Bold Souls

Loyal Wolf

Blake

Denali's eyes glittered dangerously as she ran towards me, the long practice stick in her hands. I braced myself to dodge the attack coming towards my head, but Denali smiled and in one graceful movement, she knocked my legs from under me. I landed with a loud thud in a fresh pile of snow.

- Get up and let's give it another try! - she said and I shook my head.

- This is the fifth try. You are better! I give up! - Denali frowned at me and walked to the tree behind me. She leaned against it and grabbed my face to turn my glance at her.

- If you give up, you are going to die. This is not a world where you can afford to be weak, Blake. Get a grip and put your pride aside, your life is more important than giving up because fate sorted out a few slaps for you. - Denali knocked the tree with her hips and some snow fall into my neck and clothes sending a shiver sown my spine.

- If you cooled down, get ready! - she said and walked back to her place. I sighed and got up, dusting the snow off of my clothes and picking up the training stick. Three years passed since she took me in and started to train me. Three whole years in this world that I've created, yet I still couldn't find a way to get back to my own. I wasn't lacking motivation because she always won, I felt desperate, because with each passing day it became more clear for me, that there's no way to get back to my world. Blake was destined to die. So for the original story to start, someone is going to kill me. But what would happen than? Will I get back? Or will I stop existing forever? Denali attacked again and this time I managed to block her attacks. Three whole years and I saw her became a young woman from a teenage girl. She was truly a remarkable fighter and tamer of the hunting wolves for the tribe, yet they treated her as a disposable person.

- Okay, grab your breath Blake. We are done for today, unless you want to try fishing again! - I felt my eyes widening and I can only imagine the look I had on my face because Denali started to laugh wholeheartedly.

- Relax! I'll take care of it!

- There is nothing wrong with fishing, but you are definitely not normal. - I said and followed her back to our home.

- Why are you saying that? - she asked and I shrugged.

- Well...other people use nets, or fishing rodes to fish... You are getting into the freezing cold water and catch them bare handed like a bear! - Denali glanced back at me and grinned.

- If it works for the grizzlies, it works for me! - she didn't grow taller since we met on the other hand Blake was already a head taller than Denali. I must stop thinking about myself as Blake... I'm Blake. We arrived home and Denali went to catch some fishes.

- While I'm away, could you go to the tavern and bring us some salt in exchange of goat milk? - she asked and I nodded.

- Thanks Blakey! I'll be back soon and please, don't get into trouble!

- Trouble is not in my vocabulary!- I said and she rolled her eyes. Of course I got in trouble in the last years! I lacked knowledge of the rules of this world. Also I was an outsider! I can thank to Denali's care that they didn't offer me as a bait for bears! I grabbed two large jars made of metal, filled with goat milk and headed to the only tavern of the tribe. The tavern functioned as, a commercial centre, also it was both a hostel and a pub. I went in and I knew the rules already. I slightly bowed for everyone but I wouldn't look them in the eye, because that meant a beating. Even though I'd grown up, these nut-brained hillbillies would still head-butt me if they felt like it. I walked directly to the bar and put the jars on top of the counter.

- Hey Blake! What's up? - the owner asked and I nodded to him. His name was Brent and he was only a few years older than me. His father passed the ownership of the tavern to him, since he didn't like managing so many things. Instead, he became a merchant and brought news as well as strange things from the South.

- Good afternoon Brent! All good thanks! I brought some fresh goat milk.- Brent smiled at me with a friendly manner. Looked like our generation was becoming more open minded than the previous one.

- Tell Denali my thanks! I just ran out of it! What do you need in exchange?

- I'll pass your gratitude, we would need some salt please.

- Take a seat and have a drink, I'll be back in a minute! - Brent passed me a jar of ginger ale and went to the storage to fetch my salt, he also took the milk there. I sat down and drank comfortably the ginger when I heard a few warriors whisper behind my back.

- Look at the Hellbird! He dares to show us his face even after all these years!

- No wonder why! He was raised by the halfblood! - they laughed.

- Anyway, that halfblood became a good looking one.

- Yeah you are right! She would worth a ride! - my hand clenched at the wooden handle of my pint glass. I already got used to them gossiping about me, but I hated their bullshit about Denali.

- Hey, do you think she does it whit her wolves? - one of them asked and I saw red.

- Obviously! Why do you think those filthy animals are so fond of her? A good p***y from time to time can tame a beast!.-that was the sentence Brent came out to from the storage.

- Blake don't! - that's all he could say before I threw my glass against the back of the head of the warrior. His friends stopped laughing and he turned back looking at me as if I was a bug. He stood up and walked to me slowly and intimidatingly.

- Fallon! Stop! - Brent said but he didn't give a single flying f**k about him. I was still sitting at the chair in front of the counter. The warrior called Bjorn grabbed the neck of my coat and lifted me up from the chair.

- Looks like this little birdy has a death wish! - he said and asked with his disgusting smell.

- Why are you so brave boy? Are you jealous of the wolves because they get something you don't? - That's it. This is the end. I slowly lifted my hand and punched the hillbilly from under his nose how Denali taught. He released me and stumbled back. I could've finished this here, but I got too pissed off. Before he could get his stability back I kicked his legs out and he fall to the ground. I kneeled in front of him and lifted his head by his long, white hair. I stared into his ice-blue, yet dark eyes and said.

- Don't you dare to talk about Denali that way again, or a Hellbird might come for you when you leats expect it! - he fall unconscious but his friends didn't. Both of them beat the s**t out of me and threw me out of the tavern into the cold snow. It came handy to cool my aching body. Brent rushed out after me.

- You are such an i***t Blake! What if they ended up killing you? - he helped me up and I spit some blood onto the snow.

- I won't let them disgrace Denali that way ever, I own her my life Brent. - he sighed and handed me the salt I came for and also a little metal box.

- What is this?

- An ointment for the bruises.

- Thanks, but I have nothing with me in exchange and this must be a pricy item. I cannot accept it. - I handed it back to Brent but he shook his head and pushed my hand back gently.

- You have a good heart and a nobel personality Blake. Values they'll never have in this life. I hate to listen to their babbling, but I grew up in this and accepted already that until they rule, that's our reality. Thanks for defending Denali's honor, although she might kick your ass for this when you go home! - he laughed and a chuckle left my mouth as well.

- Thanks again Brent! I'll see you soon!

- Take care Blake.