Wild Dog

Have you come?

Two travelers walked towards the giant flat stone.  Behind the stone stood a mountain,  two small rivers ran around the rock,  morphing into one and trickling between the trees and down to the far away pond. Giant redwood trees stood around the rock and crowded everything from vision,  except where the rivers were.  Upon the rock lay a giant wolf.  It's hind quarters, tail, and lower back matched the rock,  to the extent that if the wolf were to sit up it would blend in. The Wolf's fur changed to a brown.  The brown was the color of the redwood trees. The head of the wolf was a dark green. As green as the leaves which served as heads for the trees around the wolf. The tips of the wolf's ears were permanently stained in sunlight,  it's eyes also as golden as sunshine. The two travelers cautiously came to a stop right before the flat stone began. The great wolf shifted,  the ground groaning in protest of its weight,  the wolf now had it's head up staring at the newcomers. 

     "Have you also come to mock the unmoving wild dog? " The elegant voice of the wolf rang out echoing through the forest, making everything seem frozen. The voice was female, and sad. Much too sad for the younger traveler. 

     "How come you're so sad? " The young boy asked, he was about 18.

     "Do I sound sad? " The wolf asked, her muzzle did not move as she spoke. 

     "Yes. How come? " The boy asked again.

     "I have betrayed my master, lied like a fox, cheated like a snake, let myself get domesticated like a dog, and trapped like a mouse. Now I sit here in misery,  wishing for death to claim me. Have you come to kill the great wolf? "The hollow voice rang out. It seemed to be coming from a different source other than the great wolf. 

     "N-no!  Who c-could ever kill a magnificent animal like you?! " The young traveler sputtered. 

      "Child. Hush! " The older travler exclaimed quietly. The younger travler glared at the older then looked back up at the wolf. 

     "I've been searching for a long time to find you! They say whoever finds you could conquer the world!  I wish to tame you! " The wolf looked down with scorn, and her eyebrows furrowed. 

     "Who are you to tame me?!  It seems there is another with you!  Does he not also wish to tame the great beast?! " The Wolf's voice boomed echoing around the forest,  undoubtedly scaring off any animals that still remained. The wolf began getting up,  the ground growled and creaked at her movements. Finally the wolf was standing. She brought her head down to the boy, who shrieked in terror and tried to move behind the older traveler. Although he tried his feet did not move planting him in the spot where the wolf glared. 

     "What right do YOU have?!  What's so special about YOU?!  I see no reason why I should allow myself to be tamed by SUCH an insolent little creature?!  Are you better than all the rest of your kind?!  That you might tame ME?! " The wolf stopped and stared at the boy. 

     "You. Are just.  A.  Child." The boy tentatively stuck out his hand,  cautiously trying to find the Wolf's forehead. 

     "What. Are you doing? " The wolf growled,  her muzzle scrunching showing her menacing teeth. "I-i-i I want to tame you. " A snort sounded from the wolf. 

     "If you must. Then try. " The Wolf's voice sounded amused.  The slight hint of laughter echoed around them. 

     "Son!  You don't know what you're doing!" The older traveler pleaded. The wolf pulled its head back sightly 

     "Try if you would like I'll let both you young men try and tame me! " The Wolf's laughter boomed, wracking the bones of the travelers. The older traveler stepped forward. 

     "Fine then I'll try. " The old traveler said, looking back at his son. The son clenched his fists.

     "You dare take this from me old man?!" The young traveler said pushing his father back. "Like I would let you claim the wolf before I got a chance! Back off old man. I'll tame the wolf." 

     "Alright small one. To tame me, you must prove you can be like me. You must come hunt with me. Keep up, survive, and kill." The voice seemed more menacing, the sky seemed redder, almost stained in blood. The young traveler gulped, but retorted.

     "No! You will do as I say. You are not my master. I am yours! You are mine!" The wolf crouched and bowed to the traveler. It looked up and the voice echoed again. "As you wish master."