Wild Hearts

All he could hear was the crunch of the snow under his feet, breath fogging up into small clouds in front of his face, fogging his vision. Trees ran past his vision on either side of him. Hot liquid ran down his face, bow in his left hand and a dagger in his right. One large howl rang out behind him, claws and paws smashing the snow behind, chasing after him. Barking, growling, howling. His own heart racing, trying to climb up into his throat.

    Keith came to a lake, frozen over from the freezing cold. Snow, however, covered the ice; blocking his vision of the slippery substance below.

    “I can make it….I can make it…”

    Just as his foot hit the snow, he slipped, falling face first down while his whole body slid on the ice; dropping his bow in the process. Just as he fell, one of the wolves locked its powerful jaw around his ankle, sinking its teeth into the skin; blood pouring into the snow like a waterfall.

    A shrill Shriek rang out from Keith’s mouth, head falling back onto the snow while his black hair fell onto the snow, crusted over with blood that was dripping from a gash in the side of his head. Keith twisted his body, getting onto his back and using his free foot, kicking the wolf in the face. With a yelp, the wolf let go, falling and sliding on the ice.

    Keith got onto his knees, reaching out for his bow, wrapping his now frostbitten fingers around the wood of the bow, the curvature fitting perfecting into his bloody grasp. Standing up, Blood running out from his leg, he pulled an arrow from the holder on his back and aiming. The six wolves now surrounding him on the ice, the largest of the pack standing straight in from of him.

    A stern, strong look settled on Keith’s face, staring straight into the eyes of the alpha. The leader of the pack, having a purple tint to its fur, eyes yellow with a tint of red, pupils looking just like a venomous snake; waiting to kill its prey. Keith pulled the arrow back, aiming straight between the wolves eyes. Keith closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath just as a gust of wind blew against him. Opening his eyes, time seemed to slow down. Keith looked back to the alpha, who was walking closer to Keith be the minute. Keith’s hand slowly let go of the arrow, the arrow flying. His vision suddenly becoming a crimson red as he started to fall going to the side and down as the ice broke under him. Vision going from crimson to black in an instant.

    “This is it...I did my job. This is the end for me…”

    Just as he felt himself fading away into the darkness, a firm hand suddenly grasped his wrist. His body being pulled into a warm embrace. Keith opened his eyes; his sight landing on the man who saved him, body toned with muscle and he had white hair, a scar over the bridge of his nose. Everything suddenly became bright, vision being obscured.

***

“H..y...Hey...HEY! Stay with me! Wake up!”

Keith’s eyes shot open, his body suddenly needing air. Keith started to cough, rolling onto his side as he coughed. Hard.

“Woah! Take it easy. Try and take a couple deep breaths. You’re safe now.”

    Keith coughed still, nodding at the man's words, taking a couple deep breaths. Soon he was able to relax, laying back on the what seemed to be a skin blanket. Blinking a few times, Keith came to his senses, looking around. The place was traditional, silk skins lined most of the furniture, not being enough to unsettle a person, however.

    The man sitting next to him let out a sigh, grabbing a small cloth and dunking it in some hot water. His muscles shining from the light of the fire that was in the far corner of the cabin.

“You had me worried there for a second. I thought you were a goner,” he said, placing the rag on the forehead of the raven-haired male laying before him.