Author's Note: Hey guys! Hope you're liking where the story's going so far. This part is one of my favorites. Thanks for all the votes and comments! If you see any grammar mistakes please leave me a comment and I'll fix it as soon as possible. Now let's see how Charlie does against some wolves...
-Saturn
The more you move, the easier it is for animals to pick up your scent. Fear is also something that heightens your scent. But fear was the only thing giving Charlie the boost he needed to keep away from them. He surprised himself that he could remember so much right at that very moment. His brain always did work well under pressure, but he never tested it on something that threatened his life.
It certainly didn't work with Evon.
The fact that Max had turned into a wolf still burned into his head. He couldn't see much of him due to the thrashing of the wolf fight. All he could see was the red fur that looked rather familiar. When he changed it was all within a second. It happened so fast he was surprised that he could see it all. Even looking right at him, there was so much movement going on that Charlie could have missed it all if he blinked. It horrified him even more when he realized that those popping and cracking noises were most likely his bones breaking and growing.
He thought he had been free of the wolves when he was thinking about all of this. But then he heard more paws hitting the ground and he was running yet again. His lungs burned as the cold air rushed in and out of them. He was glad that his bruises had healed for the most part. But they loved poking their little heads up right then just to remind him that they still hurt.
He hadn't known just how many wolves had snuck up on them. There were two that were attacking Max when he left, and, from what he could tell, there were two that were tracking him down at the moment. But it seemed like there was even more than that in these woods alone.
And here he was thinking that all the wolves in this forest were friendly. He got lucky the last time.
Charlie knew that he couldn't outrun a wolf. He couldn't climb trees well enough in his condition either. So, instead, he had been going to every tree and touching it. Hopefully his scent being everywhere would throw them off long enough for him to get some distance between them. He had also been using the trees to dodge the wolves' attacks. If he weaved in and out of those thick trunks, it would take longer for them to maneuver through them because they were bigger than him.
It was either brilliant, or idiotic. Either way, it was the only thing that he could think of. And, at the moment, he didn't really have much to lose. He had to try something.
At first, he thought of running back to the mansion. But then he thought of all the people that he had met there. They couldn't defend themselves against wolves. And what would happen to the ones that were outside at the time? What if word didn't get out to them in time to come inside? No. He'd rather try and lose them through the woods and then find the mansion later than to cause so much havoc. So, he ran deeper into the woods. He didn't know that much about the forest when it came to this part. But he was sure he could navigate through them when he needed to find his way back. He had gotten lost in the woods before.
A howl snapped Charlie back to reality. He had been running this entire time, but the wolves were still close behind him. His body was in survival mode now. Adrenaline was pumping through his legs to make them move faster than they ever did before.
Looks like the scent thing didn't work out too well. He heard the heavy paws of the two wolves like an elephant stampede. His heart quickened as they seemed to get closer and closer. It wouldn't be too long before one of them pounced on him.
He took a sharp turn. Just like he had hoped, he heard the loud crack of a tree being hit, and a sharp whine. He had out-maneuvered one of them at least. There was no time to look back and make sure that he had actually gotten one, so he wasn't entirely sure.
He heard the rushing sound of a river and ran towards it. He might not be the best climber, but he was a great swimmer. And wolves usually weren't. It sounded like it had a strong current, but Charlie was sure he could handle it. His ribs burned at the thought of extra work, but the rest of his body carried him towards it anyway.
The woods were thick where he had run to. There were so many trees that the sun could just barely make it through. As dark as it was, Charlie could still see his way around. It made it all the more easier to see the clearing that he could only guess was to the riverbank.
He made it through the clearing. The river was in sight. But, before he could jump into the water, one of the wolves seemed to appear out of thin air. It jumped in front of him, blocking him from the river that roared behind them. They were smart wolves, he had to admit. It seemed like they knew exactly what he was planning.
