We walk softly, amongst the pines;; LASS

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Seth Brogan
District 7
Age: 14

Phantom pain should be a thing of the past, but in reality, it never goes away. That dull ache that says there is still something there, I hate it. That damn Marcus is to blame for this and for once, I'm able to get out on my own now to gather what I need to do my job. At least he has no more control over my life. Staying in bed and being made to take it easy is nothing but in the past. Though, my newfound talent gave me something to do. I've started a new thing for the town; personal wood carvings and the like. It's not much, but it does create a small amount of money to help the family, my parents and my little sister. No longer am I under my father's watchful eye as a woodsman's apprentice, sadly. That fell away months ago when the accident occured that no one knows about. So, getting out to the woods is special for me. Being out here in the fresh air is exactly the right kind of medicine and as much as I can, I will overdose on the crisp, clean air that enters my lungs.

I take my travels a little further than ever today. Being cooped up inside all the time with the strict instructions to 'stay put' just don't cut it anymore. I keep questioning myself all the time when I became a little child again, unable to make my own decisions for myself and when I can go out and do the things I want when I want to. With mom out for the day and dad took my little sister to start her early in the business, I soak up every scent and sight I can.

At least, when I reach the small creek, I know I've reached half of the distance to the district fence. Illegal or not, I still go... The thought of going to the fence like I used to is intriguing, to say the least. It will be the first time in a while and it would commemerate my new life now. With a shrug, I do take those heavy, uneven steps and continue on my path to where I want to go. The only problem with that is that something, somewhere close, to me gives off this weird vibe when the rustling of bushes and silence birds make my ears prick up and the hairs on the back of my neck begin standing. First thing in my mind is that Marcus has found me, so immediatley, I turn to meet with nothing but the wind.

"Ha. Trying to scare me, I think not, Marcus. Go on back... go on!" I express a deepened voice. When nothing happens, I turn away from the scene and start walking yet again. I"m determinded not to let it bother me. That is until I feel two hands pushing... No! Those arent hands... their paws... wolf... no!

Mentally, I come up with the answer almost immediately when my fake appendage suddenly doensn't give the suppport I need as the two paws knock me off balance. That's when I get a good look at the grey fur and white teeth. The sound comes next in the form of a barking growl that peirces my ears. Fear stricken, I can only stare at it for a moment before grabbing for the first thing I can grab and it's nothign but a thicker stick.

"WOLF!" My voice jarrs the animal and it leaps toward me. In one quick flash, it's claws make contact with my sleeve covered arm, but I jab the stick harshly into the creature's side making it whimper out. It takes no time at all for it to recover before taking aim yet again. It's fur sticking up on the back of its neck with razor sharp teeth pointing directly at me. Again, I push the stick out. As much as I hate to call out, It's all I can do and there's no guarentee that anyone will hear me. "HELP!"

PAT - 678

[ミSailor彡]

❊ S P A R R O W  L U X ❊

    Today has been a calm day. I've finished all my errands and chores with still hours to spare in the day. I decided to reward myself by indulging in a walk around the district. I consider bringing along my brother, Dax, but today I felt the need to dedicate to my thoughts. Amongst the pines in where I find my solace. The place where I can let my guard down and just feel. Plain and simple. I make my way, weaving a path in between tree's, picking up pinecones and stones here and there and stuffing them into my pack. My father and brother always get onto me for bringing things home from the woods but I just love the smell the pinecones give off. And I use the stones to make decorations. And seeing as I'm the only female in the house, it's up to me to keep the place looking decent and smelling nice. Someone has got to do it. I fill up my pack and keep pacing farther and farther, counting my paces and being sure the calculate how long it would take to get home. I find myself being worried about more than I'd like, so I try my best to avoid the lectures about coming home after dark or wandering off without telling anyone. I already broke the latter rule, so may as well make sure I come home before they decide to send a search party. Oh, overprotective men. 

    I pick a spot that I decide is going to be as far as I can go and plop down next to a tree. I start tracing pictures of hearts and flowers into the dirt next to me with my finger. I feel the dirt digging its way under my finger nails when I hear it. I hear a distressed call come from probably only a hundred feet away or so. I didn't quite make out what the voice had yelled but I heard the straining it's voice so I stand myself up and keep my eyes and ears on alert. I'm trying to decide which direction the voice came from, the woods always seems to echo and disorientate. Then I hear the voice again, loud and clear.

