Darkness surrounded me, I slowly sat up in confusion; my muscles protesting horribly to the movement. The pain caused me to grimace. My fur glistened with a cold sweat in the heavy moonlight. Stretching my tail out with a few loud cracks, my eyes adjusted to the dark, and I surveyed my surroundings. I was sitting cross-legged hunched over with my elbows on my knees.

The ground underneath me was worn and packed down. It wasn't until that I looked up to see a full moon that I discovered that I was in a pit of some sort. After a moment I realized that some weight was missing from my back; I reached back to find my pack gone, then quickly grabbed my belt to find my daggers gone. Luckily I still had my cloak and regular clothing, I also had an additional layer of cloth I had thrown away when I had awaken. I sighed aloud and rested my head in my hands.

I had been awake for a few minutes before I noticed that my hands were shaking. I pulled my head back and watched my hands tremble with a sense of amusement, I remembered that it had been too long since I last ate, and lack of nutrition was causing my trembles and fatigue. The thirst was a whole other story; my throat was parched and sore.

Knowing that I was helpless until morning I sat my head in my hands and waited for the night to pass. That night was going to be miserable with insomnia, hunger, and pain. The wind howled somewhere above. I know not how long it took for the sun to rise, though it felt like an eternity. The sun rose to reveal that I had spent the night in a pit of some sort as I had thought before.

Looking at the steep sides, I knew that I wouldn't be able to climb out in my current state. I was taking a deep breath to holler out for help when a wolf peeked its head over the edge of the pit and looked right at me. I jumped to my feet and though the cold morning dew had already settled on my fur, a sudden chill went through my spine. I had little time to react when the beast, now obviously a male from his lack of clothing dropped into the pit beside me. I instinctively ran to the other side in fear.

Though his face was almost concerned, and he had not acted aggressively towards me. Just the horrid stories I had heard about wolves and his sheer size set me on the defensive; I stood in a fighting stance watching him closely. Though he wasn’t an anthropomorphic like myself, his stance was hunched and squat like he didn’t spent all of his time on all fours. His fur was rough and crazy while his face was menacing. His eyes shined with intelligence. When I saw his eyes, I relaxed some. Deciding to go out on a limb I asked

"Are you here to help me?" his face went blank as if he was intently thinking about what I had said. After a moment or two, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes?' I inquired to make sure I knew what I was seeing, once again a nod.

"So you understand me?" he nodded once more. I relaxed even more, he apparently wasn't my enemy, I was instantly curious. I flopped down onto the ground and rested my back against the pit wall with my legs sprawled before me. I closed my eyes to think; the moment my eyes closed my temporarily forgotten fatigue slammed into me like a hammer; I was out like a rock.

I was brought back to consciousness because something was subtly and gently what I thought to be searching me. I snapped open my eyes to find the wolf towering over me; closely examining my body.

"What?" I managed to croak; my throat was paining me. A light snow was falling giving the pit and wolf a much fuzzier appearance; they seemed to merge at the edges. I shuddered against the chill and blinked.

The wolf with it’s long nose had started to tilt back my head; I resisted until after giving a questioning glance, he nodded his head once again. I saw a flask of some kind. Curious, I reached for the flask lying on the ground beside me; once again, he nodded his head. I took the cork top out of the flask, and cautiously bringing it up to my mouth with shaking hands, took a drink.

Swallowing, I wetted my parched throat. When I had finished, the wolf laid his head on the ground nearby. As I wiped my mouth across my arm, he sat and gave me a curious glance as if waiting for me to do something. I noticed a sack and all my things lying on the ground before the wolf and I. I pointed first to the objects and then I, asking

"For me?" he nodded. His fiery amber eyes still waiting for something, I shook off his bizarre stare and opened the sack. Within the sack was a flask of water identical to one laying empty beside me, some dried fruit, and some berries. I popped a few of the mulberries into my mouth and began to eat. As I ate the remaining fruit, my curiosity spiked as I wondered who was behind my caretaker. For despite his advanced size and intelligence, I doubted that this wolf was not acting of his own free will.

Many possibilities ran through my mind, good, bad, and even absurd ideas. Once I had finished, I glanced up at the wolf; I suddenly knew what he was waiting for.

"I'm to follow you aren't I?" With a head signified yes for an answer, I shouldered my pack, picked up my staff and waited for him to lead the way. I was wondering how I would get out of the pit when he stood up against the wall, shaking his tail. He wanted me to climb up him, and then, being able to reach the edge, climb the rest of the way out.

After I was out, I stood up and observed the large dew covered field around me. The wind bit into me, now that I was outside of the pit. Suddenly the wolf jumped up and over the edge of the pit. He landed on me, knocking me to the ground with a loud umph! Knocking the wind out of me, Well that's one way to get out... god... I was climbing to my knees when the wolf nudged me in what I could only assume to be an apology.

"Lead the way." I followed the wolf across the plain where the pit was located and into a great pine forest.

The wind whistled through the trees, though once far enough into the forest, the wind wasn't able to reach its icy tendrils in at us. Despite the heavy snow and ice storms lately, the pine forest floor was still covered with pine needles and dirt, the ground was rock hard with a carpet of needles. The wolf was in the lead, he stealthily and quickly on all fours crept across the smooth terrain.

