Chapter Two

There was a tiny hole in the wall, about 2 inches in diameter, that would let in sunlight every morning.  Strategically she would lay herself so that it would shine in her face and wake her at sunrise.  She stirred as the light hit her eyelids.  Opening her eyes she got out of bed and made her way to the boarded window.  She unlatched it removing the board that covered the window and peeked outside.  It was clear.  She climbed out and down the lattice, making her way to the river.  She could hear the rushing water as she grew nearer.  She had finally reached a part of the bank which had a good place to conceal herself, it was where she always went when she needed to bathe.  There was an enormous rock at the bank of the river.  It had a crescent edge that hung over the river, forming a cave.  She made sure she was alone and began to undress.  She carried her clothes and shoes with her as she stepped into the river and made her way under the rock.  The water was shallow enough that it only reached her waist high.  There was part of the rock where she could place her clothes to keep from getting wet.  She once more checked her surroundings to make sure she was alone.  She saw nothing.  She released a sigh of relief and began to bathe, undoing her braided restrained hair, she dipped it into the cool water.  She scrubbed her hair and then her body with her hands, ridding herself of the dirt and grime that had accumulated.  Her hair became a bright blonde and her skin the color of ivory.  Awooh!

She jumped as she heard what she could only describe as a moan.  Maybe a bear or wolf she thought.  Still, to go up against a beast that big she would be no match.  Her bath was over and she quickly grabbed her clothes and headed back up to the bank to dress.  Awooh  She heard it again and flipped a 360 searching the bank on the other side where she thought the sound was coming from.  She could smell the mint that grew in the mulberry patches on the other side of the river.  The animal sounded like it was in pain.  If it was wounded maybe she would be able to kill it.  She wouldn’t be able to eat it all, but she could use its fur and have tonights dinner, remembering the rabbit she still had in the oven.  She finished dressing, pulling on her boots and began tracking.  She finally came across some very large paw prints, bigger than her foot, as well as a good amount of blood.  There were very large, deep scratches in the tree behind the prints.  She was still not able to decipher what kind of animal it was, but the prints led toward the river.  Seems as if the animal crossed to the other side, she thought to herself.  The river was too deep to cross by foot, but she knew of crossing near by and headed that way.  It was a fallen tree that covered the deepest part of the river.   

After crossing, she headed back up river, treading softly.  She neared the area where she thought the animal would be.  She could definitely smell the mint now, it was so overwhelming, luring her forward.  She had to focus, this beast could attack at any moment.  awooh  She ducked down low.  That moan, it sounded like a plea for help, she thought.  It was in pain.  It definitely sounded like a wolf or some sort of dog.  She kept searching.  Her eyes scanned the area.  She saw drops of blood now on the ground and on the leaves nearby.  On the tree in front of her there was blood smeared about waist high.  Her heart raced.  She still couldn’t see anything, but she felt as if she was being pulled, as if she knew exactly where she was going.  There was a mess of bushes up ahead.  The stems looked freshly ripped, some looked chewed.  As she walked up to it, there was a mound of dirt beneath her, freshly dug she thought as there were no leaves sitting on top.  Her heart pounded in her chest and the smell of mint engulfed her.  She crouched down and looked towards the river.  She could see clearly to the area where she had just been bathing.  Had this thing been watching her?  She started to hear troubled breathing coming from inside the bush pile.  The branches shook and she took a step back.  Whatever was hurt was in there.  She took her dagger from her boot and held it at the ready.  The smell of mint now burned the inside of her nostrils.  She ripped the branches away holding the knife almost above her head in a pouncing motion.  Before she could come down hard on her target, she froze.  It was the most amazing thing she had ever laid eyes on.

Enormous in size, she could have mistaken it for a bear.  It was a wolf.  It lay there almost drenched in blood, eyes closed, it breathed heavily and slowly.  She thought about what she should do, killing it would put it out of its misery, but it was just too enormous to consume for herself.  She poked it with foot.  It lay dormant.  She tried to examine its wounds.  They were deep, long.  They looked like they were beginning to heal, a yellow layer of flesh forming.  The blood on its coat was still moist.  This must have just happened.  She placed her hand on its shoulder, but the beast still did not stir.  She could feel its blood pulsating through its veins.  She felt the anguish and pain it felt.  She felt a tingling sensation where her hand met its fur.   As she thought this, the wolfs’ eyes opened and gleamed at this human standing over it.  She waited to see if it would lunge, but it didn’t and shut it’s eyes once more.  Thud  “Shit” she said aloud.  She stood up and began to turn away to go back home, but she could not move.  Something possessed her to remain with the beast.  She could not leave its side.  She turned around and gazed at it, so weak and hurting.  She had to think of something fast.  There was no way she could move this enormous thing, she had to conceal it and it’s scent.  For some reason, she knew she needed to save it.