It was almost like I hadn't really been gone. As if all that time had just been some distant dream. As I ran through the trees with Devon, every breeze carried the scents I had always been longing for. Then, again, this whole feeling now was almost surreal. Part of me felt like this was the dream and I would come crashing back to reality at any second. I turned to Devon and his bright blue eyes locked with mine. If I was dreaming, I prayed I never woke up.
The closer we came to the cave, the stronger the scent of our family grew. The anticipation of seeing them all again seemed to push my legs to run faster. I raced past Devon and from the hilltop, I could see the mouth of the cave. My heart beat wildly in my chest. My feet touched the cool, wet stones but, just as I was ready to step into the entrance, I was set rolling to the ground. Before I knew it, a large dark grey wolf had crashed into my side. I heard Devon call out my name as I shuffled to my feet. The other wolf held his teeth barred as Devon came to my side.
"Gabriel!"
Devon moved between me and the other wolf and I was able to look closer upon the wolf. I recognized him as another member of the hunting party. He held a fierce glow to his golden eyes as he watched me. His whole body was much thinner than I remembered though. I tried to speak until I felt a familiar presence approaching that shook me to my core. From the cave entrance, Benry came to Gabriel's side. Devon and I both lowered our heads in respect to our Alpha.
"What magic is this?" He growled out the words as his eyes narrowed on me.
"… Leader Benry…" My voice came out in a whisper as I shifted my eyes up with caution, "… It's me… Abigail…"
The sudden snarl that echoed from his lips made me jump.
"How foolish does the Crow think I am? Abigail disappeared many years ago!" His eyes flashed to Devon with rage. "You know that all too well, Devon. Don't tell me you've fallen for this trickery."
"Leader, I know how hard this is to believe, but this is Abby. I went to the Crow's cottage, just as I have ever since that day… And I saw the Crow's magic undone. Abby became a wolf once more."
I looked up at Devon slightly and then Benry's eyes burned into me again. My body trembled slightly from the power of the Alpha. He shook his head in denial before taking a step forward.
"It's not possible." Benry turned back to the cave and one of the Elders stood at the edge. "Where is Kala? She'll be able to make sense of this."
My mind flashed back to the previous night and my heart ached a little. The Elder began to speak, but I spoke first.
"Leader Benry… Kala has gone home…"
His eyes shot back to me and widened with shock. A mixture of fear and hurt swirled over his eyes before he looked to Devon. Devon gave a soft nod of agreement.
"What happened?" Devon began to explain, but Benry shook his head sharply and motioned towards me. "Nevermind. We'll discuss it later. First, I want to get to the bottom of this."
Devon looked at me cautiously as I stepped up in front of him. The heat of Benry's gaze kept me wary and I kept my eyes on the ground before him.
"I understand your suspicion… But I am Abigail." When he didn't speak, I swallowed hard and forced myself to continue. "I am the same Abigail that you chose to fight at your side. The same that mourned with the death of our young. And the same that killed the Crow and freed the Northern Wolves from her magic." My eyes lifted toward his chest and I felt a form of strength wash over me, now. "Leader, I was foolish and ended up being sent away from our pack against my will. I was trapped in my old world, a place I did not belong. I had given up hope of returning home to the pack until I had a vision."
"I saw that my pack, my family was in trouble. That somehow the Crow's magic was still at work. At that moment, I knew that I needed to return. So, I went back to the home of the old Crow and tried to find a way to reverse her magic. Through the help of a friend I made in my human life, I was able to return to you. To fight alongside you again through this evil that faces our pack."
Silence fell between the four of us. Gabriel had softened his protective stance and watched Devon and I warily. Benry's eyes continued to stare holes into me. The silence filled me with anxiety as I waited for someone to break it. When Benry spoke, my whole body seemed to jump out of my skin.
"What did you see in this vision?"
"I saw death…"
The mere thought of it made my stomach turn and my heart ache. I had to choke out the words as I explained the vision to Benry. When I had finished, Devon and Gabriel stared at me with horrified expressions. My eyes cautiously moved up to meet Benry's and his expression was unchanged. My body trembled under his gaze and I quickly looked back to the ground. Benry let out a small, gruff breath and stepped up to me.
"Kala had a vision before…" His voice trailed off before he continued. "She said she had seen our pack attacked by a giant crow. And she foresaw Abigail's return."
He fell silent again and the silence felt like it was eating me alive. I mustered the courage to glance up and meet his gaze. There was a new softness to them as he looked down on me. He butted his head gently against mine and a wave of relief washed over me. I could hear Devon let out a sigh of relief as well.
"Abby was tricked by the Crow once before… I doubt she would allow herself to be fooled again."
The gruff chuckle Benry made brought a light smile to my lips. He turned from me and began heading back into the cave. As he walked, I was able to look upon him better and noticed how skinny he appeared as well. Gabriel stepped up and caught my attention, now.
