Driftwood err Driftwolf?

Twilight darkens the sky and Fern watches the approaching darkness with a growing sense of dread. The sun seems to shine and less nowadays and, when it dips below the horizon, the gray lady wonders if it will ever appear again. Huffing a sigh of disappointment, Fern looks out over the clearing she has been exploring. Stones litter the ground, slowly being covered by moss and grass. For some strange reason the sight causes a pang of loneliness to reverberate through her. She tries to place her paw on the feeling, pin it down to better examine the cause, but it slips through her paws like sand.

A hawk screeching loudly pulls Fern from her musing and has her aqua gaze searching for the source. In the dimming light, her eyes have a hard time tracking the bird as it screams out its displeasure again. Only when the hawk dives closer to her does Fern recognize it. Rudy had pointed it out to her a few times, letting her know its name and that they traveled together. Something seems to be agitating the bird as it swoops even lower crying out in distress. She cannot understand the bird or the message it is trying to relay. “Reddy? You okay buddy?” she asks with concern.

With a loud screech, Reddy tucks his wings and dives straight for her head. Fern throws her body onto the ground to avoid getting brained by the crazed bird. It screams at her as it pulls out of the dive, circling tightly over her prone body as Fern asks, “Reddy! What the hell has gotten into you?” Only when she has gathered her paws under her again and stands does the hawk seem to answer her. Once again, he tucks his wings and hurtles toward her head. Fern is angry as she throws herself to the side and he screams in ear before unfurling its wings and rocketing away from her.

Furiously Fern yells at him, “What the fuck Reddy!” Only then does she notice the angle of his attack and how he is floating towards the wooded area in the distance. Eyes widen as she comprehends what the hawk has been trying to tell her. Pushing off the ground she runs as fast as her paws will carry her. Reddy pumps his wings staying slightly ahead of her to guide the way. Fern vaults over dead logs, ducks under hanging tree limbs, and skirts deep puddles of water as the wolf and hawk rush to their friend’s aid.

When the coppery metallic scent of blood first hits her nostrils, Fern’s stomach clenches. As Fern’s paws devour the distance between her and Rudy, the gray girl silently prays to whatever gods there may be to let Rudy be alive. The smell grows stronger and a rock forms in the pit of her stomach as she thinks of all the blood that must have been spilled to make it smell this strong. When Reddy screeches and disappears around a tree, Fern plunges forward ready to face whatever lay ahead.

She is not, however, prepared for the sight that greets her as she bursts into a small clearing near a river. The heavy scent of blood chokes Fern, trying to make her gag and vomit at the scene laid out in front of her. Rudy’s mottled gray form lays a few feet from the water, eyes closed and body unmoving. Slowing her frenzied pace to inspect her friend more closely, Fern spies his left leg curled close to where his head rests. She tries not to notice the bloody stumps where toes should be or the way they steadily leak blood onto the once green grass.

His neck has deep tears that slowly ooze more life-giving fluid down his shoulders, coating his wet, gray fur with crimson. The most alarming, and saddest sight for Fern, is the stump where his tail use to be. It bleeds heavily and the gray girl knows she has to get him help soon if Rudy is going to survive. Gentle voice calls out, “Oh Rudy. What happened?” Fern doesn’t expect him to respond, in fact, she hopes he isn’t even awake for the trip they will be making back toward the castle. It will painful for him and she hopes to spare Rudy that pain. Stopping next to his prone form, Fern lowers her head to gently nuzzle Rudy’s cheek.


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