Spring was here.
The trees were still bare and the weather was still cold, but I could tell.
The air smelled like spring, and the earth was ready to give life again.
I glanced over at Parker, who was busy sniffing a branch. I understand he hasn't been out for long, but that's just weird.
We were currently patrolling a section that was the outermost ring, the only thing separating us from the world was a line of trees and moss.
Our leader was conversing with the next section leader, and left us to walk back and forth.
"I think winter is beautiful." Parker smiled while glancing at a dandelion on the ground.
I looked up at the bare and creepy looking trees dubiously. "Wait 'till you see summer."
Although summer was warm and slowed me down considerably, it was full of life. A time where animals insects and all creatures and flora flourished. While winter brought death and made things impossibly hard to survive in.
"I don't know." Parker started. "Winter is kind of a reset for a new year."
After staring at the scraggly branches above me, I shook his words out of my head and continued our patrol.
Rather than the weather, my thoughts were flooded with Arianna and Lucky. It was becoming clearer that Arianna was, as Sani put it, 'flirting ' with Lucky. Even I could tell that she spoke to me differently than she would to Lucky.
An anxiety was building up in me.
Surely, soon enough she'll leave me because I'm not important anymore. Maybe she sees me just as someone to keep her company and now that she's found a suitable partner she'll leave me.
The old me wouldn't care. I wish I could say the present me didn't care but I did. Arianna came close to me and spoke to me despite my constant shoving. She became someone precious to me.
"Snow look!"
I turned and was faced with a straggly stick. I glanced behind it to look at Parker with a raised eyebrow.
"It looks like Tristan doesn't it?" He laughed, his eyes curving again.
I frowned and looked at the stick. "It's a stick."
His laughter came to a slow and awkward stop "Yeah, I guess you're right."
My eyes were fixated on the little pout on his lips.
I want to see it more often.
The thought came so suddenly it startled me and I resisted the urge to smack myself on the head.
Suddenly, the sound of a branch breaking was heard in the distance.
Our heads swiveled to the direction of the sound and Parker without hesitance, took out his gun.
I quickly stopped him before he could get rid of the safety trigger.
He only really had about a month's worth of training, so having it out could be even more dangerous for the both of us. Not to mention it could cause panic throughout the entire sections around the base.
Parker nodded when I place a finger to my mouth, signaling him to be as quiet as possible.
The both of us crept towards to sound, the only thing we could hear was the wind brushing up against the bare twigs above us.
We got closer and a growling sound protruded from a bush.
I felt my shoulders relax when I realized it wasn't another human being.
Slowly grabbing a stick from the ground, I launched it in the direction of the growl.
Almost instantly, a large dog-looking creature jumped out at us, baring its fangs.
Parker grabbed onto me. "It's a wolf."
I looked at the beautiful creature with awe. Never in my life had I seen an actual wolf, only in books. It was as big as they had described and it's fangs were long and sharp. It's hazy blue eyes stood out from its white coat.
"What should we do?" Parker hissed.
The creature continued to growl at us while inching forward.
Was it alone?
I listened for more sounds but heard none. There was no other indication that it had or was with a pack.
It was dangerously skinny, it's bones stuck out despite the heavy white and mangled coat of fur it had.
He must be hungry and looking for food.
One might think it insane, for me to be able to think such a way but I knew. I knew what it felt like. To be alone and scavenging for food, to feel like you're going to die at any second. To be desperate.
I reached down to the ground, picking up a semi-large stone. Then pulled out my pocket knife that was snug in my shoe after several of months of being unused. Parker sent me an alarmed look as my actions caused the creature in front of us to snarl even louder.
After inspecting the trees for a moment, I threw the stone up and into the branches. Milliseconds later, various of different birds flew to the sky in retreat.
Swiftly, after retracting the blade, my arm launched the weapon into the air. Parker watched with awe as my target was hit immediately and fell to the ground not far from us.
"How did you-"
"Stay here. Don't make any sudden movements."
"Wait. Where are you going?" He spoke stiffly as I made my way slowly to the bird I caught.
With every step, my eyes went back to the creature that was hunched in front of Parker. I avoided anything on the ground that would make a loud noise and startle the wolf.
Almost there.
