The Wolf

There was once a lone wolf, he hid, so alone. His wounds would never heal, no matter how much they bled. So there he lay, barely strong enough to breath. But there was a foot step, a noise that caught his attention. The wolf, lay still, either hoping the source of the noise did not notice him, or that it would be a swift end. A young child peaked their head from around the corner. The wolf, lay there still, waiting for its final breath.

The child walked slowly towards the wolf, creeping ever so slowly. The child lay their hand just in front of the wolf, as if to feel its breathing. The wolf's eyes slowly opened to see this hand before him. The wolf slowly, using as little energy as he could, turned to the child and looked at him. With hopelessness and a lust for death in his eyes, the wolf sought his end.

The child moved his hand towards the wolf and rested it on his nose. The wolf lay there waiting. The child got up, and ran. In just a few minutes had a handful of berries in hand to give to the wolf. The wolf, reluctantly, ate the berries. The child sat down next to the wolf, and waited for the wolf to finish. They kept his hands in clear sight for the wolf to see.

Then the wolf, got up and sat across from the child. The child sat without fear, without hesitation, and put their hand up to the wolf. The wolf smelled the wrist, then suddenly. The wolf opened his mouth as if to bite the child. But then stopped. The wolf licked the child's hand. The child got up, and turned to the wolf. The child motioned with their hand, hoping for the wolf to follow.

The wolf waited, staring at the child. And the child stared back. The wolf tried to get up, but put too much weight on one of his legs. The boy ran over to see if he was alright, but the wolf snarled at the child. So the child stopped for a second. Then proceeded to walk towards the wolf. He took the wolf's paw, It was broken, and was bleeding profusely.

The child picked up the wolf but could not carry him. So the child picked up the wolf's paw and tried to help him balance himself. The wolf walked slowly with the child, until they reached the child's camp. The child walked the wolf over to where a fire once was. Then the child walked into a tent and returned a little while later. With a first aid kit in his hands. He put it next to the wolf to investigate, The wolf could not, he was too weak.

The child got the soft bandages out from the box and set them in front of the wolf. He took out the disinfectant, and sprayed the wolf's wounds. The wolf seemed, if he could, just about ready to attack. The child gave the wolf his hand, hoping the scent would remind him of the good the child had done.

The wolf seemed to quell his instincts to attack. The child wrapped the wolf's wound in the soft bandage, and laid next to the wolf until the sun went down. A storm was brewing. The child slept soundly under a tree near the camp's edge. The wolf, feeling the change in the environment tried to stand, but the wound still ached, and he was not used to walking with something on his paw. The wolf limped towards the woods, away from the camp, ever so slowly.

He turned to the child, still lying there under the tree. The child, seemingly unaware of the storm, slept soundly. The wolf crept slowly into the woods for shelter. Soon after, he found a small cave, which he decided to call home until the storm passed. The wolf, tired from his trek, and his wounds, slept like a stone. Suddenly, there was a loud roar of thunder! Then a crash, and the wolf shot awake!

The wolf looked towards the source of the sound. It seemed to be near the camp of the child. The wolf slowly walked from the mouth of the cave, and saw smoke! The wolf stood there, remembering the child. So he ran, ran limping to the child.

As the wolf drew closer to the camp, the air seemed to thicken with smoke. The wolf continued to limp. Then he saw the wall of flames. The flames had engulfed the surrounding area. The wolf stood there, wondering if he should brave the flames, or if he should run. The wolf, staring at the ever approaching tower of fire, decided to repay the kindness of the child. He tore off the bandages the child had put on.

The wolf ran with all his might, ignoring the pain of the wound and the heat of the flames. He found the camp and saw the child lying there, face down in the dirt. The wolf ran over to help the child, when the child looked up. The wolf stood by his side. The child denied the wolf's aid, and resorted to letting the fire engulf him. The wolf stood there, scratching at the child's back. Finally the wolf bit into the child's shirt, and pulled. Pulled with all his strength. Slowly, the wolf had pulled the child away from the flames, to the center of the clearing. The wolf gave one last tug, but could no longer resist the pain of his wound. His vision faded, and all went cold.

The wolf awoke to see all was fine, the fire had vanished, but left a scorched trail. The wolf looked around, and saw the child. He walked over to the child, and hoped to see breathing. The child gave a faint breath. The wolf tugged and scratched the child, wishing he would show more signs of life. The child twitched, and turned to their side.

After several hours, the child awoke, to himself wounded, but not dead. The child saw the wolf standing there, covered in ash. The world had dragged him away from the danger.

"you came back" said the child, the wolf glanced back, he had repaid the kindness of the child.