The Demon Deer

Chapter 7

           The next morning, he left as quickly as he could, which ended up being quite early thanks to a doe going into labor, his parents, along with everyone else, was there showing their support. Tearing through the forest, he sent out a prayer, that he wasn't making a mistake... That he wouldn't regret this.... But mostly that he wasn't too late.

          The cave was exactly where he left it and he arrived tofind the wolf still alive but racked with fever, shivering violently, and mumbling incoherently. After getting a fire going, he got straight to work, setting water to boil and mixing herbs as he had seen his mother do countless times. He cleaned the cuts and thanking the forest that the wolf was unconscious, he began to stitch them which wasn't as easy ash he first thought it would be, the wolf's hide tougher than deer leather, applying poultice and wrapping them once he was done. It's left leg, while it didn't seem broken, was in bad shape, the knee and ankle swollen and the thigh and calf seemed to have been mangled by teeth, so he set it in a full splint as if it was.

          This was his life for the next four days. Change bandages. Apply poultice. Check splint. Dribble water into it's mouth. Repeat. Every extra moment, every one he could steal, was spent here with what could possibly end up killing him and he had never enjoyed anything half so much.

          On the fifth day he arrived to find a pair of glowing golden eyes staring at him. It filled him with a confusing mix of fear and relief, making him feel as if he wanted to both laugh and urinate.

          "Life still surprising you?" Tinley asked, not liking how childish his voice sounded.

           The wolf's eyes glittered and he grinned, revealing needle sharp teeth, made for tearing the flesh from little deer. "It has gotten very adept at doing so but.... This is definitely it's masterpiece."

           "Are you thirsty?"

          The wolf nodded slowly and he sat his pack down, refusing to show the fear he was sure rolled off of him in waves.

          "Small sips or you will be sick," he commanded as he filled the little wooden bowl, though it did little good as the wolf snatched it, trying desperately to guzzle the entire thing, howling loudly when Tinley snatched it back and held it for him. When it was empty he asked, "what's your name?"

          The wolf regarded him with a keen interest, tilting his head to the side in that confused puppy like way. "Galavin."

          "I'm Tinley! Tinley Tallgrass."

          "Cute. You're small... Even for a doe."

          Tinley felt his cheeks heat and for the first time he truly realized how close he was to a beast that could snap the life from him as easy as breaking a twig, his breath catching in his chest. "I'm a boy. A fawn... My antlers haven't started to come in yet."

          "Oh, that's why you're so smooth," Galavin said mischievously, running a claw across Tinley's thigh.

          Tinley slapped his hand away. "Stop looking at me as if you wanna eat me."

          "Oh but I do little deer... Very very much."

          He frowned unsure of whether or not the brute was joking or not. "That does not make me wanna help you."

         "Why did you?" Galavin asked curiously.

          Tinley was quiet for several moments, tracing his fingers along the hair that ran down Galavin's arm before he realized what he was doing and pulled his hand away. "I'm.... Not really sure... What happened anyways?"