Chapter 2 - Hunted

After the sad days had passed, I undertook the painful task of watching over my beloved sister's body and burying her next to our parents. The feeling of abandonment washed over me as I looked at the freshly placed earth, as if everyone I loved had turned their backs on me. A moan disturbed the baby in my arms and elicited a weary sigh from my lips. “Well, it seems like everyone has abandoned me, except you, Conan…” I murmured with a tender smile to the restless little being in my hands. Shortly after, tears welled up in my eyes and a single stubborn tear rolled down my cheek. “Yes, I know,” I continued as I carefully picked up the baby and placed her in the carrier against my chest. “I miss them too, but now it's just you and me, my brave one.” A gentle smile graced my lips as I stroked the baby's soft cheek and rocked her gently to calm her restless spirit. As I did so, I hummed a soft melody, a fond reminder of the songs my mother used to sing to us when we were children. Suddenly, a disturbing sound echoed from the other side of the graves, forcing me to turn abruptly toward the sound. My heart raced as I came face to face with a pack of wolves emerging from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a ravenous, wildfire. Bared fangs and ravenous growls painted a terrifying picture. “Wolves?” My voice fell to a frightened whisper as I held Conan tightly in my arms, instinctively trying to protect him. “What the hell are wolves doing here?” Desperately, my eyes searched the area around the cemetery for any support, but the landscape remained eerily empty. Taking cautious steps backward, my eyes darted to my car, not too far away. However, my movements did not go unnoticed. One of the wolves let out a sharp howl, almost like a command. The sound echoed like a war cry, and the wolves advanced, moving with fierce agility in our direction. “Shh, shh, my love, it's okay, it's okay,” I tried to calm Conan, who was growling with excitement. My legs pumped hard as I tried to reach the shelter of the car, but a gray-furred wolf blocked my path, leaping at me with bared fangs, ready to bite. My purse was flung violently at the wolf's snout, causing it to recoil for a moment, but its eyes burned with intense rage. My eyes scanned the area frantically for anything that might serve as a makeshift defense. A switchblade, a gift from my father hidden in my pocket, brought a flash of determination. I pulled it out and pointed it in the direction of the wolf that threatened to harm us. To my horror, two more wolves joined the first, forming a menacing circle around me, their eyes fixed on me with predatory intensity. “Damn!” I muttered through clenched teeth, my mind quickly realizing the disadvantage I was in. The gray wolf lunged at me again, and with a quick movement I dodged the attack. However, a second wolf silently appeared from behind, its paws slamming violently into my back. Despite the impact, I managed to stand up and avoid falling. A wave of pain radiated from the wounds caused by the smaller wolf's attack on my back. Panting, I growled at the wolves with fierce determination, my words carrying a sincere threat: “We won't be your snack!” The wolves didn't hesitate and pounced on me again. Acting on instinct, I dodged one of their attacks and delivered a powerful kick to the smaller wolf's jaw. A grunt of pain escaped him as the gray wolf approached the injured one and nuzzled him gently with his snout. A third wolf, with mottled gray and black fur, advanced relentlessly. With few options, I ran toward the dense Goethe State Forest, seeking refuge. But the wolf's speed was impressive, and it caught up with me before I could get far enough away. I felt its fangs sink into my ankle, and I acted quickly to shield the head of my faithful companion, Conan, from the impending impact. With effort, I pulled my body back and raised a dagger in a defensive gesture. “You won't touch him, you mangy wolf!” I growled with a mixture of fear and bravery, staring into the wolf's eyes. The creature's growl intensified, a menacing sound that almost seemed to contain a suppressed laugh. Its sharp teeth were inches from us, ready to rip us apart. At the crucial moment, the wolf lunged, its jaws closing around my arm. With my other hand, I drove the dagger into its furry belly. The wolf's eyes widened, but it didn't back down, continuing to press its teeth against my arm in a brutal effort. A scream of pain escaped my lips, echoing through the forest as the wolf crushed my arm. Conan wept inconsolably, his anguish echoing through the harrowing scene. With tears in my eyes, I looked at him reassuringly and whispered, “I promised to protect you, I will protect you!” Desperately, I kneed the side of the wolf as it loomed over us, using all my strength to drive the dagger deeper. The beast tried to release my arm, but I resisted, forcing it to maintain its bite. Relentlessly, I continued to strike with the dagger until I felt the animal's body give way. With an effort, I finally managed to push it aside and struggled to my feet. My flesh was exposed, torn by the attack. With a soft and reassuring voice I murmured to Conan, “Shhh, Conan, it's okay, it's okay. Auntie killed the big bad wolf!” But before I could try to calm the situation, the other two wolves appeared and joined us. The smaller wolf approached the body of the defeated wolf, her actions betraying sadness, and her tears seemed to mingle with her fur. A desperate growl ripped through the air as the second wolf stared at me with blazing eyes of rage. With each step they took toward us, I could feel the intensification of their hatred emanating from them.