Greatest Change

Chapter Four

4. Promises

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

~Robert Frost

          Clara had found herself to be in the middle of a strange, dark forest, coated with a fresh blanket of white snow. The trees were white as well, standing out against the black shadows of the forest around her, and all the while, Clara swiveled her head around, wondering how on Earth she had gotten there. She had no recollection of anything before this, so how did she know who she was?

          With no answers to resolve her difficult questions, she started walking, crushing the soft snow with her bare feet. She assumed the snow to be cold, considering it was frozen water after all, but yet everything around her felt warm, it felt comfortable. There was a slight sound of drumming in the distance, the tempo of the soft beating matching the soft pounding of her pulse, and she decided to head closer to it.

          Still confused at what was going on around her, a small grey wolf appeared to her left, trotting slightly in front of her. Clara stopped immediately, wondering where it came from and what it was doing. She had never been so close to another dangerous animal, except the bear of course, but she had no remembrance of the incident. The wolf stopped just as Clara had, and turned its petite head, looking at the baffled young woman with its tongue sticking out. It was as if the wolf was waiting for her to move, as if it was guiding her somewhere.

          Looking at its gentle look and panting smile, Clara had the stupid idea that perhaps the wolf was harmless. So, she walked towards it, and the wolf eventually started walking again, coinciding with the same pace Clara had. She cautiously walked behind it, keeping her guard up, hoping the wolf could answer her pondering questions, or show her the way out of this forest. After what seemed minutes of walking in crunchy snow, the wolf’s ears perked up, as if it had heard something. Clara stopped next to it, hoping that whatever was going to happen would happen soon; she was getting tired of this useless walking.

          With a loud and high pitched howl, which had surprised Clara beyond belief, the wolf started running full speed, leaving snow being flung at Clara as it sped away.

          “Wait!” Clara yelled and started running after it. She had a fear of being alone in the forest, and that wolf may have been her only chance of getting through it safely. Following the wolf, it came to a strange patch of snow, where there were no trees except around it. It made a circular pattern, having an empty shape with trees surrounding it. As soon as she entered the circle, she felt almost trapped, like the circle would not permit her to leave. Energy all around her tingled her skin, like floating particles that made the hair on her neck and arms stand straight up.

          “Wait!” she heard someone yell and saw a small wild doe running into the circle, once it entered, it dissipated into thin air, as if it were a spirit or phantom, leaving it’s “earthly” form. As the female deer drifted away into the cool breeze, a familiar person entered the circle as well. Clara turned to find Chayton there, looking quite as confused as she was. He was wearing only deer-skin pants and shoes, always equipped with his bow and arrow with a few other weapons. However, once his eyes caught hers, he slowly lowered his weapons, dropping them on the snow. Until he stripped himself of everything except his clothing, he walked over to Clara rather quickly.

          Clara noticed that his walking got faster, as if his intentions were threatening to her. When he got as close as possible to her, he quickly wrapped his right arm behind her back, pulling her into him forcefully with a gentle, yet rough kiss on her modest lips. Her trembling lips faded as his pressed against hers; the fear of the forest faded as the forceful grasp and desperation became gentle, his fingers moving around her back as he kissed her. As he started pulling himself away, Clara grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him back, his warm and large lips surprised at the attack. He held her with both hands, kissing her deeper but still with his savage softness. Between kisses, she would whisper his name, the two-syllables escaping her free lips in a whisper of desperation.