    "HELP!"

    My eyes turn to the direction from where the voice came from and I took off. What could it possibly be? A dispute? Something I should stay out of? Peacekeepers? I didn't quite have enough time to contemplate the possibilities before I happen upon the scene. My eyes dart from side to side, taking it in. There's a pack of three, maybe four wolves, surrounding a young man. The boy looks injured but I must have made it just in time because he doesn't look like he's in too bad of shape. I hardly had two seconds to make a decision. I panic and scramble around trying to find something to fend them off with. My only option is a rather large branch sitting about five feet to my right. It'll have to do and it's not like I have an armory on hand. I heave it up, holding it with both hands and with every breath I can muster, I yell and run towards the wolves. 

    I'm honestly hoping that my attempt at an intimidating war-cry would scare them off but all they did was back up a few feet, giving me room to reach the boy. I make myself a barrier between the boy and the wolves, wielding my pathetic excuse for a weapon. The wolves flash their teeth and it really does serve it's purpose because I'm intimidated. I'm not too sure what I've gotten myself into because I know there's really not much I can do but stall the inevitable. We were more than likely about to be mauled to death. I turn my head to glance at the boy and like magnets, my eyes shoot straight to his prosthetic leg. I start to wonder what he was doing out here on his own in this condition. But I realize there's no point in wondering how we all got here, just that we are here and what now? I nervously reposition my grip on my branch, holding it as if it were a sword and by the look in our opponents eyes, I'm not doing a very good job of convincing them that I'm a formidable enemy. The wolves snarl and drool as they inch closer and closer to us. I swing the branch around, practically just flailing it in fear but they don't retreat. I turn to glance at the boy again and try to shake the worry that's lining my forehead. I try to sound witty and calm but the words escape me in a panic.

    "I wouldn't suppose you might have any idea of what to do now?"

SHIN OF GS + ADOX

[ali]

Little Lila Flower shovelled down her breakfast of oats. Her ‘family’ sat all around the table, eating their breakfast in terrible silence which was odd because they were always very talkative. She still didn’t understand why Jake was wearing so many costumes but she was too excited to care; school had ended and it meant summer had come. There were no restriction on where she could play in her world, there was no mean teacher to tell her that she had to be quiet during certain times and there were no ugly acting girls to push her in the sandpit in the school playground. She was free! Wiping her lip of her oats, Lila hopped off her chair and rushed into her bedroom to get dressed. What should she wear today? The question was, where was she going to go today? Would she climb a mountain, discover a castle? Every day of her life was an adventure. She loved to explore, it was her favourite thing to do of all; her world was so much better than this one. In her world she could go anywhere, with anyone, there were no limitations to what she could do. Some days she would find herself in a wide red desert that stretched as far as the eye could see and one others she would be in a vast forest, much like the one her house was situated in, but the trees would be different; they had pink leaves and dark black bark. Sometimes she would find bones in the forest, which made her sad. Her world was an open book just waiting for her to advance deeper into. She did not know but before she could figure out where she wanted to go, there was a knock at the door. It was Jake who was pretending to be her mother “Lila?” “Jake, where should I go today?? Maybe I could go to the sea and see the mermaids!!!!!!!” the little girl eyes lit up “Daddy and I want you to stay in the front garden today” Frowning- playing along with her brothers game of being her mummy- the little girl crossed her arms and complained “Whhyyyy” “Daddy Jake and I are both going to work today…” the Jake disguised as her mummy said. She kneeled down and took Lila’s hands in hers and made her point bluntly “You MUST. Stay in the Garden Lila, You must stay in the Garden.” Lila sighed “Okay………..” Her mummy smiled and kissed her little girl on the forehead. Lila watched glumly as she left, closing the door behind her. She hated it when Mother Jake and Father Jake had to work at the same time, it meant she had to stay cooped up in a small area. It meant she couldn’t explore properly and it meant she’d be forced to play with her Jake sisters which would be so dull and boring. Putting on a white t-shirt and her favourite denim dungaree’s, Lila brushed her hair and then headed outside. When she opened the door she was in a whole different place- a jungle. The air felt hot and humid, there was a pleasant damp smell of rain as droplets of water trickled from the thick canopy above. A parrot was perched on the tree nearby, in reality it was just a sparrow, looking down at the young girl who had just walked out of her house. She looked round this fantastic new world, saddened that she could only go so far. A scream- a boy’s scream- draw the dream world away and she was suddenly back in District 7 outside her house. Looking around, she heard the desperate cry again. She had promised to stay in the garden but when ever did anything exciting happen, here in District 7? Glancing back at the house, the little girl tiptoed towards the gate; she looked back once more before unhooking the gate and running off into the forest. The wood smelt like pine cones and saw dust- the smell drifted on the wind from where the loggers were working this year- and as the little girl ventured deeper and deeper into the forest, the world turned green. This was no fantasy, no imaginary world, the trees were tall and the leaves blocked out some of the sun but the leaves themselves were not opaque so cast a green haze over the whole forest floor. The forest floor was green too, covered in scattered leaves and roots of the pines which were covered in moss like a sleeve on an arm; sometimes the little girl had to hoist herself over large logs that had been abandoned during the last felling of that area. The logs were rot through now, empty and hollow, leaving all manner of creepy crawlies lived inside- but there was no time to stop and watch the parade of ants. Lila was close to the shouting and yelling, now she could hear something else. Whines, whimpers, barks and growls could be heard as she reached the area where the scream had come from; pushing a branch out her way, the little girl saw two people. A girl and boy who were much older than her, poking and lunging sticks at big fluffy dogs. For a moment, Lila’s active imagination got hold of her, and she found herself grinning from ear to ear; not realizing those big fluffy dogs were wolves. The wolves had not taken notice of her yet. Smiling wide, the little girl shouted “PUPPY!” It was then the wolves took notice of her. 930 Words

