Wolf's Heart

The roar had the black Creature pausing, his head tilting for a few seconds before he turned his eyes back on me and snarled again. My chest tightened as he resumed his pulling, dragging me further into the forest while Katima was still fighting the brown Creature. I screamed again, but this one was cut short when the Creature turned on me, growling and snaping until I quieted down into a whimper.

He pulled again and I fell forward, catching myself before I sprawlled on the ground. The Creature pulled harder and forced me deeper into the forest until I could no longer see Katima. I tried to fight him, tried to pull my arm from his grasp, but he just tightened his grip which forced his nails deeper into my skin. I cried out at the pain and felt more tears stream down my cheeks.

I can still hear Katima fighting, but her growls are getting fainter and fainter as the black male pulled me further and further away. Dirt and twigs stuck to my feet, cutting into my soles and making every step painful.

My foot caught on a tree root and I found my face being dragged across the forest floor when I fell, the black Creature not even glancing at me or letting me right myself. More dirt and leaves covered me when I was suddenly released, the Creature’s nails ripping from my flesh causing me to scream out with the pain. I felt the ground vibrate around me as roars and growls erupted everywhere.

Animal-like screams were everywhere, the sounds causing chills to spread over me. A clawed hand grabbed my unwounded wrist and gave a gentle tug, helping me to sit up so that I was no longer sprawled on the ground. Looking up I see Katima beside me, still in her Creature form. She had blood splatter over her and what looked like a nasty wound on her shoulder, but other than that she seemed alright. Behind her was her father, in his Creature form as well.

Hearing the screaming get louder I turn back around and watch as Ulric fought the black Creature, his animal bigger and stronger. He had the Creature pinned to the ground, his razor sharp talons digging into the Creature’s throat. Ulric roared right in the Creature's face and twisted his hands, effectively breaking the Creature throat.

Even after the Creature stopped moving Ulric continued to roar, his body shaking with furry while his claws shredded the dead Creature's flesh. I stared in shock, never seeing this side of Ulric before, the side Katima had called Clarence. The other times he had saved me he only did enough damage to get me safely away, but not this time. This time he wouldn’t stop mutilating the body, not even after life had left it.

I slowly stood to my feet, slightly limping from where the root had twisted my ankle. Letting go of Katima’s hand I walk toward Ulric, making sure to be careful. I called out his name, but it was like he couldn’t hear me, too focused on tearing the Creature to the tiniest of pieces. Stopping at his side I placed my hand on his arm, careful not to get caught by his tearing claws.

“Ulric, please. Stop.”

At my touch Ulric paused, his hands still gripping the body. He slowly turned his head and blinked at me; his roars and growls quieting as he released the Creature. I stepped back to allow him to move away, gasping in shock when he suddenly pressed his face against my chest. Smiling I wrap my arms around his muzzle, rubbing my face against his soft fur.

He grumbled gently, then pulled away and licked at my wrist. I swallowed as his tongue pulled at my torn flesh, silencing the pain filled groan that tried to get out. He then looked down at my foot and sniffed the bruising that colored my ankle. This time he roared and turned back to the dead Creature, lifting his giant hand to tear through him again. Before he could I placed my hand back on his arm.

“Don’t. He can’t feel the pain anymore, it’s no use.”

He growled and lifted me into his arms, carrying me past his sister and father. I thought he was taking me back to the Creature colony, but I didn’t recognize any of the trees or rocks. He wasn’t following any of the trails, instead just making his own as he climb higher up the mountain. He stopped walking when his father appeared before him, growling and showing his teeth.

Kyros gestured in a different direction, I’m assuming back to the camp, but Ulric just growled and walked around him. I watched Kyros over Ulric’s shoulder as the Creature sighed. Katima joined him and together they walked away, heading back where they came from. Sighing myself I lay my head against Ulric’s chest, his warmth comforting me even as my wrist and ankle throbbed.

After a few more minutes of walking, Ulric sat me down on a flat rock and moved away to rip a vine from one of the trees. I watched in shock as he then gathered the appropriate leaves and walked back to me. He placed them on another rock and then mixed them together like I had done for my shoulder wound, adding the vine paste at the end. Once finished he gently took my wrist and applied the paste, rubbing softly so that he wouldn’t cause any extra pain.

Once my wrist was properly covered he moved to my ankle, applying some paste there to heal it as well. Surprise filled me as I realized Ulric had been paying more attention to what I had been doing than I thought. The fact that he remembered the ingredients and how to make the paste was proof enough that he watched my every move. When he was done with my ankle he gently lowered it, adding more paste to his fingers. I frowned when he applied it to a spot on his side. I hadn’t noticed that he’d been hurt, guilt spreading through me as I realized he had carried me here with a deep claw wound. It had to have been painful, but once again Ulric put my health and wellbeing before his.

When he was done with the paste he wiped his hand clean on the grass, making sure to get all the paste off before he turned back to me. Emotions filled me, so many of them that I couldn’t focus on just one. Instead of trying I leaned into Ulric, wrapping my arms around him. He grumbled deeply and embraced me back, his arms warm and safe.

“Thank you,” I whispered against his chest, hoping he understood just how much emotion that simple ‘thank you’ carried.