Love - Gone to the dogs...well, wolves

I walked through the trees happily, further and further away from civilization.....again. I had been doing this for years now and it hadn't really gotten me anywhere. Yet, I learned some life lessons out here on my own.I learned how to hunt for my own food. To cook for myself. How to take care of myself, to stay out of the way of danger. And NOT to touch humans. They always thought me to be sick because of my temperature. She rolled her eyes. They knew nothing I stopped suddenly, my nose in the air. A wolf, not too far off in the distance. Male. Not full grown. And he hadn’t caught on to her scent yet, that she was for sure about. The wind was blowing his scent towards her and sending her scent the other wayHe wouldn't catch on until she got closer. She crouched down low......and phased. Her blonde hair flipped into a white, cream color and grew out long, covering her whole body in silky fur. She sprouted a tail and wolf ears, paws and a wolf nose. She trotted closer to the scent of the unfamiliar wolf. It didn't smell just wolf, but she couldn't place anything else. She crouched in the bushes, studying him.

He had scraggly, russet fur and he looked wary, like he didn’t trust the world anymore. A rush of sorrow over took me, even though I didn’t even know this lone wolf. It was a new feeling to me. I normally deliberately tried to avoid other beings.

Before I could turn and return to my temporary cave, the wolf turned sharply and glared at me. I mentally kicked myself. I had stayed far too long and he had noticed my presence. I sighed and walked out into the clearing, giving up on flee-or-hide.

He snarled at me, his tail between his legs. I whined an apology and dipped my head lower. When he quit baring his teeth and stood up right, my courage buoyed. “I haven’t seen you around here before. What brings you up North?” she asked, tilting her wolf head.

He grunted, but didn’t make much of it. He didn’t want to talk to me, that much I could tell. I sighed. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you don’t smell exactly….wolf,” I said in a quiet tone.

When he spoke, it was half of a growl and hoarse. He hadn’t spoken to anyone in a long time, that much was obvious. “That’s because I’m not exactly wolf,” he said.

“Yeah? Then what are you?”

“That’s none of your business,” he growled.

“Well, if you’re going to be staying in my territory for the time being, then it is,” she said. Actually, she was a lone wolf and she didn’t stay in one spot for a long time. But she tended to stay around this general area.

He grunted and didn’t say anything. I sighed.

“I’m Wolf. Wolf Bridger,” I said, taking a step closer. I glanced down at my paws, which were now covered in burrs and thorns. I tried to take notice.

He mumbled something I couldn’t comprehend even with my wolf ears. “Excuse me… Could you repeat that?”

“I’m Jake,” he said, not meeting my gaze.

“Jake….okay. Nice to meet you Jake.” When he didn’t reply, I walked around him. His eyes watched my every movement even though he was trying to be stealthy about it. “How long have you been traveling? You look like you haven’t rested in days! ….or groomed yourself,” I said, eyeing him

He shrugged. “A while,” he said through his teeth.

I frowned. He wasn’t being very open. “You need to rest. I know a place if you’re interested. I bet it’s better than any other place you’ve been,” I said, flashing a fanged smile.

“Yeah, right. You’re just a wolf,” he said grumpily.

“Am I?” I said, right before I leapt over the bushes. I trotted a short ways away then paused to see if he’d come. He was a bit hesitant, but he was tempted to follow. I could feel it.

I walked to my cave, the one I nearly always stayed at when I ventured back into the area. The front of the cave was just a normal cave. I studied it as I paused in front of it. My ears flicked back to the rustling of bushes - Jake was following me.

I bounded into the cave and pounced onto my favorite couch. It was a little old, but it was the most comfortable couch I’d ever sitten on. That’s why I dragged it all the way there.

I heard padded footsteps pacing in front of the cave entrance, no doubt who that could be. I smiled to myself and invited him in.

“I have food and a place to rest,” I offered him. I had absolutely no idea why I was being so generous and hospitable. It was….weird.

He walked into the firelight and looked around. He walked over to the chair against the wall in the back of the cave and climbed up slowly.

“There’s fish and chicken in the back,” I said, nodding to a large cooler in the back.

He nodded and drifted off into sleep without a word