The Naturalistic

CHAPTER 23

Goosebumps rise all over me as I hear the crumbling of dry leaves beneath their paws, they are moving closer towards us.

"They can sniff blood?" I ask.

"Yes." Sam answers, "That's the reason they are predators."

"But if they can. . ." I start, "Why didn't they find us when I stabbed Rick?" I turn toward him and whisper, "I am so really sorry about it."

"That's all right." Rick laughs and continues, "And they didn't find us because we weren't that deep inside the dark woods which we are right now and which exactly is their home."

"Oh. . ." I trail off. "Now I understand it."

"Guys." Sam interrupts. "They still are all around us and we still are trapped."

"Right." I shake my head.

"What else superpowers have they got?" I ask. "Can they pop a rabbit out of a hat?"

"What? No!" Sam squeaks. "You both have the power of Fire element, use that to scare them away." As soon as she completes saying it, Rick's hands blaze up with fire and they now growl with more anger.

"No, no, no." I stop him. "You aren't scaring them, you are just making them angrier and also you'll burn down the forest if that flame touches anything in here, so put it out." And he sincerely obeys me.

As soon as Rick puts the fire out, they step out of the woods and come to our visibility and they are nothing as monstrous as imagined them to be.

"Night creatures are nothing but white wolfs?" I ask.

"Why do you sound so disappointed?" Sam asks in confusion. "Also white wolfs still can tear us apart into pieces with there jaws."

One of them takes a step forward growling at. . . Me. Amazing I'm going to be their first dish.

I once again fish out the dagger from beneath the hem of my pants and clutch it firmly in my hand.

"If you simply let us go, I promise, we won't harm any of you," I say.

"They don't understand you honey," Sam mutters.

The one approaching towards me stops growling and his gaze shifts to the dagger in my hand.

"Or maybe they do" I say as I slowly place my dagger down without breaking the stare between me and the wolf.

"Holy sandwiches!" Sam exclaims. "Y-you can. . . talk to them?"

"No," I answer. "We can't talk to each other but. . ." I pause. "But somehow they can understand me."

"How-w?" Sam stutters.

"Naturalistic," Rick mutters.

"Now I'm jealous, You have amazing powers," Sam says.

"Yes," I whisper and glance at my hands. "Amazing."

I get down on my knees and bring one hand forward in the wolf's direction. "I promise we won't hurt you," I speak as softly as I can.

He looks in my eyes and then shifts his gaze at my hand. "Promise," I whisper once more.

He takes a step forward and hesitates for a moment but then walks towards me and gently place his head on my hand. A wide grin spreads across my face as he gets more comfortable with me. I start scratching the back of his ear softly and he whimpers at my touch.

"What is it?" I ask and as he turns his head in the other direction I realise there's a wound behind his left ear. "Oh," I whisper. "You are hurt. . . Let me heal you."