"Nice to have you back," he started awkwardly, "Sorry about… You know."
"You were trying to protect the pack. There's nothing to forgive."
I gave him an understanding smile and he nodded shortly before following after Benry. Devon stepped just a bit ahead of me and motioned towards the mouth of the cave. I nodded slowly and took a deep breath before following him.
As I looked onward at the pack, many emotions washed over me. First, there was joy and happiness to finally be home with my family. But as I looked at the familiar faces, the feeling was replaced by worry and concern. These were the same wolves I had lived with and the family I had known, but they had never looked more different. A few of their faces lit up a bit with shock; others with happiness, but they were also bleak and worn. They were thin and weak. A pain filled my heart. How long had they been suffering while I had been gone?
I looked to Benry's ledge and saw him speaking with two of the Elders. I headed that way and Devon followed behind me. As we approached they all fell silent and Benry gave a small nod.
"Ezekiel has gone home. With Kala gone as well, that leaves the three of us." He looked to the two remaining Elders as well and then back to me. "You said Kala went home… How did you know?"
"Kala was there at the cottage with us," Devon started softly. "Leader… I was shot and-"
"Shot? But you have no wounds," one of the Elders spoke, eyeing Devon and I with confusion.
Devon and I exchanged looks before I stepped forward.
"Allow me to explain…"
I told Benry and the Elders about Curtis and how he came to help me. And about the book and how a granddaughter of the Crow had given it to me to help me come home. Their eyes widened with disbelief as I continued.
"Devon was shot by a human man named Tobias, he was the Crow's lover. Tobias shot and killed Devon to get revenge against me for killing the Crow. He's the same one who placed a curse on the land for revenge against the wolves. He used the last of the Crow's magic to hold him here until he could complete his goal and then disappeared before I could kill him. I believe he is gone, but I can not speak with certainty."
"So, how is it that Devon still lives?"
"We were all trying to find another way… Kala had come during this time and sensed something inside my human friend Curtis…"
I began to retell the story Kala had told us; about Eren. When I finished Kala's story, I looked to Benry. His eyes were flooded with sadness and I could only try to understand his feelings.
"Kala told us the answer we needed was in the book. The Crow's granddaughter left a note and a spell that would free Eren's spirit from Curtis and allow him to take Devon's place. Devon was allowed to live again and Eren was able to finally go home."
The Elders began to mutter between themselves, but Benry was quiet. I watched him as he stared blankly at the ground. I went to speak, but one of the Elder's cut me off.
"The Crow's magic is still alive with this granddaughter then?"
"Yes, but I don't believe she means us any ill will." The Elder scoffed at me and I felt a small growl of annoyance creep out when I continued. "She helped me to come back and was able to help Devon live again. She is a child-"
"Of the Crow's blood. She could very well become a new dark force in the woods."
"She's a child," I started up again, "She has the potential for many things."
Benry rose to his feet and all our eyes fell on him.
"We have more pressing matters at the moment. We will worry with the young Crow once we can ensure the preservation of our pack."
The Elders nodded reluctantly as Benry called Gabriel up to the ledge. Gabriel came up beside Devon and nodded respectfully to Benry and the Elders.
"What's the latest hunting report?"
"We searched from the Eastern border up to the Northern and only managed to find a few hare. Just as the last time, as soon as they were killed, their flesh turned black and infected."
Benry let out a frustrated growl and began pacing slowly between the three of us and the Elders.
"If this continues, the pack will starve… The only option we have is to move the pack to lands unaffected by the Crow's magic."
"Benry," one of the Elders started, "We don't know how far the magic is spread. With how weak the pack has become, we will not make it."
"I agree," the other agreed, coming weakly to his feet, "If we move now… We might lose half or more… Especially if we don't know where we're going. We can't just wander aimlessly in unknown lands."
"What else would you have me do," Benry's growl reverberated off the walls, "Would you rather I just stand by and watch my pack starve to death?"
Benry froze where he stood and we all fell silent. A thought came to mind and I stepped up behind him, into the center of the meeting.
"What if we sent out scouts?"
All eyes fell on me and I felt like a spotlight was shining upon me. I began to doubt the idea when Benry turned around to face me. He gave me a curious look and I felt encouraged to continue.
"… We send out scouts to search for prey that hasn't been affected. The stronger members of the hunting party in teams of three or more. They can send one back to the pack and we can follow. We won't be going out blindly."
"… That would make it less stressful on the pack…," one of the Elders started, "But it would also be a great risk to the scouts… They'd be risking their lives by going into unknown territories… And there's no guarantee that the pack will make it to whatever lands they find, if any…"
Benry looked out at the pack and nodded in agreement.
"The pack is weak with starvation… I fear we have waited too late."