[Andrei Ehrenström]

Walking to work in the morning was by far one of Andrei's favorite times of the day. The Ehrenström household was located a little further out into the woods, and taking the longer route just down the hill from their neighbors gave him some isolation he didn't normally get. The twins and Leif were off with their friends where he knew they'd be safe, and his mother and father were sleeping the morning away with their first day off in who-knew how long. Raising a family was a full time job, but it was a labor of love. Andrei was using his time off for another project; if he followed the trail almost to the fence, a perfectly good tree had fallen over in a recent storm. For the past several weeks he had been cutting it into smaller pieces and building a tree house in a nearby (but much sturdier) tree. It was going to be Freja and Aniike's 12th birthday present... The project helped him keep his mind off of that ugly milestone that came with it. His hatchet weighed comfortably in its holster on his hip, the wooden handle bouncing against his leg when he walked. Konstantin, his father, had given it to him when Andrei had become an apprentice carpenter, and it was the most useful thing he owned. He hadn't yet had a use for the pike on the other side, but Andrei didn't rule it out. He was only a minute or two away from the tree house when he heard something. 'Help!' Andrei paused in his tracks, not entirely sure what it was or what direction it had come from. It sounded like a human voice, a yell, but it didn't have the timbre of a man or the pitch of a woman. A child? But it was silent again, save for the soft wail of the wind rustling the boughs of the firs and pines; it was so peaceful, as if nature was trying to persuade him it was nothing, he had imagined it. Had he? After a moment he continued onward, slower so as not to rustle the bushes if the voice came again. 'HELP!' There was no mistaking it that time; Andrei strode a few paces downhill, trying to determine the direction it had come from. It couldn't be Peacekeepers, even though there were gaps in the fence they didn't care nearly enough to send a patrol. The only other option was.... Oh, no. No, no, no, no.... Pulling the hatchet from his toolbelt, Andrei took off down the hill towards the fence, crashing through branches and leaping over felled trees, hoping he wouldn't be too late.

