VERONICA'S LOSSES

Chapter 6

UNEDITED

It has been three days since we were thrown out of the border.

Three days of  endless wondering with no destination in mind.

As I began to lose hope,I found a cave,yes I, Trim had regained consciousness but passed out due to the amount of blood he had lost.

I was currently in my wolf form,which took some begging because Artemis refused to cooperate but I managed to reason with her. Trim was passed out on my back. I search the cave for any wild animal that might be living in the cave before gently placing Trim on the ground. He grunted in pain as he adjusted to hard floor.

I felt guilty,he was in this condition because he tried to defend me not that he wasn't going to receive any punishment,but defending me made it worse for him.

I went hunting,Trim would need to regain his strength when he gained consciousness.

After several attempts,I finally caught a rabbit. Chasing the rabbit had taken a lot from but it was both a good meal and a distraction.

I ran back to the cave with my kill before I shifted and changed into my dress or what was left of it.

I collected dry wood,twigs and leaves from the from forest floor and started a fire in the cave using a piece of dry wood,a trick Miranda had thought me. I could not explain how it worked but it had something to do with a friction.

I soon heard a moan and turned to look at Trim who was trying to get up. Key word trying. He kept falling of his side awkwardly and I rushed over to help him sit up.

His back looked liked an undercooked pizza,it was gruesome to look at.

"How long was I out?" he asked. "Three days" I replied. He looked shocked. "I feel like I've been beaten with a silver coated whip" he said with a groan. I looked at him incredulously. This is boy is unbelievable.

"You fainted,you were beaten with a silver coated whip and you fainted" he looked at me in disbelief,but when he saw my face,he knew I was telling the truth.

"Was Sofia there?" He asked. "Are you serious Trim?" I shouted "You were almost beaten to death,we are in exile and you really want to know whether Sofia was present,well the entire pack was present as we were banished from the pack,as I-I got rejected by Damien" I stuttered the last part,I was almost in tears.

Trim looked guilty "Nica, I'm so sorry for what he did to you,his a jerk and it's his loss for failing to see how beautiful and intelligent you are" he pulled me into a hug,I did not have the strength to resist. I sobbed into his chest.

That asshole was not worth my tears, I remembered the promise I made to my mother. I would never give up.

"Besides,how bad can it be? We no longer have chores,no more insults,we are free"

"This is not freedom,we may have been insulted and bullied but at least we were sure of a meal everyday"I said softly.

"We will find a way,your acting like we have no chance of survival. As long as I am here we will never die of hunger,we may die at the hands of anything else but not hunger"

"Your making promises when you cannot even walk, I should be the one making those promises"

Trim laughed heartily even though I was serious "you're right though,our survival is in your hands,so no pressure"

"And besides,how hard can it be"

*******

Trim's question was swiftly answered when it took me more than 3 hours to start a fire, he was so fed up with my failed attempts that he offered to eat the buck meat raw. I almost howled in happiness when I finally saw a flicker of flame.

Thirty min later the rabbit was roasting nicely under the vigilant eye of Trim who refused to sleep as if the rabbit would somehow run away,though I knew he was staying awake to keep me company so I wouldn't be alone and I loved him for it but he needed to rest if he wanted to heal faster. I had rubbed some herbs on his scourged back to speed-up the healing process.

After we had eaten, I forced Trim to get some sleep. He reluctantly agreed and told me to wake him up,when I was tired of keeping watch.

Despite the ground being stone uncomfortable ,Trim was asleep in seconds.

I tried to shift but Artemis ignored me.

"Artemis? I know you don't want to talk right now but Trim needs us,I need to shift or else he will freeze to death"

She grudgingly agreed,after Damiens rejection, Artemis has been distant and silent. I was really worried but I hoped she would get over it,she just needed time.

I sat close to Trim and he moved closer sensing the warmth that radiated off my body.

My mind drifted back to the events of the last few days and my wolf whimpered as the memory of my rejection replayed in my head.

But I could not afford to be weak,not at a time like this, I would mourn after Trim recovers.

I mentally made plans for tomorrow's meal, I was not that good of a hunter but my wolf senses made me an average hunter.

Besides I had a feeling that living in the wild would force me to upgrade my skills. After all experience is the best teacher.

I recall the promise I made to my mother and I wonder if my mother had foreseen my future before giving me her last piece of advice.

I remember,the look of pure sadness on Miranda and Clara's face. I feel my heart clench in pain as all the good memories I had with them flood my mind.

All odds were against us and despite Trim's optimism,it was just a matter of time before death caught up with us.