He never thought wolves could get this big. Now that he was able to look at one up close like this, he realized that it was almost as big as the red one he had met that acted like a puppy. They both must have been from different packs. How Charlie had lasted this long running away from the dark brown wolf was surprising to say the least.
Instinctively, Charlie tried to run back into the forest. But the entrance that he came from was now blocked by the second wolf that had been chasing him. They started circling him with hungry eyes.
This pack must not have been in the best of shape. The two wolves looked raged and skinny in comparison. Like they hadn't eaten in a long time. The muscle on their legs were noticeable, even with the hunger in their eyes.
Brown wolves weren't usually native to these parts. These two must have been traveling for food. A part of him wanted to try and see if he could talk them down, but the looks in their eyes told him that it wouldn't work.
There were so many things he wished he had been able to do in his life. He wanted to have a family and a good job. He wished that he had been able to go off on his boss for all the crap the man put him through.
He wished he had actually kissed Max again. That was his first kiss. And now it was going to be his last.
One of them lunged for him. He put his arms up to protect his face. He closed his eyes and prepared for the pain that he was about to be subject to. Hopefully it would be quick. Instead of feeling any pain, however, he heard a growl from somewhere else. Curiosity got the better of him and he opened his eyes and looked past his arms.
A blond wolf had come into the clearing. He must have caught one of the brown ones in mid-air. Because Charlie wasn't hurt at all. And he saw that wolf jump at him. Both of the wolves were now attacking the blond one. He should have taken that time to his advantage and started running again, but something stopped him.
He recognized this wolf. It was one of the one's he first met near the city. But he didn't understand why they would be so far out here. Was their territory that big, or were they just traveling to hunt when he saw them last?
A loud snap of a bone breaking brought him back to the fight that was taking place. The blond wolf had one of the brown ones' necks in his mouth. With that one now limp and lifeless, the blond let go of it and started snapping its bloody teeth at the other wolf. Blood was everywhere. The rocks and dirt were now covered in it, along with all the wolves at this point. He couldn't be sure which wolf was in the worst condition.
Another snap and he got his answer. The other brown one was limp and dropped to the ground just as easily as his brother. There was some heavy breathing from the surviving wolf. It was an intense few seconds as Charlie realized that he didn't know whether he was going to attack him as well. Then it slowly turned to him.
He should have run right there, but something told him to stay. It wasn't really telling him anymore; it was making him. His legs were planted on the ground and his lungs were screaming as he tried to catch his breath.
Chocolate brown eyes stared at him. They didn't look hungry like the other wolves. He looked much healthier than them. Those eyes looked soft. They reminded him of Sam's eyes: soft and gentle, but strong and protective. They had the same color too.
Then the wolf collapsed on the ground. The dark brown eyes barely visible as the wolf sighed. Charlie's legs moved him closer to the wolf. His mind too curious about the one that saved him. That's when he noticed the bites.
He was injured. Badly. Dark red blood was seeping out of the once light fur.
"Hey, buddy," he put his hand on the top of its head. It was soft. A small growl escaped its muzzle and Charlie removed his hand. "It's okay," he assured. "I need to clean your wounds, okay buddy?"
The wolf looked at him cautiously. But it didn't take too long before it put its head under his hand again. He took that as a thumbs up to help the animal and smiled.
Charlie then looked around him. The river was beautiful. There were so many plants and flowers around it.
He started off by taking off his jacket and bringing it to the river. He really felt bad that he was going to ruin a brand new leather jacket, but it was the only thing he had that was thick enough to carry water in it. With a quick dip in the river, he lifted it up and carried the water back to the wolf.
"This is going to be cold, buddy," he warned. The wolf whined a bit once he poured it on him, but allowed it. After a few more trips to the river, most of the caked in blood was out and he could see the wounds easier.
"These guys really tried to do some damage," he said. The bite wounds were the worst. They were deep and still bleeding a fair amount.
