Petlife logo

Wolf and the Raven

Love of a Lifetime

By Ember C.Published 4 years ago 5 min read
2

“Stay with me…” she begged, but it was too late. Her black eyes followed his back into the trees, only paw prints in the dirt to remind her that it wasn’t a dream. The moon calls to his wild heart and not even the wings of a raven could contend with his love to run. In the distance his howl told her that he’d shifted, and his pack answered in full. Music of the hunt circled through the underbrush making goosebumps raise across her pale skin, blood splattered here or there from the deer laying motionless, half eaten in the clearing. Stomach rumbling she didn’t bother to change, instead shoving her hands into the chilled belly of the doe, ripping a chunk of fatty meat out and eating it raw. Blood coated her mouth and as the meat slid down her throat she smiled, the sadness of his departure only deep behind those black eyes. He hunted for her on the full moon, the lone wolf, the protector, her love. The wilderness that brought them together the only thing holding them apart. Ripping another chunk of meat from the deer she fell into the memory of how they first met, the day he almost died.

She could remember the heat on her feathers as she flew through the trees, red hot fire racing to consume everything in its path. Croaking in fear she pushed harder, the air almost too thin beneath her large wings to allow an escape. Smoke filling her lungs constricted her will to think, nothing but the fear of death to keep her moving. Then something caught her eyes below, a red wolf struggling to run. His fur was singed along his back end and his left front leg was bent at an odd angle making it hard to go much faster than quick walk. Normally she would have just kept going but something nagged at her oxygen deprived brain and she instead flew closer to the ground trying to catch the wolf’s attention.

“This way!” she tried to tell him. However the roar of the fire was too loud and even if she could be heard over the flames, he was a wolf, he’d never understand. Frustration gave way to urgency as he stumbled, almost falling face first into the dirt. Hoping he wouldn’t try and eat her she flew just low enough to grab his scruff in her talons, pulling with all her might. He turned grey eyes to her black ones and she held still, waiting for his teeth to snap at her breast, but instead he pleaded at her, hoping she’d understand.

That look sent shivers through her body, wings fluffing up and eyes widening as she nodded, the gesture human enough to mark her as a changeling. The heat was getting closer and he nodded back and whimpered, her eyes lighting with the motion, he too was a changeling. All that mattered anymore was that they both made it out of the forest alive. Not far from where they were was a river running fast through the middle of the woods and she grabbed at his scruff again, pulling him in the direction of their only hope. Hundreds of other animals had the same idea, rabbits and birds and deer ran for the river, the screams of those caught in the flames still haunting her memory.

Barely in time, the fire on their heels she pulled one last time, throwing his body weight forward, making him fall into the rushing water. She followed closely, refusing to let him out of her sight, his red fur marking his place in the rivers current. Even with a malformed leg his strength was no match for the waters ferocity and he crawled out onto the shore, flopping out on his side in the muddy sand. His side rose and fell quickly as he caught his breath and she landed next to him, neither of them having enough energy to shift. Ever since that day on every full moon he’d stray from the pack and hunt for her in thanks. Both of them growing fond of each other as time passed, drawn together by an invisible force, and taken from each other by the same wild nature that freedom instilled in their souls.

She withdrew from the memory as quickly as she’d entered it, her heart strings tugging taunt with the need fly with him. Giving up the fight she stood on bloody feet and ran towards the treeline, shifting as she jumped into the air. Her senses came to life, no longer dulled by her humanity and she faltered in the air for a moment, hit with an onslaught of sounds and smells. Howl for me, she thought, raising above the trees and into the cool night air, catching the wind beneath her wings. Then she heard it, so different from the rest of the pack, his voice rang deep and true through the trees. She opened her beak, her voice filling the clouds in answer as she flew in the direction of his sweet music.

There, just below her in the trees he was walking and she let out a short call. His grey eyes raising to the sky, stopping on her circling overhead, then with a smile he started to run as fast as his leg allowed. She dove after him in a game they knew too well, racing through the forest. The moon lit the path to the river much like the fire on that fateful night, so many years ago, and he stopped just short of the waters edge, panting. She was a few feet behind and his eyes proudly stated his victory, heart beating faster as she landed on the ground next to him.

For that night, and that night only he laid down and she walked her way over to him, using her wings to balance herself before she rested in the hollow warmth of his fur. Love sparking between the two of them, acting as a lullaby as they just laid there, watching the river rush by without a care in the world. Tomorrow would be different, everything would be different, but for tonight it was just them and the forests shadows dancing across the ground.

By: Ember Crile

humanity
2

About the Creator

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.