Falling

Chapter 7

The cold blow of the early morning wind woke me, and I glanced around. I was so hungry, but I couldn't even attempt to eat anything at the moment. I had nothing to eat. If I wanted to eat, I'd have to go into town and steal some, but there was no way I was going near people right now. My only other option would be to change to my tiger form and attack a wild animal like a deer or a rabbit. Only issue there was, I don't control my change and I don't know how to force myself to change. All I knew was my change was a direct result of my emotions that I could not control anymore.

Sighing, I sat up and closed my eyes listening to the sounds of the forest. Birds chirped to themselves and distant howls of seven wolves. They must still be searching. How long have they been looking for me? Their howls kept coming closer and closer causing me to stand sharply. I quickly dug a small hole in the ground before I climbed up the tree. I glanced down as Austin ran towards the tree a small package dangling from his muzzle before he sat it down and sniffed the hole. He whined and glanced around as I bit back the feeling of hugging him. Not yet. Just a little longer. I couldn't return until I learned to change on will and freed Luke. Then I could return. Not a second before.

I watched him leave without the bag as he headed back towards the howls of six other wolves. I watched from the tree as his black wolf form met up with the others. Zack sniffed his muzzle and whined with sympathy only to get snapped at by Emily. I smiled at how they acted and watched them leave. I could feel pain in my heart, but I knew it was just the feeling of being left completely and utterly alone. I wanted this. I needed this. I couldn't let my heart twist my thoughts anymore.

I climbed down when I couldn't see them anymore and picked up the bag. The smell of food came from the bag, and I immediately opened it to find a whole chunk of meat sitting in it alone with some bread and smaller bags of some spices my mom would put over our meat. I walked further into the woods and began setting up a fireplace to cook my food when a wolf walked out from behind a bush. Its eyes were clearly on the meat, and I let out a warning growl as I positioned myself in between me and the wolf. A small yip of happiness came from behind me and I backed up from the wolf allowing it near the little yip.

I was going to leave until the wolf changed into a woman who held her arms out the pup. The pup Yipped in excitement before becoming a human boy. Both had the same strong cheekbones and dark brown hair. The woman had blue eyed, whereas the pup had green eyes. They looked half-starved and I silently cursed myself as I sighed and placed the meat on a broken log. The woman looked at me with a questioning gaze, but I just pointed at her and her pup before pointing at the meat. I turned and began to walk away as a soft spoken voice came from the woman.

"Thank you..." The woman spoke.

"No problem..." I whispered before I walked towards the smell of a river.

The watery smell gave it off and the way the forest became lusher towards the smell told me it had to be a river. Maybe I could get some water and then I could return to the woman and her pup. I could ask her for advice on how to trigger my change by choice rather than suffering from hunger without it. I doubt I could really last a few weeks without food. Hell, I was already feeling weak and drained of all energy. Any smart vampire who saw me in this state might take this advantage to return me to the two who made me this.

As I bent down to drink some water, I caught sight of someone standing in the shadows of a tree watching me. When I looked up in realization of this stranger watching me, the stranger was gone. Sighing, I quickly drank four mouthfuls of water and began heading upstream. I figured the further upstream I went, the better chance of avoiding dangers and civilization. As I walked, the ground around me became mushy and I could feel the mud trying to stick to me as if it was trying to get me to stay.