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Chapter 10: From Bad to Worse

Humphrey liked what he was seeing: rocky hideaways, hills, fallen trees, some of which were surrounded by tall grass, and even a few outcroppings under which to hide if such circumstances would arise where he would need a quick escape. He was satisfied deeply because everything he saw was in close proximity to a sufficient supply of water, which he had taken advantage of already, and he even saw some small game animals dart between bushes as he wandered past, so he knew that he had finally come across an environment which would suit him well for a den, and he knew that if he were to just keep searching, he would finally find the perfect place to call home and most, if not all of his current troubles would be over.

For the first time since he had left Jasper, he felt true hope begin to take life in him, and thus he allowed a smile to be born upon his face. He was finally beginning to feel good about his decision, and was on the borderline of achieving a slight sense of happiness in the new life that he would live here, and was almost grateful that Fate had placed him here, but his mild sense of elation did not last long, unfortunately, for as his right forepaw fell to the ground, it was greeted by a rather unpleasant surprise.

A&?

"Sir, it's been entirely too still," Hutch said, expressing his worries to the leader, "I would have expected a retaliation by now."

Winston's scowl remained firm and his furrowed brows deepened.

"Tony is smart," Winston mused to Hutch, keeping his eyes forward, "he knows that he has more manpower, but he won't send them all right away. It'll start with small platoons which will permeate our lands and attack us when we least expect it. One or two of them may fall to our defenses, but it won't be enough to stop them. Over time, our forces will become battle-weary, paranoid, and weak and once we've nearly reached our breaking point, he will send his pack, and we will be decimated, slaughtered like lambs."

"Well... then we need to be ready for them," Hutch stated confidently, though inside fear had bound his stomach in a knot, "but... how will we ward off such an offense?"

"We won't," Winston replied matter-of-factly, "not by ourselves."

Hutch's eyes darted quickly to the left and right before they returned to his leader.

"Then what are we going to do?" he asked, trying to cover his desperation.

"We will lay traps for them," Winston replied, "in a time as desperate as this, we will need to resort to guerrilla warfare."

Hutch nodded.

"I will see that it is done, sir," Hutch assured as a smile crept across his face, "those bastards won't even know what hit them."

Winston replied only with a curt nod and Hutch took this as his cue to leave, so with a nod in reply, he turned and began to walk out, leaving Winston all alone.

Just as soon as Hutch was out of sight and earshot, Winston emitted a sigh and lowered his head.

He knew that such a plan would only work in their favor for so long before their enemy would adapt and change tactics, but at least it would give his troops hope before they died (or got smart and left) for, though he would much rather end it now, he could not look as though he had given up, so while he was slowly decaying inside, he would continue to mask his afflictions and turmoils with the prowess and readiness of a warrior. How he could only hope that his true emotions wouldn't bleed through his disguise.

A&?

Humphrey lied upon the ground, writhing in pain and bleeding profusely from his newly afflicted wound, which was inflicted by the giant metallic jaws which clamped so viciously to his leg.

He did not even need to look down at his leg to know that it was broken, as he could feel the sharp shards of splintered bones as they slashed and scraped his muscles, and he did not even have to entertain the possibility that there was anything else responsible for this other than the humans.

The pain which throbbed in his leg was so great that he nearly felt like he would throw up or pass out, but the rising bile he swallowed, the veil he denied, and the agonized screams and curses which he had cried out upon the initial clamping were reduced to pained groans and soft cries.

For about five minutes he lay, panting, his heart racing as the adrenaline and endorphins flowed through his veins, driving him to attempt an escape, but the pain was so crippling that he dared not move.

He dared not cry out for help either, for he feared what would become of him if his calls for aid were to fall upon the wrong ears, so the emissions of sound he tried his best to keep to a minimum.

However, he knew that if he were to remain he would either starve or be shot, so, allowing this thought to drive his next actions, he attempted to find his feet, but again he just could not find the strength. He panted, sweating despite the chill, and tried once again to pull himself to his paws, but as his body began to rise, a spasm shot through his afflicted leg which caused him to cry out and fall once again to the ground.

He cursed in pain and frustration as he buried his twisted face into the ground then released an agonized groan which was muddled by the dirt and the grass.

After a matter of about a minute the pain subsided to a point where he no longer needed to grit his teeth to endure its crippling throb so he gathered his strength and lifted his head from the ground, revealing his face which was smeared with grainy mud where his tears had come into contact with the soil.

