life to them and they didn’t seem to even care about the things they were missing. It sunk in at that moment how different their worlds really were and how much she still had to get used to, being a woman in a wolf’s world.

     Stela found her woman curls up, knees to her chest as she walked over, belly full of meat. “What is wrong little one?” The large wolf sat down and pressed her muzzle into the girl. Her own way of trying to show concern. Her eyes held more than enough in them, but the animal didn’t know if Ana would notice. The girl was still adjusting.

     Ana looked up at here and sighed before she untucked herself. “Just realizing how different this all is.” The tears started to well up in her eyes. It all came crashing down on her all at once and she let herself become buried. The tears fell.

     Stela found herself not quite knowing what to do. She was born into the pack, the pack was all she had ever known. People were just as new to her as the wolves were to this woman. She looked around at her pack, yet they were all still finishing off the meal that was still fresh. She was on her own to figure this out.

     The wolf pulled herself in close, wrapping herself around the crying woman. Stela pulled her close and held her there against her chest. Her fur was thick and warm and her breathing steady even though panic was brimming up inside her, threatening to spill over. Words had never been her thing, but right now she needed to figure them out. “Ana, what can I do to make this easier on you?” She didn’t know what needed to be fixed, this was her way to correct it.

     The phrase too the woman by surprise. She wasn’t expecting any of this to be easy, actually, she hadn’t expected any of this at all. She started to stretch herself out, small bits at a time. Ana had never wanted to be born a slave, she never wanted to be sold. Her mind raced and tears welled up in her eyes while her wolf sat there waiting, giving her all the time that she needed. The girls life ran behind her eyes. The night she left her old master came to mind.

     She remembered running. The wild wolves on her heels, how she thought she was about to die by their teeth. Then as her mind slowed down, it focused on the more recent events. How her wolf had saved her. She thought for a few moments on how her life was flipped upside down. She missed home, she missed her normal life. Ana took a deep breath and realized that those days were gone. That part of her life was dead. A warm tear rolled down her face. Ana finally found the courage to speak. “I don’t know.” She took a few deep breaths and turned to look at the wolf that still sat behind her.

     There was a deep sadness in Stela’s eyes. It was a cold hurt. The hurt of someone that had blocked off the world because it was too sharp. The wolf’s eyes went wide as there was a soft thump against her chest. Ana had pressed herself into her savior. Her fingers laced into the fur and she let herself fall apart. She cried as the animal held her, the rest of the pack gearing up to leave again. They all waited without a word.

     Stela reached out to her small human. The woman looked so fragile in that moment. Her arms wrapped around Ana and she just held her and let her get it out. She waited as the moments ticked by and once the sobbing stopped she felt brave enough to ask her. “Would you prefer to go home?” There was a deep sorrow in her voice. As if the great hunter was holding back her own tears.

     Ana pulled herself back and looked into the wolf’s eyes. She seen something there that wasn’t there before. There was a human look to them and it sent a shiver down her spine. She looked over the animals face, and realized that she was home. It was the best home she had ever known. She was warm, and safe, and loved. Ana couldn’t help but smile as she threw her arms around the wolfs neck, her face pressed into the thick fur. “I am home.” She said. Her wild emotions finally becoming stable again. “Let’s go find that new home.” Ana forced herself to smile, each day it became a bit easier around the wolves, and with Stela’s support, she started to really believe the wolf loved her. 

Part 9