Changing Rain

Conspiracies

Dawn was fast approaching in the eastern sky as Quincy followed the wolfs trail. Elih sincerely hoped that this was indeed Raiyne's trail, or they would have wasted an entire night on a mindless beast. He had to trust Quincy's judgement, but he kept thinking back to when Quincy had locked eyes of Raiyne, somehow knowing exactly which wolf she was before seeing how she had acted. It bothered him, but it would have to wait.  

" Here, see. " Quincy pulled Elih's lantern over to shed extra light on the tracks in the snow. There was an impression in the snow where a body had fallen, blood smeared across it. He could see paw prints drug through the snow as the wold had tried to get up again. Quincy spoke quietly, Elih leaned in closer to listen, along with Joseph, the only other person who had come. He had insisted, Thomas was his son after all.  

" The wolf we're tracking fell and got back up, but only went a few steps before... Here. " Another large dent in the snow, more blood, Quincy pointed to one print in particular, where a slim hand overshadowed a large wolf print. Shakey footprints lead away from that imprint, falling several more times.  

" It's her. " Quincy and Joseph started to walk forward, but Elih held his arm out to block their way.  

" She's hurt, and I imagine shes also afraid. The less people approach her, the better. " Quincy grunted in dislike but Joseph nodded.  

Quietly he crept forward, listening for any sounds of Raiyne's whereabouts as he followed the trail, not liking the amount of blood that was smeared through the snow. She had been following them in that forest, how else could she have lept so quickly to the side of that fool of a boy Malcolm. How long had she been following them? And then there was the Elk, why did she continue to worry about them when she could remember her home, her family. Why did she stay?  

He paused as something drifted within his hearing range. Straining, he could just barely make out a weak gasps of pain. Now he hurried in the direction he thought he had heard it, glancing back to the trail to make sure he stayed near it. He heard another gasp, and the creak of a dried branch being put under pressure. He lifted the lantern high, and saw the back of Raiyne's slender frame leaning against an old gnarled tree. When the light hit her, she flinched, and stumbled behind the tree. Cautiously he approached, not wanting her to bolt even as he heard her gasp again.  

Rounding the tree he saw her crouching, back leaned against the trunk with her eyes closed. Her face was frighteningly pale, all blood drained out of it. There was a trio of long scratches running down he face, the red of the injury in tandem with blue and black bruises provided sharp contrast to the white of her skin. He lifted the lantern again, trying to see the extent of her injuries.  

Elih crouched next to her, she flinched, but it was clear that she had no strength to run. He sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth seeing how torn up she was, blood covered her skin, though it was mostly dried some still leaked slowly out. Her shoulder where the first black wolf had bit her was worse then his own, the filthy bandage around her middle had a line of blood where her belly wound had reopened.  

Raiyne's limbs trembled, her breath came in too rapid and too shallow huffs, puffing out white clouds in the chill winter air. Deep, dark circles sagged under her eyes.  

" Raiyne." She opened her brilliantly colored eyes, her left one didn't open all the way because of the wound going over it.  

" I'm going to bring you home. " She shook her head no, and edged away as much as she had strength to. He scooped her into his arms and stood, having to leave the lantern on the ground. The air around her shimmered, and to his immense surprise, in the night he could see it glow just a bit. In a half shift that wobbled with her effort to stay in the shift.