Story - , Moons Peak [FINISHED]- Snow White (chapter 18)

WEEKS PASSED BY and still no sign of Satchel.
I was beginning to think he'd given up on me.
What was worst was the pain emanating through my body as my feverish
skin amped up higher than a normal human being was capable of even
having. My temperature was close to400 degrees, and I was sure I
should have been dead by now.
We arrived at our new destination, still without the luxury of a warm
bed, or even a shower. Still with open air surrounding us and
never-ending pine trees.
We'd made a living in thewoods I realized – away from sanctuary, and
away from civilization. My makeshift bed was made of big leaves piled
together, and I didn't even want to mention what our makeshift
bathroom was made out of.
Despite my high temperature, my body gave out involuntary shudders,
and grunts thatwere inhuman to my ears.
I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, as I felt another hallucination
coming on. It was constant, and a side effect of the poulticeSheeba
had used on my wounds. She reassured me that it would happen until the
wounds scarred over.
They'd long since scarred over and still I was enduring these
hallucinations, she'd said would be inevitable. My first vision was of
a black wolf with green eyes, and it had ripped me to shreds. This one
was more of a memory.
It was late afternoon when the sun was at its peak, and I was no older
than five, though my height would leave people wondering if I was
seven or eight.
I was dressed in one of those stupid summer dresses my step mother
liked to put on me. I remembered she liked to dress me like a doll.
It was also my birthday present she'd given me that day.
I was laughing hysterically around the willow tree as a little boy
chased me from behind with bugs and dirt hanging from his fingers.
Clad in his suspenders, grey slacks, and brown shirt. His scruffy hair
was short but curled at the tips. It was Satchel.
He was singing that song again in that sing-song voice of his,
carrying a delightful cadence that sounded like an angel.
"Under the willow tree…my willow is waiting for me…" I squealed louder
when his footsteps were gaining on me.
"-eyes that sparkle tenderly…sleepy hollow mystery…my heart goes wild
when she looks at me…Because…I finally found my willow, sitting under
the willow tree…" He sang, and I screamed with joy as he made a reach
for me.
"Satchel!" I complained as he grabbed me from behind to cover my eyes.
"I can't see, Satchel!" He laughed.
"You're not supposed to silly." He crooned. I giggled, trying to pry
his hands away from my eyes but he wouldn't budge.
"Satchel!" I complained again.
"I have a surprise you, but you're not allowed topeek unless I say…got
it?"I reluctantly nodded and he slowly removed his hands from my eyes.
I was tempted to take a peek, and I nearly did, until Satchel reminded
me not to.
"Okay, okay. I'm not gonna peek, just hurry up!" I could hear him
rustling with something behind me. I really wanted to know what it was
he was doing. I bit my lip in anticipation.
"Satchel. Tell me what you're doing already?" I started tapping my
foot impatiently. He chuckled.
"You'll see." He said, and it only piqued my curiosity even more.
"You're killing me, Satchel." I whined for thetenth time. He just
laughed, and went back to doing whatever it was that was so secretive.
"Okay turn around."As I whipped my head around to face Satchel, I
watched him hold two white jars up into his hands.
It was impossible to detect what the jars contained with the
whitepaint that had covered the glass. It was a wonder he could hold
the both up with how big they looked.
"What are those for?" I frowned, but his grin only spread wider.
He flicked his thumbs up to flip off the jars lids at the same time,
as if to answer my question.
I gasped, as I watched what was happening as an orange butterfly
escaped from its captivity.
"Oh. My. God." I exclaimed as one by one, every butterfly was sent to freedom.
Satchel and I both watched two long thick trails of different colored
wings flapping graciously into the wind. I cast a glance at Satchel,
and his piercing eyes were watching me attentively.
I stared up at the sky in awe, gasping as one by one fled from the
open jar. Bits of orange, white,blue, pink and even purple swirled
around us,it looked like a rainbow colored sky.
"That looks amazing." I breathed, as my eyes followed the trail up
into the sky, until the air around us was filled withbeauty.
"Beautiful…" I giggled as one of them touched my finger. I attempted
to grab for one, making them flutter and flee and I found Satchel
watching me with a perfect smile.
"Just like you." He murmurmed. I smiled.
"You done that…for me." He nodded a little sheepishly. I'd watched him
catch butterflies all week, letting them safely coil in a jar, filling
them up until he got every color that was available.
But I didn't know what he was planning on doing with them until now.
Butterflies were my favorite. Before I even knew what I was doing,
Iran up to him and crushed him into a tight bear hug.
"Thank you, Satchel." I said, planting a peck on his cheek. I watched
his cheeks flame red, and I pulled back and smiled.
"Happy birthday, Willy." He said, and it was the best birthday gift
I'd everreceived.
Back in the present, I waslying on my makeshift bed complete with
fatigue despite never once having to walk on my own accord. Trench
always carried me wherever we went.
Besides, I wasn't in the state to sit up yet, so it was just as well.
After Cairo's attack, he'd left a permanent scar on my shoulder all
four of them than ran down to my collar bone.
