Chapter 1
2169 Words
~Thomas~
It is late afternoon and I’ve been sleeping most of the day, not being able to find any food, is making me feel weak.
Water will have to do for now. I think to myself, following the scent of fresh water nearby. Kneeling to drink my fill of water, I keep all my senses alert. Not sure how far away I got from the pack territory, I need to be sure they can’t find me easily. I'm not ready to return or even think about what I've done.
Dropping down, my ears pulled back, I notice a girl walk up across the river. She sits down, chewing on a blade of grass. Why didn’t I smell her coming? She has strawberry blond hair tied into a ponytail, but it looks like most of her hair is trying to escape the band and her head. She is wearing a tight blue T-shirt with a logo on it, but I can’t make out the logo. It must be from the place she works at. She also has a blue skirt and a pair of thick black stockings.
She doesn’t seem to have shoes with her. I sniff the wind finding that it had turned. I better get out of here before she senses me or smells my scent! I don’t know where I am.
Carefully watching her, I notice she has earphones on and probably can’t hear me. Dancing to the rhythm of music, she drops rocks in the river. I slowly crawl away so as not to be found out, leaving her behind at the river. I couldn’t smell magic or wolf's blood and the chance of vampires out in the day are very slim, so I should be safe, the probability that she is a human being the most obvious.
~Charlie~
Looking up across the river I see the grass move, sniffing the air I smell a werewolf. Taking off my earphones and moving my little pointy ears, I hear his paws puffing into the dirt. He might just be passing through and I don’t want Donella declaring war because of one lost wolf. Poor thing must be lost if he is sneaking around these parts and there are no others by the smell of things, meaning he is on his own. Looking at my watch.
Charlie “Oh crap! Late again! Billy is going to kick my arse!”
I shout, jumping up and running back to town when I reach the cement sidewalk, I slip on my roller-skates, ducking and diving people. They are shouting, some losing their balance because of my “careless skating”, others used to my antics just stand back waiting for me to pass by, but I make my way to the bar.
Rolling into the bar and underneath the counter, I stop right behind the counter and take an order when Billy looks at the watch and I am just on time.
Billy “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times Charlie! No skates behind the bar!”
I grin at him.
Charlie “Sure Billy, I’m sorry. Let me just help this customer, then I will change quickly.”
Billy shakes his head at me walking away to the kitchen with a tray of dirty dishes smiling. Luckily, I can’t see his smile.
~Lucille~
Lucille “Okay guys, this is the mark, from here-on we are no longer in our territory and we have to be ready to expect anything. I haven’t been out this way in hundreds of years, so I don’t know who or what to expect. Let’s go.”
Brian, David, and I make good time running through the thick dark forest in daylight and night are falling. It isn’t always wise to enter someone else’s territory in the dark, but the moon is lighting our way. Having to slow down our pace, we make our way through a thick forest. Green and lush growing everywhere. The wolves able to hide in the brush and I’m running through the trees to keep an eye from the high ground.
Going is slow, but we get through and reach the end of the forest, needing to find a hideaway for me while the sun is out and we are lucky to come across a cave, but not without trouble. The search is too slow. I feel the heat of the sun falling on my skin and I get burnt on the right side of my body before we reach our shelter.
Brian “She will need rest so she can heal,”
He offers to find water and food and tells David to watch over me. I bite down on my lip trying not to scream while my skin pulls together slowly healing, but the pain of the burns is unbearable. David tries to comfort me with his words, not really knowing what else to do. He realizes I need blood and shifts to his human form, holding his wrist for me.
Lucille “No David! I can’t”
He shoves his arm in front of my mouth.
David “You better or Brian is going to blame me forever. Now drink!”
I hungrily bite into his wrist, drinking while he watches my wounds heal and soon, he starts feeling light-headed. Feeling him go limp in my arms, I immediately stop and start apologizing.
Lucille “I’m so sorry David, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just hadn’t…”
It takes a couple of minutes but he slowly gets color back in his face and he shifts back into wolf form to heal faster.
David “As long as you are healed.”
He says, moving away from me a bit.
Lucille “I really am sorry and thank you. I am all healed.”
I look sad for what I did.
Lucille “Where is Brian?”
David “He went to get us food and water.”
He looks out at the clearing, hoping Brian is okay and will return.
He won’t be able to survive another bite from me. We hear a drowning noise coming closer. The cave shaking, making us crawl deeper inside. Something steps on top of the cave and sniffs around, a piece of slimy snot something hanging down in front of us.
I grab David’s mouth before he pukes.
Boy “I swear I smelt meat!”
Lucille “Trolls. Keep very quiet.”
Old lady “You always smell meat and then there is nothing!”
Her voice crackles in the background.
Old lady “Just go get those damn berries. We will grab a cow from the farmer.”
