Wolves and Booby Traps

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

As the sky's final pink rays turned to blue, Regan climbed his final rock and found himself facing the rope bridge into Hunter's Valley. It had taken him a little longer than he'd expected but, that was to be expected. When his wolf was hungry, a few rabbits would just not do.

The bridge, all old tied-together ropes and broken wooden planks looked like a killer. And Regan, the smart and cunning wolf he was looked around him first for a long wooden stick. He found one at the forest line and walked to the edge of the bridge. It was the only thing that stood between him and redemption; this obstacle was not going to stop him. He took the long stick and hit the first plank. It didn't break or creek, so he stepped onto it tentatively. Each time a board creaked, he tried the one after it, knowing that the creak meant that the board probably wouldn't hold his weight.  With his methodical process, he was advancing across the bridge at a quick pace.

Half way across, he looked down over the side of the bridge.

That is one hell of a fall, he thought.

Is that a river or a pond down there? his wolf asked back. There isn't much water to cushion our fall.

I think it's supposed to be a river at the bottom of this ravine, but I doubt we'd live if we hit it after falling from all the way up here.

Are you sure you can't just run and take your chances? I doubt the ropes can hold us up any longer, his wolf whined.

The Ghuarian put us here and there is no way she would just give us a second chance to kill us.

Easy for you to say, his wolf grumbled sullenly as Regan outmanoeuvred him. Regan shook his head, letting all thought of the perilous fall out of his mind. He turned back to the bridge and began checking the next plank.

When he reached three-quarters of the way, the bridge got a little wobbly and he had to grab onto the rope to hold it still. Under his palm he felt various knots in the rope. Four and all of the were spaced out evenly. He took a closer look and found the edges to have been cut cleanly. He looked to the other side of the bridge. The rope was cut exactly the same way,as though something, or someone, had purposely cut through it. He looked around but couldn't pick up on anything in the trees. When he started making his way across the bridge again a shadow passed over him from above.

That was the only warning he got before a screech pierced the air and he was forced to hold onto one side of the rope bridge as something cut the other side. He dropped the stick in favour of clinging to the rope with both hands. He looked below him and found himself looking down the canyon at the ravine all the way at the bottom. The shadow passed over his head again and he looked up, trying to follow it and see exactly what had cut the rope.

 An eagle.

Regan's mind stopped at that thought for a moment. There was a dark brown eagle with golden eyes glowing with hatred and it was at that very moment circling above him. It's screeching calls echoed down the ravine and Regan blew out a breath of frustrating. A whistle caught his attention and Regan turned his head from the eagle above to the two figures on the other end of the bridge.

A tall man stood in jeans and a black shirt. His hair was mussed and stuck out at odd angles on his head, but it didn't detract from his wild brown eyes that showed his permanent dependence on his inner animal being close to the surface. Beside him roamed a large brown bear that stood beside the man, watching Regan with a human-like intelligence.

"Do you need some help down there?" the man asked.

Regan stared at him, trying to gauge what it was that the man and what seemed to be his small pack were up to. From what he could see, they weren't carrying any weapons. Definitely no silver from what he what his wolf could tell. What were they up to?