Flesh And Fur: A Dance With Darkness

17 - Cleansed

It felt like only a few minutes had passed between the moment she left the den and the moment she reached the area where she had processed the animal due to how focused she had been on running the trail.

Gathering the meat didn't take long once she dug the snow away from the tree and unburied the pile. Her care in hiding it did the trick, keeping anything or anyone else from taking her kill. She could smell the scent of coyotes nearby. They must have smelled the kill and moved in to scavenge what was left. She couldn't see them, but she assumed they were currently chewing on the remains she had dragged away. Good. That should keep them occupied while she trudged back to the den.

As the daylight waned, the shadows grew longer, and the sun began to dip below the horizon, Elise felt a twinge of panic. She had to make it back before dark, or she'd most likely be beaten. She picked up her pace, her breaths coming in quick, sharp gasps.

Her legs burned and her side ached with every step, but she pushed through the pain, driven by fear of reprisal. She could feel the eyes of the forest upon her, the whispers of the creatures that ruled the night beginning to stir from their slumber. The branches above her crackled with the promise of danger, their shadows dancing menacingly in the fading light.

She wasn't concerned with them, however. She, too, was a creature of the night, of the hunt; a predator like them. She was more concerned with being ambushed by coyotes looking to steal the meat and score an easy dinner. Returning to the den empty handed or late would incur the wrath of her masters, which she feared far more than any other possible dangers.

The sun dipped lower and lower, the shadows grew longer, and the light grew dimmer. She was running out of time. She had to be back before dark, or she knew Brolyn would not spare her from his fury. The warmth of the setting sun kissed her cheek, a taunting farewell, as the first stars began to twinkle in the purple sky.

Her breath came in ragged puffs, misting in the air as she picked her way through the underbrush, her eyes strained with the effort of seeing through the growing darkness. The trees seemed to lean in closer, whispering of her impending failure. But she couldn't stop. Not now. The meat was heavy in the sack slung over her shoulder, dragging her deeper into the snow and shifting her balance.

Elise stumbled, her legs feeling like they were made of lead, but she pushed herself back up. She could feel the night creeping in, the animals of the forest stirring from their daytime slumber. The distant yips of coyotes echoed through the trees, a chilling reminder of the predators that could be watching her.

The path grew steeper, the snow deeper, but she didn't dare slow down. The cold had seeped into her bones, seemingly turning her body into a block of ice that threatened to shatter with every step. The scent of the pack's territory grew stronger as she approached, and she could hear the distant howls of the other pack members.

Her breath came in ragged puffs, misting in the air as she picked her way through the underbrush, her eyes strained with the effort of seeing through the growing darkness. The trees seemed to lean in closer, whispering of her impending failure. But she couldn't stop. Not now. The meat was heavy in the sack slung over her shoulder, dragging her deeper into the snow and shifting her balance.

As she neared the village, the faint smell of smoke began to tickle her nose. It grew more pungent, a comforting scent of warmth and safety in the frigid air. The smoke curled around her like invisible fingers, beckoning her home. She knew that each plume rising into the air meant that fires were being lit in the village, and the pack was preparing for the night's meal. Her stomach rumbled in response, a mix of hunger and anxiety.

She stumbled through the last few yards of snowy path and staggered through the entrance of the den, slipping on the bloody floor. The wolves hadn't bothered to clean the floor after eating earlier, leaving a slimy, sticky mess in front of a door that worked like a trap as Elise entered.