Roman
I tossed and turned last night, trying to get some shut eye. The thought of leaving Adam to sleep in that cage overnight gnawed at me. As soon as the sky started to lighten up, I gave up. A
I sat up and rubbed my face as I sighed tiredly. My first thought of the day was that of my mate. With what little sleep I did get, I had dreamt of her. The longing ache I felt in my chest seemed to be growing the longer I spent away from her.
I doubt my mate would have woken yet. I still have an hour before sun breaks the horizon. During this time, I can hunt some food for Adam. Shifting into my wolf, I began sniffing around for any lingering scent of suitable prey. I began to go over in my mind The plan me and Adam had formulated. I didn't want to include Onawa, but the only other option would end in bloodshed. I doubt she would be so forthcoming with me if I murdered her people.
The plan was stupid. Adam didn't have to tell me that there were too many variables that we couldn't control. He of all people knows how far a wolf is willing to go for his mate. I wonder how much trouble I'm going to be in with my Alpha. Although I am not disobeying him, I am putting myself and Adam at risk for the sake of my mate. Under normal circumstances, I would kill all the hunters if I have to. But Onawa is with them and she seems close to the youngest hunter.
My thoughts were interrupted when I caught an appetizing scent, making my mouth start to water. Following the trail the animal left behind, I listened to the animals heartbeat as I slowly approached it from behind. Finally, the feather covered bird had graced my sight, and I laid low to stalk my prey. It was a large turkey, not enough to satisfy both me and Adam, but large enough to satisfy Adam and leave a little for me. Adam needed it more than I did. The right moment came and I jumped up, feeling the adrenaline pumping through my body. I launched myself at the turkey, locking his neck in my jaws, and snapped his neck. Now I just needed to dress and cook the turkey. While our wolves have no problem eating raw meat, our human sides were a little more particular.
It didn't take long, after all I've been doing this for a long time. Dressing a kill was second nature now. My mind drifted, as it did often now, to my mate. Her black raven hair, the darker complexion of her skin and the way her face lit up when she smiled. Her fire that she possessed had me enchanted. I was feeling something I thought I would never feel. I mean sure, I've had my fair share of women, but I never felt anything with them. I'm not a ladies man by any means, but after a century, you couldn't expect me to stay celibate. Yeah, tell that to my mate. I will be lucky if she doesn't skin me. Who knows, coming from her inlay like it. What in the hell is wrong with me? Who thinks like this? After this food cooks, I will go and ask Adam if this is normal. I don't know what would scare me more, if it is normal or if it isn't.
The smell of cooking meat brought me from my thoughts. I got up from the log I was sitting on and walked over to inspect the meat. Tender and juicy, just the way I like it. I hurriedly grabbed the stick I had used to cook the turkey. I quickly realized I had nothing to transport the food in. Out here in the wilderness I had nothing. I had stashed my clothes at the pack boarder, so when I was in human form, I was stark naked. Well, time to walk a kilometer naked with a turkey on a stick.
After I had eaten a few bites of the turkey I gave Adam the rest. Of course he had jest about me my current state of dress or rather lack thereof. I only stayed long enough for him to eat and dispose of the stick and turkey remains. Last thing we need is the hunters knowing I'm out here trying to assist in Adams escape. Not only was I wager to see my mate again, I also had a plan to follow. Shifting into my wolf I took off in my wolf form and headed towards my mates camp.
It didn't take me long pick up Onawa's scent. I slowed down as I continued to follow the smell of lavender and vanilla . I expected to find my mate in camp, along with her comrades. What I found instead was my mate in nothing in a loin cloth with her back to me.
Onawa
After several grueling hours, the buck was skinned and butchered. The meat from the deer was put on to cook while I finished up the rest of the dressing. The oil from the meat had begun to turn clear, indicating it was cooked thoroughly. Perfect timing. I wiped my bloodies hands on my apron, when the buck was completely finished. As I stood up and stretched Tarak came over and started taking the meat off the fire. I went to my tent to grab my bag that contained a change of clothes and a bar of soap.
"Tarak, I am going to wash up." I said as I passed him, picking up a bucket on my way to the nearby stream.
When I reached the stream, I noticed that a little ways up, there was a rock was the size of a watermelon. I walked to the pale rock to set my bag on it to prevent it from getting wet. Setting the bucket down, I then proceeded to take off my blood-soaked dress then placed it on the river bank.
