new day | ✔

vii

River would often dream of her past, though she always slept with one eye open.

* * *

She was only a puppy when it happened.

Like most wolves, River was born within a pack, birthed by the Alpha and Alphess - typically the only mating pair in the community. She was a feeble little wolf, usually bullied for being so pathetic and weak. Due to her daily treatment as a scapegoat, River was to rely on her mother - the leading matriarch - as her only comfort.

Her name was Vidal, a dark and slender female whose eyes were as prismatic as meadow of yellow, green and orange. She possessed a kind, forgiving nature, and was always there for her daughter. Though Vidal would not attack or hurt others for harassing River, she would, instead, often encourage River to stand up and chase them back.

She was loyal to her mother, and aspired to be just like her; filled with sagacity yet gifted with ferocity and reckless spirit. Their bond was like that of no other.

River had wandered off from the rest of her pack that day. At around 6 months, she was just another scrawny little wolf, wanting to stick her inquisitive nose into any nook or cranny she could find. Yet that day, her curious sniffer had led her into a dreadful situation.

A gossamer breeze swept through the sector, the tree branches bristling in the ephemeral summer warmth. Accompanying this wind was a peculiar scent that River did not recognize. But being a puppy did not help her. She was determined to find this metallic, burning scent, her brain intrusive and desiring new discoveries.

So the young wolf set off to the source of this scent, negligent to every possible negative outcome. Leaves crackled and sticks fractured beneath her steps as River continued to wander the territory, stretching further and further from her pack. Her pale eyes gazed upwards to the emerald green canopy of leaves, dotted spaces between the plants allowing warm, amber sunlight to creep through.

But it was the voices that caught her interest the most. The sound muffled tones tuned into her wiry ears, and the pup approached them without single hesitation. She peered from behind a shrub, and watched carefully as two large creatures communicated.

River inclined her head to the right.

One of the men had many hares slung across his shoulder, all of which seemed to be dead. Their mousey-brown pelts were only slightly stained crimson, but the naive puppy couldn't resist the urge for meat. She bounded out from behind the bush, her salmon pink tongue lolling out of her maw as she advanced towards the men.

They continued walking, the hare cadavers swinging as they took each step. River strayed by their heels, her innocent eyes still fixated determinedly on their backs. Then, she let out a high yip of excitement.

The men turned around slowly, as eerie grins danced across their lips. One of them knelt down onto his knees, and tilted his head at River. His hand reached behind his back, were he detached a hare from his sling.

"Are you hungry?"

River closed her mouth as she caught a dark figure slithering through the trees, not far behind the man.

"Why don't you eat this?"

The man moved the carcass towards her, letting her sniff it's blood-tinted cloak. But River remained still, still gazing at the Stygian silhouette who grew larger every second...

Just as a callous hand closed around River's neck, Vidal surged out of the shadows, her jaws parted and eyes widened with raid. She went buffeting into the man's shoulder, sending him tumbling across the verdure. He raised an arm in attempt to cover his vital areas and face, but was not match for an angry mother. Vidal sank her teeth into his hand, screams of agony absconding his mouth.

"DO SOMETHING!"

The second man raised his rifle, aimed it at Vidal and pulled the trigger.

BANG.

That was River's cue. She fled, tearing through the underbrush as fast as her sinewy legs would carry her. She ran and she ran, back to the mixture of scent from her fellow pack mates. Her silver tail disappeared into the darkness of the pack den, her body quivering in fear.

The rest of her family would soon learn the antiquities of the gunshot, and which life it had taken, just moments ago.