Word Count//Theme by Ali

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[presto] SETH BROGAN FOURTEEN DISTRICT 7 PAT - 945 THEME BY ALI [/presto]

I never, in a million years, expected to become prey. Maybe some guy for a bully to push around or to take off my other leg like that one guy, but to be actually hunted is by far the newest sensation for me. From the moment the rustling of the tree's caught on to my senses, I knew something wasn't right. Even right before the noise wafted through the air and to tickel my senses, it was something similar to a woodsman's gut. Something just wasn't right and at first, my eyes stayed locked on the one target; one wolf. Now, the moment that I start to actually advert my gaze slightly to the side, I notice it isn't just one wolf. This was not a surprise attack. It was planned and I know exactly why. Damn leg. Slowing me down. Showing these mangey canines my weaknesses. I know they can sense when the prey is going to be weak, and one look at my limp due to the fake appendage, I sealed my own fate. I had to come out here without any form of protection. I knew better than that. "Go on. Get, wolves..." I verbalize my fear into my words yet somehow my words seem to come out in a normal tone, all the while, my body starts to react harshly to the threats surrounding me. Cold shivers run down my spine, eliciting the use of adrenaline as I sit up from where I had been taken down. The stinging on my arms attracts my attention for a moment to notice the redness that is staining my shirt in between the shredded part of my sleeve. A hiss comes out, then my gaze is pushed back to the wolves that has amassed to four. Instantly, I begin to shake my head cause I know this is going to be the end. This is where my fate will lead me. Down the path of lost appendages then to be torn apart by ravenous wolves. Life can be cruel. Is there anyone even around that could even care about someone's final moment before death? I try to use my right foot to back up but without the use of the other one properly, there's no ground cover I can do and I'm forced to sit here like the perfect target. If the wolf wants a fight, then I'm going to give it everything with the stick I've got in my hand. I ready myself, gripping tighter on the stick I had prodded the wolf with only moments ago, and just as the bared teeth and rumbling of their throats start before their leap, an enormous battle cry suddenly takes the wolves by surprise, causing them to step back into submission until they realize the thread is nothing but a girl with another stick. This makes the odds a little more fair, but not by much. At least, only two wolves, at least, will have the pleasure of dining on my corpse instead of four... thanks girl. Her courage is seeping through her body and into mine the moment she stands between me and the wolves. It's not normal for others to suddenly put themselves at risk for me. This is totally new. "What... run!" I try to tell her but she keeps glancing from me to the wolves. Well, she was looking at my leg, but still... Her appearance has only stepped up the threat now. The wolves are taking their new enemy serious as she's the one standing and trying to make an impression, if only it was working. Two more steps by the one on her right as his eyes lock on to me. I carry his gaze. I watch that look in his eyes as if he's ready to leap at any given moment and what do I have to defend myself? A stick? My fake appendage? I have nothing and the girl suddenly speaks to me with nothing more than a question of what we are going to do. "Die?" Is the first thing out of my mouth and I know it's not appreciated but I'm not afraid of death, persay. I've dealt with it before when the guy who took my leg, almost took my life by leaving me to bleed to death before an angel came to rescue me. This situation is different now. I'm not the only one to suffer and for that I make a correction to my quick word. "I don't know... We've got no weapons? Maybe there's a chance someone else heard me?" It's a far stretch to think that more than one person might have heard my call for the wolf and for help, but the odds aren't in my favor and death always tries to find me somehow. A sigh escapes me as I turn to the side and attempt to get up, but the wolf that had his eye on me makes his move. His teeth sink deep into the arificial leg of mine and a gasp of good luck has escaped. Immediately, the stick in my hand goes straight to his skull, jabbing the broken end into his fur. With a whimpering retreat a few feet, I've given myself enough time to see the teeth marks that decorate my 'lucky' leg. "Get out of here girl... I'll distr..." My noble attempt is cut off to a little girl's loud voice. Her innocence of thinking these animals that surround me and this other brave girl is just puppies, makes my blood run cold. I shake my head vigorously, because the child has suddenly became one of the wolves new target. "RUN!"

[ミSailor彡]

❊ S P A R R O W L U X ❊

    My eyes nervously pace from one wolf to another, trying to anticipate their next move. The adrenaline pumping through my veins and my heart beating so hard that I'm sure you could see it pushing out through my chest. I feel as though I could pass out at any second but I try my hardest to keep myself standing because I know it would lead to my imminent death. 