"Leader Benry," I started as he turned to look at me, "I have another idea for that. There is a small town that I went through during my search for the Crow's cottage. It's not far from here… I might-"
"We might be able to find some food there to bring back to the pack. Just enough for the pack to regain its strength."
I turned to see Devon and stared at him in shock. He just nodded at me and I hesitantly nodded back. Of course, Devon wouldn't let me do this alone. Not that I wanted to, but I didn't want to risk his life again. I turned back to Benry and the Elders as they spoke amongst themselves. Benry finally looked back to me and Devon, a worried expression on his face. He finally let out a sigh.
"You two will be risking your lives for the sake of the pack."
"Part of being a wolf of the pack right," I chuckled lightly.
Benry didn't speak for a moment before he chuckled, shaking his head at me.
"Gabriel," he turned to the other wolf, "Go to the Northern Wolves and speak with Alec. See if their Spirit Guide has foreseen the same fate or if their pack has been affected as well. Perhaps they will be willing to work with us." He turned back to us as Gabriel left to complete his task. "I will work on dividing the hunting party into scouting teams. We'll do four groups, one in each direction."
We all nodded in agreement and I followed Devon towards the mouth of the cave. I stopped at the edge and turned back to look at the pack again, Devon stopping just ahead of me. They were all counting on us. This plan had to work.
"Abby, they're going to be okay. We can do this."
It was as if he had read my mind. He knew me well enough by now. I looked at him with a small light-hearted smile and he brushed his forehead against mine.
"You didn't have to come with me."
"Of course, I did. You really think I'd let you go off on your own after just getting you back?"
He let out a small chuckle before pulling back and motioning back out into the woods. We took off and I tried to follow the scent back to the town. It was hard enough finding the Crow's cottage from the instructions the waitress gave me; or lack thereof. I figured it'd be better to start from there. Just being at her cottage again still gave me an uneasy feeling. Of course, the place held many memories for me that just stirred up mixed emotions. I shook the feelings away as we passed it and made our way into the woods on the other side of the clearing.
We wandered for quite some time while I looked for landmarks or things I had passed on my way in from the town. Everything seemed so different now. Not only was I not really paying attention to things on my way in, due to the urgency of the situation, but things that I had noticed looked nothing like they did when I first came across them. I kept glancing back to Devon with concerned looks, but he just looked at me with understanding. It was comforting, but I still felt like I was letting him down; letting the pack down.
I let out a sigh as the feelings of disappointment started creeping into my mind. Suddenly, I caught a familiar scent carried in the wind. It was a mixture of people, food, and gas. I chased after it and Devon ran behind me. We continued on for a while until we reached the edge of the woods, just outside the town. We hid just inside the treeline and watched as the people shuffled about. There weren't many of them, but still too many for us to just barge in.
"We'll have to wait until tonight."
Devon gave a small nod of agreement and we retreated farther back into the woods. It would be quite some time until nightfall, so Devon suggested we get some rest. He insisted that I go first and he would watch over me, even though I argued against it. Eventually, Devon won. We found a bit of an overhang where a fox or badger had probably dug out a resting place and used it for a temporary hide. Devon laid down beside me and, while I was fighting off the urge, the sound of his heartbeat and breathing eased me into sleep.
I watched while she slept and felt a rush of relief, finally being able to have her with me again. It was apparent that she felt the same as she slept so soundly. The sun finally began to set and I wanted to let her sleep more. I thought it would be a good idea to check things out, see if the people had quieted down and get a better look at places to find food. There was no sense in waking her up for that.
I came back up to the treeline and looked between the strange structures. They resembled that of the Crow's home, but were made of stone like caves. Strange lights came from a few of them, but most of them were dark. There weren't any humans out and about anymore either. I thought to go back and get Abby, now, but something caught my attention. I smelled fresh meat and looked out in the direction the scent came from. It was difficult to pinpoint where it was coming from, but I knew it was somewhere in the midst of these human homes.
I glanced back into the woods, thinking about getting Abby and then, I thought about how she would react; how impressed she'd be if I just retrieved this food on my own and brought it back to her. Ultimately, I decided this would be better for both of us. That way she could get more rest after everything she had been through recently. I surveyed the area one last time before breaking from the treeline and behind one of the strange structures.
Creeping in the shadows cast down by them, I made my way farther from the woods. I kept as quiet as possible, following the scent of the meat. Then, I spotted it. One of the human homes was farther from the others and had a torn up elk carcass nearby. It was surrounded in some strange box.
I came closer and tried to make sense of it. It looked like something had killed it and left bits of it behind. There was a faint human scent around the whole thing, but the smell of the meat was overpowering. I cautiously stepped into the box and tried to pick it up when the box closed behind me.
