Where The Wild Stands

Seen

She reached into her pack and pulled out a piece of dried meat, a rare treat she had been saving for a special occasion. This wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but it would have to do. She held it out in front of her, her hand steady despite the nervous fluttering in her stomach.

“Hey,” she called softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. “You hungry?”

Kairos’s ears twitched, and he turned his head slightly, his eyes locking onto the piece of meat in her hand. He sniffed the air, taking a tentative step forward. Mara held her breath, her heart racing in her chest. She knew she was taking a risk. If the dog decided to attack, she’d have to be quick, but something told her that wasn’t going to happen.

Kairos took another step forward, his movements slow and deliberate. He stopped a few feet away from her, his eyes flicking between her face and the meat in her hand. Mara watched him carefully, noting the tension in his muscles, the way his ears were perked up and alert. He was wary, just as she was, but there was no aggression in his posture, no sign that he was about to pounce.

“Come on,” Mara coaxed, her voice soft and soothing. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”

She crouched down, lowering herself to the ground, trying to make herself appear smaller, less threatening. She kept her eyes on Kairos, watching his every move. The dog seemed to consider her for a moment, his head tilting slightly to the side as if he was trying to make a decision. Then, slowly, he took another step forward.

Mara’s breath caught in her throat as Kairos moved closer. He was only a foot away now, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. She could see the tension in his body, the way his muscles were coiled like a spring, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of danger. She held still, her heart pounding in her chest, every nerve in her body screaming at her to run, but she didn’t move. She couldn’t.

Kairos hesitated for a moment longer, then finally, he took the last step, his nose brushing against her hand as he sniffed the meat. Mara held her breath, her eyes locked on his, waiting to see what he would do. For a moment, it felt like time had stopped, the world around them fading into nothingness. There was only her, the dog, and the fragile connection between them.

Then, slowly, Kairos opened his mouth and took the piece of meat from her hand. He stepped back, his eyes never leaving hers as he chewed, his movements slow and deliberate. Mara let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, her shoulders relaxing slightly. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

“There you go,” she said softly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “See? I’m not so bad, am I?”

Kairos didn’t respond, of course, but there was something in his eyes, a flicker of understanding that sent a chill down her spine. Mara couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this dog than met the eye. She watched him closely, her mind racing with questions. Where had he come from? Why was he here? And why did he seem so different from every other animal she had encountered in the ruins?

As she watched him, Kairos finished the meat and sat back on his haunches, his eyes still locked on hers. There was a strange intensity in his gaze, a focus that seemed almost unnatural. Mara shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, her unease growing with every passing second.

“What are you?” she asked again, her voice barely more than a whisper. The question hung in the air between them, unanswered, but Mara couldn’t shake the feeling that Kairos understood her, that he knew exactly what she was asking.

For a long moment, neither of them moved, the ruins around them eerily silent. Mara could feel the weight of Kairos’s gaze on her, the intensity of his stare making her skin crawl. She wanted to look away, to break the connection, but she couldn’t. There was something about those eyes, something that held her captive, that made her feel like she was standing on the edge of a precipice, staring into the unknown.

And then, without warning, Kairos stood up. He turned away from her, his ears twitching as if he had heard something in the distance. Mara watched him, her heart racing, her mind whirling with questions. What was he doing? Where was he going?

Before she could react, Kairos took off, his movements fluid and swift as he disappeared into the shadows. Mara blinked, her mind struggling to process what had just happened. She stood there for a moment, staring after him, her thoughts a jumble of confusion and curiosity.

Then, without thinking, she took off after him. She didn’t know why she was following him, didn’t know what she hoped to find, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something important about this dog, something she needed to understand.

She moved quickly, her footsteps silent on the cracked pavement as she followed Kairos through the ruins. The dog moved with a purpose, his body low to the ground, his ears perked up and alert. Mara did her best to keep up, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as she navigated the debris-strewn streets.

As she ran, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of excitement, a thrill that she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was as if she was chasing after something important, something that could change everything. She didn’t know what it was, didn’t know what she was looking for, but she knew she had to find out.

Kairos led her through a series of narrow alleyways, the buildings on either side looming over them like silent sentinels. The air was thick and heavy, the scent of decay and damp earth filling her nostrils. Mara pushed forward, her muscles burning, her heart pounding in her chest. She could see Kairos up ahead, his dark shape barely visible in the dim light.

She followed him around a corner, her breath hitching in her throat as she nearly collided with a pile of rubble. She stumbled, her foot catching on a loose piece of concrete, but she quickly regained her balance, her eyes locked on Kairos’s retreating form. He was moving faster now, his body a blur of motion as he darted through the ruins.

Mara pushed herself harder, her legs pumping as she tried to close the distance between them. She could feel the strain in her muscles, the burning in her lungs, but she didn’t slow down. She couldn’t. She had to know where he was going, had to know what he was leading her to.

As they rounded another corner, Mara saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head, her heart leaping into her throat as she saw a figure standing in the shadows. It was a man, his face obscured by a hood, his body hidden beneath a long, tattered coat. He was watching her, his eyes glinting in the dim light.