    "Die?"

    I hear the boy finally reply to my earlier question and I roll my eyes at his pessimism. On a normal day, that kind of attitude would have drowned this boys chances of getting any of my help but I'm already in this. I can't back out now. My conscious would never forgive me for leaving him here to die. Knowing that one day I may be out in town and see Peacekeepers carrying a body bag and whatever family he may have mourning. I just couldn't do that, it would effect too many people. 

     "I don't know... We've got no weapons? Maybe there's a chance someone else heard me?"

    It's a long shot but at least his attitude has grown a little more optimistic. I start to feel at least a little more at ease, knowing that an optimist makes for a better partner, especially in a fight. And I know that not very long from now we'll be fighting for our lives. I can only hope that there may be a chance that someone else heard his cries for help. Just as I had that thought, I see from the corner of my eye, a wolf run past and bite into the boys leg. I panic and see that the leg the wolf has just sunk his sharp teeth into was the boys prosthetic leg. I feel a little better that the boy felt no pain from this but still feel guilty that I was unable to prevent it. I did, after all, take this role of "protector" upon myself. I watch the boy fight the wolf off with a nearby stick while simultaneously trying to keep an eye on the other wolves, hoping they don't decide to make their move. The boy starts to say something that I can hardly understand when I hear a young girls voice, happily call out,

    "PUPPY!"

    My heart stops as I turn and see a very young, dark haired girl standing only feet away from where we stand. My blood curdles as the wolves gaze focus on her, already anticipating them ripping her apart. She's obviously now targeted as the weakling. Things are running through my head, what should I do? Her and the boy with the prosthetic leg are far enough apart that I can only try to protect one or the other. What is that girl doing out here anyway? I can't spend too much time dwelling on it because I need to make a decision. Either way, I'm essentially going to have to sacrifice one of them or just myself. Should I just throw myself out as bait and let the other two escape? What would dad say? What would Dax say? I'm so conflicted that I just make the quick rash decision that I throw my large stick towards the wolves, knocking two of them to the ground. I sprint towards the girl and shovel her into my arms and carry her back towards the boy. I sit her down and turn back to look at the wolves and realize that I must be pretty quick because the wolves don't seem to have moved an inch. I'm still in panic mode because now I'm unarmed and just crouching in front of the two behind me, hoping there's something in the world I can do for them. I whisper to myself,

"Please, somebody. Please help us. Don't let us die."

SHIN OF GS + ADOX

[Andrei Ehrenström]

Andrei had been fortunate enough to never hear his name called at the Reaping. But Leif still had one more year before he would be in the clear, and his sisters.... Well, having any siblings at all made him determined to be prepared; not for his sake anymore, but for theirs. They had to know how to survive, and the only way Andrei could protect them in the arena was with whatever knowledge he had. This wasn't to say he was some kind of a training coach like he imagined the Careers having, drilling and yelling and making efficient killing machines out of his siblings; he wouldn't do that to them even if he could. Everything Andrei knew was from trial and error, and the majority of it was improvised. He sparred and grappled with Leif for years, riding his hope on the thought that even if Leif came face to face with a more skilled opponent, he'd be confident having faced someone much larger before. Albeit one that was willing to pull his punches, even a little bit, so as not to hurt him too much. His siblings, thankfully, had their own traits that he couldn't teach them; Leif was fast in spite of his old knee injury, and incredibly resourceful; Aniike and Freja were so, so smart. But to be fast or resourceful or smart wasn't enough; Andrei was trying desperately to teach them to be strong, a trait he himself had in spades. His size helped considerably, of course, but a lifetime --however short thus far-- of hard physical labor had made the eldest Ehrenström son monstrously strong. And on that note, he barely noticed as he came crashing in at top speed through the woods, snapping low-hanging boughs and keeping a death grip on his hatchet. This was the lumber district, there were only so many things that call for help could mean, and none of them were good. Someone trapped under a felled tree, someone who fell from a tree... As Andrei ran deeper into the woods, barely even noticing as he went past the fence marking the perimeter of the district, he could see a human form in the trees; a kid, probably no older than Leif. And just beyond.... Three large wolves, slowly closing in; their ears perked when he saw them, turning their attention on the much larger, very noisy newcomer closing in on them. The wolves didn't have time to react otherwise; with the momentum of his headlong spring, Andrei raised his hatchet over his head and flung it with all his might at the wolf furthest from the children (he could see a small girl and a boy on the ground now as he drew closer). The wolf started to dodge to the left, but while it was fast enough not to catch the blade in its skull, the hatchet buried itself deep into its rib cage, the force of the throw knocking the wolf to the ground. The other two wolves backed away, hackles raised and snarling, as he came close enough to skid to a halt in the soft dirt and dislodge the hatchet from the first wolf, swinging it menacingly at the other wolves. Without taking his eyes off the wolves, circling to get himself between them and the kids, he tilted his head back towards the girl brandishing the stick; brave kid. "Take them and run."

