Navy Wolf

Chapter 6

A dog as tall as a horse. An expression of a possessed demon, baring its set of sharp teeth at me. Covered in mud and drooling like an broken valve.

This creature got my hackles up. Staring at me - or rather through me - it seemed like it was waiting for me to start running, so it could have the pleasure of hunting me down.

Okay, now I realized again, how stupid it was, to leave the house.

The sky was getting darker and darker and I could barely see. The only light source was my necklace - next to the burning eyes of this freak dog in front of me.

It panted like crazy and the sound etched on my memory.

I slowly let go of my necklace, still keeping eye contact with that horse look-a-like in front of me. Stood up and waited.

Where am I supposed to run? This fucking ogre is going to catch me within seconds!

I took a small step back, when it barked at me violently. Instantly I froze again. And my heart rate went up through the roof.
My mind went blank again. This was not to be compared to my fear of the depth and darkness of the ocean. This was worse. So much worse that I just stood there and waited. Whatever it was that I was waiting for.

Strength? ...No.

Sanity? Possibly.

All of this happened because I didn't listen to Ms. Grandma.
Now I am standing here waiting for a miracle that is not going to happen.

Am I going to die here? Is this how this is going to end for me?

I closed my eyes and started praying.

Somebody...
somebody come and save me from this...!

I heard it snarl and bark again before its' paws pounded on the sand, letting me know, it was running towards me. I shut my eyes even tighter and grasped the necklace, when a deafening cry was heard, followed by a muffled collision against the sand.

Trembling I opened my eyes, not knowing what to expect.

As my eyes refocused, I could not believe what I saw.

A dark brown wolf, who was almost as big as the dog was growling down at its' victim while pressing it into the ground with its massive paws.

Okay, I was ready to faint. Here and now.

The wolf bit the dogs neck fiercely, goring its fangs in violently back and forth, working into suffocation. The light in the dogs eyes slowly dimmed into darkness.
A moment later, its cries stopped and the wolf let go of the dead carcass, turning towards me.

Without a reasonable thought in my mind, I started running. Into the forest, where I instinctively thought or hoped, this grown animal wasn't going to find me.

I ran through the bushes, adrenaline in my veins pumping through my entire body. Branches and leaves cracking and rustling under my feet, brushing over my naked arms.

„RIVER!"

I startled up. My feet stopped and I leaned against a damp tree, looking into the woods. The only thing I could see were trees and bushes, nothing more nothing less.

Did I just imagine hearing my own name?

I concentrated and pricked up my ears, but the only thing I could hear was myself, heavily breathing.

„River!"

I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Two warm hands grabbed my shoulders and I waved my fists around myself to break free.

„Stop it!," the male voice demanded. „It's me, Kaven!"

Kaven...? Who the hell is...Ka-...?

I glanced up, just to see the familiar face of the guy, who rescued me out of the water a couple of hours ago.

„Why did you run away? Didn't my grandma tell you not to leave the house?," he asked frustratedly almost yelling.

I was speechless. Guiltily I stared at him, not knowing how to explain or where to begin. His hands were still on my hot skin and burned them even more. My body began shaking uncontrollably and I bit my lip not to let any emotion show on my face. 

I was overwhelmed. Stressed. 

It felt like I was a wet cloth being wrung out but I just wouldn't rip. My insides stretched to the point of stinging pain but all on an emotional basis. I felt my throat lace up and I swallowed multiple times to get rid of this dry, rough feeling in it.

And then to cap it all, I started crying.

Kavens expression softened as he watched me break under my own pressure.

„It's okay," he said, his voice stroking softly, trying to appease me. „You're safe now."

But I couldn't stop sobbing. My forehead bumped against his chest, and I was so ashamed that I couldn't look him in the eye. 

Now I felt even more annoying.

He slightly hugged me, while patting my back and I smelled his scent, which was so pleasant and distracting.

„Are you okay?," he asked in a whisper, after I decided to lift my head. While I was wiping away my tears, I nodded to answer his question.

He hesitated for a moment, before continuing. „We'll find your family, you're going to meet them soon. So don't worry... okay?"

I sighed audibly.

„Can I ask you something?," he spoke again.

„What?," I choked.

„Where did you find that necklace?," he nodded at the red ruby dangling over the borrowed pajama.

„It was a birthday gift from my dad," I replied, holding it to take a look at it.

He put on a worried expression and nodded to himself.

Then he started walking, when I remembered why I was running in the first place. „We should be careful. There is a wolf running around here!," I warned him and looked around, as if I was going to see something.

He slightly smirked. „Let's go back home or you'll catch a cold in those pajamas."

Maybe my story sounded far-fetched. He probably knew the area better than me so he'd know if there were actual wolves always on the move. 

But still - I saw them. The wolf and that horse creature. They both weren't hallucinations. 

I blinked. Twice. „I am telling the truth! There is a wolf out here!"

„So?," he replied. „We have to get back nevertheless."

That relaxation. My god, being a man must be so easy.

„Wait-" I suddenly froze in place and he turned around. „How did you find me?"

He kept silent, thinking about an answer, while studying my face.

„You screamed," he responded eventually.

*****

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________