My first reaction was to widen my eyes and scream, which was a big mistake that cost me my last breath as water hungrily swipe into my mouth and gave me a gag reflex.

Desperate and confused I flapped about like a fish out of water, my eyes blinded by the liquid and lack of light as I could not find where was up and where was down, my situation downing on me as I panic.

I’m going to die, I’m going to die!

As there was no air for me to retain to begin with I could do nothing against the sluggish numbness spreading thought my body, the darkness creeping on the corner of my eyes and spreading through my vision, my mind going blank for the lack of oxygen.

Until I was suddenly out.

I did not have time to grasp my situation as a painful cough makes me vomit the water out, clinging to the so needed air as if my life depended on it.

Only when the cough calmed down and I could breathe normally again that I manage to open my eyes and assert my surroundings, only to realize that I was up close to a black furry snout, and that a pair of brown-yellow eyes were staring me with a not amused and annoyed glint on them.

I cannot help but jump back from his embrace, quickly noticing that I was sitting; naked; on top of his furry lap, inside the little pond I had been bathing beforehand.

I must have fallen asleep and fell down on the deeper side of the little pond… and that explained why the water was so cold.

Freezing I embrace my arms and try once more to stand, only for him to hold me down, making me notice for the first time his furry big paw-hand over my waist, the claws dangerously close to my skin.

“W-what? Let go.”

I was still shocked by my almost death experience that the only thing I wanted right now was to get out of the water.

But it seems he didn’t notice, or choose to ignore it, as he held me close with a scowl on his wolfy face, a high-eyebrows look on his face as his snout goes once again to my shoulder, his pointy nose taking generous sniffs close to my skin, as if enjoying the smell, or trying to engrave it in his mind.

And what’s up with this obsession with my shoulder that these wolves have?!

Dreading the lick that was certain to come I’m shocked when he simply seems satisfied with whiffing about, until, that is, he stands with me, holding me in front of him like a baby, and take us out of the water.

“I can walk just fine you know. Let. Me. Down!”

He snorts, not amused by my words and ignoring them as he starts to walk and carry me with him, the freezing water on my body now feeling like sharp ice prickling my skin as the wind join efforts to freeze me to death, making me automatically shrink into a ball and shiver.

I was shaking from head to toe, now unable to speak and afraid of trying only to end up bitting my own tongue as my teeth chattered together, my body closing in on itself trying to stay warm, my fingers rigid as the wolf brought me closer to his chest, the warm sensation helping with the cold and blocking the wind, but not easing my mind in the slightest.

“Stop that mutt and put me down!”

Unable to move; even without the cold since he was stronger than me; I’m left to wonder what the hell he was up to as he lowers himself down over the furs I had put, holding me still on his lap as he took a towel on the side and started drying my body.

“W-w-ha!”

Unable to speak properly I try to push him back, the somehow sweet caring act making me uncomfortable more than the embrace itself. What was he thinking? That was the golden question, it has been since the beginning, from saving us before to doing once more now, taking care of us even…

What was his deal?

What did he want?

He finishes drying me up, taking another towel from the side and covering me only to embrace me harder, my face up close to his chest, his warm breath brushing the top of my head.

I understood why he was hugging me, feeling the warmness spread to my frozen limbs, but I could not relax at all.

I felt like a trapped animal on his arms, but as I could do nothing against it I simply have to wait it out, time passing as his warm embrace starts to relax me, his heartbeat sounding like a lullaby close to my ear as his black fur brushed against my cheek.

As my body starts to ease he ever so slowly pulls me closer to him, taking whiffs here and there, but, as if realizing what he was doing, he suddenly drops me to the side and stands, a grow rising his lips as he moves his head side to side, walking away with an annoyed sneer on his snout.

“Ouch you brute mutt.”

Feeling the lack of his warm body I start trembling again, so before I could freeze in place I go for my bag to the side and start dressing up, slower than I wished with my numb rigid fingers, but in the end I manage somehow and stay still for a little until my body could stop shaking.

After who knows how long I’m finally better, but before I stand and get my bag I steal a sneak peek at the wolf as he still seemed annoyed with something, twisting his nose as if bothered, a frown wrinkling his furry forehead until he feels my gaze on him, his alert gaze falling on mine as his brownish-yellow eyes stare me down.

“Stop staring mutt.” I say, but not with the strength that I indented, more in a dismissive way as I felt something twist inside my chest, tighten around my heart.