Word Count//Theme by Ali

[ali]

Most children are innocent in one way or another but Lila was too innocent for her own good- being only 12 she should know better but he mind was not programmed to learn in the same way as other. She often didn't listen in her classes and in particular science; the class in which, if she had listened, she would have learned about wolves. However, Lila did not have the distinction and so as the wolves growled at her, the older girl and the boy her mind still had not identified them as a danger; to her they were still just big fluffy dogs. The boy noticed the girl’s existence first. Looking at him, he seemed no older than her sister Daisy, he had dark hair and oddly enough only one real leg. The puppies were trying to play with his leg as he warded them away with a stick- which Lila didn’t think was very nice- by poking at them and hitting at them. He glanced over at Lila and almost looked angry- though she wasn’t sure if it was fear because she herself had acknowledged that her life was under threat. “RUN!” he shouts as he continues to fend himself The girl, who was probably just a little older than Iris- she was pretty like Iris, and she was also trying to fight off the dogs with sticks- noticed her second, and she seemed sad when her eyes lay on her. She doesn’t shout for her to run but she continues to defend herself against the dogs; but Lila can see that she’s trying to decide what to do next. The dogs are for some reason snarling at the girl and the boy, and one of them is snarling at Lila crouching down low. Then it all suddenly flashes forward into Lila’s mind, like a wave of water breaching flood defences. Memories, flashes of pictures, sounds and smells of a time she experienced once. There is her mother’s scent of the kitchen, her warmth as they snuggled up, the sound of pages turning against one another, the smell of a very old book and pictures on a page of a girl dressed all in red talking to the big bad….Wolf. Fear suddenly filled Lila as she realized that the animals were hunters, killers, wolves which would not take one second to reconsider eating her. She clasped her hands together as her whole body shook, her bones chattering together as a wolf watched her closely; she knew she would have listened to her mother’s words. She would of been safe in the confides of the garden, in the rain forest. The little girl whimpered as the wolf growled, prepare to kill. Out of nowhere, bounded a man. He burst through the bushes at a great speed, brandishing an axe in hand. Lila watched as he swung the sharp bladed instrument right into the skull of a wolf; there was a sickening crack as it impaled the bone. Wrenching it out of the creature, blood dripping from it, slowly, he put himself between the other wolves and Lila, the other girl and the boy with one leg. This is just like from my story!! Lila thought as her eyes widened, watching the male ward the wolves off with his bloody axe; he was strong, swift, perched on the balls of his feet as if he would make another move any second. "Take them and run." The boy said with his eyes fixated on the wolves who were snarling with teeth bared Lila’s eyes were watching the man with awe, she didn’t want to go. It was just like a fairy tale watching the almost man kill the dangerous creatures; he was the prince and Lila was a fairy- the older girl was probably the princess. The boy with one leg? She guessed he could be the Princesses best friend. She looked up at the girl excitedly then at the wolves. 660 Words

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[presto] SETH BROGAN FOURTEEN DISTRICT 7 PAT - 817 THEME BY ALI [/presto]