With a grimace he tried again, doing his best to use as little muscle in his right leg as possible so as to avoid another episode, but even that was not enough, for the pain was simply too much.

He threw himself to the ground again and began to sob uncontrollably, for he knew that it was over; his journey had officially come to an end.

A&?

He panted, licking the blood from his maw as he stared down at his recent kill, a decent sized cotton tail which would compliment his spoils for the day nicely. He considered for a moment simply eating the rabbit now then returning to his den to complete his meal, but for a while now he had sensed that something wasn't quite right and had been feeling this odd tingling sensation in his ears, like an unknown sound trying to find purchase upon them, so he took the cautious route and collected his kill then began to trot back toward his den, moving quickly, though warily as he went until finally he was safely inside the confides of his home. With a sigh of relief, he lowered the rabbit to the ground near the pile of other kills he had collected today, then went about the important task of figuring out which animal he should eat first. Common sense told him that he should eat the older kills before the ants got to them and ruined them, but by now they would be cold and he really rather enjoyed the taste of fresh warm blood; and besides, if he were to eat them first by the time he was finished, his fresh kill would be cold anyway, so fresh it was. Feeling resolute, he smiled and lowered his head toward his rabbit, but again he felt the tingling sensation bombard the sensitive furs in his ears, so he lifted his head to investigate.

However, he saw nothing, so he brushed it off as senseless paranoia and attempted to eat yet again, but then a faint sound found purchase on his ears that sounded almost like a scream.

For a moment he wondered if it was just his imagination, for he had been almost, if not completely deaf for over a year now, but his senses never lied. Something was wrong, and whatever it was could well be a threat to his life, so he needed to investigate right away. With a reluctant sigh, he regarded his kills for a moment then turned away and began to make his way out into the world yet again.

He wondered what could be happening and was almost thrilled that something was actually happening, for his time spent here had been rather drab, for nothing ever seemed to happen, but he remained cautious still, for he valued his life more than he did adventure. He moved slowly, using his senses to guide him rather than his ears, then when he finally sensed that he was drawing near to the source of the disturbance, he halted.

He scanned his surroundings meticulously, picking through every blade of grass and around every tree, but as far as his eyes could see, there was nothing out of the ordinary. However, wishing to make absolutely sure that there was indeed nothing wrong, he began to sample the wind.

He turned his nose upward slightly and began to waft in the breeze, finding only things that he recognized, but when he turned his nose to the west, a new scent rose into his nostrils. He snorted in both surprise and in discontent, for he had subconsciously hoped that this whole thing was his imagination, but he could not argue with his nose. Something alien had ventured forth into his home, and so long as it remained hidden in the shadows, it would remain a possible threat to his existence, so there was only one thing to do: find the threat and terminate it.

His mane began to bristle on end and he smiled, relishing in the rush that he now felt coursing through his veins. The excitement of battle was something that he had forgotten in his solitude, for the taking of only small game was so easy and never was there any true opposition, so his life had began to grow rather monotonous, but now that such feelings were resurrected once more inside of him, he felt like a new animal, strong, unstoppable, and indestructible

With the newfound energy rushing rapidly through his body, he began to move quickly in the direction of the disturbance's origin, ready now for just about anything.

Through the grassy fields he trekked, seeking out the scent and correcting his direction of progression accordingly until he came across a small knoll. The scent was strongest here, so he knew that he must be getting close, but the tingling had since ceased to tease his ears, so that meant that whatever was here must have sensed his presence. His muscles tensed as he prepared for battle and he began to assay his surroundings carefully, searching every crack for his unknown invader, but he found that he was alone.

The alien awaited him on the other side of the knoll.

He collected his breath, preparing himself both mentally and physically for what may lie ahead then began his ascent, moving slowly and taking extra care to make sure that his paws fell to the ground as silently as a butterfly's wing beat.

He crouched low to his belly as he drew near to the top and paused once his eyes could find purchase on what lied over its crest, then scanned the field below.

And that was when he saw it.

There was another wolf in his home, an unwelcomed intruder who would surely pillage his land for its resources and kill him in his sleep given the chance; well, he would not allow this mysterious stranger such a chance. He would kill him right here and now, thus eliminating the threat, then return to his home, eat his kills and pretend that this whole ordeal never happened.

He tensed to spring, ready to rip this strange wolf limb from limb, but something stopped him. He knew not what it was, but something about his presence bothered him. Maybe it was his odd placement, for any wolf with half a brain would never lie out in the open like that so near to a human town.

