Cold Flames

The Stranger and The End .2.

.November.

The wind was exhilarating. The rush of the cold early morning air against my fur was harshly pleasant and the humid atmosphere was rewarding to my previously damp skin which came from all the sweating due to my nightmares. I was so used to waking up with perspiration trailing down my body and sometimes forgetting my dreams that I barely acknowledged the fact. This was my solution. Dawn was slowly approaching and the orange, brown horizon was breathtaking. I ran for yards in the territory, stretching my limbs at a comfortable pace for a while before I began to feel exhausted.

I slowed to a stop beside the lake and sat on my heels, waiting to watch the arrival of dawn. It had become a daily routine after waking up from my frequent nightmares to take a run and just let go of some steam, work everything off. I wasn't a runner or anything, I was still lazy at times but I just enjoyed running at my own pace sometimes, just to let off. I howled in delight when the Sun peeked out of its hiding spot, slowly like a child in a game of hide and seek, then all at once. I watched mesmerized while my tail wagged as the colors transformed before my very eyes. The swirl of orange, brown and black was beautiful and the dullness of the new Sun was strangely astonishing. There was something special and appreciative about viewing the first appearance of the Sun. It had always had a calming effect on me, the thought of the heat and-

Snap.

My head snapped backwards out of instinct then upwards towards the source of the sound. I growled out a warning that came out more confident than I was feeling and took what I hoped was a fighting stance, all the while hoping my racing heart couldn't be so thunderously heard although I knew that was inevitable thanks to advanced hearing.

The intruder growled back in disapproval with a human voice and I dropped my stance, the authority in the growl shocking me to my bones and leaving me no question on the matter. I glanced around hastily, my head moving to and fro to detect the owner of the sound, but to no avail. My first thought was to panic which obviously wasn't right but who could blame me. A lone she wolf out alone in the early hours of the morning and danger just a few unseen feet away.

So this is it November, I began to lament to myself, this is really how you're going to end your miserable life. I felt bad for Melissa. For so long, I had always believed that she would be the one to leave me, but here I was, about to prove myself wrong. I caught a whiff of lavender before the intruder landed in front of me with his head bent and his body kneeling on the earth, one knee propped up and a firm fist on the ground.

I stumbled back in shock, my heart beating a hundred miles per minute. Where had he come from? I looked up to see a very high fig tree branch swinging and a whine from me followed shortly after. He was from the Brown Haze pack of the South. I could be wrong but they were well known for their expertise in tree climbing so it only made sense for me to assume that. He wasn't supposed to be in this territory. He could be a rogue for all I know, being in another Pack's territory without permission because if permission had been granted, the faetici would have alerted the pack of the visitor so as not to alert anyone but I hadn't heard any announcement. However, he didn't look rugged. Nothing about him screamed rogue except for the fact that he was in another pack's territory.

I bared my teeth in an attempt to protect myself from him and show strength I sadly didn't have but I had to give myself thumbs for trying. He responded with another growl, halting my motives. In less than a flash, he stood to his full length and he let his figure tower over me, even in human form he was bigger than my wolf.

I scampered back in fear, an obvious sign of defeat and leaned against the tree, panting now, anticipating my death. I was ashamed of myself. What a coward. I couldn't even put up a fight. I was just thankful that no one was here to view this awful moment. I only hoped it would be quick and painless.