A Wolf's Tale (Book #1) The Secrets Untold

Chapter 18

"Okay, I'm ready. Misty are you--- Oh no!" Jumper yelled out as Misty's nose streamed more blood. The illness was completely gone, but her nosebleeds still come and go.

Jumper looked around frantically, grabbing some dead leaves, pressing them to her nose. Even after the bleeding stopped, his paw lingered a little longer. The concern in his eyes melted into kindness. Misty noticed his brown gaze. The warmth in her pelt made her muzzle burn. She looked away quickly.

"Are you okay?" The brown wolf asked, tenderness in his voice.

She nodded, still not meeting his eyes. "I'm fine." Without another word, she continued up the slope that led to her normal scout post, her best friend at her side, offering help when needed. Misty kept her gait, trying to look as fine as possible. The stinging in her nose was gone, but the afterward tang of blood still coated her throat.

They made it to the top, Misty slumping down beside a tree, leaning against it for support. Jumper came next to her and lightly draped his tail over her back, letting her know he was there for her. Dark gray clouds hung over the forest, ready to unleash a storm. The air tasted wet and storm-like on the she-wolf's tongue. A short gusty wind ruffled her fur and gave her a sharp chill. Jumper pressed his pelt closer to hers for warmth. She didn't move away, laying her head on his shoulder.

After a while, the sun began to sink on the horizon, causing the cold air to drop even more. Misty must've fallen asleep, she opened her eyes with a wide yawn. She found herself on the ground, lying comfortably under the tree. Once her vision cleared, her eyes focused on a brown blob a few feet away. It was Jumper. He had taken up watch when she drifted into sleep.

The she-wolf sat up and stretched. Jumper's ears twitched, and he turned his head to face her. A friendly smile came to his muzzle. Misty was strangely tired, even though she had taken a who-knows-how-long-nap.

"Feeling better?" He smiled softly.

"Yeah. Thanks." She gazed around, noticing the orange, blue, and pink rays of sunset. Their shift should be ending anytime now. Her best friend must have been thinking the same thing.

"Rose and Sapphira should be here any minute." He angled his ears in the direction from where the she-wolves would be coming from. As soon as those words were spoken, the two emerged over the hillside, relieving them of their post. Misty and Jumper dipped their heads as they brushed past Rose and Sapphira to head down the steep hill.

They headed off towards the creek, wanting a drink of cool refreshing water. Once they arrived, Misty bent her head, and lapped up so much, she thought she would burst. A small wave came, and splashed her across the face, making her suck in water.

She sat up and sneezed three times in a row. Jumper howled with laughter, eyes shining with amusement as he slapped the ground with one paw. Misty snorted, trying not to laugh herself. She shook her face to fling droplets of water spattering on the ground. Her tongue swiped up the water that clung to her muzzle.

Jumper flashed her a sweet look. He came up to her and wiped a drop of water off with his paw. Misty licked the remaining droplets of water off.

Snow fell softly against the earth. White flecks of different shapes blended into the she-wolf's coat. The wind was soft like it would be in Spring, even though it wouldn't come for a quite a while. A small herd of elk slowly made their way across the hills that rose and fell. The gray clouds hung low to give the atmosphere a chillier feel.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Her friend asked in a worried voice. His fur was fluffed up against the cold.

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm sure." Which was true. The aches in her body were gone. And the dizzy spells had left as well. The nosebleeds were the only symptoms she had that reminded her, that she had been deathly ill.