Evergreen [Book 1 of the Hierarchy Series]-Revising

Chapter 14

Chapter 10

My eyes fluttered open at the sound of a slow running stream.  Water trickled against rocks, and the smell of deep woods tickled my nose.  I crinkled my nose, feeling something on top of it.  My eyes opened, and I found a leaf sitting atop my muzzle.  I changed forms, and didn't change back.

I shook the leaf off my nose and sniffed around.  Lifting my head, I found a small black bag under me.  I sniffed the bag curiously.  It smelled of cinnamon and honey, but there was no food inside, just clothes.

I curiously looked towards the stream behind me.  Sitting there, its back towards me, was a brown werewolf in two legged form.  It looked over at me with solid green eyes.  The eyes were familiar, but I couldn't place it to a face.  It looked away, as if it was trying to ignore me.

I looked down at myself, studying my new form.  I still looked like myself, but with long fur and elongated sharp black nails.  My feet were giant paws, with black pads to make the ground softer.  I also had a wolf tail, and I realized that I was naked.   Blush formed on my muzzle, knowing that two-legged forms still keep every part of the human body, and I looked into the bag. 

I found leather underwear, and a shirt with thin straps made of stripped buffalo hide.  The fur was stripped off to make comfortable clothing.  I pulled it on over my head, and put on the underwear, slipping my tail through the small slit in the back.  The shirt fit tight and short, but it worked for now.

Looking back at the other wolf, it kept its eyes away and its ears down, trying to make him seem less of a threat.  I pulled myself up, finding new strength in this form.  I stood up, feeling taller than ever, and slowly walked over to the stream bed.  I sat on a rock behind the werewolf, studying its every move.

For a moment, I thought it was just being shy, but then I saw a large gash across his shoulder.  Four claws raked his right shoulder blade, piercing deep into the skin.  It still bled, and every time he tried to touch it, he winced and whimpered in agony.

"Did I do that to you," I asked, inching into the waist-deep water behind him.   A flash of a memory appeared in my head about the other night.  Someone carried me away, running deeper into the woods with me on his shoulder.  Studying the werewolf, I knew it was the wolf who took me, even though he seemed friendly enough.

I inched closer until I stood less than a foot away.  He looked back at me, clenching his bicep.  He turned his face away again, his ears against his head.  I watched his fast, painful breaths for a moment, trying to find a way to help him.  An idea popped into my head, thinking of the incident with fire.  Maybe I received other powers too.

"I think I know how to help you," I insisted.  He looked over at me, dropping both of his hands.  I grabbed his wrist, making sure I wouldn't get hurt trying to help him.  He kept his gaze on the water, but his head tilted towards me.

I leaned over, my muzzle stopping only centimeters away from his wound.  I stuck my tongue out, brushing it lightly against the bottom of the wound.  He yelped with pain, his breaths shallow and quick.  I licked the wound again, watching steam rise from the wound as it healed, sealing itself shut.  His muscles tensed from the pain as I slid my tongue up the wound, healing it as fast as I could.  He yelped again just as the wound disappeared along with the steam.  I looked at his shoulder, letting go of his wrists.  There wasn't even a scar where I healed him.

"It's gone," I said, stepping away from him.  His ears slowly lifted as the rest of the pain slid away, and his breathing evened.  He sighed, relieving himself from tension.  He looked at me with his solid green eyes, showing thanks.  I stared into his familiar eyes, trying to place them.  I still couldn't find anyone.