I woke up to the sound of my mother screaming.
A loud shriek could be heard from the kitchen and I immediately jumped up out of bed onto my feet, which was interesting because I usually slept through this.
I got changed and decided to wear my favourite jeans and my favourite black T-shirt, I must have worn this same outfit for the past 3 weeks or so.
I sighed heavily before leaving the safety of my room.
Bright light hit my face as I entered the corridor, I guess it must be a pretty good day, and sure enough as I entered the kitchen I could already feel the warmth of the sun starting to warm me up.
“Tilyer, quick, help, NOW!” she said rapidly and shouted the last word.
“Yeah, what?” I said unemotionally as I could, right now I really didn’t care.
“There is a rat in the garden.” She said slowly, trying to calm herself down.
I stood there, motionless, speechless even. “What the heck do you want me to do about it? It’s gone now anyways.” I shrugged it off and grabbed the milk from the fridge; I hesitated and put it back.
“Ugh, honestly, your attitude has to change.” She said angrily and rather annoyed at me.
“Sorry” I paused “... by the way, I'm going out today, I got no homework and I have plans with friends and I said I’d help Jerry out with something.” I said as I left the kitchen, it wasn’t all lies. Yes I did have homework, and shamefully, I had a lot of it, no I didn’t have plans with friends, but I had said to Jerry I would help him with his deer problem, so I was going to do that.
“Have fun.” my mom shouted from the kitchen. I guess she gave up trying to stop me from going out, and anyways, I wasn’t going to be on my laptop so I guess she found relief in me going outside.
“I will.” I said as I smiled to myself, I was gonna have fun alright.
I grabbed my backpack checking I still had everything in there and it did so I slipped my shoes on and headed out of the door. I ran all the way to Jerry’s house and it seemed slightly easier than last time. I guess my stamina was beginning to get better than it already was, could this be to do with shifting and being a wolf?
The forest held a haven of smells and sounds that I loved so much, this could never compare to a trip I had gone on, we went to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming one summer and I fell in love with it. Yellowstone must have been the most stunning place I had ever visited.
I got up to the door and knocked on the door only to hear Carla shout
“It’s open Tilyer, come in.”
“Thanks” I shouted back as I went through the door.
“Hello Tilyer, so what are you up to today?” Jerry asked me as he peered over his newspaper.
“Oh well I just wanted to let you know I'm going into the woods and I'm going to try my hand at hunting, or should I say paw.” I smiled at Jerry; I loved the fact he knew who I was.
“Sounds good, tell me if you get anything.” He replied as he lifted his newspaper once more.
“Will do.” I said as I turned back around “See you later...” I said hesitating on if I should tell him about the man on the hill, in the end I decided against it and headed out of the door and started to run to the bunker.
When I got there I smiled gratefully and crawled inside on all fours, I was acting like a wolf as a human. I don’t know why but I found comfort in this new me, it was as if I had finally found that part of me I had been searching for all my life.
I threw my backpack inside, undid my belt and took off my shirt. I crouched and concentrated hard on becoming a wolf, I was happy and I smiled and all of a sudden the pain engulfed me, wow that was quick... like seriously quick. I had been crouching for a mere minute and I shifting, this time it was quick and the pain didn’t last long at all.
This time I didn’t black out and I didn’t lose my vision, it simply blurred for a bit and I managed to stay conscious for the whole thing, it was amazing, the pain was starting to be replaced with a feeling I really don’t have words for but it felt great.
I smiled and kicked off my jeans then shaking my tail, clothes really didn’t feel good when you were a wolf.
I stepped out into the forest and smiled, I loved this life. I absolutely loved this.
Suddenly my thoughts were invaded by a grumbling sound, I looked around puzzled until I realised it was my own stomach, I guess I was hungry.
“Time to hunt.” I told myself as I ran to the lookout. The deer had gone from yesterday but I could still smell her, I tore down the hill following the scent and followed the river, each stride I took brought my closer to the deer and the scent became stronger.
I slowed down to a trot when I heard a doe call out.
My heart started to beat faster as my breakfast/lunch came into view, a big doe stood by the water, drinking. She looked up and I thought she saw me until a pheasant walked in front of her on the opposite side of the river bank. I sighed in relief; it was weird to sigh as a wolf.
I crept closer and closer.
“Snap” a single sound, that made both me and the doe freeze on the spot, I had just stepped on a twig, dang it. I kept creeping closer but she didn’t know what I was, she started to walk away thinking I was another foolish dog, a pet who knew nothing more than to chase sticks people threw and that’s when I let out a growl and made a run for it.
I sprinted hard and fast towards her, she starting to run and it looked like she was on springs, seriously, deer have always amazed me for this however I managed to catch up to her and as I came up to her left side I stared into her eyes, I could see the fear and worry.
Next thing I knew the world spun round and I had a mouth full of dirt. I had tripped and this made me realise I wasn’t as good as I thought I was, I still messed up even as a wolf and I realised I might need some training or practise to get used to this.
I let out a loud, deep, angry growl as I got up and started to sprint again, I wasn’t going to let her get away like this.
She got out of my sight for a few moments but she couldn’t hide her scent, it was filled with fear, the smell of fear and worry. I caught up to her as she was going through some high ferns; I darted between them and hung low to the ground.
When we got out I realised she was now going back near the valley and the lookout.
Just my luck, it was pretty open and I could kill her more easily than I initially thought.
I slalomed between the trees as she swerved between them.
She ran out into the open and I took my chance, I got up close to her right side and leaped at her neck, digging my fangs into her windpipe and sinking my claws into her side to hold on.
She tripped and fell onto her side causing me to roll over nearly being crushed by her.
I got back up to see the poor thing still alive, it wasn’t a pleasant sight and I knew she was suffering so I bit down on her neck as hard as I could, crushing her windpipe and damaging the spinal cord.
I took two steps back and gazed upon my first hunt and first kill. I really did it, I knew now I was never going to be the same. I was a killer, an animal; I was no longer who I used to be.
I was still me inside, but I had changed and I was proud.
I lifted my head and let out a long howl.
This was who I was, this was me, I was the wolf, and I was an animal, and I was proud to be who I was. For the first time in my life I was actually proud of who I was and I smiled at this.
I bent down and tore a piece of flesh from the does shoulder. I ate away at her body for a bit until I was full and then decided I would go rest. I looked up to the lookout and thought it would be a good place to just lay down and think, I walked up to the lookout and decided to rest my eyes.
I closed my eyes and let all my thoughts leave me, and I think I fell asleep for a bit, I woke up and opened my eyes. Dang It I had fallen asleep, I stood up and stretched, and as I looked down I could see the doe I had killed and eaten half hidden in the shade from the trees, and next to her was a man... WAIT, what? A man, no it couldn’t be.
I focused on the man and he looked almost identical to the one I had seen that morning, but how could I be sure? Was this really the man on the hill? It might just be anyone else. My answer came quickly as he looked up at me, nodded and turned around and started to run. I would have chased him but I decided against it in case it wasn’t who I thought he was.
I got up and started to walk back to the bunker, my life was never going to be the same, now I was complete, I was whole, and I was me.