Instinctively, I tried to chew at the strange trap, but it was no use. I thought to call out to Abby, but then the thought of her being ensnared just like me made me reconsider. It wouldn't do anyone good to have the both of use caught in whatever this was. I paced within my strange confinement until I eventually curled back in the far corner, waiting for whatever was going to come next.
I wasn't sure how long I had been stuck there, but a light suddenly flicked on from the human home and burst through the darkness of the night. I felt my whole body tense up and tried to force myself further into the corner. I heard thudding noises from inside and then it opened suddenly, forcing more light out. I made out the shape of a human man and a growl tore out of my throat. The figure jumped slightly before stepping down the steps and standing in front of what I could assume was his handy work. He made a chuckling sound and seemed to speak to himself.
Now that he was closer, I recognized him and his scent. It was similar to the scent that hung to the Crow's cottage. As much time as I spent there waiting for Abby to return, it was one I doubt I could mistake. He reached a hand out in my direction and I snapped my teeth forward, snarling. He jumped somewhat before smiling and muttering something else to himself. The human man wore a proud smile and brushed his hands off against his legs before heading back up towards his home. The human home closed behind him and the darkness spread out again. I watched where he had disappeared and waited for him to come back.
After it seemed like he wouldn't, I dropped my head on my paws and looked blankly out into the darkness.
"What was I thinking… Oh, yeah, Abby'll be impressed for sure."
I scoffed at myself and my mind flashed back to Abby's painful expression when she thought I was going to die. I could only imagine how she would react, waking up without me there.
A cold wind rushed past me and caused a shiver to run up my spine. I tried to snuggle closer to Devon, but my eyes shot open when I realized he wasn't there. I jumped up to my feet and looked around frantically. He was nowhere to be found. My heart began to pound in my chest and fear raced over me. I called out for him, but there was no answer. The moon was high overhead now and I worried how I had slept so long. I took a deep breath, hoping to find his scent on the wind. It was faint, but it was there. I saw his footprints in the dirt headed back to the treeline. Luckily, there didn't appear to be any other prints.
I cautiously approached the treeline and looked out into the silent darkness of the town. There wasn't a sign that anyone was still awake. I picked up Devon's faint scent again and looked out for any sign of him. His scent was mixed with an overwhelming smell of meat. He must have found something earlier and went off on his own. I let out a soft growl of annoyance before inching out into the town and creeping behind one of the buildings. I followed his trail as closely as I could and heard something rustle across the street.
Staying out of the light from the porchlights, I raced across the street, hoping it would be him. As I came closer, I saw glowing eyes peeking from around trash cans and empty boxes. The raccoons scurried somewhat as they saw me approach and a trash can lid fell to the ground with a loud rattle. I ran off behind a house that was farther down and the raccoons scattered as light flooded the darkness outside. A woman stepped out on her porch and sighed, muttering to herself as she looked around. I backed around the corner as she looked in my direction.
A sigh of relief rolled out of me as she put the lid back on the trash and shuffled back inside. I waited a good bit after to make sure she wasn't coming back and tried to find Devon's scent again. It was stronger now, which meant he was closer by. I went back to my sneaking in the shadows and followed it. I saw a flash of white out ahead of me and the wave of relief that washed over me was quickly replaced by fear. He was curled up in a cage with what looked like a hunter's leftovers. The carcass must've been used as bait and Devon fell for the trap.
"Abby! You shouldn't be here! It's not safe!" He heard me as I approached and jumped to his feet with a concerned look.
I stepped up to the bars and found the latch, but couldn't get it. I let out a frustrated growl and started pawing at it. The sound of my struggling must have been louder than I realized because the door utop the steps swung open and light flooded the area around us. My eyes locked with the man in the doorway and my lips curled back in a snarl.
"Damn, wolves!" He yelled out, waving his arms at me.
I snapped my teeth at him as a warning and he jumped back before running back in the house, no doubt to get his gun.
"Abby, go!"
"I can't-"
"GO."
I saw Isaiah from the corner of my eye as he stumbled to load his gun in the doorway. I gave Devon a defeated look before racing off into the darkness. I heard the gunshots ring out and scurried towards the woods as lights came on from the other houses. A few people stood on their doorsteps and screamed or jumped in fear as I desperately tried to get away. Eventually, my feet broke through the treeline and I heard distant shouting from behind me, but I kept running.
Once their voices seemed to fall silent, I stopped and tried to catch my breath. I looked back from where I came and my heart lurched in my chest. Once again, I had been separated from him. I let my head fall back in a howl as I cried out to him. I waited and heard his call back.
For now, he was okay. My mind was spinning and racing all at once. I wasn't sure what I could do, but I knew I had to do something. I knew I was going to need help regardless.
***** A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to get out! If you like what you've read or are enjoying things so far, lemme know! I appreciate any feedback anybody wants to give! Thanks! *****