Shadow (ON HOLD)

Chapter 6:

I walked through the forest, pushing my was through the brambles that snagged on my clothes, all the snow had melted by now and the ground was still wet. I heard rustling in the bushes but this time I wasn't worried, it was only the wolf and I had learnt that he wouldn't hurt me.

As I expected the wolf silently emerged from the trees and started walking in front of me, I guessed he was leading me through the easiest path in the forest. I followed him anyway, I didn't really care where he was going, it's not like I could get any more lost.

Twigs snapped under my feet as I walked, I was trying to be quiet so I didn't draw unwanted attention to us but I wasn't doing very well at being quiet. Branches swished as I pushed them aside and birds flew up out of the trees, cawing angrily at being disturbed.

I saw smoke in the distance, curling up into the sky, just thinking about the warmth of the fire that was giving it off made me shiver involuntarily. Although the snow was gone it was still quite cold and I drew my clothes closer to my body. I headed in the direction of the smoke.

I had been walking for at least 30 minutes when I looked around and realised that the wolf was gone, Jim had been following me faithfully all day. The smoke didn't look that much closer than it had when I first saw it. Nevertheless I carried on walking, determined to get to the source of the smoke. I trudged on, mile after mile and I had been walking for at least another 4 hours when I saw it, it was nightfall and there was a little house there, nestled among the trees.

The light in one of the windows was glowing and the smoke was curling up and out of a chimney. It had ivy growing up the side of the walls.

I walked over to the gate, going up the little stone path until I reached the door. I raised the little knocker in the shape of a horse shoe and gathering all my courage I knocked on the door.