Ravencrest Shorts and Stories

Scent Test

This wood was much denser than the one I was used to roaming back home. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a whole moose hidden somewhere in these trees. Large dogs that could escape their owners probably ran through here as well and I was instantly on my guard.

I wandered further and further into the woods desperately smelling the air. I felt like I was doing this tracking thing wrong. I went in circles always ending up back at my box. It felt like hours before I finally sat down for a break. It wouldn't be so bad if dragging a scent from the dirt wouldn't give me a migraine the size of the sun. Stupid scientists and their lack of foreplanning. I found a stream nearby and lapped as much water as I could before settling down.

I decided to stay put.

After being turned around so many times, I was certainly lost. The scientists would just have to track me down and bring me back to the lab themselves. Failed test but hey, at least I wouldn't be out here and hungry anymore. My jangling collar had scared off all of my potential prey as I wandered through. I started to drift off with my eyes slullung shut.

I heard a shuffling and instantly twisted my ears towards the sound, I sat up and continued to listen before leaping to my paws. Crackling twigs and low panting had me automatically stepping backwards. The pawsteps were not quiet and the panting wasn't hushed. I could smell more than one creature and they all smelled confident. They owned this wood and weren't afraid of anything in it. I swished my tail in fear and found myself wishing once more the scientists had the sense of mind to remove my tags. It would've made going unnoticed easier but they were so loud if I tried to run, the creatures would hear me. It's not like no one would be able to find me if they did.

Marcus did explain they had me chipped after all.

I flinched when the bushes in front of me rustled but made no attempt to run. An animal that big and that confident had to be a predator and I wasn't about to make it think I was prey or worse- an intruder looking for an ambush. I went wide eyed and stared up at the large grey she wolf that stepped into my line of sight followed by a brown wolf, another grey one and a black wolf.

'How far away from home is this forest?!' I thought to myself in blind panic. There weren't any wolves back home that I knew of. It had the hawks and falcons- sure. Mostly red-tails and perigrine falcons, the kind of birds that lived just about everywhere but wolves?

They were so much bigger than me. I swear I only came up to just below their knees. How did they get so big? Were all wolves this huge? I felt the need to file a complaint to the TV stations who made them look so small. Like seriously, I could now see how they took on deer.

The she-wolf started towards me and by reflex I stepped back shrinking away from the large predator. I had no intentions of being eaten but I think I offended her. Instantly she stopped her progress towards me and bared her teeth in a threatening manner. She growled a low warning.

"Stay still."

I shrank further away from her but stopped moving. She walked towards me and even though I knew they could all smell my fear scent, I whimpered to let her know I was afraid. She didn't respond and I started shaking with terror, this wolf was huge. She could probably finish me off as a snack in two easy bites. When she got close she towered over me like a fanged giant and I swear her blue eyes glinted with amusement.

The fear I felt was so overwhelming my legs gave out. I collapsed and whined pitifully in the hopes she'd deem me not worth her time. I continued shaking in place not at all caring about how this would look to others. Screw my reputation when a hungry giant literally stood over you.

The she-wolf regarded me with a neutral expression. Then she bent towards me and started to open her mouth exposing all of her extremely sharp teeth. I snapped my eyes shut and shivered with fear hoping she'd at least make my death quick and clean. I trembled until I felt teeth lightly grasping my scruff before I was hauled into the air. My legs churned and I shivered with shock coursing through my veins.

The she wolf straightened up and ran. I shook precariously in her mouth yet never truly in danger of being flung to neverland. She cleared the forest like it was nothing at all soaring over logs that I would struggle over or shimmy under. She splashed through large puddles that would've soaked me from head to tail just barely wetting her paws. She was so amazing and honestly I hope that one day, I can navigate the forest just like her.

She started slowing down soon enough and one of the other wolves took point when she flicked her tail. Having calmed down midway through the sprint after confirming she wouldn't eat me, I tentively sniffed the air.

I smelled the familiar scent of needles, icky medicine and sharp unnatural cleaning supplies.

My tail wagged excitedly without my permission and I started wiggling with newfound excitement. I could smell Marcus back there too! I heard nervous talking when the black wolf showed itself followed by the other wolves. Then, my she wolf walked out still carrying me like a pup. She sniffed the air before trotting to Marcus. She stared him down as if silently lecturing him before nceremonionously, she dropped me in front of him. I hit the ground with a thump and my annoying tags jangled again.

"You shouldn't leave a pup this small on her own." The She wolf informed. "If I wasn't such a nice wolf, I would've eaten her. Take care of your pup better human."

I shivered at the thought of being her lunch. Her licked my head in apology for saying it with me right there. Of course, Marcus heard none of the speech. Humans never understood when animals talked, instead he had zeroed in on my collar once he was sure the she wolf wouldn't kill him.

"We forgot the tags." Marcus announced causing him colleagues to groan in frustration. He plucked me from the ground cautiously eyeing the she wolf who brought me here and cradled me in his arms. The gray wolf huffed as if offended he would think she'd harm him.

"I'm sorry girl," he muttered. "They let me know after they had dropped you."

I yipped lightly to let him know it was okay before turning back to the she wolf. Her eyes were intelligent and filled with amusement and slight affection, the same aura of fear that had surrounded me had turned to awe.

"Thank you." I barked at her.

She cocked her head.

"You're most welcome child. Try not to get so lost in my territory next time."

I blanked for a second upon the realization I'd stumbled into an alpha female and that could have gone so wrong. Alphas weren't known to be friendly to intruders after all.

"I'm sorry miss." I told her. "I don't believe it will happen again."

She chuckled as if she already knew it bad been humans to drop me off but was humoring me and my attempts to be respectful. I felt vaguely insulted but also warm. She was treating me as if I was her own pup apologizing to her.

"See to it that it doesn't."

With that, she turned and barked for her patrol group. They fell into step behind her and she matched them out of the forest.

"Come on." Marcus said briskly as he carried me off to his car. "You need a bath."

I yawned and curled up on his lap as he drove home.