Tail tucked between my legs, I slowly began to back away, hoping that it wouldn’t see me as a threat. I was wrong. It lunged forward, aiming a swipe at my face. I turned and fled, but not before my flank was clubbed by a massive paw. Agonizing pain shot through my body and my vision was temporarily blurred by a flash of white. I shook my head violently, trying to clear my eyes. Once my vision was back to normal, I started running, four paws digging deep into the ground. Every step on the ground was torture. Soon, I was limping as fast as I could on three paws. Trees and bushes whipped by my field of vision as I tore farther into the forest, trying to escape whatever this thing was.
After a long run, my strength began faltering. I wondered if it was still on my track. Nervously, I looked back to see the creature glaring at me with hostility through black, beady eyes. However, it didn’t make any more effort to try and chase me. Instead, it turned back to where it came from.
I stood there for a moment or two, panting heavily. Despite its size, it was a fast thing.
I breathed a quick sigh of relief. The sigh caught in my throat and was replaced by a bad feeling rising up my throat and throbbing pain on my head. I retched up the food I ate a few hours ago.
Afterwards, I felt a little better. My left back leg was still tender though, so I took extra care this time, trying to avoid putting weight on it. I also kept a more watchful look around for anything that seemed suspicious. In my current state, I was not fit for any more chases like that.
I yawned as a cool breeze swept through the forest. My paws were definitely bruised now, what with all the running I’ve been doing since the day started. I lay myself on my uninjured leg with a huff. I then started licking my sore paws. They tasted of blood and grit. I winced as I cleaned them some more. I felt comfortable now, but not entirely. The night was just cool anymore, I noticed. It was now incredibly cold. The chilly gale whisked up my fur. I shivered and curled myself tightly. Even my furry pelt couldn’t hold this wintry cold back. I moved my tail over my freezing nose to warm it. This will have to do for now, I thought sleepily.
“Ouch!”
I had just woken up. It was horrible. I was covered in a layer of snow, and now my body was chilled to the bone. My paws, nose and ears were numbed. My muscles hurt all over and my pelt felt as hard as ice.
Perfect. Just what I needed. I shook my head, unable to believe just how bad my luck was right now.
It wasn’t all that bad though, I realized. The cold had also numbed my injured leg. I stood up. It was still a bit stiff, but it didn’t hurt as much. I licked my fur, trying to melt the snow that stuck itself onto my pelt.
The sun was covered by a gray haze above. Snowflakes kept falling, leaving the trees and forest floor awash with white. Crows cawed high in the sky, in sharp contrast to the surroundings below. Mountain peaks were just visible through the spaces between the trees where the sky saw the earth.
I shivered violently, feeling the biting wind on my fur once again. I wanted nothing more than a place to just huddle up and get warm in this icy weather.
Wait a second. It was just now that I remembered what I was here for in the first place. The reason for all those sleepless nights. The reason I planned with Willy. The reason for everything. I needed to find my mother… but first, I needed to find our den. I could spend the night there. In there, it’s warm. A spark of pleasure rushed through my body as I remembered all the wonderful days of long ago, snuggled in a den with my mother, safe from the bitter jaws of winter. My eyes narrowed. I know what I have to do now.
I began sniffing the snow for fresh scents. There was nothing. I dug in the snow, frustrated. Count that out. I then started looking for landmarks. The forest had loads of them. My mother showed me rocks shaped like certain animals or plants scattered around the forest. She taught me how to use them to find out where you are and return to the den from there.
I walked around, swiveling my head around to check for any weird rocks or large trees. The ground was snowy. I huffed in discomfort every time I felt my paws sink with each step. My stomach growled. I suddenly remembered the incident last night, and realized that I was going to need food soon. It also made me remember that I had to keep my guard up.
I pricked my ears, tensed for any sort of movement. It unnerved me just how unpredictable the forest was. You never know what will hit you at what time. I sniffed the air, checking for any specific scents.
Please… Please… I hoped, trying to hear or scent my mother. My heart pounded against my chest. I was scared…anxious. I wanted nothing more than to be next to her. I needed her now more than ever.
An unfamiliar wood scent reached my nostrils, and it confirmed my deep fear. I swallowed, and my breath began to shake. Please be wrong.
On unsteady paws, I followed the scent. I didn’t want to follow it. I refused to believe what it would tell me. But still, slowly I ambled on my three good legs towards the scent’s origin.
It led me to a gnarled tree, branches growing in all directions. A few more of them grew behind it. It definitely wasn’t pine. It wasn’t spruce. It wasn’t any tree I knew. A sinking feeling devoured every other thought in my head. My heart caught in my throat, and I couldn’t bark what I wanted to speak out loud. Despair and anguish flooded me. It felt like I’ve been sliced clean through the chest. I looked to the sky and whimpered, turning into a heart-rending howl.
This isn’t Frostypoint. This isn’t my home. I won’t ever be able to find my mother. I’m lost. It’s over.