Rose,Their Obsession

Chapter 3 : The Big Bad Wolf

  I am so enthralled with my rose, that I fail to hear the commotion ahead of us. 

Villagers running towards us, passing us, urging us to turn around and make a run for it!

 What they say, does not register with me immediately.        

 The one moment I am blissfully happy and the next, I freeze with terror and shock as a big black wolf, almost as huge as Lilly, rounds the corner. I say good-buy to my life, as I realise I am obstructing its path to freedom, when it suddenly stops,  mere steps in front of me. I hear it's harsh breathing, the slime dripping from its mouth due to the hard pace it was running. I see the movements of its body, as it tries to take in slower breaths. It sniffs the air for something or someone and it's pitch black eyes, travels from my toes up my body until those steely, hard, black eyes lands on my face, making eye contact with my big, doe brown, terror frozen eyes.       The hair on my skin prickles to attention. I know this is no ordinary wolf. I have never in my eighteen years of life encountered such a massively, huge wolf. 

I went hunting with Father since I was 5 years old and had my first kill with my bow and arrow the next year! I'm a seasoned hunter for my age and I hunt almost every day and never have I encountered a creature like this in the forest!       

 If I want to stretch out my hand, I would be able to touch its vicious looking teeth. The wolf looks at me and I could have sworn, that I see recognition, in those eyes. Crazy right! Most probably my imagination running wild with me! 

The wolf snarls violently and viciously. 

 Out of instinct, I reach for my bow and arrow that is normally strapped, to my back. My hand touch air and I realise with horror that I don't have my babies with me! Darn, the only day I literally took off from using them, is becoming the day I desperately need them!             

The snarl of the wolf, becomes more vicious and I notice that its eyes, have zeroed in, on Grey and I 's entwined fingers. The wolf gives a step closer, utters a murderous growl, its only focus, Grey. As the wolf is about to attack Grey, I loosen my grip from Grey's hand and steps between him and the wolf, using my body as shield to protect Grey from an imminent  vicious attack.            

 I don't know where I got the courage from! Call me stupid, but I start to talk to the wolf. I can hear my heart pound frantically in my rib cage, as I take a step closer, a step closer to the pitch black giant of a wolf, I almost whisper, "Please Mr. black wolf, don't bite my friend and I. We mean you no harm." I manage to utter in a small, soft voice. I want to laugh out loud hysterically as I know what I am doing is insane and most probably the last moments of my life on mother earth! To my utter surprise the wolf stops and those steely black eyes, puts its sharp lazer focus back on me. I swear it understands me, as it stops to snarl and assesses me from top to toe a second time.     

      I reach out with my hand and touch its head with trembling fingers, rubbing its thick fur, while whispering words of comfort. The wolf freeze, literally freezes! If I was not that scared, I would have thought, that I have given it a fright, by my mere touch. The wolf does not move a muscle and after a little while it leans into my touch, as if it is enjoying every stroke, every touch where my fingers glides over its thick fur. Almost as if it's life depends on this moment only, my fingers brushing and stroking its thick fur, while my voice is softly trying to coach the big bad beast into submission.            

It feels like ages, that I am touching and stroking his thick fur, trying to calm the beast of terror, but actually, it is merely seconds. All of a sudden, I'm ripped from my spot, loosing the impact of touch with the wolf. Grey yanks me away from the wolf and yelling that I should get back and stay back! As the wolf readies to attack Grey, the Elite Soldiers of the Creak appear in their masses trying to corner the wolf. With one last look at me, the wolf gives a massive leap over our heads and runs off into the forrest. The speed with which it runs is out of this world! I swear, I only blinked my eyes and it was gone!