Or maybe it was the peculiar position in which he lied, for even though he was at a relatively decent distance away, he could still tell that this wolf was laboring over his right side and if he was not mistaken, he saw something on the wolf's face that closely resembled something similar to pain.

But he could not see anything on his body which would be physically harmful.

Odd...

He was now beginning to grow intrigued by the situation that played out before him and now felt the urge to observe this strange wolf rather than to destroy him.

Keeping his eyes fixed upon the strange wolf, he laid himself down on the crest of the hill and watched, confident that he would remain undetected until he could sort this whole situation out.

The wolf remained inactive for a moment, though his chest and sides heaved laboriously, which only added to his theory that he was wounded, but he still remained distant for he did not know enough yet.

He watched as the wolf attempted to find his footing and it was at this point that he learned the source of his affliction- a bear trap which had clamped onto his right foreleg.

Well this changes things...

If he was caught in a bear trap, his leg would surely be broken, and he knew that it would be nearly impossible for him to spring himself, so he was no threat whatsoever and in a few days' time, he would have either been shot by the humans who laid the trap, starved to death, or died of dehydration. There was no need to worry over this matter any further, so his work here was done.

Relieved, he collected himself and then rose to take his leave, but as he began to walk away, a pang of guilt caused him to pause and turn his glance behind him once more.

Was he really about to abandon this wolf and damn him to suffer such a tragic fate?

He sighed, shaking his head slowly.

Perhaps he should just put him out of his misery. That seemed like the proper thing to do, allow him to die with dignity, even though now the thought of killing him was no longer such a handsome idea.

But food was scarce this year and he had a hard enough time taking care of himself as it was. There was just no way that two wolves could coexist here without one of them starving to death, so putting him down was really the only option that he had.

Again he sighed and turned his body toward the crest of the hill and stared down upon the stricken wolf, struggling to find the courage to do what he knew must be done.

A&?

Humphrey sniffled and wiped his nose as the tears ceased to flow then began to ponder deeply over what would become of him in the near future.

He was almost certain that he would die, for he knew that this thing which had crunched into his leg was impossible for him to remove by himself, but what remained a mystery to him was exactly how and when his end would come. Would he die by the hands of a hunter and have his pelt flayed from his body to be hung on a wall as a trophy, or would he starve? Would he freeze to death, or would he have to feel the sting of a thousand fire ants as they swarmed over his body and ate him alive? How much longer would he remain here after he died? Would his body be collected by a roaming human, or would it be pecked at, ripped apart, and desecrated by scavengers?

What awaited him following his last moments here on earth? Were the stories his parents told him true? Was there really a place where he would go after his mortal body died and be granted an eternal life of peace and prosperity? Or was it all but a fantastical fairy tale designed to ease his mind as he drew in his last frail breath?

There was really only one way to find out, but he knew that for death he would have to wait, and that was the worst feeling in the world, knowing that it drew closer and closer with each moment that passed, but would remain tangible only in the figments of his imagination until finally it arrived to remove him from the world forever.

He must admit that he was frightened by this concept, for he had always feared death, but he knew that there was nothing that he could do to prevent it now, so the time had come to come to terms with it, but that task is always easier said than done.

He sighed and turned his eyes up to the sky and that was when he saw a shadow creep over him.

Alarmed, he attempted to sit up, but the pain that the metallic jaws inflicted upon his leg was too great, so he was rendered helpless.

He laid himself on the ground again and turned his eyes quickly up to the shadow to find a strange wolf approaching him.

His heart exploded with joy and relief upon seeing such a beautiful sight and he smiled uncontrollably.

"Oh thank God," he cried exuberantly, "please, you've gotta get me out of this."

However, the wolf did not reply. He only paused about three feet away from his nose and stared silently down upon him.

"Please, I'm begging you," Humphrey pleaded, "help me."

A&?

He did not know what to do, for the longer he had to reflect upon what he was planning, the less committed he became to following through with it, but there was no other way. It had to be done. He just hoped that this poor fellow would understand.

He sighed and took a seat before him.

'Can you read?' he wrote in the dirt, scratching with his claws what looked to be mere lines in the ground to those who did not know what it meant.

A&?

Humphrey was confused by what this peculiar wolf was doing and cocked his head as a means of expressing such confusion, but when he made eye contact and the wolf pointed to the ground, he saw the letters.

"Can you read," he read aloud then turned his eyes up to the wolf who sat before him, "of course I can read, why?"