Looking around, Charlie saw some aloe plants just by the base of the river. Aloe vera didn't usually grow there naturally. The fact that it did survive the different climate proved that it was hardy. Charlie grabbed as much of it as he could find and mixed it with some goldenrod flowers. Both were good for helping the blood clot up and wounds to heal.
"Well, you should smell nice and pretty after this," he joked. He used the gel-like substance to force the fur around the wounds back. Getting fur in a healing wound was never good. The aloe would help disinfect the wounds too. It wasn't as good as the medicine that doctors and vets had, but it worked in sticky situations like this one.
"Just think about the pups in your pack," Charlie rambled on. He had taken his T-shirt off to use it to wipe off more blood and add pressure to the wounds. Talking was a great distraction from the cold breeze. "They'll probably think you rolled around in a flower field. Maybe they'll get jealous. I mean, what pup doesn't want to roll in a bunch of flowers?"
He stopped when he heard the wolf whine.
"Ah, so you have pups of your own," he replied. He had no idea whether the whine was a response of what he was saying or the poor wolf was just in a lot of pain. But he just went with it.
The wolf whined again.
Man, there were some smart wolves in this forest.
"It's okay, buddy. You'll see them again. They're going to be so happy to see you that they won't even wonder why you smell like flowers." He brought the jacket back to the river and filled it up. This time he brought it up to the wolf's face. He cradled the jacket in his lap and dropped a few handfuls onto the wolfs mouth.
"Sorry I don't have a bowl or fresher water," he was glad when the wolf started drinking out of his hand. It was a good sign that he wasn't in too bad of shape. "Usually when I go on hikes, I make sure to pack a bunch of things. You never know what you're going to need in the forest. But this time around I wasn't even thinking. Maybe I could have offered those guys some jerky or something."
A small wheeze came from the wolf and Charlie smiled.
"So, you're the one I made laugh before. I knew I recognized you!"
The wolf let out a sharp breath and looked at him. Its eyes looked amused until it looked down at his torso.
"Don't be worried about me, buddy," he pet his head. "I'm just healing from a wrestling match."
Another wheeze come from the blond wolf, this time it was much louder than before.
"You act so much like a dad, you know that? Even when it comes to laughing about me wrestling." He got up to check on his wounds. They had stopped bleeding for the most part, but there was still one that was seeping a little bit.
"Hey, buddy. I think you need to howl for your pack," he told him. "It's going to be a while before you can get up on your own."
The wolf really tried getting up. But as soon as it lifted itself up a little bit, it collapsed back down onto the ground.
"Woah there, you don't have to try and get up. You aren't healing fast enough for that."
Charlie sighed as he tried to figure out what to do. He could have tried to call someone if he had his phone on him. He would have easily used his last few minutes on trying to get help for the both of them. But he doubted he would even get service way out here.
Looking at the river, he noticed a fish closer to the edge of the river bank. Using his jacket, he corralled the little guy to the sand and caught him when he tried to swim away. He let the fish squirm in the jacket until it died.
He pulled out his pocket knife and descaled it. It didn't take long considering it was such a small fish. He got lucky that he could catch anything without any string. Fishing was something he loved doing when he had more time on his hands.
"Well, I got you some sushi," he went back to the wolf. He cut a strip off of it and put it by its nose. "I know it's only a tiny one, but I don't exactly have a fishing pole on me."
The light brown nose sniffed the meat he offered and then snapped it out of his hands. He flinched a little at how fast the animal was, but relaxed as he saw the wolf practically swallow the tiny strip he had offered.
"Wow. Someone likes seafood," he smiled. He gave it to him piece by piece just so he could pick out the small bones that were in it. "Remind me to never take you fishing. You'd wind up eating all the fish as soon as I caught it."
The wolf licked his hands as he finished it off.
Once he was done, he tried to stand up again. Charlie tried to stop him, but the wolf was bigger than him, and seemed to insist.
This time, he was successful in standing up. He stood sturdy on his paws that were almost as big as Charlie's head. Then he lifted up his head and let out a long, low howl.