A Drizzle of Home

15 | A Drizzle of Dread

My muzzle plunged into the cold water. I sloshed my head back and forth, letting the stream cleanse my fur of dirt and a layer of exhaustion. I wished I could dunk my mind in it, to wash away the dread tainting each thought.

The overwhelming worry for tonight had been weighing on my chest ever since Mist told me. She assured me I was ready.

I jerked my muzzle out of the water, gasping air into my lungs. Drowning certainly wouldn't help my problems.

Hopping a couple steps back from the stream, I leaned forward on my foreleg in a stretch. My other leg felt much lighter. After a couple moon-cycles of eating, resting, and finding comfort with my new pack, most of my strength had returned. The bloodied ankle was gone, as well as most of the pain and the beginnings of an infection, replaced by a fully-furred knub. Now, all my weight balanced effortlessly between the three limbs I had left.

But hunting was a different story.

I limped towards the brightened entrance of the cave. The light of midday flooded the inside, casting its blue-ish hue over the dark stone. A glint of light caught my peripherals, drawing my gaze to a vein of silvery minerals sparkling in the sunlight.

Just like her eyes. I smiled to myself and pushed the image from my mind. Trotting forward, I placed my feet on the ring of Sol's glow at the cave's threshold. A mass of black fur sat across the clearing, Mist lounging in the sun, but she was the only wolf in sight. Where was Cloud?

The pups were likely still in their den, but it wasn't like her to let me sleep this long. And she never left without waking me. My heart picked up a little. I left any hesitation in the cave, stepping out into the spring's warm air, no longer restricted by cold, stone walls. It softly tickled my fur, doing little to counteract the icy fangs of worry.

What if she went on patrol alone? Something could happen, and no one would know.

A heavy weight slammed into me mid-stride. My balance tipped sideways, and my legs went upward without me. I landed on my side with a panicked breath and yanked my head sideways. Snarling and twisting my body beneath them, I threw off my attacker. I jumped to my paws and lowered my bristling spine in a defensive stance.

Laughing met my growl.

Cloud bowed before me, head tilted and tongue lolling. I sighed, letting my tail fall flat and my ears return upright.

"Woah, Drizz," she said placidly. A curious brow stood in stark contrast to the grin tugging at her lips. "You're a little on edge."

I licked my chops and forced a smile of my own. Keeping my eyes from meeting hers, I muttered, "Sorry."

"It's okay. I didn't mean anything by it." Her tail swished back and forth. "Just helping you get a bit more practice before your hunt today. Your reaction time is getting better, at least." A giggle followed the words, and she stepped out of her playful stance.

Even the fake joy sank to the bottom of my stomach. Right. The hunt. A real one, where the pack would take down an elk, me included. I'd have to be quick, focused, and strong.

I wasn't any one of those things, much less all three.

"Nervous?" Cloud lifted my muzzle so that I could see her eyes. Silver, sparkling, confident. She nuzzled me before pulling back. "Don't be. You'll do great."

I wished it were true, but I couldn't tell her how scared I truly was. I could see myself now, left in the dust as the pack chased the herd. Or maybe I'd fall on my face in the middle of the chase, crushed by a hundred, thundering hooves. Worse, I'd do something to jeopardize the hunt entirely, or get someone else hurt too.