Wolfgirl

Chapter 9: Warmth

I feel my heart beat in excitement. The only thing I want to do is to go to Storm and spend time with him. When Professor Knightley finally sets down the pet carrier and opens the door, the sun is already rising and I am starting to turn human. I will meet Storm tonight.
I pad out of the carrier and find myself in a living room. The fire in the fireplace has only dying embers, but it still emits a soft glow, filling the room with warmth.
I turn to human slowly and edge closer to the embers, trying to suck in its beautiful warmth and comfort.
"Welcome to my house." Cody says softly beside my ear.
I nod, but I don't say anything because I'm too busy watching the embers.
Suddenly, a door opened near the back of the room and Black and Tan fluff ball ran toward Cody, it's floppy ears bouncing up and down. The puppy's tail was wagging until it was a blur. It leaped into Cody's open arms and started licking him on the face. Pure joy.
"Roxie Girl, stop!" Cody says in between giggles.
When Roxie finally stops, he picks up Roxie and starts stroking her fluffy fur.
"This is my German Shepherd Roxie." Cody says and looks at me in the eye.
I look away and fix my eyes on Roxie. I reach out my hand and pet her fur. Her fur is silky, yet fluffy and I find it relaxing to pet her.
Cody and I clamber onto a sofa together with Roxie and we both fall asleep.
The instant I wake up, I realize I'm a wolf again. Cody is still asleep and Roxie is gone. I quietly stalk out of the living room toward an open door. I find myself in a kitchen. Cody's mom is sitting on a chair with Roxie on her lap.
Roxie yips a greeting and Cody's mom's head snaps up, her body tense. But her body instantly relaxes as she sees me.
"Hello Mira." Cody's mom says. "If you want to go outside, just go to the door right over there."
Cody's mom jerks her head toward the direction behind me. I turn around and trotted toward the door.
"By the way, my name is Marleene." Cody's mom says before I walk outside.
Outside, the air is crisp and fresh. I set my pace to a laid back jog. I look up at the night sky and see the moon shining brightly. Soon, I arrive at my hollow. I howl to my pack. The Alpha emerges behind the ferns.
I instantly lower my tail a little bit to show respect, but not too much or else it will show weakness. My eyes lower in respect and I dip my head. I notice a large gash on his shoulder and a rip in his ear. I wonder what happened.
"Mira." The Alpha says, his bark quiet and dangerous. "Where were you? The pack needed you. The pack needs your strength."
I raise my head.
"What happened?" I ask, my voice hollow.
"A wolf pack attacked us. They were stronger than us. Many wolves died. And too many to count, injured." The Alpha spat.
"What about Storm?" I ask, my heart beating in fright.
The Alpha shakes his head slowly and his tail touches my shoulder lightly.
"I'm sorry Mira." The Alpha says softly.
I'm in total shock. Storm can't die! He can't! No, this must not be true! I feel rage and sadness. Why?! Why did Storm have to die?
I suppress my feelings and I slowly say, "Please let me see Storm one last time."
The Alpha dips his head and we run back to camp where many wolf bodies and laid in the center of camp. The pack is going to bury them soon when the moon has reached its full height, otherwise known as midnight.
I instantly spot Storm out of all the dead wolves. I run up to him and bury my muzzle into his fur. I don't feel the warmth that I have always felt when I'm next to him. His body is cold. Dead. I ignore the blood on his fur and I try to search for the love and comfort that lives deep in his heart. But all I find is the cold, hard, truth that there is nothing left. Just a dead body. His soul must have already left him. His spirit. He will run with the pack that lives in the sky tonight.
I lift my head slowly, remembering the way his eyes sparkled mischeivously, the time we shared two ducks together, the nights we shared, sleeping side by side, and the love we felt for each other. I lift my head up to the stars, the moon, and I howl. I howl my sadness, my grief, and the pain of losing him. I howl a good-bye and soon, I hear all the wolves joining in with me. Our voices joining together as one. All of us grieving for the ones we loved most that had died.
After the howl has died down, I feel the grief has subsided a little bit, but I know it's still there. And I know it will always be there. I wish Storm hadn't died, I wish I was there to save him, I wish he is beside me right now, but I know these things will never happen.
Fawn stands beside me and she touches her tail on my back and guides me toward her den. I stumble beside her.
She leads me into her den and she lets me lay down. I obey and curl myself into a tight ball. Fawn curls around me like a mother to her pups. I feel her warmth, but it's not the same as Storm. Nobody's warmth will ever be the same. I feel like there is a hole in my heart, and I doubt anything can fix it and fill it back in.