The Running Wolf

Soon, the effects of the tranquilizer began to wear off.

Nova groaned as her eyes gradually adjusted to the light. She could make out a small house. But she felt a little lightheaded while trying to move.

Then Finally, she opened her eyes, and she saw that she was in a large, metal cage with steel bars just outside the house. She was trapped.

“Noooooo” she said as she held on to the bars. “No” she tugged at it as she tried to break the metal bars. But it wouldn't bulge.

Still feeling a little lightheaded, she looked around but couldn't make out anything except blurred figures. Their words were muffled and distant.

Nova's hand suddenly went to her head, and as soon as she touched her head, a wave of pain passed through her entire body like a current. Next, her head began to ring loudly. The loud ringing sound was sharp, it came from inside her as it pierced her ears.

While she desperately tried to block out the dreadful sound. She also tried to close her ears with her palms and then closed her eyes for a split second. But it proved futile as the sound didn't reduce or stop. Instead, it just kept getting louder and louder as if it wanted to explode her ears.

What was happening to her? Why was she trapped?! Why couldn't she make the ringing stop? She began to panic.

And then, when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, the ringing suddenly stopped. The silence was almost deafening as it decreased.

Finally, Nova slowly lowered her hands from her ears. She looked ahead and made out a figure with her eyes. Everything around seemed normal again. The surroundings were quiet and the only sound was the distant call of birds.

Soon after, Nova took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. Then, assess the situation. What had just happened? Why was she in a cage? Where is Aria? She had no idea.

First, she slowly recalled her memories from the moment Aria was taken by the naked man. Then, when she met that wolf….

Immediately, her eyes widened as she remembered her encounter with the hunters. She examined her hands and realized she was still in wolf form.

She knew she needed to get out of there and fast.

I have failed Aria! She thought as she crouched on all fours, in one of the corners.

Refusing to give up, she examined the steel door and then noticed that the door was slightly ajar. What a stroke of luck! Her heart pounded with excitement.

She just might be able to save her sister.

During the heat of the moment, the hunters must have dragged her in so quickly with so much excitement that they either forgot to lock the door or they just hadn't had time to lock it properly. But it didn't matter now.

Prized wolf my ass! She thought as she recalled the moment of her capture.

Now that she saw her chance to escape, she knew she had to take it.

Without a sound, she suddenly began to creep towards the gate. Not looking at the house As her eyes locked onto the gate, her mind began to race with different possibilities. What if she was captured? Or shot!... What if.. what if!

She could almost taste the freedom but for some reason, hesitated. She felt a slight ache on her shoulder but it was healed.

It's now or never! She reasoned as she took another step, and another and another until her paws were out of the cage and on the ground.

She could hear the hunters still arguing, their voices growing louder and more heated as she grew closer to the house.

As she heard, “Boy! Go check that cage!” she froze as her heart nearly jumped out of her. She could feel it, nature's very own adrenaline coursing through her and with each pump urging her to make a run for it before they noticed she was gone.

“Go now!” a hunter yelled from inside the house

Then, a boy with his head down appeared from inside the house. His feet dragged him as he walked to the cage to examine the gate.

"Hey, check the gate, I think I mig’t have far..got ta lock tha door," one of the hunters drunkenly shouted from inside.

Soon after, The house rumbled with the laughter of the other hunter.

She sighted an open field as she silently crept, careful not to make any sound. It made her muscles tense up.

“S..shut up,” another replied, “You can't hold your liquor!”

Instead, the boy just stumbled to the cage, ignoring them. "No,” he scanned the empty cage. “Wait, where's the wolf?" The young boy mumbled, looking around. He saw her.

She froze.

"Hey, she's escaping!" He yelled. “ Get back here, wolfie,” he slurred, barely standing on his feet.

Some hunters rushed out. “There” one of the hunters yelled.

“After her!!!!!!!! Don't let her escape,” One shouted as they rushed towards her.

Immediately, she made a run for it. Quickly, she ran like her life depended on it. Her sister's life did.

She leaped through the grasses on the field and into the forest with her paws pounding on the ground as she sprinted inside the forest.

She continued sprinting without stopping, as she dodged trees and fast about it.

She could hear the hunters shouting behind her, their voices growing fainter with every step. Nova didn't dare look back.

Instead, she kept her eyes fixed on the trees ahead, every inch of her was pounding with fear.

I'm finally free! She thought.

Then, she heard a hunter shout. "We have to catch her!”

They were much closer than she thought. The hunters were faster than anticipated.

Quickly, she stopped to collect her thoughts and remembered she had to get to the place marked on the map.

As she visualized the map, an idea came to her.

Yes! She exclaimed, running to her right.

The hunters' voices echoed through the forest behind her.

Thwack! Thwack!! The arrows began raining on her. She dodged every last one.

“Don't kill the wolf, idiot!” yelled a hunter “Our prized wolf isn't getting away, lads”

“Let's split up” he continued.

They began to divide themselves. Some took the right, others took the left, with the plan to corral her to a single direction.

“Oh no!” She thought as she began to feel dizzy. “Not now!” She begged herself as her eyes began to close.