The Unhappy Heart (Book 1 of The Wolfheart Trilogy)

20. A Temporary Cure

Andrea returned the smile, but it half faltered. If only her father had been half the man Hugo was, how different her life might have been. Without another word and without looking back, Andrea darted out the door.

* * * * *

Andrea let out a loud whistle, as she approached the forest's edge to warn Dagen of her coming. She shifted from one foot to the other, restlessly. What if Dagen had left? Surely he had not grown tired of waitng and gone back to the campsite. Andrea didn't know what to do if that was the case. She didn't know her way back through the vast woods. She looked up as a branch rustled, and Dagen emerged from the trees. He walked slowly, his mind seemingly elsewhere as he walked, and his head slightly cocked to one side.

Andrea watched him for a moment, then smiled. "Look!" She exclaimed, holding the small glimmering vial up high.

Dagen finally looked in her direction, his eyes narrowing. "You got it?"

Andrea nodded, her smile faltering. "Yeah, I got it." She hadn't really expected Dagen to be as enthusiastic as her, but she couldn't deny she was disappointed as he gave a curt nod of approval and swung back around.

"Let's get back to the camp then," he murmured.

Andrea said nothing, as she lagged along behind him. Her eyes watched his every movement as he carefully picked his way back through the forest, occasionally stumbling as the roots of the trees grew thicker and higher. She sighed, and shook herself, trying to think of something else. 

She had begun to feel guilty over leaving the healer's home like that. Harriet would be upset, no doubt, but Andrea couldn't help but feel like Harriet had already known. She soon forgot her guilt however, as her gaze turned to the small vial in her hands. Despite her excitement to get the cure back to Felan, she was nervous too. For after Felan took the cure, he would no longer be her little wolf friend, but a human boy. The thought frightened her a little. It had been too dark that night for her to see him clearly and she wandered now, what he would look like and how he would act. It was this that she was still pondering over when they finally came to the camp.

Felan was already waiting for her and he gave a high-pitched whimper to greet her. Andrea grinned, holding the vial up in the air for him to see. Wagging his tail in excitement, he bounded along beside her, into the camp. The twins were there waiting expectantly. Ronan clapped when he saw what she held and even Rodarn gave a small smile. Andrea glanced at Dagen, still half hoping for a word of praise. He said nothing, but his eyes glinted with pleasure. It gave Andrea an uneasy feeling, but she pushed it aside, as she pulled off the cork lid and held it to Felan's muzzle. Then tipping it, she watched the silver contents trickle down the white wolf's throat. Whatever she expected to happen, she wasn't quite sure, but it certainly wasn't what followed.

Felan began breathing heavily and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Covering her mouth with her hand, Andrea glanced at the others in horror. Even Rodarn looked slightly concerned. The white wolf began cowering away, shaking his head in a horrible jerking manner. Then with a high-pitched squeal, he turned and stumbled away. Andrea went to follow him but Dagen grasped her wrist and pulled her back, gesturing for Ronan to do so instead. The young twin obeyed without hesitation, his body seemingly twisting in on itself, as he changed form. Andrea looked frantically at Dagen but he only shook his head.

"I don't know how he will react," he told her calmly. "The cure is probably paining him as it fights the poison in his blood. I was afraid he would bite you."

"He would never," protested Andrea. But she glanced in the direction he had gone, with fear. "He'll be okay, won't he?"

Dagen nodded. "He may be small, but he's certainly a tough one. He wouldn't have survived all these years alone otherwise."