Uprising

The Blue Wolf - Part 1

That sickly coughing again. It forces my half-shut eyes upon the lifeless quarters my parents have condemned me to. But I can't afford to spend any longer cursing them for that.
Not when the poor lad needs me most. Just like the past two nights, his heart-wrenching groans begin at around two in the morning.

...And yet, he's improving. I lose my hand in his coat of thick, blue fur to find his wounds are no more. Sudden, violent bursts of coughing have become tame and short-lived. Somehow, a little care from a slacker like me is enough. Knowing this, I cast aside my exhaustion and hurry to his side each and every time he wakes me.

***********

I breathe in the purest air I know as the gates to Mirajenia, home of elven kind, gently shut behind me. Towering trees with deep blue leaves rise from a flourishing garden of equally blue grass and conceal the sky. Taking in the serenity the scenery so reliably grants, I prepare to stroll through the Everblue Woods.

But a light blue hue amongst the dark vegetation catches my eye. I know this sanctuary well; anything out of place does not elude me. Concerned, I find myself drawn to it. Squinting from a distance, I see the details with clarity.

It's fur. A pelt of thick, blue fur, belonging to a creature that curls so that only its back is visible. But the grass it rests upon is stained red. My cautious footsteps become hurried as I discern the dreadful state he's in.

It's an abandoned wolf. Ragged breathing lifts his soft fur ever so slightly, but that's the only sign of life I see. I carefully take the final steps to reach his side, but there's still no reaction at all. I know that if I fail to make a difference here, there might never be one.

Steadying my hand as it hovers to barely touch his fur, my eyes shut. Channelling my wish into the only modest healing spell I know is all that comes to mind.

Keen to examine any potential effect, I open my eyes once more... only to be met by the hollow, lustreless gold within the wolf's gaze. A momentary stare ensues, but his eyes reveal nothing. I can't read him at all.

Slowly, as if lacking any drive, his head returns to rest upon the deep blue grass. He turns, as if ignoring me. Though his breathing appears calmer, I've no way to discern the extent of his suffering.

Unprepared as I am, I place my hopes upon the novice healing I somehow muster and resume casting. I feel my own breathing become ragged; unnerved by the situation, sustaining focus strains me. Still, I continue taking the only action I can.

...Until a sudden bump against the palm of my hand startles me out of that concentration. It's him. His body rises from the bloodstained grass and he acknowledges me once more.
In that moment, I realise how hollow his eyes really are.

I have to find some real help...

Rising to my feet, I take subtle, backward steps and find him willing to follow my lead despite his unsteady legs. Intending to bring him to the city, I make for the gates at a slow pace that ensures he needn't overexert himself. Despite that, the distance between us grows as I approach Mirajenia.

Whilst my hand carefully grabs hold of cold metal and pushes, I watch him out of the corner of my eye. Slow though he may be, he arrives by my side.

I face the wondrous horizon beyond the gate. Vast fields of vibrant, blue grass surround a single, narrow path that leads to the city proper. The ground's stones glisten under the sky's warm light, which heavily contrasts with the forest's endless shadows.

The minutes pass in silence; the ground to cover to reach civilisation is plenty. As I ponder how best to garner aid, the first elves by the city outskirts come into view...

...and I realise that they, along with many others, are alerted by my presence long before I have acknowledged their existence. The world stares in my direction as I advance and I feel an uneasiness in my breast.

I dare not glance around for too long, yet a brief look at the shy stares they try to hide tells me all I need to know. Those are stares of fear. And each one is directed straight at the poor, sickly wolf at my side.

As I prepare to traverse the busy marketplace, I aim to meet no further pair of eyes. I gaze upon the neatly crafted, wooden walls of the first structure I encounter: a simple, yet cozy inn. Similar craftsmanship is plain to see in each and every building. Impressive as it is, I focus solely on the ground by my feet. My primary concern is to watch over him... And in the midst of voices all around me, I can't help but be unsettled.

It's the same path every time. A right at the inn and left at the next turn leads me onto the straight path to what I call 'home'. Along that way, however, I pass the grand structure known as Mirajenia's training hall. And, sure enough, my uninterrupted journey comes to an end.

"Sivanis, turn back. Leave the animal where you found it." My archery trainer rushes to order me around in a calm tone that somehow still conveys how dire the situation truly is. As my senior, as skilled and kind as she is, she has my respect...

"Leave the lad to die? Give me one good reason."...but not my obedience. The weight of a million stares compels me to yearn for an answer to a simple question: why? The frustration and anxiety wells within me.

"Because if you don't, it might be you that gets hurt." She answers, composed as ever. The gentle, emerald eyes beneath her brunette locks gaze into mine without a hint of malicious intent. She wasn't threatening me. So, what...? "Anyone who has sheltered the blue wolf has ended up seriously injured. It's led to a belief that the creature is a source of horrible misfortune to all around it." Easily reading how lost I am, she enlightens me.

Her ominous words take their toll. Unprepared for the revelation, I take a moment to reflect as I lose myself in that distinct, blue fur of his.

...But I can't just let him die.

I'll handle this 'horrible misfortune', at least until he can get by on his own.

"I'll take care of him. He won't be around anyone else." I leave the warmth of her glistening eyes behind. With my path chosen, I resume my journey. Braced as I am to hear them, she offers no words of resistance.

************

I find myself more alone than ever. Three fragmented sleeps have passed since taking him in; though his cries of pain have been quelled, he still spends all his time slumbering upon a soft, white blanket. That's about all he knows.