Bloody Paw Prints

Ch 7: Cold

I close my eyes briefly, wondering how long it had been since we’d started this fight. It had to be over half an hour ago. Ash still had me pinned in the snow, and I still refused to give up.  Everyone had wondered away a while ago. Bray was the only one left, telling me to just submit already also that if we were real wolves I would be dead by now.

I pull in another sharp breath and open my eyes. Ash was looking towards the forest. I knew he’d rather be doing something else than wait for me to submit.

But that wasn’t my problem now was it. Nope, not at all. My problem as that Ash was nearly crushing me under him. All his weight was leaned onto me, pressing me into the snow so I couldn’t move, pressing into my neck so I could hardly breathe. My fur was the only thing keeping me warm, oh, and whatever little body hear Ash’s body radiated onto me.

I wanted to scratch so badly! And not because of flees. I didn’t have any….well; none that I was aware of. The snow had started to melt and was now tickling me as it slide over my fur.

A flack of snow landed on my nose making me sneeze. Ash looking down, cheeking what I was doing.

I lay my ears back and snarl at him. He looks back towards the forest, unconcerned by my hostility. No matter how much I growled or snapped at him just seemed calm and unfazed by me.

More snow starts to fall, swirling around in the little wind which I couldn’t feel. That was the only good thing about being trapped under Ash, the wind wasn’t bothering me, and little snow seemed to find its way to me.

“Oh my god Irana! Shift the fuck back!” Bray calls and both me and Ash turn to look at him surprised. I’d never pegged him as one to swear, let alone call out in despair. I couldn’t see him very well thanks to being buried in a hole. “What? Am I not allowed to swear? You guys have been at this for-“ he paused and I imagined him looking at his watch “-nearly  forty minutes? Irana, just submit!”

Ash lowers his chin towards me with huff. He pulls away sharply when I snap at him. He lays his ears back but otherwise shows nothing else aggressive. He must be worn out from pressing me into the snow.

While I’ve been laying here, he’s had to stand constantly, always shifting to keep my down.

My stomach rolls and I suddenly feel nauseated. After a minute the feeling vanishes and I move my head slightly, trying to itch me shoulder.

“That’s it! I’m going inside! Have fun standing out here all night” Bray calls back to us as he trudges off. The door slams behind him making me flinch.

Ash shifts again, his paws moving away from their original places, but still keeping me pinned down.

Snow continues to fall at a steady pace, the wind growing slightly and the sky becoming darker.  A few minutes after the house lights up Mikki trots out of the forest with Tori, Ally, Vic and Carson with her. They pause at seeing us, but then trot over to the door where they shift and go inside, all murmuring.

Water drips onto my check and I brink in surprise. I swear it was snowing, not raining. Another drop of water drips from Ash’s nose and onto my face. I would have thought he was crying if I didn’t know better. Wolves didn’t cry, and besides, it was just from the snow melting on his head and running down his nose til it dripped off.

An hour or so later the cold was starting to creep into my skin, making me want to shiver. Water had drenched my face, and even ran onto my neck. The wind felt like it was colder than the ice, the snow was thicker and seemed to find me more offend. Ash was covered in snow, his shoulders hunched against the cold. Several times he give me an image of submitting, as if I didn’t know how to. Then he’d lower his chin. And I always growled, too exhausted to actually snap at him.

I’d fought as long as I could but now I was too cold, to exhausted and my chest had become painful where Ash’s paws rested constantly. It was starting to become hard to keep my eyes open. Ash was even starting to shake now, small tremors which rocked his body.

Feeling slightly angry at myself I let out a sound of defeat. Ash glances down at me, blinking like he didn’t know if I’d really made a sound. I whimper again and he lowers his head towards me. Hating myself I reach up, licking at his chin. It was wet and cold, but it didn't deter me from getting out of the cold. My bed was calling to me, and I wanted to answer.

Ash, seeming relives climbs off me, shaking himself off. I let out a sound of disproval as snow flicks onto me. The wind nearly knocked me back into the whole it was so cold. It was like stepping from a warm house into the freezer. Snow instantly blew into me, making cold pricks of coldness along my back.

Ash starts for the house and I follow after him, using his body as a shield against the wind. He changes back once were at the door and opens it, letting me in before him even though goose bumps had risen instantly over his skin.

I step into the house, the warm air attacking me. The door closed behind me. With the cold no longer forbidding my shift I change back almost instantly. I still felt too numb, too cold to care that I was naked. My brain had fallen asleep so all I do it wrap my arms around my chest and make my way towards the stairs.

“Do you want dinner?” Carson calls after me.

I shake my head absently.

I reach my room and close the door quietly behind me. Not even bothering to get dressed I collapse onto the bed and, moving only one arm I reach for the blanket and pull it up over me, already half asleep as I do so.