Moments later, the dead bird was in my hand. I pulled the knife, wiping its blood on some rotten leaves and placing it back in my shoe. Then I walked towards the wolf. As I inched forward, I began to realize how big the animal was despite being malnourished. It was nearly about half my size, surely if it stood up it would be taller than me.
Once I determined I was in close enough distance, I threw the dead bird in front of the wolf.
It stared at me cautiously before sniffing the meat in front of me. Deeming it safe to it, the wolf grabbed it with it's sharp teeth then scampered off into the woods beyond the line.
I stood up, brushing my hands off onto my jeans.
Parker seemed to quickly gathered his senses. "I'd never thought I'd see something like that in my life."
"You see them all the time." I muttered. "They're usually in packs."
"About how many is in a pack?"
"Seven?"
Parker seemed a little shaken. "Seven?"
"Just outrun them."
His head swirled to my direction. "Outrun them?! How do you outrun a whole pack of wolves?!"
"Run?" Isn't it obvious?
He stared at me awe-struck before shaking his head. "Let's just hope we don't see it again. For everyone's sake."
A jinx. It was a word Arianna taught me. The word itself meant something like a curse, I think. When you say 'you jinxed it', it usually means whatever you say you hope doesn't occur occurs. This was a moment where that phrase came into play.
Parker jinxed it.
Despite our hesitance to see the wolf again, it sought after us. Time and time again. Every time in a different section, at a different moment, there it was. Waiting for something to eat.
Ignoring Parker's suggestion to 'let it be', I decided to stop sharing my breakfast among the table members and share it with the woodland creature instead. Or sometimes I would catch birds for it.
Soon enough, the wolf didn't look as thin and sick as before.
"Do you think it'll come again today?" Parker asked.
I didn't respond as I was beginning to regret feeding it.
-
Today marked the third week since we met the wolf, and it had not missed a single day. Strangely enough, it was smart enough to know when to catch us when we were alone without an instructor.
"Just stay alert."
We walked around the perimeter of our section, which belonged to an inner ring.
"You know, my uncle's been asking about you." Parker brought up suddenly.
I froze, slightly glancing at him.
"Don't worry! It's nothing bad! He's just been wondering how you've been holding up." He laughed cooly.
I didn't care that Mr. Small was asking about me. However, something about the way Parker was talking was bothering me.
Taking two quick steps, I positioned myself in front of Parker.
My eyes bore into his. They were calm, but hid something.
"You-"
It was sudden, so sudden, I hardly had any time to react. Something came at me at high speeds, and pushed me to the ground.
Before struggling and shoving the heavy person off me, I felt something wet and long on my cheek.
"Snow!"
My eyes focused on the being in front of me, and widened when I realized who it was.
The white wolf stood over me, licking my excitedly while wagging it's tail.
"Are you okay?" Parker moved towards me in an attempt to help me up, but the creature quickly snapped it's head and let out a low growl.
I quickly nodded to avoid any injuries. "Stay where you are."
To say that it was heavy was an understatement. The wolf was about as heavy, if not heavier, than a full-grown man. After struggling a bit, I managed to sit up.
The wolf sat down next to me and stared at me. I stared back at it.
"Uh, I think he's waiting for the food." Parker said while staring at out interaction.
There was no way it could be that smart, I thought but still took off my backpack. Almost instantly the wolf sprung up, and began to violently sniff my bag. I couldn't even get the zipper open due to the fur in my face.
"Wh- Ugh- Stop!"
The wolf quickly stepped back, it's ears folded to the back of it's head, as if it were ashamed.
Parker gasped quietly. "He actually listened to you."
After staring at it curiously, I opened my bag to pull out a semi-large round object wrapped with a piece of cloth.
The wolf visibly got excited as I place the napkin on the ground and opened it. The moment I let go of the knot, it was already golfing down whatever was on the napkin.
"Looks like he was hungry."
I watched as it ate, crossing my legs. It's ears moved curiously, twitching back and forth. I want to touch them. I don't know where the urge came from, but it was strong. Such creatures shouldn't be touched so carelessly, especially while feasting, but I couldn't stop my hand from hovering over it's ears.
I flinched when the wolf stopped eating and whipped it's head up, as if sensing my desire to touch it.
It stared at me and I decided it was best to lower my hand before I got it chewed off.
Then something happened, something I didn't expect. The wolf moved it's head towards my hand, and rubbed against it.
