The Wolf, The Doe and The Mage

Hope

My hooves hurt and my legs ached. The sun shone bright in the sky, its chilly light sending reddish gold streaks through the trees. It was a cold Newbloom evening - the sickly green buds on the trees and bushes were finally emerging after a long winter. The snow had yet to thaw completely, but it would only be a couple more sunrises until the birds would be laying their eggs, and every stag would have to fight for the prettiest does. Almost every stag, that was.
"Are you okay, Ranaa?" Dolus trotted to my side and rubbed up to my flank.
I smiled and nodded, my ears flickering with warmth as I saw my friend.
He looked up at the looming mountain, "We're so close. I'm glad I was able to accompany you on this journey to find yourself."
"And the wolf." I said, my heart skipping as I thought about it.
Dolus didn't reply.
We were so close, I could feel the cold breeze as it rushed through the snow and off the slopes of the rocky cliffs. I lifted my snout up to catch the scents that drifted through the air - I smelt a snow hare deep in its burrow, and an ermine and her mate settling down for the night. And far away, like a distant dream caught on the breeze, I smelt the faint trace of wolf. My heart raced as I imagined him, curled up in his little cave with his Pack, dreaming of me, picturing my hooves, my ears, my eyes...
I nearly fell over Dolus as he stopped, "Hey, that looks like a good place to stop for the night!" He flicked his ears forwards.
I followed his gaze and saw a large fallen tree, with its roots pulled half out of the ground to form a nice sheltered overhang. I nodded, putting away my fantasies until tomorrow. We galloped over and I collapsed onto the earthy floor un exhaustion. I lay down and bent my head to the side to rest on my feet. I felt Dolus curl up next to me, uncomfortably close.
"Goodnight, beautiful."
For some reason, his tone of voice sent shivers down my spine. But I pushed the thought away and tried to sleep, thinking yet again of the wolf's golden eyes as I drifted into darkness.

Dark shapes loomed around me as I trotted through the dense forest. The moon cast frightening shadows over the leafy floor, and I felt like monsters would jump out at me for around every corner. All of a sudden, I heard a cry in the distance. The hair rose up on my back, but I felt the urge to follow it. I galloped through the trees towards the noise.
"Ranaa..." a voice whispered in my ear, like the breath of wind.
I tried to call out, but the sound stuck in my throat and no words came out. I continued on, despite my fear.
"Ranaa." There it was again, louder than before. A soft voice, a man, I was sure. It sounded so familiar...
Suddenly, I halted before a clearing, gazing upon the scene. There was a figure standing in the centre, with shoulder-length hair that swished in the breeze. He turned around slowly, his golden eyes glinting.
It was than that I noticed the huge dark shape behind him, cold red eyes and long white claws.
"RANAA!"
I jolted awake, sweating and gasping.
"Ranaa! Wake up!" I looked up to see Dolus standing over me, shoving my side with his snout.
I clumsily stood up and took in my surroundings. The full moon was high in the sky, the forest cloaked in shadows. The sound of howling filled my ears.
"What's going on?" I bleated.
"The Pack!" Dolus shook, "They're hunting!"
"What?" I glanced at him and then back at the forest, "What are they hunting?!"
It was at that moment that I noticed a shadow crawling from out of a bush, its silver eyes glistening.
"Us!" Dolus cried, as the wolf leaped from the shrubbery.
I stumbled back as it launched toward me, barreling me over and pinning me down. I cried as I felt its claws tear at my flank and felt the warm blood trickle down my side. Suddenly, the weight was lifted from me, and I managed to scramble up in time to see the Dolus wrestling the wolf off me.
"Run, Ranaa!" He bleated.
I glanced out of the shelter to see countless wolves circling us, getting ready to strike. But hope flared in my chest as I searched for the golden eyes and flowing fur of the wolf - my wolf.
"No!" I cried, "I have to find him!" I limped forwards to get a better look at the pack.
But Dolus pushed up against my side and began to gallop, forcing me along with him, "Come on!"
We ran through the forest, as the wolves gave chase, northward towards the mountains.
"I didnt think you were serious!" Dolus gasped as we ran, "I thought you just wanted an excuse to run away from the herd with me!"
"Why would I want to do that?" I bleated back.
"Don't you... you know... want to be my mate?" He panted.
"...your mate?"
He didnt get the chance to reply. We halted before a sheer cliff that led up to the mountain. We stumbled and started to head left, but a wolf leaped to block the way, growling. I nearly fell over again and darted the other way, but more wolves blocked my path.
"They've got us surrounded!" Dolus bleated.
My heart pounded in my chest as I looked frantically for an exit. When none was clear, I turned my gaze down to the circle of wolves that were starting to enclose onto us. Gasping for air after the chase, I yet again searched for the familiar features I had picture in my mind so many times. I didn't find it. This couldn't be happening, we cant die now. Not when we had come so far!
One of the wolves, a huge male, strode forwards from out of the ring. His fur was dark grey, almost black, and his cruel silver eyes glinted. He snarled and lashed a paw out at me, scratching my side. I yelped in pain, beating the floor with my hooves. Dolus grunted angrily and shoved the wolf backwards with his small antlers. The wolf growled and swiped at him, scratching his eye. Dolus shrieked and bent over in pain, shaking his head and blinking.
"Ranaa! I cant see..." he bleated in terror.
My heart pounded in my ears as I gazed at my friend in horror, "Dolus, no!"
I turned back to the wolves, stumbling away so that my back was up against the cliff.
"Help! I shrieked, "Somebody help us!"
All of a sudden, a huge shape lumbered out of the trees, barreling over the dark grey wolf. In the moonlight, I made out the grey-brown pelt and huge antlers of my father. He hooked the large wolf under the ribs with his antler and threw it across the clearing.
"Papa!" I yelled.
"Run, Ranaa!" He bleated back.
"What about Dolus?" I shrieked.
"I'll protect him! Just go!" He grunted as three wolves leaped to his side, tearing his fur and biting at his fleash. He turned around and began to kick and batter them, snorting and bleating in fury. I hesitated a moment, glancing at Dolus, who was still doubled over in pain, before fleeing past the broken circle of wolves, who were now all preoccupied with my father. Through the forest I sped, heading south-west, tears rolling down my cheeks.
I wasn't concerned about finding the wolf any more.