What the hell?

I hope I’m not sick, that could be deadly.

I look away with a hand on my chest, but look back once more when he stands and, without a glance towards me, he turns and goes for the meat hooked up with the rope, probably to prepare it; or rather, take a chunk off, since he eats it raw anyway.

Wikes.

Not really looking forward to seeing him eating a raw fresh piece of meat dripping blood I focus my attention on my bag once more, getting the can opener to clean close to the fire, once more heating water up to clean utensils up.

While I waited for it I went to see if Kira was still asleep, breathing heavily, which was weird to see in her since she has always been so active and cheerful.

It pained me to see her like that.

I pull the fur out of the way to see the state of her wounds, but I was surprised with the amount that there was in her, all still bandage up and a little red, in need of changing.

I swallow dry. Not cleaning her up was not an option, but I wasn’t looking forward to doing it either.

I start separating some things I would need to treat her, wondering where the wolf found the bandages at; and how far his knowledge went, how much did he know, or rather, how human was his line of thought, and how much belonged to a mere beast?

That picked my interest.

But how could I know more about him if he didn’t even speak? And how about a human form hey? Wait, now that I think about it, why hasn’t he changed? I mean, you can be a werewolf and all, but wouldn’t you feel more comfortable in your human skin?

He was a confusing mysterious creature, that’s for sure.

Enough about him, I think once I have prepared everything for after my meal, the water had boiled nicely and I finally could eat.

Even if wasn’t the worst situation I have been in, two days without eating was starting to affect me, together with the gigantic amount of stress, my stomach wanting to glue to my back, not having strength to even rumble anymore.

I opened the can of beans and look at the brownish content, digging in with quick movements, chewing fast so in mere seconds it was gone.

Yet strangely it wasn’t enough.

I look over my bag, thinking that one more would do no harm, after all it has been two days, the worth of two cans, so in the end it worked out, right?

I open the next one, barely registering what I was eating, the goopy meat melting in my mouth as my teeth worked without stopping until that too ended.

And yet, like a hollow that could not be filled, my stomach still seemed empty, and I was still hungry, very, very hungry.

I look greedily at the other cans, a strange need overtaking my senses as I lick my lips and open another one, then another, eating like a starving man until five cans were emptied in the blink of an eye.

Damn, should have eaten slower, it didn’t even feel like they reached my stomach yet I already finish them up.

Wait… how many did I eat?!

Fuck!

What the fuck happened? That would have last three more days at least! How could I even eat that much? Oh my I’ll get stomach ache later, I know it, I can already feel it coming; though that last part may be psychological.

Blinking I look up, only to see the wolf had stopped mid-bite, a crocked fangy smile on his snout.

“Are you making fun of me oi!”

He snorts, a growly laugh coming from him as he finally bites down on his meat, narrowing his eyes in my direction as a piece of red meat appears to be stuck between his teeth as he munched.

Eww.

I take Kira small used bowl out and find a can of sausages for her, taking the always dwindling painkiller medicine and cutting it in half, then crushing one part into powder and pouring it on her food, mixing it in the goopy broth that came with the meat.

Looking at her state I take a plastic spoon as well, going to her side and sitting down, putting my hand over her shoulder slowly so I would not scare her as she slowly blinks the sleep away, looking up at me with tired eyes.

“Hey babe, you need to eat and get better soon. Here.” I push the bowl forward, but as expected she didn’t try to reach out, making me dip the spoon in, taking some small chunks of the melting meat and bringing it close to her snout.

I help her steady her head a little up as she shyly licks the content on the spoon, her slow movements making me truly aware of how serious her state was.

I block my mind from pessimist thoughts as I keep feeding her, not satisfied with how little she eats as I store the rest for her later, not having the luxury of giving her it fresh all the time, even more wasting the rest of the medicine in the broth.

Yet a jab of guilt clenches my heart as I record how much I ate.

What the hell happened there? I simply lost all control and could only keep eating until I was somehow satisfied.

Worst of all was that, even after all of that, I was still hungry, so, so hungry.

Shit.

Fuck me.

****

Author note:

Shit.

Fuck me.

Wolfy: With pleasure.

Enzo: What?

Wolfy: *Crooking a smirk*

See ya~~~~~ And thanks for all the ink donations on TAPAS guys, really appreciate them!