A sudden thought stopped me dead in my tracks, what had happened to Kacir? In the drama of the past day or so, I had completely forgotten her. Dread ballooned in me, like an icy ball of lead had been dropped in my stomach. The wolf glanced back with an impatient glare.

"Okay... Okay.” I sighed and felt much more alone than previously. After an hour or so of following the wolf to the heart of the forest, we came across a waterfall that fell down into a rocky ravine below filling it with ice cold clear water. I figure that the water was supplied by a spring somewhere nearby. He stopped and with his head, indicated a small opening in the earth to our left, by the edge of the ravine.

I walked over to the cave and looked down into it. The cave started with a good ten to twelve foot drop which then turned into a smooth walled, slick, rounded passage leading off to the right. The wolf crept past me and disappeared into the dark. I sat listening to the thundering water amplified by the cave system for a few moments before climbing down the treacherous hole and into the dark. The cave was dark and damp, which wasn’t surprising the waterfall and its spray. The sound of water dripping and crashing continually hit my ears.

I was feeling my way along the slippery wall when I started to feel as if I was being followed. I turned around and peered into the dark, a soft pattering noise started up, I couldn’t think of what it could be. Then, I was suddenly tackled around the stomach and thrown against the ground. The air knocked out of me; I struggled in vain against my assailant. We rolled down the passage a ways before I heard a sharp crack accompanied with a sharp intense pain on the side of my head. Sound and feeling faded as I lost consciousness.

My first conscious thought was God; I've got to stop waking up this way. Head throbbing, I tried to sit up; a strong wave of nausea and pain forced me back down. I could hear someone sleeping nearby; their long soft breaths gave it away. I didn't bother trying to see who. Keeping my eyes closed, and laying as still as possible. I waited for the throbbing in my head and ears to stop. Tired of thinking, I forced all thoughts out of my mind and lay waiting.

After a few moments of rest and feeling well enough to move around a little, I decided to examine why my fur felt crusty. Reaching up I carefully ran my hands over my head and face. As I felt crusty fur, I grew even more concerned, and then I felt a large sticky wet part and knew it was blood.

"Shit." I groaned softly. There was a long trail of dried and drying blood running down from the top of my head, down my face, and onto my neck. I decided it was best to not find the actual wound for fear of what I might discover. I was thinking of my misfortune when something changed. I was trying to figure out what when a familiar voice to my left sleepily asked

"Diego?" I was stunned what is she doing here? Confused I responded

"Kacir?" She gasped and was by my side in an instant.

"What happened, what you are doing here?" questions spewed from her mouth. I waited for her to stop before I could make a statement; she ended with

"Are you alright?" Now was my chance to speak.

"I think I'm okay, but I can't be sure. I was brought here by a wolf, at least I assume so. And I don't know what happened or what's going on. Where are we?" The room was ice cold and the stone floor on which I laid was even cooler. My ears had stopped ringing, and my head didn’t hurt if I moved slowly. So I slowly sat up and opened my eyes; Kacir was on her knees beside me. Her face was heavily shadowed hiding all expression. We were in the middle of a small cavern with the only door a little ways behind me; it was our only source of dim light. Kacir told me her side of our latest predicament. I could gather that she had woken up where we were now heavily wrapped in wool blankets. There had been a sack of food by the door, very much like what I had been given. Sine waking up she had seen no-one. We continued to talk though I can’t remember most of what was said…

The shadows were like those on a dark serious piece of art; Giving everything a depressing appearance. We were deep in conversation for many hours, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. By the time we were winding down, I was exhausted. I laid down on a few blankets Kacir had spared me from her excessive hoard. My extremities were numb from the subtle cold; I left no inch of my body besides my face exposed to the air. I had spent half the night kept up by the frigid temperatures and numbing cold when Kacir, having repositioned herself beside me without my knowledge. Placed a warm comforting arm around me. It felt tense as if she was waiting for my response. Not sure how to take it, I laid an arm around her shoulders. Her arm relaxed, and a strong warmth filled me, we soon fell asleep in each other’s arms. I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my side facing Kacir. Her face was pressed into my chest. My head was resting on her shoulder. In slumber we had ended up curling up with each other. Smiling though I normally would’ve felt awkward, I silently sighed. I had a growing feeling of… contentment; I could find comfort with another. Nothing erotic had happened the night before; we were like children seeking shelter in an adult’s embrace. Closing my eyes, I could feel her heartbeat and hear her breathe. Feeling as if I could stay there in that state forever, I felt her wake up.

I slowly rose to my feet and had a sudden absurd idea. I walked over to the door and pushed. To my surprise, it flew open, revealing a passageway dimly lit by sunlight. I walked back into the room and picking up my pack; whispering "Follow me" softly into Kacir's ear as she stretched and yawned. I walked out of our cell, out of the passage and into an opening just before a wall of water. Kacir came up behind me dragging her feet half-asleep. "Hey." I got Kacir's attention by tapping her shoulder. "Huh?" she appeared jolted. "I'm going to jump down and if it's safe, I'll call up to you." her mouth started to open with a protest as now she was fully awake, when I said "Shhh." I saw her eyes flash, preparing to argue, but I didn't give her a chance, turning and taking a few running steps, I jumped through the wall of water and out into open space.