Left with only my breechcloth, I dipped my toes into the cool brisk water. I felt the goosebumps rise allover my body instantly as I walked into the stream. Only stopping when the water level had reached my calves, I bent down to rinse off the blood from my arms and hands. After I was free from blood, I went to the river bank to retrieve the bucket. I released my hair from the braids that bound them and laid the bindings beside my bag on the pale rock.
Using the bucket, I gathered water from the stream and poured the cool water over my head. When my hair and body were wet, I set the bucket back down and retrieved the soap from my leather bag. I began to wash my body and hair with the lavender scented soap.
After placing the soap on the rock, I grabbed the bucket to rinse my hair and body. Closing my eyes, I dumped bucket after bucket of water to rise myself off. When my hair was free of soap, I took the soap off the rock to rise it off before wrapping it in some cloth I had in my bag. Next, I took my brush out of my bag and brushed my hair. Ridding my hair of any tangles, I sectioned my hair into two, and began to braid my hair while by body air dried.
By the time I was done with my hair, I was dry. I then changed from wet under garments into dry ones. I pulled out my dry dress but as I slipped it over my head, I heard a low growl behind me. Slowly I finished pulling my dress over my body and turned around to face the growling animal.
When I turned around to face whatever beast was behind me, I didn't see anything. I went to grab my knife from my bag, but I quickly realized I left my knife on the butchering tarp at camp. My head snapped up as I heard the growling once more. As I stared into the face of the massive reddish-brown wolf, panic set in. It's height alone was shocking as it was parallel to my hips.
As if instinct kicked in, I got on my knees and lowered my head below his. I could hear the wolf slowly approach me, and I remained perfectly still. The closer it got, the faster my heart beat in my chest. Internally, I felt as if I were at war with myself. One half of me telling me to remain still, the other telling me to bolt. I felt afraid, but I knew if I ran it would just chase me. No, I would not give into fear. I will hold my ground.
When the wolf reached me, it stared to circle me and sniff me. Finally it stopped in front of me and put it's nose under my chin to raise my head. At that moment I was felt as if time had froze. When I looked into the eyes of the wolf, I felt relief fill my body as I gasped for the air, I didn't know I had been holding. The wolf growled low, but not in a threatening way.
"Hi. I am Onawa." I must be loosing my damn mind, talking to a dangerous wild animal. The wolf growled low in response. I don't know why, but I felt like it could understand me.
"Oh God, I've turned into a crazy person." I said as I slowly reached out my hand to pet the wolf's face. When my hand touched the wolf, I instantly felt a tingling sensation pulse up my arm and through the rest of my body. The wolf shut it's eyes, as if savoring my touch.
"Can you understand me?" I asked the abnormally large wolf. The wolf opened it's eyes again and then nodded his gigantic head.
"I swear to God, if you talk, I'm going to loose my shit." I said a little sternly. The wolf let out a strange sound that resembles a laugh, and then licked my face.
"Eeww! Why would you DO that?" I exclaimed as I wiped the drool off my face. The wolf laughed once more with his tongue hanging outside the side of his mouth.
It then laid down and put it's head in my lap. The tingles I had felt earlier, had returned once more, spreading throughout my entire body. I petted the top of the wolf's head and I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of it's soft fur and the tingling sensation that can from touching it. I felt connected and whole for the first time in my life. I couldn't understand for the life of my why I feel this pull towards a wolf. The only conclusion I could come to is it must be my spirit animal. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the thought. The wolf's head raised to look at me, and cocked it to the side as if asking a question.
"I am trying rationalize this, and my first conclusion is you must be my spirit animal." The wolf laughed on response and snuggled its head against me, and breathed deeply smelling me. I thought it was weird, but I didn't think to question it. It must be the soap its smelling.
Without warning the wolf lifted his large head, instantly alert of something. Growling he stood up on all fours and went behind me and faced towards the camp. I stood up and turned around behind him and looked to see what he was growling at. That's when the realization hit me. The hunters. Before I could open my mouth to give warning, an arrow came through the forest, catching the wolf's left flank. It was trying to protect me.
"Go! They won't hurt me." I screamed at it. The wolf looked at me and whined low, and looked back at the forest before running off
The hunters then proceeded to run after the wolf. In my chest I felt panic, I hoped the wolf would get away. I sent a silent prayer to God for the wolf's protection as my face became wet with tears. I was crying for the wolf as much as I was crying at the emptiness I felt when it left.
"Onawa!" I heard Tarak bellow in worry as he came running though the forest towards me.