The smell of smoke and burning wood woke Sarah from her slumber, her den felt like a trap and in an panicked attempt to flee, she could not find the exit right away. She thrashed against the walls, coming to her senses only, when she hit her forehead on a sharp, protruding rock in the ceiling and the pain caused her to stop briefly and find, what she had been looking for.
Once out in the crisp winter night, feeling snow underneath her paws and breathing in the fresh air, she calmed down a notch. All was quiet and peaceful, the moon had hidden itself from the clouds and ghost-like mist was flowing freely between the trees and had wrapped the surrounding area. Sarah breathed deeply and exhaled, did it a few times, reminding herself that the fire had been just a dream. Just a bad dream...
Then it started again - the smell of smoke and burn and - what was that - here and there bright orange and yellow embers appeared, glare of the fire and crackling sound, as it ate away the first tree. It caught on the next one, then the next, leaving Sarah perplexed at what she was witnessing. A forest fire, here, in the middle of winter? A burning branch fell right next to her, it's heat very real against her skin, flaring up the old wounds. She whimpered, withdrew from it and began to run.
It occurred to her that she should go and warn Terance and the rest of the pack of, what was going on. She screamed, but got no answer. She was alone in the forest and there was no time left - the fire had engulfed the entire hollow by now - and seemed to be tagging after her. Wherever she chose to flee, the fire was already there. Falling branches, burning grass, white hot sparks hitting her in the face and eyes, digging inside her fur, singing the hair and burning her skin.
Sarah continued to run, this time eastwards, where Terance had found her, where she recalled a river had been. Maybe ice and water would stop her pursuer, if she made it that far. Eyes watering from irritating smoke and heat, coughing, hardly seeing, where she was going, she finally reached the river-bank, tripping and falling hard on the ice. The impact hit air out of her lungs and rendered her incapable to move and she watched helplessly, how the flames ate their way through the snow, reached and attacked her.
After a feeble attempt to raise and shake off the enemy, Sarah gave up. If this was her end, so be it. She was tired of fighting, surviving day for day. Life had been hell for her the past few months and the release felt so close and welcome. Be it a paradise or nothingness after this, she did not care, as long as this drab existence of hers could finally be brought to a halt.
She measured her time by the steady beating of her heart, focusing solely on it and shutting the world out. Until someone touched her lightly on her forehead, as if to wake her. Unwillingly Sarah opened her eyes, surprised to see no fire around her, her body whole and unscathed. Another dream? She looked around, seeking, whoever had approached her, and spotted a almost transparent, save for the green glow of it's eyes, spectre of a wolf.
"Hey!" Sarah called out to it, getting to her feet and approaching it carefully. The spirit did not reply, but did not move away either. Thus encouraged the she-wolf came close enough to have a more detailed look and, realizing that she knew the person before her, fell back on her haunches, rendered speechless. This could not be.
"You called me," the ghost told her in a familiar voice, yet it sounded as if coming from far away, "and I came." Sarah still held back, but only for a little while longer, because she decided that it did not matter, whether it was a dream or reality or figment of her tormented mind. With a quiet sob and tears running down her cheeks, she rushed towards her mother and buried her face in the soft fur of hers.
"I have missed you so much..." Sarah told her inbetween sobs, "I am so sorry..." Osprey rested head against her daughter's forehead and listened to her in silence, until she calmed down and, wiping the last tears away from her face, retreated to have a good look of her mother. She was still lean and old age had left it's marks in her features, still frail, but no longer in pain. Peaceful, there was something so reassuring about Osprey's serenity, that Sarah suddenly felt her own sadness receding and turning to dust.
"Will you stay with me?" Sarah asked finally, her voice hopeful and pleading, a child, who fears to be abandoned. For too long had she lived in solitude, friendless, without anyone to love and trust. Having mom by her side would make all the difference. Osprey regarded her with sincere look in her eyes, then moved to stand right in front of Sarah, leaned close, pressing her cheek against hers, and whispered: "Always."
Sarah woke up to see the sun rise, it's first warm rays, caressing her face, as she looked at the blinding light through narrowed lids. She could still feel the touch of her mother against her skin, feel her presence and just mere moments, before she departed from the vaning dream-world, she caught a glimpse of her. Still here with her.
