Finn

Chapter Two

Despite a terrible night of sleep, I forced myself to keep traveling away from the pack. My legs were sore, and my stomach yelled at me in hunger, but I did my best to ignore it. I alternated between walking and jogging, keeping my eyes and ears alert as I moved. The kitchen knife stayed clutched in my hand, and I was quick to raise it when I heard a squirrel behind me or heard a deer shuffling some leaves.

I let the terrain lead me, following the signs of growth in the forest. I moved towards the trees with more lush leaves, or mushrooms growing around their base. I spotted a couple of bushes that contained some berries, but I didn't risk eating any of them. But I kept moving towards the growth, hoping it would lead me to a water source. My thought finally paid off after a long day of walking, when I found a creek running through the forest.

"Yes!" I exclaimed to the trees around me, falling to my knees in front of the stream. I cupped my hands and lifted some of the icy water to my lips, enjoying the feeling of the liquid going down my dry throat. I took a couple more sips as I took in the area around me

It wasn't very wide creek, and I could easy cross it with only getting water up to my shins. It was on a slight downhill slope, and I guessed that somewhere upstream there was a lake or larger river to feed the creek. My mouth watered at the idea of finding some fish in a bigger body of water. That thought alone was enough to get me to change course and follow the creek.

Before heading out again, I used the water to wash off. I left my shirt on, deciding it was best to leave it dirty rather than walking around with a wet shirt and catching hypothermia. But I washed my the blood, dirt, and grime off of my arms and feet. My feet were bare which meant they were bleeding in several spots where I had tripped over branches or stepped on a rock, but the cold air practically made them numb. Still, the water felt good on the blisters and bruises that were starting to form.

After a brief rest near the stream, I started my way uphill. I wasn't sure it would lead anywhere good, but it was the only thing I had to go on. I could only hope the following a source of water would lead me to some fish or other small animal I could catch. I let that thought motivate me to keep moving, keeping my eyes peeled for signs of food as I walked along the edge of the creek.

As the sun started to set, I was nowhere closer to finding food. I had walked along the creek for hours, but only found more and more creek. I knew it had to have a source somewhere, but it could be miles away. I had already walked so far in one day, and my legs were turning to jelly the more I walked. Eventually. I gave up on making it any further, and let myself collapse nearby a large tree. I decided to rest for a couple of hours until the sun rose, and then I started back on my journey to find the source of the creek.

I walked for hours and hours, and I saw no signs of a lake or river. I stopped many times for more water, or to rest my bare feet, but I tried not to be still for too long. My stomach cramped in pain as it begged for food, and I grimaced at the feeling. I knew I could go pretty long without food now that I had water, but it didn't mean it wasn't uncomfortable. I was used to not getting a lot of food, but after two days of walking continuously, my muscles were weak and tired and begging for some sustenance.

As the second day of walking came to a close, I did my best to push the thoughts of sore muscles and hunger out of my head, focusing instead on setting up shelter for the night. I found a huge tree, and the base was curved enough for me to curl into a ball against the trunk. It wasn't the best shelter or hiding spot, but it was the best I could do. I was exhausted, and I felt a little safer now that I was far from the pack grounds. I doubt the pack would send anyone after me after losing so many in the attack, and hopefully the water I'd bathed in would throw off my scent trail.

My eyes felt like they had only blinked shut for a moment, but when I woke up to a noise nearby I knew I had been asleep for a while. It was much darker outside, and the forest was eerily silent as all the creatures slept. I froze in place, all of my muscles tensed as I listened for another sound. The kitchen knife was laying next to me on the ground, and I slowly moved my hand out to grasp it.