The Vagrant Shadow

Chapter 7

A white flash of fur moved in for the kill. I could see the ferocity on their eyes as they constricted with a hungry expression. I felt pain in my rib as teeth clenched down on my flesh. Warm blood oozed out of the puncture wounds, the rush of a heavy waterfall masked my yelp of surprise as I was forcibly pushed off the edge of the cliff. Swirling oxygen bubbles escaped my mouth as frigid waters engulfed my semi conscious body. I could still hear and see things, but not enough to make sense of what they were. I felt something grab my shirt collar, and pull me to shore with little to no effort. The blackness blanketed my vision as I remained in an altered state of shock--though something did seem to bring me back to reality: the warmth of breath and the tickling sensation of a soft tongue raking across my face. I blinked and scrunched my nose as I smelled an unfamiliar musk. Opening one eye, I slowly began to come to consciousness. It wasn't until I was fully alert when I realized what had happened as I glanced up at the free falling water that seemed to pour out of a large cavern that gave the illusion that the rock formation of a wolf’s head was “drooling”. I looked around before I noticed a massive white paw was just inches away from my foot. Looking up at the animal I was shocked to see that it was an extremely large lupine. The size was approximately the size of a horse. It looked around, smelling the air, and padded to the water’s edge for a drink. It's large tail swaying like a pendulum against its thick muscular hindquarters. Lapping the water, it quickly lifted a head and stared at me before taking another drink. I winced a few times as I positioned myself. The wolf perked its ears and whined as I lifted my shirt to look at the inflicting puncture wounds. Fresh blood flowed, as the wolf sniffed the air again, setting off a long and mournful howl. 

Large black figures appeared at the top of the cliff and looked down at us before heading back into the forest. The large white wolf snorted and turned its head towards me before padding back to my location and lowering its head to rub against mine. It gave a small growl of pleasure as it continued to rub with affection.  I flexed my fingers and offered my hand to the lupine. The wolf commenced to lick my fingers as it pressed its head into them. I smiled and rubbed its wet coat. It wasn't long before I turned my head and sneezed. The wolf perked her ears and tilted its head watching me with curious golden eyes. I sneezed again and it stood up towering over me. A large shadow engulfed my pale skin as it gently knelt down on its legs and whined, pawing at my leg. I sneezed again any it let out a small, but deep bark. I looked at the large wolf and it whined, lowering its head close to my cheek and giving it a lick of concern before  resting its head on my lap. The thick fur covered my legs like a large blanket. I smiled at the wolf, as I looked to the sky. Gray clouds shrouded the sun as a foggy haze drifted into view. “Let’s get out of here," I murmured. The wolf stood up and barked wagging its tail briskly giving me a lick on the cheek. It put its mouth around my arm and gently pulled me to my feet. I patted its side and it looked back at me with ears perked, waiting. “Shall we go?" I asked. It stood there for a bit and whined. I tilted my head and it lifted its hind leg to scratch her ear before setting it down. I stood there confused for a moment before I realized what she was implying. The wolf sat on her haunches and I walked behind her, feeling the tail sway with excitement. I gently stepped on her back leg. She lifted her hind leg up to help me up for a better mount. Once situated, I moved closer to the front of her spine and sat there for a moment. It was rather different feeling being on the back of a wolf; her body was slender and muscular. Her thick fur buried my thighs as my feet hung loosely behind her front legs. She shook her large white pelt and panted with excitement as I looked around. She sniffed the ground before stealthily heading into the forest. I sat perfectly still upon the back if the wolf, only moving to pet her coarse pelt. Her soft panting echoed through the soft underbrush as she carefully stepped over fallen logs and forest debris. She stopped and sniffed the air, twitching her ears as she turned around. I could feel her hackles rise slightly as she gave a low warning snarl. I couldn't see what was going on, but I could sense that we wandered on to foreign territory. She walked over to a large tree and stopped. I quickly dismounted and sat in the tree branch watching with interest. Her deep white pelt stood on end as I watched a pack of timber wolves creep out of the shadows confronting her in a haughty manner.

Golden eyes watched their movements with narrow slits, as they began taunt her, snapping their jaws together. She looked at the tree to see if I was okay, and then back at the wolves who were circling her. A warm breath went down my neck as I felt wet rubber touch my skin. I dared not draw attention, but it seems the wolves were causing a riot, snapping their jaws at her feet. She swatted at one, but another took a bite out of her leg. A long warm tongue went down my shirt as I felt the warm breath pant steadily against my flesh. I turned around slightly, only to realize that my face was inches away from another large wolf. It licked its jowls and then gave me a slurp on the face. I shrieked in surprise as I backed away from the large beast. The gray wolf tilted its head and moved its head forward to sniff me. It whined as I backed away from it. The white wolf turned its head towards me, and gave a large snarl as it pulled me out of the tree by the shirt collar. She threw her head back and I slid down her furry neck and on to her back. Rubbing my neck, I felt the thick saliva cling to my fingers. I gave a disgusted scoff, and wiped the slime on my pants. The large gray wolf sat on its haunches and raised a paw towards the female wolf I was mounted on. She backed away slowly and the timber wolves hoisted their rears on the air in a playful bow position. I quickly caught on to what was happening: the large gray wolf is the alpha and the smaller wolves were the betas. They were playing a practical joke on us.

The white wolf gave a slight nod, and barked. The gray wolf and his pack swayed their tails with delight. Sensing no greater harm, I dismounted and greeted the timbers with a smile on my face, the white wolf nodded and nuzzled my cheek with affection...I finally understood. This was her family.