Wolf Soul

Chapter 4

I was halfway to the wolf village sitting by the river undecided whether to turn around and retrieve my pack and bow or continue on. I'd been so hasty to leave I'd forgotten my belongings. "Fool." I threw a rock half the size of my fist; the river swallowed it quickly with a predictable plop.

I wasn't turning back. I hugged my knees tightly to my chest and squeezed my eyes shut. "How could a day that started off so great turn out like this?" I whispered to the forest.

A gentle breeze caressed my skin and blew my hair about. I breathed deeply of the familiar scents as they calmed my mind a little more. The soft crunch of paws to ground grew louder until the grey wolf was beside me. I leaned into her; my eyes still closed. "What do I do, sister?" She didn't answer instead leaned some of her weight onto me. "Will you go with me to see him?" She sneezed at my question. I slowly opened my eyes to find two wolf eyes staring back at me. They weren't golden like the werewolf, instead a soft yellowish grey that blended into the forest.

I sighed then stood up slowly, stretching every muscle, the tension slowly eased out of my body. "Well, let's go then." I didn't run like I usually did. I needed to speak with Marcus but I couldn't force my body to get me there faster than walking. What would I say when I spoke to him? I needed time to think. The grey wolf looked back at me, seeming impatient with my pace and left.

During my walk I wandered closer to the meadow where I'd slept the previous night. It was a large expanse of open terrain but a small spot compared to the massive size of the forest. The forest stretched from the village, seven suns journey at the bottom of the mountains to the mist that covered the mountain top from view. That was the only place I hadn't gone to. It was forbid to all.

Forbidden. It echoed in my mind, taunting me. I'd never questioned it before, why now? What secrets did the peak hold that were so dangerous none could look upon? I changed direction to head to the mist but remembered the task at hand. Marcus. I needed to speak to him first.

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The Sun was on his way to meet Lady Moon. It was that sparse light that caused the earth to be neither bright nor dark but somewhere in between. The approaching darkness caused me to think of Grandmother's vision. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to go to the wolf village. My gait turned cautious the closer I approached. No matter what I told myself, no matter how much I trusted Marcus I didn't trust all of his pack.

A snap to my left sent me ducking deeper in the brush. In the dusk I couldn't see any movement, perhaps it wasn't a wolf. A hand clasped over my mouth and pulled me to a hard body.

"Don't speak." A familiar voice whispered into my ear.

The hand slid from my mouth and down my neck as I turned slowly. I fought the urge to elbow him. "You scared me." I whispered forgetting his orders.

He half growled. "What are you doing here?" He tugged me deeper into the darkness and farther from the wolf camp. "You know you shouldn't be here." His whispered words pained me.

A shuffle in the growing darkness had Marcus dragging me down to the ground. His scent filled my nostrils and my hands instinctively moved across his bare shoulders.

My skin prickled as his lips moved against my ear. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I removed my hands from his body. "I had to speak with you."

He looked around us before slowly standing all the while checking in each direction. When he was satisfied he offered me his hand; pulling me to my feet. His hand still held mine tightly as we moved through the forest. I was relieved when we were a safe distance away from the village; letting out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.