chapter 8

                                    

                                          
~hours later


                          
After another two failed attempts at escape, I've come to realize that it won't be easy to get past this monster...

                          
Sitting in the back of the cave all I can do is watch it sleep in front of the cave opening, keeping it guarded so I wouldn't run away. I've already attempted to try sneaking out while it slept, but apparently wolf beasts are light sleepers and a single crack of a twig, had the beast dragging me back inside...

                          
Maybe dragging wasn't quite the word to describe it...despite the fact it had kidnapped me and is now holding me, prisoner, it has yet to do any harm, in fact from what I can recall, it has saved me twice...

                          
The first time was when I was attacked by the wolf...

                          
I can still remember the pain of its teeth sinking into my skin... Unconsciously my hand moved up to my injured shoulder. The second time was with the bear. It even acquired its own injuries in the process... But was it just trying to save me? Or was something else going on?

                          
Questions swirled in my mind as I tried to come up with some explanation for the beasts actions, but nothing came to mind that really fit the scenario.

                          
Looking over the beast I could see the wounds were still bloody and looked quite bad, they were worse than mine... I suppose it's unable to properly clean its own wounds considering they were on its back and side. I almost felt bad for the creature.

                          
Wait I felt bad for it?! I can't forget this thing attacked my home! It killed people then proceeded to take me away by force! It was a monster, not some poor injured animal I should give pity to. Who knows how many people this thing has killed?

                          
How could I be so naive as to think that it deserved pity after everything it's done?!

                          
With a long huff, the mangy wolf beast finally got up from its former position of laying in front of the entrance. It looked up at me and then glanced outside. I could tell this thing was thinking... It was debating on something, I was right earlier when I thought this thing wasn't some mindless beast but just how intelligent was this creature...

                          
Its eyes seemed to travel down from my face to my injured shoulder. It took a few steps forward, limping on its injured side.

                          
I pressed myself against the back wall of the cave giving the creature a hard glare.
                          
It stopped in its tracks when it noticed the look I was giving it. Its ears pressed back and it gave its look of annoyance before turning around and limping outside on all fours.

                          
For some reason I doubted that this was the same creature that had attacked me when I was little, it wasn't as bloodthirsty as I remembered...

                          
The monster that killed my father didn't hesitate before attacking... It's seemed feral almost...

                          
So why was this one so different?

                          
I continued to watch the wolf beast as he searched the surrounding area just outside the cave. Even if I tried to run now while he was distracted, he would catch me. I needed to wait until he was far enough away so that i have a head start...

                          
It suddenly froze in place looking out into the forest and I could see the creature's ears twitch. I watched closely as it crouched down and within seconds it took off running into the tree-line.

                          
"What..." I stood up and made my way over to the front of the cave and looked in the direction the creature left in, but it was already out of sight. Was this the chance I had been waiting for? Should I run? I stood there weighing my choices.