The Wolf and the Hunter

A Healing Process for Who?

Edited 12-18-2022

Every day, Connor would come into my room and give me food and water while I was bedridden. It was quite the adventure the first time he brought me a nice meal. I had no idea what he was trying to feed me. Then, once I knew it was edible, I didn't know how to eat it. In my defense, the only thing I've been eating for last ten years was raw meat by ripping it off of a corpse. Even when I was human, my father barely kept me fed. Eating soup for the first time was a bit of a challenge in the beginning. I can swear Connor was questioning whether if I was sane or not.

My wounded leg didn't help with anything either. I was just itching to get up and move around that I actually reopened the wound twice. What was originally supposed to take two weeks to heal now took a month. The wolf inside me never had stayed this inactive in forever, and it killed me. I wanted to get out and run, to feel the wind fill my fur, well, hair now. The doctor here, who I soon figured out was Dr. White, had gotten pretty frustrated with me. He even Connor watch me to make sure I wouldn't, and I quote, "Do anything stupid or idiotic." Connor got annoyed by that. He had to send a girl to watch me instead every now and again. Her name was Myriam, and if I had to be honest, if I was a normal girl, we'd be fast friends.

After a painfully slow month, the doctor finally allowed me to go outside and move around. He did send Connor with me, although to make sure that I wouldn't reinjure my almost healed leg. I felt bad, though. Every time Connor had to come and babysit me, he seemed to grow more and more frustrated. When I was first brought here, Connor would try to talk to me, but I wouldn't answer. He was sweet and tried to learn more about me, I just couldn't open up. Self-doubt and fear of what he may know about me drove me to silence. It soon went from him trying to talk to me to a very, very awkward silence.

I stepped out the front doors of the house, the sweet smell of the forest hitting my face in warm waves. My eyes fluttered closed, letting the wind brush past my features. I let my lungs fill with the fresh oxygen and step off the white deck and onto the soft dirt. My eyes looked everywhere, taking in the new landscape around me. A large brick home stood tall behind me, a barn off to the left. In front of me, giant trees guarded the house, a dirt path leading further on. Just through the trees, I could see the form of another, smaller house, and a thin smell of smoke in the air from chimneys.

"Where does that lead to?" I asked Connor, pointing to the dirt road. I knew that other houses were down there, but I kind of didn't want him to get suspicious by me seeing a house that's a ways down the path and that I could smell the smoke from their chimney. That would definitely seem odd, which may scare him from me. I'd rather him not asking why I could see and smell very well, not to mention hear very well either.

"To the other's houses." He simply replied, not looking at me. I flinched slightly at the word of others. I knew there was Dr. White, Myriam, and the other man who lived in the house, but I didn't know that there were more.

"Others? Like Myriam and Dr. White?" I ask, hoping he would say it was just them. I looked up into his chocolate eyes to see him nod slightly, folding his arms over his broad chest.

"Them and a few other people. We all live in a little community here." He answered, glancing down at me. My eyes went wide as those words came out of his mouth. More people?! Great... I mentally screamed. Trying to hide my shock and fear, I looked away from his eyes and squeaked out a small 'oh'. Connor lifted an eyebrow, obviously seeing my change in mood, but decided to walk away from the road that led to the other houses. Instead, he headed to a path that was smaller and headed towards the thick trees. I cocked my head slightly but followed him nonetheless.

He remained silent, leading me further and further into the trees and deeper into the wild. A gentle wind blew past me, sending a few stray auburn hairs behind me. The sweet smell of dirt and grass reached my nose, making me close my eyes in pleasure. My legs stopped moving to let the wind and the smells of the forest come freely to me. Little did I know that Connor had noticed I had stopped and turned around.

"You truly are a strange woman." His voice rattled me from my dreaming-like state. I saw him standing in front of me, arms crossed over his chest leaning against a nearby tree. I looked down at the ground, heat rising to my cheeks. I stared blankly at the ground, kicking a few loose dirt clumps around. Biting my bottom lip, I took a deep breath. Maybe I can try and talk to him. He's been nothing but nice since we met. Why not give him a chance.

"And why do you think me strange?" I asked, slowly bringing my eyes to him. His eyebrows raised, obviously surprised I actually replied.

"You are not like other Colonial woman. You seem to like being here in the wild than inside." Connor replied, pushing himself off the tree.

"Myriam doesn't like to stay inside. She'd rather be in the wild, too." I counter, crossing my arms over my chest. Connor only shook his head slightly.

"But not even Myriam acts the way you act when I have seen you outside." He shot back, taking a step closer to me. I knew he wanted to get more information out of me, about who I am. Releasing a sign, I hugged myself tight. "There is a reason..." I muttered out, looking at the ground again. Connor let out a silent, impatient sigh, taking another step towards me. "May I ask what it is then?" He tried again, taking another small step. He was now just arms length away from me. I looked up into his chocolate eyes as I let my arms fall down to my sides.

"It's the only true place I can call home." I replied, walking around him and further into the trees. I could feel his eyes still watching me, concentrating on every little thing I did.

"And why is that?" asked Connor, following my retreating form. Stopping on the edge of a cliff that overlooked a river, I inhaled deeply, taking in more of the Earthly smells.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I turned to look at him. "I don't belong in the city, never have and never will. People there don't accept me, don't... Understand me." Connor listened intently at my words, nodding slightly as he followed me.

"So you live out here." He concluded for me. I glanced up at him, seeing his almost understanding expression, and nodded in response. "Is there anyone close to you that you live with? A family, an aunt, maybe an uncle?" questioned Connor, giving a concerned look. I opened my mouth to say, 'Yes', but the words started to choke me. My father never wanted me, my mother is dead and the only other person, well wolf, was murdered in front of my very own eyes. My vision began to blur slightly as tears swell up to the brim of my eyes at the thought of the white wolf who I'd gladly call my mother; my family. Connor watched my mood drop and hung his head, "I am sorry, I did not know." Shaking my head, I looked back up to him, a stray tear running down my face. I quickly swiped the tear away, hating the look of sadness of Connor's copper face.

"It's okay, how could you know? Plus, it's in the past, right?" I said, trying to cheer him up. He only looked up at me and gave me a faint smile. He looked past me into the distance before glancing back to me.

"It's getting late. We should probably head back." stated Connor, turning around his white and blue robes swaying with his step. I stood my ground, looking down and fiddling with my fingers.

"Kenneally." I blurted out, closing my eyes. Connor turned around, looking slightly confused. Taking a deep breath to gain that small bit of confidence that suddenly coursed through me, I straightened my back as I saw a small understanding in Connor's eyes. "My name is Kenneally." I repeated and let a little smile grace my lips. The corner of Connor's lips tugged up in a small smile as well as my own.

"Then shall we go? Kenneally." He said, a smirk appearing on his lips as he opened his arms towards the Homestead. I smiled back at him and nodded, following him back to the house.