Surviving in Colorado (TBP fanfic)

Wild Instincts

This chapter switches between Reid's POV and Shadow's POV. Until they get to know each other, when it's Shadow's POV you hear 'the man' and when it's Reid's POV you hear 'the wolf' or 'the creature'. I just wanted to make sure there is no confusion

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     Shadow is upon the long-haired man now. He towers over the man, his silver eyes deciding where to strike first.

      Reid stifles a scream; he cannot drag Neil into this and have them both killed. He looks at the wolf with both an admiring and fearful eye.

Shadow growls at him menacingly. He is trying to make him run away from his home; intimidate him away.

      Reid and Shadow share a gaze for several minutes, neither blinking nor taking their eyes off the other. Shadow tries to make himself bigger to show his dominance.

      "I am the boss human." Shadow thinks; trying to tell it to the man who quivers in front of him.

      Shadow growls again and Reid becomes even more scared. He doesn't understand that Shadow is trying to meet him with respect but dominance, and not in a predator over prey relation.

      Reid remains still as brick wall. He waits for Shadow to make a move so that he knows if this animal is death or possible freedom.

      Shadow at last relaxes to show Reid he is not trying to be a threat.

      Reid sees this and moves very slightly.

      Shadow decides he will not kill the humans. He decides to become their friend. The long haired man is struggling to keep his pack alive, just like Shadow was with his own.

      Shadow lays his hair back down onto his back and immediately looks smaller. He stops showing his teeth and he breathes slower to show the human he is no longer going to hurt him.

      Reid picks up on it and he too relaxes, his breathing slows and his eyes relax and re-dilate to normal.

      Shadow does the unthinkable next. He throws all his wild instinct away and all of his opinions of humans and comes closer to Reid.

      Reid stays still, thinking if it is his time to die then let it happen.

      He does nothing of the sorts however. He comes close to Reid and smells him all over, trying to form a new opinion on him. Is he a Dakota (friend or ally in Sioux) to Shadow or an enemy?

      Reid closes his eyes as Shadow's wet, cold nose rubs all over his face and arms. When Reid opens them he meets the creature's silver eyes. Reid is mesmerized by them as they gleam with such curiosity, much like his own do.