Jamieson's Wolves (On Hold)

Chapter 2

Adrian left the river. He held his nose just off the ground as he made his way along the riverbank. Tail in the air. The scent entering his twitching nose was a werewolf, he was sure of it. A male werewolf. The third kind like himself.

Underneath a large gum tree, he found a large paw print moulded in dry hard clay. It had been wet when the wolf, larger than him judging by the paw prints, wandered along the worn animal track. Adrian paused and lifted his twitching nose into the air. The rain should’ve washed away most of the scent. It must be a common used track to retrieve water.

The track lead into an overgrown gully. Adrian laid his ears back as he pushed his nose thought the long grass. The last thing he needed was a grass seed wedged in his ear. The landscape changed as he climbed higher in the gully. Trees no longer grew at a right angle to the ground like he was used to. The higher he climbed the steeper the slope became and the trees still shot up into the sky at a tighter angle. He paused his travels again to look down at the clump of leaves at the tip of a tall straight white gum tree. He believed if he got a running leap he might land in the high branches. A bit of an exaggeration, but as a strong werewolf he would make it halfway at least.

For hours Adrian climbed, higher and higher with no end in sight. Sometimes he followed the narrow track down into a shallow gully but always lead to a steeper climb afterwards. His back paws slipped on the loose slate as the warn rock gave out from underneath him. How tall is this mountain, he thought with a glance up. Can I make it to the top by nightfall? The end of his travels were nowhere in sight and the scent he followed never changed. He hoped it would become stronger as he neared the pack territory. Did it even exist? Can I at least find it by nightfall. He paused, his tongue rolled out with his heavy panting as he looked over to the sun disappearing over a ridge. I doubt it.

Even on four legs he would have to rest soon. His muscles burnt with fatigue and his throat became increasingly sore from all the heavy breathing.

It didn’t help that he’d been walking for three days so far. He was tied and worn out. He could run for hours along a flat plain, but not climb a mountain.

He took one look at the next steep incline and wanted to run back to Sayni and Braic. He growled at his weak thoughts. I need to find my own place with my own kind. For years he ran with his two friends but since moving to Australia things had changed. He wanted to be more with Sayni. However, she still loved the man she was once with, who told her to wait for him. He’s never coming back. She can’t see that.

Anger now fuelled his determination to find this pack and the energy to climb. Sayni had been so angry when he informed them he was leaving. Her set jaw and dark piercing eyes were the last image he saw of her. I hope you’re still angry too!

Down the mountain, the Yowie followed the copper wolf with large swaying steps. He moved through the barbed fern like flora with ease and tore the clingy plant life along behind him as it stuck to his long dark hair.

The creature paused to squat down and sniff the ground. The werewolf’s scent filled his nostrils. The Yowie snorted then stood up and turned his head to the side. The sound of Adrian’s struggled climb reached the creature's ears. He gave another satisfied snort and continued his way up the incline

Adrian collapsed as he reached the ridge line. His tongue rolled out and dropped into the dirt below. He pulled back from the particles sticking to his tongue and licked the side of his lips. His mouth was dry, his whole body screamed for a drink, but his flask ran out long ago and there was no water in sight. Just more vivid green trees and mountains even larger than the ridge he stood upon.