Unyielding

Friends?

Amaia reached toward her weapons. This wolf was unpredictable, even in his unstable condition. Who knows what last-minute burst of energy the wolf could possess. Amaia had her two katanas in hand, ready to strike him for the last time. The wolf glared at the blades that glinted with sunlight. Like before, Amaia had the power to end it, right here, right now, but she couldn't. She allowed the wolf to take in the sight of her katanas.

They were constructed of solid iron from the guard to the tip of the blade. The handle was made of iron likewise but had a covering of leather for comfort. Long, dark, swirly curls of blackness extended from the base of the handle. The black swirls marked nearly all of Amaia's belongings. From her sword to her bag, and also her pants and hood.

The wolf flinched and whimpered at the sight of the weapons that could take his life. Amaia hesitated for a moment, then another moment, and another. She couldn't muster up the courage to kill him right then while he was in such a weak state. Amaia let the wolf take in the blades once more before tossing them to the side, declaring a truce. The wolf's eyes trailed the blades as they flew out of Amaia's grasp. Amaia watched in curiosity as the wolf seemed to have raised an eyebrow after observing her actions. She let out a small chuckle but quickly stifled it as the wolf turned his head sharply towards her.

"Here. How about this: I won't kill you if you don't kill me?" Amaia suggested to the wolf. "We'll have a truce. I will even write it here in the dirt. See?" Using her pointer finger, she etched five letters in the ground. It read: "P-E-A-C-E."

In an attempt to get a better look at the word, the wolf inched forward. He used his hind legs to push himself forward. The wolf looked amused as it scanned the newly-traced letters.

Nearly any and all hints of aggression left the wolf as it watched the movements of Amaia. She was packing up her things and about ready to leave the wolf behind. The last item left was the extra bandages neatly wrapped around a small stick. As she lifted it to place it in her bag, the wolf whined and scratched the ground. Amaia stopped for a moment, perplexed. Then, she resumed packing up. The wolf barked at her and contorted his face into a snarl once again.

Amaia dropped the bandages beside her and reached for her katanas. The barking ceased as soon as the bandages fell back to the ground. Amaia was puzzled. What did this foolish wolf want from me? she thought to herself. Her eyes flashed down to her supplies laying on the ground again and it came to her. To confirm her idea, she snatched the bandages and repeatedly put them inside and outside of her bag.

Every time it was inside, the wolf barked. Every time it wasn't, it was silent and hopeful. Amaia was amused at this while also stunned. No wonder this wolf was able to track her down so easily and stay on her path.

The only thing stopping her from doing what the wolf implied was what the wolf was capable of. The wolf could snap at any moment. After this conclusion, she quickly shoved her supplies back into her bag and attempted to stand up.

Amaia clutched her side where her wound resided. The sheer pain made it difficult to move. She nearly fell back down from nausea. The spruce tree behind her became a handy brace. While all of this happened, the wolf simply stared at her once again, not making a single peep.

Amaia sighed. "Stop looking at me like that." She commanded the wolf. "I know that you want me to help you, but I can't. You gave me enough problems already and most likely you'll just flip the switch from being innocent to a monster once again." Amaia said this all through gritted teeth. The pain gnawed away at her strength, which was beginning to dwindle already.

The ointment that she dressed her wound with was concocted with a mixture of regeneration and instant healing, heavily diluted with water. In time, it would get better. As of now, it was best to move slowly to prevent the wound from worsening.

Amaia gave the wolf one long, hard stare before making up her mind to leave it in the clearing. Sun rays peeked through the dense forest from the west. It was getting late and Amaia had other places to be.

It broke her heart to abandon the poor, injured creature. An imaginary knife of guilt stabbed her, making Amaia bleed with regret and sorrow. Still, she braved this pain that dwelled inside. Oftentimes, it was physical pain that was dwarfed by mental struggle.

A few minutes passed as Amaia trudged through the greenery toward the setting sun. Using her navigation knowledge, she determined that continuing west would bring her to a stream that she had scouted out not too long ago.

In time, she could hear the whispers of flowing water beyond the line of spruce. Amaia picked up the pace while holding her injured side. Relieved, she plopped herself on a boulder by the riverbank. The water danced along the rocky path that the stream was. Using her finger, she traced the stream in the air, following it until she spotted its origin. Her finger landed on a peak of a mountain in the distance.

Wow, I didn't know that I was this close to Northwind, she commented in her mind.

After the occurrence with the wolf, she pondered on a plan of action...