Three more days passed. Including the day she befriend the wolf, it was four days in total.
So many things had happened in these three days.
So many things had changed as well.
Past three days, Diana went to the border every morning to check on the flag. It was still hoisted. She went to the herb garden and treehouse every day to fetch the food, clothes, and herbs.
The danger zone almost became a familiar zone! She easily got used to this adventurous lifestyle.
Both of their wounds have remarkably healed. Her wound is not as deep as the wolf's one.
The wolf's healing ability was miraculous. But Diana understood that these beasts were something magical and beyond human reasoning. So she didn't think too much about this.
She tried to search for Wyatt around the cave but couldn't find any of his traces.
The wolf sometimes accompanied her! Although it gave her courage to wander, it was a hindrance as well.
The wolf kept pestering Diana with its childish love. Most of the time it followed her around whenever she set out to search for Wyatt.
She didn't want to go far since it may cost her new friend's life together with hers!
She was afraid to drag this wolf into danger once again.
In these three days with the wolf, she had never once seen the wolf turning into a human, or behaving like one.
With time, she began to believe that the wolf doesn't understand what she is saying. Although the wolf seemed pretty intelligent, it was quite childish and was seeking her attention the whole time.
This seemed nothing like a grown-up man. Diana had to communicate using signs to make the wolf eat, sit and sometimes rest.
Diana started to wonder if all of the 'man saving her' part was her hallucination. Maybe the wolf had dragged her back to the cave.
Maybe she was dreaming! It could be because of that blue-eyed beast's venom!
On the fifth day morning, Diana woke up and ran to the border to see if the flag was still hoisted.
It was still there!
She couldn't deny that she was a bit happy!
The flag meant one more day with her forest friend!
She went to the treehouse and packed a few more bread loaves.
Late night, she roasted these bread pieces and feed them to the wolf. He seemed to like the taste a lot. He ate a lot. It made Diana happy.
So she had planned to feed him the same way today as well.
When she returned to the forest, she could see that the wolf was waiting for her by the border.
Since he had almost healed completely, he could walk around on his own. She didn't have to worry.
When he saw her, he walked back to the cave and climbed over the cave, and sat there.
"Don't want breakfast?", she asked.
She only got a glimpse for a reply.
"So arrogant!", she blamed the wolf as she went inside and started to heat the bread. As she expected, he came down within a few minutes. Diana knew very well that certain someone can't withstand this bread roast smell.
Both of them had their breakfast and later that day, they conversed about their lives. The sad part was that the conversation was not a dialogue.
Diana rattled off her adventurous life so far. So questioned in once in a while only to get a few smooches back.
"Beastie, should I give you a name?", she asked.
As a response, the wolf lay down on her lap.
"You know what? You are black, just like the darkness", she continued. The wolf listened to her as if she is telling him a story.
"But your fur shines so brightly as you move"
The wolf continued to nibble the bread as it listened to her.
"It looks exactly like the lines of light on the surface of darkness", she smiled.
"So I would like to call you Ray", she said.
The wolf looked up once then licked her cheek for the last time that day!
"Do you like the name?", she asked then continued with her stories.
"Ray, I just want to see how our knight and other villagers would react if they see you", she wondered then she dropped this idea. What if they attacked him? That's the most likely thing to happen. So she couldn't go on with her imagination any further.
"It's a bad idea Ray but I at least want to introduce you to Wyatt"
Ray who was lying on her lap grunted once as if to show some disapproval.
"He's a nice guy Ray. My best friend"
"......."
"He helped me save so many animals in danger. If you meet him, you'll like him too", she guaranteed.
"I originally wanted to ask your help in finding him but you won't understand what I say, will you?"
"......."
"Do you don't understand?", she once dubiously asked him as she looked at that face.
It was not the face of someone who is faking it. It was just a mirror-like face that showed nothing other than love.
Thought it felt like talking to herself most of the time, though she was talking to someone who only responded whenever he wanted was indeed annoying to Diana. But she felt more relieved this way rather than thinking while sitting in the corner.
"I also want to let other villagers know how friendly you are but they will not believe us", she continued to complain about her village people.
Listening to her recital, the one before her almost fell asleep! So he comfortably snuggled on her lap and closed his eyes.
Once in a while, she checked whether the wolf is asleep or not by calling its name. Whenever she called his name, he would wag his tail once to show that he is still there! This continued for hours.
Finally, she patted her friend's head a few times and asked him if he would miss her if she's gone.
Her friend didn't answer this either.
This time, Diana whispered something nice to him.
"Even if I go back, I'll visit you once in a while"
The sun had already set in the West that day. It was a full moon day. But this forest remained dark. The trees obstructed most of the moonlight. When Diana was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard a howl, followed by many.
Diana was started and sat straight.
The wolf was standing by the cave entrance and looking outside blocking her view.
"Beastie!", she called once. He looked anxious for some reason and looking out in the dark.
"Ray!", she called again.
The wolf now turned towards her and let out a whimper.
"What's wrong?"
Ray walked to her and sat beside her. He was way tall so Diana couldn't pat his head. He let out another whimper.
"Are they your friends?", she asked. "Do you miss them?"
Ray lied in down in a lion pose with his front leg's stretched.
"Don't worry Ray! They'll find you soon", she told him.
At last, she planted a soft kiss on its forehead.
The wolves continued to howl the whole night disrupting her sleep.
Diana was only able to sleep in the early morning. She had searched for Wyatt the whole afternoon so naturally, she was a bit tired. At last, she had used Ray's stomach as her pillow.
He didn't mind.
That night, Diana could say this wolf would not stay with her for a very long time. The pack had already started to search him in this area. Also, he missed them very much.
She was a bit worried about the consequences if he leave her in this cave alone.
What if they will not open the gate anytime soon?
The beasts which stayed away from the cave because of the wolf's protection may head in straight into the cave and attack her. She shouldn't stay here for long.
Diana didn't expect too much from the next day but things had already turned upside down.
This time, the bluebirds were not there to wake her up. It was not the forbidden forest cave stone bed that she was laying on.
She didn't know how but she was in the treehouse. She was on the Lanir border.
Not only that, she was surrounded by a few villagers, including her father and the man she wanted to see the most, Wyatt!
When she saw Wyatt, her eyes started to cry on their own. She was truly happy. She had never been this happy in her life. Her Wyatt was safe. He was alive. She couldn't help but cry. She couldn't say a word. She wanted to cry more but in the meantime, something else surprised her.
They have found her in the field, outside the wall after five days. She had been struggling and left alone to survive outside this wall for five days.
But non of the faces in front of her showed a bit of happiness to see her, including Wyatt!