Paralyzed

The snow crunched below me and the wind chilled my fur as I heard whimpering from behind me. I wished to turn around, but I could not do such a thing. Me and my capturer kept going on through the snow covered forest until suddenly, everything stopped. I felt scared as I was put down and heard nothing but silence; what were seconds that went by felt like long agonizing minutes. A part of me yearned to be back in the warm cabin, not out here in the cold, lost and frightened. What ever took me here hadn’t moved, I knew that for a fact, for I noticed breathing behind me. The creature curled up around me and comfort filled me as the warm soft fur covered my own…. Oh how I longed to bury myself deeper into the mysterious, yet so familiar fur that shielded me from the cold bitter air that nipped at my nose and burned like a wildfire. The creature shifted around a little, putting its face by mine and nudged me. I stayed still and unmoving as always. Pain filled the golden eyes that looked deep into my own, that once more, felt so familiar. In its eyes I saw myself looking at me. Except this me could move.  It was free and I was paralyzed.  It threw its head back and let out the most beautiful, yet sorrowful noise I swear that I’ve heard before. Snarls of rage filled the once silent night.

More of the monsters stepped out from the trees, their eyes filled with worry. Suddenly everything came back to me, as if a bolt of lightning struck my mind. I wanted to run to them. I knew who they were now. They were my pack. I tried to scream for them, but no sound came from my jaws. It dawned upon me that the wolf that had taken me was my mother. I tried to move with all my strength but nothing worked. After all... I was nothing more than an object. A trophy. A warm tongue licked my head and the rest of my pack approached. Pain filled me as I saw a small snow white head poke out from under a tail. The one who had given me life stood over me to defend me as she snarled and the pup hid his head as he whined. Why am I seeing this? Why am I not free of this suffering? Howls filled the air, distracting me from my thoughts. I hate this. Why won’t they just leave me. After all, death is normal here. We hunt and eventually, we come to pass, as does everything in life. I’m not alive. We live for the moment, not the past or future. But then again. I am somehow here. In the present. Not the past as I should be. My death should have ended with me in peace of this cruel yet beautiful world. Howls filled the air and a shot rang out in the night. I was lifted up once more and everything was a blur. I was rushed through the trees and a yelp pierced the bitter air as another shot rang out. Dread ran throughout my body, knowing that someone I once knew had either been struck down or wounded. Soon the chaos was left behind us and mother slipped under a bush cautiously as she trembled with fear. I knew for a fact that she would never leave me and send me back to my killer, no matter how much fear ripped into her flesh and dug into her bones. I felt her warm tongue on my head as she groomed my fur. I still do not know of why I’m here… Is it a dream? An illusion?

Once more I was becoming lost in my thoughts. There are just so many questions that ran swiftly through my head like a fleeing deer and all of those questions are without answers. We heard the sounds of heavy footsteps and mother barked and showed her long deadly canines. There it was. My killer. I tried to run, but everything I did to try to hide was in vain. Shots rang out in the air as mother charged at the human. She was struck on her hip and she howled in pain, yet never gave up on the attack. Knocking him down, she bit his weapon and with all her might, straining to pull it from his tight grasp. I gave up on trying to get away and help. I was helpless. All I can do is hopelessly watch as the human kicks her away and grabs me. ‘No...no no no… this isn’t right! I am supposed to be with my pack and my mother! Not with him!’ I internally cried, watching as the she-wolf stood back up, charging at him, making him lose his grasp on me. He fell back and I was thrown not too far away from them. The human pushed her off, trying to use his weapon, only for it to be jammed. Mother looked at my freezing stiff body and ran for me.

BANG!

The she-wolf howled in pain and laid still beside me. She was struck and the wound was fatal. Reaching out with a paw, she pulled me close to her and the human looked looked at me and then mother.A look of pain, grief, and shock ran through his face. The aura around him seemed not threatening but it hung heavy like clouds full of rain. He lowered his gun and tucked me closer than my dying mother could and he whispered something before walking away. As the light in my mother’s eyes faded ever so slowly, I saw her once more. Except I was beside her now. Standing. We were moving now. The bitter wind slowly became a warm gentle breeze as the Great Spirit embraced us. With a lick upon my head, I heard my mother’s voice whisper ‘We are free at last’.