Boy “Why? I’m tired of cow! Why can’t you cook us something nice like a werewolf?”
Old lady “Do you see one running around here huh?!”
She shouts at him and the earth shudders.
Boy “No, but we can go look for one.”
Old lady “What?! Do you really expect your mother, with my old legs to go wolf hunting just so you can eat what you want?? You went and fell on your head, you i***t?!”
A tree hits something, the branches and leaves shuddering.
Boy “OW! What was that for?!”
She must have hit him with it.
Old lady “Because you are an i***t, wait until your father gets back. Then I’m going to tell him how you mistreated me.”
Her footsteps get softer.
Boy “Momma please don’t.”
His pleading growing softer while he runs after her. The earth shuddering with each step they take. Waiting until I am sure they are out of earshot; I finally let go of David’s mouth. He bursts out laughing, rolling around in the dirt.
Lucille “You stupid wolf!”
I smack him, just as Brian walks into the cave.
Brian “HEY! What’s going on with the two of you.”
He drops two rabbits on the floor, and I explain how near we were to die and that David finds it funny. Brian having to bite his lip so he does not upset me.
Lucille “Don’t tell me? You also find it funny?!”
I throw my hands in the air.
Lucille “You can’t fight it, my love, for a troll to be in sh*t with his mother like that. It’s hilarious!”
The boys laugh, tears running down their cheeks.
Lucille “Shift!”
I say, making Brian shift to his wolf form, sticking my tongue out at them. They have been trained to listen to coven members when ordered. Deciding that they are going to use this opportunity to munch on their rabbits, while I pace the cave. With their tummies full, they take a nap. I am awake and patrolling, so they think they may just as well.
Brian link “So let her think we are sleeping, no matter what. That will teach her to force us to shift!”
Lucille “Are you two mutts sleeping?”
I softly kick Brian’s paw.
Lucille “Brian!!”
No reaction…
Lucille “WAKE UP! We are on an important mission!”
I shout kicking David in the ribs. He gasps having the wind knocked out of him, but doesn’t open his eyes, just yawns, smacks his lips, and turns on his back. His tongue hanging out of his mouth on the one side, paws in the air.
Lucille “Oh, moon goddess help me before I murder these two!”
I huff not able to do much with the sun still up. I don’t sleep much so sitting around waiting for sundown is going to be a long wait! Sighing, folding my arms, I kick at the dirt.
~Thomas~
I smell steak, medium rare, with barbeque sauce and a side of onion rings! There has to be a town nearby, but I can’t just walk in, I will have to first check it out as Selena taught me. There could be so much hiding behind the normal. If only I could get my hands on that piece of steak without anyone knowing.
Running the other way, I find the tree again, ready to crawl in for the night when I spot a rabbit…
~Charlie~
The bar is busy, busier than normal keeping me running behind the bar, making me wish I could do it on my skates. My mind on the wolf almost distracting me enough that I gave the wrong drink to the wrong person and those two would have had me fired!
Finally, when Billy calls last round and starts helping the “last customers” out the door I can stretch my back out and get my skates to go home.
Charlie “Bye Billy, see you tomorrow”
I shout over my shoulder on my way out, letting my wheels do the rest.
The streets and sidewalks are empty and I can just push the skates every once in a while. Passing the pharmacy/docs rooms, laundromat, butcher right up to the streetlight in front of the entrance to my flat. Taking off my wheels before I break my neck, I run up the stairs to the top floor, unlock the purple door, and walk into the attic.
The owner of the house had it divided into flats and I love my space, especially my window that opens up to the roof. Dropping my skates, I pop the food Billy gave me in the micro oven and climb onto the roof.
I had made a special seating spot already. A blanket and pillows where you can lay down and just watch the stars. Hearing my oven beep, I jump up, my ankle catching on the blanket, making me fall spectacularly into my room and hitting my head.
Charlie “OW!! Stupid blanket!”
Kicking it to the corner, I close the window, switch on the television, and make myself comfy on my bed watching a movie while eating my dinner until…
***
A wolf howl through the woods, filled with sadness, pain, and loss.
***
~Thomas~
Thomas “I caught it! I… I caught the rabbit! I caught an innocent, fluffy rabbit who probably has a family and killed it and am now going to…”
I start gagging. I have to eat and what’s done is done. The rabbit is dead and the family will be traumatized by finding him like this, so it will be better if he is in my stomach.
Closing my eyes and if I could pinch my snout, I bite into the fluffy flesh. Pulling at the raw meat, I realize it smells good, touching it with my tongue that I had been keeping way back in my mouth, I realized that it tasted good. Dragging the rabbit with me into the tree, I plonk down, grabbing it between my paws, chewing away at the meat.
I can do this; I can feed myself…
- Writer