The wolf looked down, erased his previous message and began to write again.

'Please respond, if you can, in writing,' he scribed, 'I am deaf.'

Once he was finished, Humphrey read what he had written then nodded.

'I can't so well right now,' he wrote, 'right-pawed.'

The wolf read the message and then erased it.

'No matter,' he wrote, 'it is unimportant.'

Humphrey only nodded and for a moment, the two of them only stared silently at one another, but then after a matter of about a minute, Humphrey erased the previous message.

'What is your name?' he wrote.

The wolf scowled noticeably at this and then took his turn to reply.

'That is also unimportant,' he replied.

Humphrey was slightly disappointed by this, but he understood, so he nodded.

'Can you help me?' he wrote.

The wolf's ears folded flat against his skull and he sighed softly as he erased the question from the dirt.

'No,' he wrote plainly.

Humphrey felt severely betrayed as he gazed upon the message and his ears folded then he lowered his eyes to his paws.

'Then why did you come?' he wrote after a matter of about thirty seconds.

The wolf sighed again and took his turn to stare at his paws then lifted his eyes to Humphrey, and it was at this moment that Humphrey truly understood what was happening. Tears began to sting his eyes as he erased his previous reply and he began to write again.

'You're here to kill me, aren't you?'

The wolf read his question and replied only with a nod, though he could not bring himself to look Humphrey in the eye.

Humphrey nodded dismally and swallowed at a lump in his throat then took in a deep, quivering breath.

'Then go ahead,' Humphrey wrote as a tear fell from his muzzle to the dirt, 'I have nothing left to live for anymore anyway.'

The wolf read Humphrey's reply with a heavy heart and took in a deep collective breath then rose to his paws.

'I'm sorry that it has to be this way,' the wolf wrote.

Humphrey sniffled and nodded.

'It's alright,' he replied, 'just make it quick.'

The wolf nodded slowly as he read the message and felt his body begin to tremble as he stepped forward.

"Expose your neck," he instructed silently, mouthing the words.

Humphrey nodded and took in quick deep breaths as he attempted to regain control of his tears then closed his eyes and lifted his chin, exposing the vulnerable jugular.

The wolf stared down at him for a moment, then slowly began to lower his head.

Humphrey's body began to tremble as he felt the wolf's jaws fit around his throat and he heaved slowly with quivering breaths as he awaited his imminent end.

He felt death's grip grow tighter around his neck and he began to choke as his windpipe was slowly crushed.

He knew it would not be long now, for he could feel the skin beneath death's teeth grow taught, and he knew that without much more effort, they would puncture such a fragile organ and the blood that had provided him life would slowly begin to seep through the holes and drip to the ground.

Then came the moment when the first fang pierced the skin.

This was it, in less than an instant, his throat would be ripped from his neck and his life would slowly drain from his body through his blood until his eyes darkened and time on earth drew to a tragic end. His only regret would be not telling Kate the way he felt before it was too late.

He drew in one final breath, ready to embrace his fate and pinched his eyes tightly together as he heard the crack, but to his great surprise the jaws which clamped around his throat loosened and pulled away.

For a moment, Humphrey lay still, almost certain that he had died, but when he felt a deep, searing pain in his right leg as it was carefully lifted from the ground, he grimaced and opened his eyes to find that he had been spared of death and freed from the trap which held him.

Overwhelmed by relief, he released a long, loud breath which he had been previously unaware of holding and laid his head down.

The wolf gingerly placed Humphrey's wounded leg on the ground again and lifted his head so that their eyes could meet.

No words needed to be spoken between the two, for anything that was needed to be said could be understood through the tears in Humphrey's stare and the resolve in his. A full three minutes passed before their silence was broken by a single curt nod from the wolf which Humphrey returned then shifted as he began to attempt to rise.

The wolf stood aside and watched until Humphrey's chest began to rise from the ground then he stepped forward and slid his shoulder beneath his and helped him the rest of the way up. Humphrey shifted awkwardly as he lifted his wounded leg a short distance from the ground, then once righted upon his paws, he turned to the wolf with a nod.

The wolf nodded in reply and began to walk slowly, allowing the injured omega to lean against his shoulder for support as they went and once they had travelled a distance of about ten yards, Humphrey turned to him.

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

Though the wolf could not hear him, he understood what had been said and replied only with a single nod then he shifted his weight slightly, turned forward once again, and continued on silently through the trees, unaware that a smile which had not been present on his features for many years had spread its way slowly across his lips.