Sephtis

33. No longer a foe.

The wolves are asleep outside the den in the gleaming rays of the hot sun.  Only Kavah is not here, for he is away on some business of his own.  It is unbearably hot, and I long for the cool waters of the stream, and I hunger for the berries that grow along its path. Zahar opens her eyes, and stares at me.  She knows my longing and wags her tail in the golden dust as I begin to sneak away, hoping the cubs will not wake, and hoping to escape Amitz's ever crowding presence. Too late, I am less then a few feet away from the den when Amitz comes trotting behind me.  He sits at my feet, whining softly as he licks his lips.  He glances from me to the sleeping cubs, he knows I have the stream in mind, and he knows I want to leave without the cubs following.  Yet I don't not wish to go with him. 
Amitz glances from me to the cubs again, seemingly wondering why I do not move, then his jaws click shut and he glances at me sideways. I see the thick fur of his throat quiver and his mouth open to bark. He is going to wake the cubs! The fiend. So I turn and run, Amitz loping smugly beside me not long after.
The forest is breathtaking, shimmering. Amitz is ducking in an out of the undergrowth that grows along side the path, and as I pass he mock pounces at me, always missing my legs by a hairs breathe with his gleaming teeth, then he is off again to hide and wait for me elsewhere.  It is an odd game, this hide and seek of his, and he is an expert in ambush, and I am never fully prepared for him.  His energy is boundless, along with his smirks as he leaps from his hiding places to startle me. 
On the way to the stream I leave the path to pick some berries.  They are warm, and tantalisingly sweet, and the juices run down my chin and onto my naked body. I have left my dress in the den today.
Amitz's high held tail is visible in some  yellow flowered bushes and I know he is planning another ambush, I creep away and half hide between the trees.  I call his name, and see his head comically pop up from the undergrowth.
Slinking between the trees he halts and sniffs the air, his black, glistening nose twitching as he looks in my direction.  He has my scent, but is yet to distinguish me from the brown trunks of the trees.  I hold my breath and stay still as death. 
It is a game I normally play with the cubs, I have discovered that the wolves do not find me easily when I remain perfectly still among the tree trunks, yet if I move they find me in an instant. I call to Amitz again, then see how long I can stand without giving myself away.  He walks towards me, his ears pricked, and his mouth slightly open.  I grin, and that is all he needs; he bounds towards me, and I brace myself against the force of his triumphant greeting. But I still fall over, and out of reflex I place my arms as a shield about my face, as if I am scared he will go for my throat, for there is no one to save me, an it is just he and I. 
But, he instead whines, licking my arms and hands before leaping off me and heading for the stream, his attitude is always changing, and so is mine to him, but the nerves are still there, lingering doubtfully in my mind. 
The water is cool an refreshing.  Amitz is splashing about in the shallows, seemingly taking great joy in the flying water. As I watch him I realise my view of him has softened, and my fearful mistrust is not as great.  Then the silence is broken by a single sound; a wolf howling in the distance.  Immediately Amitz is on the sandy shower, he doesn't even shake himself dry; more vital things are in the air. The howl comes again, and he whines, turning to me before dashing a short way back to the den, he pauses, waiting for me to get out of the water.
I race beside him, my heart is pounding as if I am an elk being hunted. It was not Kavah's howl: it was the grey wolf from the territory west of ours, an he calls to warn is of hunters in his area, heading our way.  The hunters are not mortal, and there are many. They are on our south-west border, heading for the direction the sun sets, and their intent is evil.  All this was told in the grey wolfs howl. 
As I run I hear Kavah call, warning Amitz to bring me back home.  Amitz howls that we are halfway there, and I am grateful, for my howl would have been an impotent thing, for my lungs are on fire and I have no breath.  My wings beat tirelessly, but my body burns with the effort.  By the time I reach the den and alight on the ground I am drenched with sweat and my limbs tremble.  I can hear the cubs yelping in the den, but Zahar is ouside with Shamar, they are standing stiff and aggressive, their ears laid back. Beside me Amitz is the same. Suddenly Zahar howls. I hear Kavah answer her.  He is a long way away.  His howl has a warning in it, telling her to stay and guard their home while he confronts the danger that dare walks in his kingdom. 
Terror overwhelms me. I shake, and my legs feel like water. Shamar is shaking too, and soon she whines, running into the den.  Amitz paces too and from the stone steps.  Kavah's howl commanded him to stay as well, though I can tell he longs to run to his leaders aid. Zahar remains the only calm one, though her body quivers with apprehension for her mate. Suddenly she turns, and bolts inside also. 
I cannot go in, I feel attuned to this terrible thing in Kavah's territory, and though it strikes cold fear in my heart, I cannot hide from it.  And then I know why, it is because it is a thing of my own people, my own kind. I turn to look at Amitz who is hesitating at the mouth of the den, it as if he is reading my thoughts and an internal battle is waging inside him, between his want to follow me, and the command given by his king to stay. 
My gaze upon him is soft, no longer do I see the beast that lunged at me, but a friend, just as concerned for me in his own, strange way as Kavah and the rest of the pack are.  With that thought in my heart I turn and run to find Kavah.