Faded Scars Trilogy

Chapter four: Half Home

Looking Back

            I swiftly unfastened the cloak and twisted onto my side, throwing off the weight.  I scrambled to my feet and nearly lost my balance, I was face to face with an elated Nuvola.  “Nuvola!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around her furry neck.  Hot tears of joy rolled down my cheeks and soaked Nuvola’s silky fur.  She gently licked my face, lapping up the salty tears.  I hugged her tighter, almost causing her to topple over on top of me.  At long last, I let go, wiping away my tears.  “Where’s Varen?” I asked, dreading the worst.  I felt a sharp nip on my ear.  “Are you truly that blind?” came Varen’s honey like voice from behind me.  I laughed and turned around and faced Varen and almost started to cry again.  “Glad to see you,” she teased and tenderly nuzzled me.  I ran my fingers through her silky brown fur, savoring the moment.  For once, something had gone right.  I sat for a few moments, taking everything in.  The wolves lay patiently next to me, happily being stroked. 

            “How did you guys escape?” I asked finally.  “Last I saw, you were facing at least twenty soldiers!” I said incredulously. 

            “We got some help,” Varen hinted mischievously.  On cue, two wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes wary and staring directly at me.  One was a stony gray and powerfully built.  He looked to be the same age as Nuvola and Varen, but even larger.  His companion was a light brown, like tree bark.  I guessed the two were brothers by their similar build.  The two wolves studied me cautiously, looking ready to attack if I made a sudden move.  I was pretty sure they didn’t encounter humans very often. 

            “I can’t thank you enough,” I said, looking the stony gray wolf in the eye.  The two almost jumped in surprise at my wolf-speech.  “I am Mandisa,” I said, feeling awkward addressing wolves other than Nuvola and Varen, it felt like I was alien, foreign.  When I spoke to Nuvola and Varen, it felt what I imagine talking to a sister would feel like, but this was something else entirely.  Nuvola and Varen looked small in comparison to the males despite the fact both she-wolves were almost at my shoulder height with long powerful legs. 

            “I am Tuono of Lost-Pack,” the gray wolf replied in a deep gravelly voice. 

            “I am his brother, Kii of Lost-Pack,” the brown wolf answered in a surprisingly ancient sounding voice, like the voice of a tree almost.  The air still felt tense, but some of the mistrust seemed to have dissolved ever so slightly.

             “Do you still live here, it seems a little small,” I asked, turning to the she-wolves, trying to disrupt the tension. 

            “Actually, no.  Tuono and Kii found a great place!  Come, we’ll show you!” Varen replied cheerfully, glad for the excuse to be moving.  I caught Tuono glaring at her. 

            “Great!  One minute!” I replied and crawled through the entrance to the den, trying to ignore the burning weight of Tuono’s glare on my turned back.  I scooped up my meager possessions in my arms and emerged from the den.  I piled the food and clothing in a small sack and hoisted it over my shoulders. 

            “How far?” I asked, looking up at the darkening night sky as the last ray of sun slipped behind the horizon. 

            “An hour or two by foot, not much,” Nuvola replied.  “Good,” I said, although I felt fatigued from running all day.  I straightened up, bracing myself.  The two male wolves were almost as tall as me!  For the first time in two years, a wolf scared me.  I needed to keep a careful eye on Tuono in particular; he was always looking at me in a sideways manner, a glimmer of some deep hatred flickering behind his intelligent amber eyes.  It made me suspicious, not to mention very nervous.  If it came to a fight, I didn’t like my odds.