Wolves of Rome

Chapter Three: Along for the Ride

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2012 by Amber Hanscom

Chapter Three: Along for the Ride

After Ilario was gone, I went on unpacking my bags. I put away my clothes, set up my pictures on my in-tables and shelved some of my books on the book case by the ward robe. After all the unpacking was done, I picked up my camera and wandered over to the balcony.

It was like having the entire city set at my feet. Rome lay before me, more beautiful above as she was below. I angled my camera just so, and began taking some shots. The buildings, like I said before, were gorgeous. I captured some shots of church's bell towers, and just off to the horizon, I could just make out the top of the Coliseum.

I lowered my camera, smiling the first real smile I'd made since I arrived. I could definitely get used to living here.

I turned away from the the balcony, and back to my bed. I was really tired, and nothing sounded better than a nice cat nap. I undressed, and threw on my dad's old Stetson tee shirt which was huge on me, and still held the scent of home in its fabric. I shut the glass doors that went to the balcony, pulling the gauze white curtains closed.

I turned away and crawled into the soft, comforting bed. Pulling the covers up to my chin, I laid on my side. The moment my head touched the pillow. I was gone.

☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆

My dream began with the sound of screaming, and then the chilling, heart wrenching howl of a wolf. I whirled, only to find myself in a forest. It was pitch black, an eerie fog crawled across the earth, dragging across like the train of a wedding gown.

Another howl pierced the night-much, much closer than the last. Fear spiked through me and I began to run. I could hear them not far behind me. I sped up, until I was sure my lungs were about to give up.

I came to a river, and stumbled to a stop. I looked around wildly for some means of escape that didn't include me freezing to death.

And then my eyes fell on the man. He wore a cloak, drawn over his head. He laid twin bundles down by the rushing river. Another howl pierced the night, and the figure froze, just before turning and taking off into the woods. My frowned deepened as one of the bundles began to thrash and wiggle, and then a small, infuriated wail sliced through the night.

A baby?

My heart seized in dispair. What kind of person abandons babies in the middle of the woods? My choice made I started towards them. But not before a sleek, white figure darted out of the woods. I froze once more, as the graceful beast lopped towards the infants, as the sobbed in despair.

The wolf sniffed, and pawed at the bundles until the babies were free of the cloths. The were tiny, and frail looking, they couldn't have been more than a few hours old. The white wolf leaned down and gently ran its tongue along the wailing infints' face, as f to comfort it.

I watched in shock as the She-wolf knelt down beside the two babies, curling around them, as if to keep them warm.

"Not all things in nature are cruel, Cianna."

I spun around, looking for the owner of the voice. A girl stood a few feet from me. She looked to be my age, maybe a bit younger. She was dressed in buck skin clothes, consisting of a strapless, tub-top style top that was laced up the sides, a buck skin skirt that hugged the curves of her legs. Her feet were bare, her hair long, moonlight hair was unbound and trailed down her back, to her hips.