The Boy Next Door

Chapter Twenty-Four

After many months of living alone, Wolf and I return to the camp. Aaron's camp. My mind has healed, my sight is clear. I see now that not all humans are bad, not all people are untrustworthy. We run as a pack, Wolf and I. We see the camp and slow down. I ask Wolf to smell for Aaron. He does and finds his trail leading into the woods. We follow it.

I spot Aaron crouching, aiming an arrow at a deer. I give the go ahead to Wolf to kill it. The appearance of Wolf startles Aaron. He turns and sees me. I smile. He scowls. I shrink back and cower.

"How could ya?! You left us after terrorizing us! You can't just waltz back in here and expect everything to be fine! No!"

I get on all fours and start to walk away. Aaron stops me. He whistles. A horse comes from seemingly no where. He climbs on and tells me to follow. I call Wolf and together we run after the galloping horse. We twist through branches and in between trees, we duck under logs and hop over streams. We make it back to camp.

Home.

Aaron stops and turns his steed to me. "Alyssa is very ill, be nice or I'll have to kill ya."

I nod. Not really caring about the girl. Wait. I smell something new. Its not very recent, maybe two months old. I crouch closer, deeper into the cave. I see it, a small human. It smells like milk and new skin. I smile. Wolf smells all over the child before Alyssa interrupts. I drop my smile making Wolf alert. I touch his head, my signal for 'be on your toes'.

Aaron comes to us after putting the kill in the fire. "I see you've met Marley. He's a good boy. We had him about a month and a half ago."

Alyssa cuts in. "We're married now."

I glare at her. Who the fuck cares?! No one asked you. Wolf stiffens beside me. I calm down. I need to stay calm so he doesn't hurt anyone.

Jamie? Where is she? I look at Aaron. I wave my arms above my head in a monkey movement. He shakes his head.

"She died in the storm a few months ago. She drowned in the creek. We tried . . . to get 'er we . . . we couldn't."

I frown. I lead Wolf out of the cave and to the cooking meat. My stomach rumbles. I look to Wolf. His ears are halfway down and his tail is drooping, his sign for 'Alpha I'm hungry'. I nod and look to Aaron. Of course he wouldn't know what Wolf is saying, he didn't spend about a year and a half with him.  I nod toward the food. He hands me a plate. I ask for a bigger piece of deer. He piles more on.

I start eating. I notice he tries to give Wolf some deer, Wolf doesn't even look in the direction of it. He stares at my food, knowing I'll share. I eat about half then give him the rest. He chows it down. When he's done he gives me the bones, a sign of respect. I take them and bury them. He seems pleased. I give him a lick on the ear.

Aaron looks saddened. "Looks like you two get along just fine." I smile. "Alyssa will be wanting food. I'll give her some. Stay here. Or no, her take these and give them to the horse."

He hands me a bowl of grains and vegetables. I walk on three limbs, carrying the bowl in one hand. I lead Wolf to the horse. I remember her. She was the one who fought for me. I give her her meal and stroke her nose. She lets out a happy sound. Wolf seems jealous, he rubs against my body begging for attention. I wrestle him to the ground. Smiling. He smiles his wolfish smile. We wrestle and run until the sun goes low.

Aaron calls us inside. I race Wolf there. We plop down on our bear skins Aaron kept and slept.

...

I awaken to a clear sky and a shining sun. Its freezing. I look for Wolf. He's only a few steps away, I pull him on top of me. He doesn't resist. I fall back asleep.

Aaron wakes me a few hours later. He says its midday and I'm being lazy. I get up and go for a hunt.

Wolf and I run through the woods, moving as one. I laugh as he doesn't jump high enough over a log and trips. I help him up and continue.

I spot a deer up ahead and freeze, alert. Wolf stops, looking to me. I wait until he sees the deer before nodding. We both run to the deer. I bite its neck while Wolf tears it to pieces. We drag the kill back to camp, careful not to rip the shredded parts off.

We lay the kill next to the fire and go into the cave. Alyssa is cleaning herbs and vegetables, Aaron is making bowls, plates, and woodware. I walk back outside and give the horse some grains. He eagerly eats them. I pet his muzzle while he eats.

Wolf comes over and tackles me. I get up and run a ways away. I turn around and pounce on his back. He falls, we wrestle for a while. I bite his ear and claw his fur while he nibbles my arm and tackles me. After the sun has gone below the trees, we return to the cave.

Alyssa has made deer stew out of our kill and the vegetables she was cleaning. It's pretty good. After we eat, we all lay down to sleep. Alyssa feeds her baby while Aaron gets them comfortable. I dog pile on Wolf and fall asleep like that.