The Cabin, the Woods, and the Wolf #watty2016

Chapter 10

The ride back isn't nice and even, it's bumpy, lumpy, and very uncomfortable but I am able to bear it knowing my more-than-a-wolf was out there, following our every move.

My level of consciousness waivers as my brother/captor decides he needs to move me by tossing me up and letting me land harshly on his hard shoulder, further paining my already bruised and battered ribs along with the rest of my body.

The cabin is finally in view and I sigh in relief. I can finally go off and lick my wounds, I think before the pain becomes impossible to escape. It builds until whimpers threaten to spill out of my throat. I bite my lip in an attempt to keep them in, but on an especially rough turn, I bite my lip so hard a copper taste fills my mouth. I try to spit it out onto the snow but with little success. Most of the blood just ends up dribbling down my chin.

A low snarl ghosts through the forest.

My kidnapper stops abruptly, shifting to look through the tall trees surrounding us. As I peer through a gap between his elbow and chest, I see, low to the ground, a pair of glowing eyes. The movement of what I think to be paws causes the layers of snow to crunch with an audible sound. One shelf of snow collapses, and is quickly followed by several more as it surrenders to my wolf's massive size.

I adjust my position on Monster Number Two's back so I can better see where the noise is coming from. It takes an effort to swing my wounded body around the wide berth of my captor's, but when I do, I sigh in relief.

I was right.

I see first one paw, and then another. My captor's head tracks from the ground; slowly raising toward the cloudy sky, as the wolf lets the darkness of the forest release its hold, making his true form evident.

As his size is revealed, my brother becomes twitchy.

My wolf's stance changes from one of caution to one of aggression and readiness. His actions spur the monsters to make defensive moves against attack.

Unfortunately, their first action to this end is to drop me.

My body hits the ground hard, and something snaps, causing intense pain to radiate from my chest and ribs. The pain intensifies so much that I cannot contain my response.

My scream fills the small forest opening pulling everyone's attention to my prone form on the snow-covered ground. While two of the standing figures go back to staring at the wolf,, my wolf stares at me giving a once over before refocusing his attention on the two men in the clearing. His stance clear run or be attacked.

The two back away from his approaching form. My monster of a father notices me on the ground, almost as an after thought, and motions towards my brother to pick me up. As he steps towards me a growl rips through the air stopping his approach.

He tries once more and I try to shy away from him, further damaging my already battered body, stressing my ribs to the point another snaps and my breathing wanes. This earns him another growl and a few menacing steps closer to my brother trying to intimidate him without actually attacking him.

They both leave the clearing and I sit up, just barely, to watch them go. Never meeting their eyes but watching their bodies' reactions to make sure they are truly leaving me in peace.

Thankfully I hold out until they are no longer in sight. With exhaustion taking the strength from my arms making them giving way and I fall limply on the cold, hard ground.

A deep, sharp pain explodes through the left side of my chest. Shortness of breath and blurred vision quickly follows, then black dots and dizziness, finally darkness along with my other senses: touch, and sound but no before hearing a distinctly male voice that set fire through my veins.

"I have you, I'll take care of you. They will never get you back. I lo-" his words are lost to me as all reality is lost to me.