Little Wolves (gxg)

Chapter 9 - Princess

I was trying to see where the bird was, looking up in the trees, not paying attention to where I was going. It wasn't that I didn't hear the dog making noise, I think I was just so preoccupied with finding this bird in the trees that I didn't see the giant root of the tree coming up... and damned if I didn't trip over it.

I took a hard tumble. First, I stumbled. When I tried to right myself, I lost my balance again and did a summersault as I hit the ground. I landed sitting upright on my butt, legs spread wide like I had just done the splits.

A very frustrated groan tore from my lungs. It almost sounded like a growl, but it wasn't quite animal enough. I was so done with today. I was ready to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow and start fresh, and it was barely eight in the morning.

So, I started crying. It wasn't a sob or a loud cry or anything, it was just a few tears dripping down my cheeks, the fall finally breaking the dam. I was more angry than sad, but I pulled my legs together so I was sitting crisscrossed and just let the few scarce tears fall.

In an instant the Auden's dog ran over to me. She didn't hesitate. It was like she knew I was upset. Her little head came to rest in my lap, and she looked up at me with the saddest golden eyes. I smiled through my tears at her and gently stroked behind her ear.

"Sorry," I apologized, "I know you want to run." Sucking in a breath, it was shaky and squeezed my lungs a little.

The wolf-dog suddenly stood up and turned and I wasn't sure what she was doing until she plopped herself down in my lap sideways. I couldn't hold it in. I started laughing at the same time I was crying because this gigantic dog was trying to lay down in my lap. She curled around so her head was resting on my knee with her tail thumping happily against the dirt.

I felt kind of peaceful inside all of a sudden. The tears were still there, and I was still angry, but at the same time I was content. Like, this is okay. The way I'm feeling right now is okay, I can deal with it.

"You know," I started, rubbing her ear absentmindedly between two fingers. She leaned into my hand. "Not that you can understand me, but I think the real reason I'm so upset is because I caught my mom going through Willa's things last night. Willa was... well, she was my little sister." I whispered, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. "I just get so sad thinking about my mom and dad and how this little baby didn't even get a chance. It's so sad. It doesn't even feel real." My words were choked and cracking and I had some feeling in my gut that I shouldn't be saying any of this, but it was a dog. Dogs are good at listening and forgetting and just being there to comfort you.

The dog stood up and turned, stepping with one paw in between my legs so it could rub its cheek against mine. It was odd, seeing as this motion calmed me more than anything. How this dog was so intuitive and conscious was beyond me, but in this moment, it was everything I needed.

We stayed like that for a while, until my tears died down. Its neck and cheek resting on mine, its nose brushing over my hair occasionally. I could start crying again from the pure relief I felt. I wish I could feel like this all the time. It was just nice and pleasant and good.

We both jumped at the next intrusion of noise. It was a loud, screaming bird call that thundered over our heads. I whipped my head towards the sky just in time to see this massive raven-like creature tearing overhead. It was so close to the ground that I could physically see the black, purple-shined feathers ripple in the air.

As it passed, a gust of wind that rivaled a hurricane rushed through the forest, pushing me and the dog forward, almost causing me to tumble again. I had to place my hands in front of me to stop myself from falling on my face. My heart was galloping in my chest as I gaped at the receding creature in the sky.