Love Of A Werewolf by Forest Ostrander (universal ebook reader .TXT) 📕

"Man, I don't think I will ever be this full again," I said leaning back with a happy sigh and rubbing my full stomach.

"Then why not stay?" James asked looking at me with pleading eyes, "I could provide for you," he continued and it broke my heart.

"Oh James, your offer is sweet and all but I just simply cant. A wolf, especially a werewolf is not designed to stay in a house for the rest of their lives, we are meant to be in the outdoors wild and free. The only time we stay in houses in on occasions such as what I am doing, other then that we are living like your every day normal wolf. I would love to stay with you but I just simply cant." I hated to burst his hopes but he needed to understand that I cannot stay cooped up in a house all winter long, I needed to be in the great outdoors no matter how cold or hot it was, it was in my blood; in my nature to be outside, going against that is just not possible.

"Oh, ok," he said lowering his eyes and it tore me bit by bit from the inside.

"I promise when spring time comes around I will be sure to spend almost every waking moment with you when I can but even then don't get your hopes up. Spring time is also a very active time for all creatures, summer is the better time when things start to settle down," I said hopping to cheer him up at least somewhat.

"Ya, I guess," he said seeming a little more himself.

"Well I for one am tired, I have finally stored up the supply I need to survive this winter so I'm going to retire, see all of you in the spring time," Luna said giving us both a hug and heading to her room.

"Well, I guess this means I too should be off. The snow will be falling shortly and I want to find a warm den before it settles completely on the ground, then there will be less of a trail for people to follow me." I said starting to stand up and changing into my wolf.

"Will I ever see you at least once during the winter?" James asked holding the door open for me, I looked at him and wagged my tail.

"I will do my best to stop by at least once in a while just to see you but don't sit around waiting for me," I said giving him a lick on the hand before running off into the woods.

Four weeks had passed since I left James to watch over Luna and every day I had found it more difficult to come by food, most days when I did I would be unwilling to eat and would store my catch in the back of my den for later to hopefully see me through for a few more days. I had stopped by to see James but never did I approach the house, though I promised him I would see him I knew it would be best if I did not, my presence every day at the house will only put them in more danger if I kept on visiting them and I could not do that, Luna would be of no help and James would not stand a chance, hunters and scientists were out to get me and would use any chance they had to use them against me. I did however let James see me and only said my hellos with a nod of my head and a wag of my tail before once more running off into the woods. My fur had grown out even more making me look more fluffier and bigger, it slowed me down some, especially when it got wet during fishing but at least it kept me warm, my den was just big enough to fit me and whatever food I caught, the only heat inside was when my body temperature would warm it up. I had started to grow acustomed to my new life out in the wild and found the winter night sky to be the most beutiful sight I had ever seen, every night I would sit outside and just stare up at the stars, once or twice I would howl out to them, singing my winter song and letting all who listen know that there was a wolf patroling this land and to stay away, it was also my call to let James know I was ok.

Mother Moon kept me company most nights when she was out, she would talk to me when I needed a friend and would encourage me to keep going on or show me to the best food source there was, she was always looking out for me and giving me updates on the events back at Luna's and I was grateful for it, to pay her back, I would sing to her almost every night she was out and she would sing along with me. Occasionally I would hear gunshots in the distance and would fall silent, winter was the time for hunting for most humans and the last thing I needed was to be looking down the barel of a shot gun aimed right at me, I didn't need to end up getting shot out here even though I would heal from it eventually it would still hurt and would only slow me down even more and make survivng during the winter even more difficult then it already was. It was times like this when I knew why most wolves never survived the winter, those who were not strong enough and who could not cope with the harsh conditions and lack of food perished while those who could lived on to hunt another day, plus, the plants I would have normally used during the spring and summer months were withered and burried, completely useless now if I should fall ill.

One day as I was out hunting, I came across a young fox caught in a snare trap, the poor thing was screaching and making a huge rucus over being caught, I knew I could not let it remain there as it would surly become a hunter's next victim. Walking up to it I tried to calm the poor creature down but it would not be silenced, as I neared it, the fox snapped and hissed at me, baring its fangs with hackles raised.

"I'm only trying to help you!" I said to the fox trying to make it understand that I meant it no harm but it would not listen to me, it kept lashing out at anything that got too close to it and I could tell he had already mangled up his right paw, blood was staining the white snow crimson and it pained me to see him like this so to prevent him from bringing any more harm to himself I did the unthinkable. Quickly grabbing the nape of his nack and forcing him down in the snow I used my body weight to hold the writhing creature down using my front paws to keep the snapping jaws away from me as I worked at the snare with my teeth, once the trap was off I lept off of the fox and felt the breeze of its jaws as they closed on the spot where my paw used to be.

"There, you're free now, I would suggest not remaining around here or you are just as good as dead," I said eying the fox in the eyes. The poor fox growled and tried to walk but could not so much as lift himself up off of the ground. Sighing I approached him once more and picked him up by the nape of his neck, he didn't like it and fought me every step of the way but I did not care, I could not leave him to suffer with a mangled paw out in the wild left to fend for himself when he could barely even walk, he would be dead over night if not in a few seconds from bloos loss. Great, no herbs, little food, and I'm bringing home a stray I thought to myself but I knew I was doing some sort of good by helping the fox out even if it would deplete what little store of food I had in the cave. Once at my den I plopped the fox down and prevented him from trying to escape, dropping the leg of a deer in front of him I watched as he wolfed it down, stripping the leg to the bone without so much as even savoring the meat.

"Well, at least someone enjoyed it," I said standing a few feet away from the fox, I knew not to approach another predator when they were eating though I was much bigger and stronger than the fox would ever be, plus with him being hurt it would be an unfair advantage, I didn't want or need him to freak out and injure the both of us in a conflict where he would lash out, I didn't even have a clue on how I could heal him without licking the wound which I knew he would not even let me get remotly close.

"What do you want with me?" I was surprised when he had spoken and I stared at him like an idiot. Shaking my head to rid myself of the shock I composed myself once more and replied.

"Nothing, you were caught and I helped you, the least you could do is thank me. If it wasn't for me you would probably have been skinned by some hunter at this very moment."

"Why should I thank a wolf? Wolves are nothing but bad luck," he spat and I growled.

"Watch your tone, remember who's den you are lying in right now weak and helpless," I said baring my own fangs in return.

"Who says I'm helpless?" The fox asked trying to make himself look bigger and meaner.

"You're the one with the mangled paw here not me. If I had wanted to I could have easily killed you and there would have been nothing you could have done about it but no, instead I brought you here to keep you safe and fed you, the least you can do is show some gratitude!"

Eat him, go on eat him. An ungrateful fox like him should not be allowed to talk to us like that! My wolf said snarling and for a while there I was debating on rather or not I should give in to her demands.

Silence passed between us as I waited for another smart reply from the fox but none came which made me feel better, leaving him to lay where he was I sat outside and looked up at Mother Moon.

What am I doing? I barly have enough food to feed myself let alone a fox! I thought to myself.

Well, at least he has a small tomach compared to us so he might not eat so much my wolf said and I knew she was trying to cheer me up but it just wasn't doing it.

Ya, but it still means even more hunting on our part and there's barely enough around here as is, we might have to move to