"I think he want's to be pet." Parker said astonishingly with his mouth gaping like a fish.
I rubbed the wolf's head back, gently as I could. It began to wag it's tail in satisfaction.
"Do wolves usually act in this manner?" Parker asked.
I shook my head, mainly still focused on the animal in front of me. Something about the conversation bothered me again, but I couldn't exactly pinpoint it.
"Do you think he was tamed?"
I glanced at him. "Tamed?"
"Yeah, raised or trained by human?" He looked at the creature that was enjoying the rubbing I gave him.
I looked at the wolf. It would explain why it was alone without a pack. And why it couldn't find food to survive with. Then again, it was hard to find food regardless.
"Why don't you give it a command?"
A command?
"Turn." I spoke confidently at the creature.
The wolf only tilted its head and a strange sound came out of Parker.
I glanced at him and frowned. His face was red as he was trying to hold in his laughter. He couldn't even make eye contact with me.
"Go ahead." I threatened and to top it off, the wolf also growled at him.
Parker quickly swallowed his laughter and the curve on his lips dropped. "What I meant was commands like 'sit' 'lay down' or 'paw'."
I deadpanned. "It's already sitting down."
"Then ask for his paw! Make sure to offer him your hand like this."
I scowled slightly before placing my attention back to the wolf. "Paw." I said slowly and mimicking Parker as I offered my palm.
Almost immediately, the wolf raised its large paw and placed in on my palm. I stared at it astonished.
"So he was trained." Parker muttered in a surprised tone. "Come here." He called.
There wasn't a response from the animal, it finished eating instead.
Parker scoffed, "Come here!"
Sensing Parker's change of tone, the wolf began to snarl at Parker.
Her raised his hands, "Okay, Okay! I'm sorry!"
The wolf went back to its meal.
Well it certainly has attitude.
"Maybe I should've feed him as well." Parker huffed. "Then again, I doubt I'd have any more luck. I used to have a pet cat when I was smaller. Hated that thing. It hated me too."
The wolf stopped eating and rubbed against my hand again, begging for more petting. I granted it wish, mostly because I liked the feeling as well.
"Did you ever had a pet?"
His question reminded me of Dr. Simmons question.
I shook my head and hesitated, "My neighbor did."
The conversation seemed to peak Parker's interest as he continued to ask questions.
"Really? What type of dog?"
I shrugged.
"My favorite are Nadarfis. They're adorable."
Nadba- what? Is that even a thing?
"What happened to her? Your neighbor?"
I froze.
My neighbor's name, her name was Reina. Her eyes were sparkling green, like jewels. I didn't remember much about her except the fact we used to play a lot together. Before my father restricted me that is.
What happened to her?
[Forget about it.]
There was screaming in my head and barking again. I groaned, raising a hand to my head as a high pitched ringing vibrated in my head.
"Snow?" Parker rushed up to me. "What's wrong?"
[Forget it!]
Why? I- I don't understand!
I heard the wolf whine lowly.
My eyes widened. The ringing got louder, and I squeezed my head painfully.
I heard gunshots, and the screaming ceased. Dark guiltless laughter. Whining. Then nothing. My mother held me tightly, her breath was shaking and she was scared.
I panted heavily.
"Snow? Snow?!" Parker was fidgeting around me nervously. "I- I'm gonna call someone hold on!"
I quickly grabbed his arm and shook my head. "I- I'm fine."
"Again with that! I told you not-"
"She's dead."
He froze, "What?"
"My neighbor." I muttered, reaching over to the wolf again. "She was killed."
"I- I'm sorry."
I shrugged apathetically but my hands still shook on the wolf's head.
Parker seemed quiet, which was unusual for him.
Let's just move on please.
He cleared his throat. "Are you really fine?"
I nodded slowly, the pain was gone after all. My head didn't ring anymore.
"Like fine fine?"
I sent him a warning glare. Just stop talking about it.
Parker nodded slowly, "So do you plan on giving him a name?"
I looked at the wolf for a few moments. It's eyes were crystal clear and innocent, like a child's. "Nukka."
He grinned. "What a great name. I'm sure he'll like it."
I looked over at him, finally realizing what had been bothering me.
"It's a girl."
"What?"
I pointed at it's lower parts and Parker quickly turned beet red.