I could still feel the tingle in my bones where his claws dug into me
from the memory alone. I wasn't sure wolves used there claws to
attack, butthat just goes to show how little I knew about that
particular species.
Two weeks lying on my back had made my joints close up. I felt like I
was paralyzed or something similar to what it would feel like if my
legs would stop working.
After all, I hadn't used them in awhile. My fever had spiked again, I
could feel something crawl under my skin.
"Hey pup, forgot to wish you a happy birthday." Sheeba said beside me.
I liked her, she was the calmer one out of the pack. Even if she was
associated with my captives, she was the only one that shared the same
chromosome that I trusted to talk with without losing her temper.
The others seem to have their temper short of a leash. I'd told her it
was my birthday today, but no one else. I was thankful she didn't go
telling the whole pack. However, something told me that they already
knew.
"Shouldn't be too long now." I heard Trench's voice zone in. His eyes
roaming my body expectantly. I frowned.
"Why do you…keep saying…t-that?" I stammered trying to block out the
involuntaryshudders. My body was close to convulsing on its own
accord. I didn't know what was happening, and I ignoredthe tingle that
coursed through my veins, swallowing the pain down with a hiss.
"Make it stop." I breathedheavily, it was starting to feel like I'd
run out of oxygen.
"Let nature take its course, it would lessen the pain." Cairo said
witha smirk. I wanted to wipethat smirk off his face…again.
The night was cooler this time of year, and the frost that casted over
the tips of grass made certainit was going to get colder.
"Let's do it boys." Sheeba was saying, as she stripped until her bare
skin was exposed.
She knelt down on all fours and started changing. One by one I watched
the others follow in suit.
I found myself watching the pack beside strip to their bare bodies, as
theycrouched down onto all fours. They were getting ready to change.
I'd watched this routine every night when the moon was at its highest.
They started shuddering and their bodies transformed before my eyes.
Fur sprouting, muzzles widening, and joints cracking. It was the same
thing I saw with Satchel, but multiply that by many. I glanced up at
themoon and it was as if it was calling my inner wolf. I shook my
head. No. I'm not one of them. Ichanted silently.
Trench was the first one to let out a howl; I'd remembered his howl
from anywhere. It was stained in the back of my ears. My body called
to it, and I shuddered. His howl had been calling me for days now. I
was reluctant to follow, but somehow his howl had that kind of effect
on me.
The rest followed in suit, until they sounded like one big choir.
Echoing throughout the forest one by one. I watched the big grey wolf
stalk toward me, eying me with his gun-metal grey eyes. He nudged me
in the hip with his muzzle.
Change!
I blinked at the wolf, frowning. Thinking it was crazy that his eyes
were saying 'change'.
Sweat broke out on my forehead. Stop fighting it! A voice inside me
was saying. The grey wolf licked at my forehead, taking with it my
sweat and scent. He licked his muzzle.
Change! Now!
That's when I realized he was communicating through me. I started
panting, as my inner wolfdemanded to come out. I pushed it down as
hard as I can, despite Gray-wolfs protesting.
Something about him made me weak, and want to submit, but I refused to give in.
He nudged me again with his muzzle, nipping at my neck. His scent
filling my nostrils.
I knew what was going to happen. Sheeba had warned me if I'd
changedinto wolf, he could complete his mating, andI'll be his for
good. Until death do us part.
"No." I breathed hard, trying to fight my inner wolf.
"I'm not yours to take. I'm S…" I was cut off fromair supply as my
body flailed about, convulsing like a man woman.
I groaned, panting and hissing through my mouth. I sounded more animal
than I wanted to admit. I turned over, dry heaving until saliva
dribbled to the ground.
I was changing , and my bones cracked in and outof place.
White fur sprawled out of my skin, from my hands to my feet.
Gray eyes stared at me, with a glint of amusement.
"NO." I screamed.
But I couldn't stop it. I was transforming into a beast, and I let it
over come me.
When it was all over, I was huffing through my muzzle. Pure white fur
coated my skin, with a tinge of creamy-white. I noticed my left front
pawhad a patch of brown.
I whined as gray wolf stalked toward me, like I'd done something wrong.
He was ten times bigger than me, and he used his weight to his
advantage. I snarled at him as he approached, but he kept stalking.
Challenging me with his startling eyes.
Stand down, Snow White! He snarled back. I growled again, taking a
fighters stance and welcoming the attack.
He stood over me now, with a look that said he was an Alpha, and I had
to obey. He was so close, his scent meddled with my own.
Where he stood over me, I was in a good position to see under his
chin. My animal instincts kicked into overdrive.
And I took my chances. I reached up, barring my teeth aiming straight
for his throat.
He howled like I'd never heard him howl before. Itwas one of anger,
pain and suffering. I bit down harder as the taste of blood seeped
through hiswounds and into my mouth. He went down to the floor, and
that was my cue.
I darted past the giant wolves, whom seemed more worried about tending
to their wounded Alpha than having to worry about a runaway dog.
I refused to stick around to see the damage. I raced toward the
opposite direction into the woods.
I never looked back.