Through a Wolf's Eyes

Chapter One - Taking a stroll through the city

I cringed my nose at the smell of spoiled milk and rotten Chinese take-out noodles. Having a strong sense of smell really could be a pain in the butt. But even though the trash filled alleyway would not be my first choice as a hideout, it still hid me from sight and offered a good view on my target.

I've been sitting here for about two hours, waiting until the coast was clear for me to cross the street. But people kept passing by, forcing me to stay put. Usually, I would avoid human villages and cities altogether, but the attack of last night left me with no choice.

My skin was covered in small scratches from branches as well as claws. My hands and feet had suffered the most since my paws had been dragged over the forest surface for days without rest. Not to speak of my dislocated shoulder. I had managed to pop it back in its place, but the throbbing pain told me it was still healing. Even though wolves tend to heal faster than humans, I would need some sort of make-shift sling to rest my arm in, as well as some painkillers. Disinfectant spray and band aids would be helpful as well.

I used to carry these supplies with me at all times in case of emergencies. Most of the items and the small amount of money I possessed, were borrowed from some unsuspecting hikers who wandered too far through the forests. Thanks to them, I almost never had to cross human territory for medical items. Unfortunately, all of my supplies were lost together with my backpack, which I dropped during the four days lasting chase. Luckily, I had been carrying the money on my body at the time.

That's why I ended up here, in a smelling alleyway surrounded by humans. I was beginning to get anxious. People kept coming into sight, blocking the way to my target, a small grocery store at the outskirts of the rural town. Why are there so many people here? The town wasn't that populated and yet, it seemed as if I was never alone. I cursed under my breath. Only one hour remained until the store's closing time. If I couldn't get inside before that, I would have to spend the night on human territory, something I did not look forward to.

A group of lousy teenagers passed by my alleyway, blasting ear deafening music through their phones. Luckily my senses had been suppressed by exhaustion and hunger, otherwise my ears would have been bleeding. However, not having my senses work in top condition could be a dangerous thing. Even now I couldn't write of the feeling that something was amiss. That there was a sign of danger I had overlooked. It would explain why the rogues of last night had turned tail so suddenly. They would have never just given up on the hunt that easily. The group of rogues had the advantage and could have finished me off within five minutes, yet they retreated.

I shook my head to prevent my thoughts from derailing. First things first. The grocery store was my priority.

I sat for another ten minutes until an opening appeared. I quickly scanned the streets for a second time, making sure I would not encounter any surprises, and crossed the road.

A little bell rang as I pushed open the door, alerting the owner of the establishment at the counter.

"Evening", he mumbled, and went back to reading the adult magazine he was skimming through. He was about in his forties, and tried to look uninterested, but I knew he was keeping a close eye on me.

I probably had my appearance to thank for that. Even though I had been lucky enough to find a small stream in the forest where I had rinsed my body from the blood, sweat and mud that had coated on my skin, I still looked like I had just been through a hurricane. Red, angry scratches covered my arms and face, those on the rest of my body barely covered by ripped and stained clothes. My hair had not been washed or brushed for ages, most of the time I just trimmed it with the dull knife I possessed. Well, not anymore. The knife had been inside my backpack. That reminded me that I had to find some sort of make-shift weapon so I would be able to defend myself in case another attack took place.

I grabbed a shopping basket and quickly skimmed the isles, feeling the eyes of the owner following my every move. In no time the basket was filled with most of the stuff I was looking for. Disinfectant spray, band aids, two new shirts, a scarf that would make a perfect sling for my shoulder, a plastic satchel to store my stuff in and I even found a folding pocket knife. I did have some trouble finding pain killers. Most of human pain killers did not have any effect on a wolf, and even if they did, I would have to take a high amount, creating the risk of having an over-dose. I eventually decided to go for a brand called 'arnica'. Herbal medicines tended to have a better effect on wolves.

I placed my basket on the counter and put all the items inside the satchel once they had been scanned by the owner. I also added some chocolate bars that were displayed on the counter. I almost never came in contact with humans, but when I did, I always tried to take some chocolate with me. The sweet stuff had always tasted unusual to me, but it sure was addictive.

Just when I was about to leave, the little bell at the store's door rang, and so did the alarm bells in my head. A group of about five people walked into the store, laughing and joking around.

I kept my head low, and dared to cast a glance now and then towards the strangers. They seemed harmless at first sight, just a group of people in their twenties grabbing some snacks from a local grocery store. But harmless or not, I wouldn't take any risks. I quickly paid the owner, grabbed the satchel and made my way to the exit. I had almost escaped when I collided with a wall of muscle in front of me.

"Ow, sorry. Didn't see you there, buddy", the guy said, and offered me his hand to steady myself. He was one of the five that had entered the store just now, his friends standing a few isles away. The flashy red shirt he was wearing was way too small, showing off every ounce of muscle from his chest. He had dyed his short, spiky hair in a red shade, almost identical to the shirt.

"You okay?", he asked.

"Yeah", I mumbled, still keeping my eyes low to the ground. "I'm fine. Thanks."

I pushed my way past him and walked through the door. When I cast a last glance backwards, I could make out the stranger's nose cringing as if he had smelled something weird.

Probably me, I thought. I must smell terrible after going without a bath for so long. As I stepped outside, a small breeze caressed my cheeks. I took a deep breath, finally away from the weird cosmetic smell stores always carried. It was then when it hit me. A faint smell lingering around, masked by the store's odours. The smell of wolves.

To be continued...

*Author's note: Sorry for the cliffhanger, well, sorry not so sorry *grin. This was a bit of a slow chapter, so you guys could have a bit of a feeling about the world this story takes place in. But I promise that more action will take place in the next chapter. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. See you soon with chapter two!