Sarah greeted the new day with a smile.
Once out in the crisp winter night, feeling snow underneath her paws and breathing in the fresh air, she calmed down a notch. All was quiet and peaceful, the moon had hidden itself from the clouds and ghost-like mist was flowing freely between the trees and had wrapped the surrounding area. Sarah breathed deeply and exhaled, did it a few times, reminding herself that the fire had been just a dream. Just a bad dream...
Then it started again - the smell of smoke and burn and - what was that - here and there bright orange and yellow embers appeared, glare of the fire and crackling sound, as it ate away the first tree. It caught on the next one, then the next, leaving Sarah perplexed at what she was witnessing. A forest fire, here, in the middle of winter? A burning branch fell right next to her, it's heat very real against her skin, flaring up the old wounds. She whimpered, withdrew from it and began to run.
It occurred to her that she should go and warn Terance and the rest of the pack of, what was going on. She screamed, but got no answer. She was alone in the forest and there was no time left - the fire had engulfed the entire hollow by now - and seemed to be tagging after her. Wherever she chose to flee, the fire was already there. Falling branches, burning grass, white hot sparks hitting her in the face and eyes, digging inside her fur, singing the hair and burning her skin.
Sarah continued to run, this time eastwards, where Terance had found her, where she recalled a river had been. Maybe ice and water would stop her pursuer, if she made it that far. Eyes watering from irritating smoke and heat, coughing, hardly seeing, where she was going, she finally reached the river-bank, tripping and falling hard on the ice. The impact hit air out of her lungs and rendered her incapable to move and she watched helplessly, how the flames ate their way through the snow, reached and attacked her.
After a feeble attempt to raise and shake off the enemy, Sarah gave up. If this was her end, so be it. She was tired of fighting, surviving day for day. Life had been hell for her the past few months and the release felt so close and welcome. Be it a paradise or nothingness after this, she did not care, as long as this drab existence of hers could finally be brought to a halt.
She measured her time by the steady beating of her heart, focusing solely on it and shutting the world out. Until someone touched her lightly on her forehead, as if to wake her. Unwillingly Sarah opened her eyes, surprised to see no fire around her, her body whole and unscathed. Another dream? She looked around, seeking, whoever had approached her, and spotted a almost transparent, save for the green glow of it's eyes, spectre of a wolf.
"Hey!" Sarah called out to it, getting to her feet and approaching it carefully. The spirit did not reply, but did not move away either. Thus encouraged the she-wolf came close enough to have a more detailed look and, realizing that she knew the person before her, fell back on her haunches, rendered speechless. This could not be.
"You called me," the ghost told her in a familiar voice, yet it sounded as if coming from far away, "and I came." Sarah still held back, but only for a little while longer, because she decided that it did not matter, whether it was a dream or reality or figment of her tormented mind. With a quiet sob and tears running down her cheeks, she rushed towards her mother and buried her face in the soft fur of hers.
"I have missed you so much..." Sarah told her inbetween sobs, "I am so sorry..." Osprey rested head against her daughter's forehead and listened to her in silence, until she calmed down and, wiping the last tears away from her face, retreated to have a good look of her mother. She was still lean and old age had left it's marks in her features, still frail, but no longer in pain. Peaceful, there was something so reassuring about Osprey's serenity, that Sarah suddenly felt her own sadness receding and turning to dust.
"Will you stay with me?" Sarah asked finally, her voice hopeful and pleading, a child, who fears to be abandoned. For too long had she lived in solitude, friendless, without anyone to love and trust. Having mom by her side would make all the difference. Osprey regarded her with sincere look in her eyes, then moved to stand right in front of Sarah, leaned close, pressing her cheek against hers, and whispered: "Always."
Sarah woke up to see the sun rise, it's first warm rays, caressing her face, as she looked at the blinding light through narrowed lids. She could still feel the touch of her mother against her skin, feel her presence and just mere moments, before she departed from the vaning dream-world, she caught a glimpse of her. Still here with her.
Sarah greeted the new day with a smile.
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