In the Woods

Chapter 3

I had the oddest dream.

First, I dreamed I was at a band concert. Then the concert turned into a play, and they were acting out Twilight. I was very fascinated with it all, but then when the werewolves howled it seemed all too real, then they turned into actual werewolves and bit me. Then I was a part of the play, then it turned into actual Twilight, and I was the best friend of Bella. and in the background of the dream, the whole time, "Bang Bang" by Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj and Jessie J was playing, over and over again.

When I woke up, I was met with the same amber eyes from my drawing. At first, I thought I was dreaming again - until the wolf turned away and howled to the orange moon.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked the wolf, being the typical me.

The amber eyes blinked, then looked up at the moon. Then it looked down, then up again.

I am proudly here to tell you that I did not understand one motion. Then it glared at me, then at the moon.

"Oh." I said, finally understanding. "I've been asleep for a day-ish." The wolf sighed and dipped its head. I looked closer and saw that it was a boy. He howled once more, and there were replies.

I got up quickly and looked around as more wolves surrounded me. A few backed off when I got up, but when I sat back down they advanced again.

"Well." I muttered. "This is not at all how I imagined my vacation."

***

As soon as I had gotten reconciled to the fact that I was going to die, at twelve years old, by being eaten by wolves, I stopped shaking.

The first wolf - like a living, breathing image of my drawing - growled an odd sort of growl. It wasn't hostile, but not friendly, either. More of a relaxing growl, almost a snore. Suddenly I realized that it was trying to calm me down.

I decided that if I was going to be eaten, I at least needed to know their names. "What are all ya'll names?" I tried to speak boldly, but I guess it only came out in a whisper, because I needed to repeat it louder in order for them to hear. The leader howled many times, and eat howl - or grunt - sounded different. Until I learned these howls, I shrugged, I simply needed to name them myself.

"You." I pointed at the leader. "I name you Lupe." He bowed his head and turned to some of the other wolves. They exchanged little barks before running off.

"I name you Silver." I pointed to a female wolf nearby, nursing her pups. She glanced trustfully at me, though drawing her pups nearer to her. The way her and the leader of the wolves looked at each other, I recognized her as "queen" of the wolves. I bowed my head to her, as I saw the other wolves and pups do, thinking it was right.

"I need to get back to my family." I ventured. "Do you know where they are."

An older pup, probably a year or so old, looked at me sadly. He glanced up at the sky, or what was visible from the tops of the trees, and then back at me. My blood ran cold.

"Where are they?" I raised my voice a bit. "Did they leave?"

The pup nodded. I started to sob.

However brave I might seem, don't be fooled. I was the most scared I'd ever been... ever. Compared to this, boys seemed a minor matter. For not only was I separated by my family - probably halfway to Pennsylvania by now - but I was also surrounded by a pack of thin, not doubt hungry wolves.

"How am I going to survive?" I asked no one in particular. "How will I live without my family?"

Silver stood up, as tall as I was sitting down, and walked - no, padded - over to me, licking my forehead. The pups she was nursing, as well as a few others (who were most likely a different litter of hers) all ran over and climbed onto me.

Then the wolves, as one, received me in the same manner, the older ones licking my forehead, and the younger ones climbing over me. I smiled at the little pups Silver was nursing, and I named them.

"Hawthorn, Lily, and Jasper." I nodded, as the names sounded right, and looked at the pack of wolves. Even while they were climbing over me, more wolves came from the forest, carrying a few dead male deer that they had somewhat cleaned the fur and bones off of.Silver broke away with the older pup - the one who had told me about my family - and greeted them. I averted my eyes from the sight. Grabbing some meat, the pup dropped it again at my feet, looking up at me.

"Very well - erm - Daniel." I picked a name for him. "But I prefer to eat cooked meat." With a rock and some branches, I was able to make a small fire, over which I cooked the meat. The wolves drew quickly away from it, and Silver's eyes were clouded with mistrust, but I put it out immediately and ate the little piece of deer.

Most to my surprise, it was quite good. I cooked a few more pieces and stored them in my bag for later.

The wolves were started to curl up in trees. A few older pups motioned that hunters cannot find them in trees, so I climbed a tree near Silver and Lupe to sleep in. It wasn't the most comfortable bed, but at least I wasn't dead. After seeing the poor deer, and how thin the pack is, I was sure that I wouldn't be so fit and healthy if I got on the king and queen's bad side.