WILD

Chapter three

"This always gives me a rush!" Emma's voice chuckled beside me. It's sound twisting my stomach. "N n, sop" I tried pleading, begging for her to allow me a few breaths, sobs shook my body. I shrieked loudly when he fist gripping my hair tightened. The panic of what that meant overwhelming me. Thrusting my face roughly over the round metal bath tub. My wife, fearful eyes locked onto the light pink water, the open cuts from my forehead aiding in its colour change. "No! Please" I thrashed against her hold, my body weak from being dunked repeatedly for hours on end.

"I see why Eric likes that leech to beg, it's an addicting feeling" her lips brushed the shell of my ear, I grimaced which only made her laugh hysterically, a deranged sound that shouldn't belong to her. "And from the top!" I gasped as she pushed my head downward, freezing cold water stole my scream before I could muster one. I kicked and tugged at the mental cuffs binding my arms together.

"Blue!"

Chunks of ice knocked into my shoulders and face, the water invading my ears within moments of being dunked with a loud glug glug my ears lost awareness. Everything sounded muted and dull, the sensation adding to my panic.

Make it stop- everything hurts, IT BURNS! My brain screams at me to keep my lips pressed firmly together, it screams to not take a breath. But, it could end here...

Parting my lips I allowed water to fill my mouth, flowing to the back of my throat knowing if I breathed in, I could go far away from here. Far far away.

Don't! My logical brain begged, its pleas getting lost in the waters when I took a deep breath in, the burn was instant, so instant they I coughed and sputtered under the water. My body continued to fight without direction.

"Blue wake up!"

"Blue!

Everything became deafening my hearing snapping back into place, I jumped to my feet, a snarl levelled at the two blurry shapes in front of me, Emma's deranged laughter fading in and out. "It's us blue" lies. it's always lies!

She's taunting me!

Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run!

"Blue!" I snapped my teeth, snarling loudly to warn off the large male. barely missing his chest, his blurred form contorting into a mass of brown hair and lean muscles, his blue and brown eyes alive with panic. "Blue it's me, Henry!. You're okay"

I knew him... I knew them

"It's the past blue, don't lose yourself" Alex's smooth voice pushed through the remainder of my haze, through the uncertain fog that clouded my mind. "You- you have us scared for a minute there sis" Henry released the breath he had been holding once my posture shifted from defensive. "You okay there?" I shook off Alex's question knowing she already knew the answer. Her stare focusing on me for what felt like an eternity before she looked at Henry, hardening her stare.

"It's an hour until dawn, Henry smelt some deer west from here, catching one shouldn't be an issue between us" I nodded instantly regretting it, the familiar ache shook my skull, a grating feeling I always had to endure after a nightmare.

"Maybe sit this one out and get some rest" she said softly, her tone low. almost a whisper "You're healing but I don't want you pushing it" she's probably right. My whole being was ridden with exhaustion but the possibility of dreaming again kept me from giving in.

"Are you okay to walk?" Shaking off the remaining shivers from sleep I took a cautionary step forward, baring weight on my right paw and then my left with no issue.

"Okay then" Henry clapped his large hands together, loosely shaking his arms out at his sides before the unmistakable sound of popping erupted, within seconds his brown and white wolf stood proudly, his large chest puffed out.

"Great" alex quipped blankly, her steps confident as she turned on the spot, her walk almost soundless if it wasn't for the crunchy leaves below us.

                                🐺

"How much further Alex" she groaned reaching her limit with Henry's constant questions and singing, he had managed a total of ten minutes of silent walking during our hours of trekking. Alex"
His large wolf strolled beside her, matching her annoyed march, with her eyes trained ahead she blanked him grumbling under her breath about something to do with his face and ass?. His fluffy white tail swung happily in the air, hitting Alex's back with every other wag. After the fourth slap she stopped dead. Annoyance simmering through the link in thick heavy dark grey cords. Henry kept trotting blissfully unaware that Alex had stopped walking, I huffed taking his place at her side. She breathed deeply turning her head my way most probably scenting my approach "that's more like it" her voice sounded rougher than usual but i guessed it was due to needing to feed, I would gladly offer Henry if he didn't stop singing about big butts and lying. We walked in perfect silence, not an awkward ideal for either of us.

"Oh laaaaadies! Come and check this out" I lazily looked where Henry had gone, only tall spruce trees sparsely covered the area. "This better not be another weird looking stone again like last time" Alex muttered to herself following his scent deep into the forest. I grumbled vaguely remembering his bumpy rock he said looked like a distant aunt of his. following both scents. We had only walked a couple of metres into the woods before the crisp scent of water and flowers brushed my nose.

"It's about damn time, come on in it feels so good!" Henry's naked human form floated on his back, water spurting from his mouth like an orcas blowing water. "At least he had the decency to cup his- you know" Alex shrugged stepping down onto the thick layer of smooth stones littering the waters edge. Gazing over her shoulder her deep blue eyes run down my form, i must look like crap with dried blood clumping my fur. Her lips curled upwards sending a small grin in my direction, she turned abruptly turning on the path of a small cluster of young spruce trees that offered some privacy from everything, my unsure gaze followed her until she crouched down submerging her hands into the water, its surface changing from a crystal clear blue to a deep, beautiful red.

Lowering myself slowly onto the stones I stalked over to the far side, where the water looked to be shallow and had slightly more plant life, fluffy cottontails poking through the stones at odd angles.
Cautiously approaching the edge I bowed my head sniffing just above the surface. For what I wasn't too sure but I felt like it needed to be done for my own sanity.

This gives me such a rush!

I jerked back from the edge unable to control the growl bursting from my throat. The water rippling from the small brown fish coming up for air. I peeked up, Henry was still busy getting the dirt and muck from his hair. His attention far away from me which I was thankful for. I switched directions to look over Alex's way. Only to find her already watching me an eye brow raised in question. I huffed which in tern got her to smirk and slowly shake her head. Her attention quickly disappeared once she continued to rid herself of the dried blood.

I heaved out a breath of relief, sure of myself now I stepped forward dipping my paw into the cold lake.

See, I can do this.