The only thing I can possibly think of, when that child appears out of nowhere, is to tell her to run. The wolf has aready gotten her into its sight. She's possibly in as much trouble as the rest of us, and as much as I'd like to defend her and protect her, I'm simply at a loss. Marcus.. damn you. If she dies, it's on your head. It's you fault I'm like this. I can't do anything but offer myself up as bait if I need to. I feel my brows furrow in complete confusion on what to do. That wolf needs to get away from the girl, and the three still circling us need to leave. It's already tried to take a bit out of my leg and would have if it was, in fact, my real leg. This situation just seems to be like one out of a horror story. It's almost like something my father might fabricate over a special meal of heated apples and butter near the fireplace. By now, I can feel my own heartbeat strumming loudly, beating against my chest. The fear prickling and raising the hairs on my back of my neck because I know at any moment the same wolf will know now which leg to maul. He'll pick the one that I'm actually able to move and bend and tense up knowing I have to get away without the means to do so. Why did I have to leave my crutch at home? That's more sturdy then a stick. It can do some much more damage then that damn stick. Even the girl in front of me seems to show her weakness now without a weapon. I have unknowingly caused three deaths today. Guilt? I'm going to hell. "Get out...." I whisper under my breath right before I hear the brave girl in front of me whisper something else. She's hoping for help. She's doing the same as me, only my attempt was nothing but bad luck. All my attempt did was put two more people at risk of death; lunch for the wolves. If only there was a chance... In between the low rumbling of the wolves, there came the very distinct echoes of breaking sticks and twigs. The sound of something coming fast and clumsily through the forest. Even the wolves seem to have noticed it for the one that was closest to me, seemed to turn his attention away from my soul. Turning on his haunches, his head dips down to search for the invader that suddenly came barreling through the line of trees. A mighty woodmans he has to be cause I watch so intensly at the way his hatches burries deep into the bone of the wolf furthest away from the group. That sudden crack of bones as well as the blood that shows from the weapon. I turn to look at the other three wolves, but the fourth one disappears so suddenly. Good. Coward... Stay away. Two wolves left. One dead on the ground. Shouldn't be too hard to deal with. Just as fast as the new savior arrived, he takes to shouting out orders, but not at me or the little girl. He's directing those words to Sparrow, the one whose trying to still defend us without no weapon but bravery instead. Without trying to wait on her to help me, I try to get up, but it's hard. Getting up with the use of only one leg that'll bend and nothing around to support myself, I feel like a sitting duck again. At least, for a few moments, the last two wolves have the attention back on the newcomer. "Help me up..." I ask for help from the girl. She doesn't hesitate at all, and actually, when her hand touches mine, I can't help but notice the soft skin of her hand. It isn't like my mothers, whose rough from the years of cutting wood as a kid into adulthood. Getting to my feet is a little unsteady, but I push the girl off to go help the little one, whose fantasy of the wolfes being pups is a little unsettling. "Get her out of here, don't worry about me. Just her!" I tell her and as I turn to see the man with the hatchet swinging it around to the wolves, getting their undivided attention, it's the fourth wolf, the one that hid, that suddenly decides to make an appearance once again. Just three limping steps is all I can manage before it eyes me then directs it's launch at the two girls who are trying to get away. "WATCH OUT!" I yell. Fear envelopes me. My left hand reaches straight outward to the girl, but my damn leg just won't cooperate with me to go any faster and the wolf's rears back on it's haunches to launch itself at her.

PAT - 817

[ミSailor彡]

❊ S P A R R O W L U X ❊

    My knee's begin shaking as I realize that I'm the only thing standing between our ultimate life or death. And I was a very short bridge to cross for the wolves to get to another meal. Why can't I stop shaking? I need to be strong here but I can't stop my damn limbs from trembling. My attention is drawn towards a commotion coming for farther into the woods. It's shortly followed by a large man, crashing through the brush and into sight. I watch as he flings a hatchet,  practically destroying one of the wolves. I suddenly stop shaking. Things are looking up from here. Someone has come to save us. Finally. The man makes himself a new barrier between us three and the wolves. He's strong and confident with big hands that obviously know their way around a hatchet. I whisper a thanks under my breath as the man tilts his head towards me, eyes still locked on the wolves. 

    "Take them and run."
    
    I feel relatively guilty leaving him to fend the wolves off on his own but I need to take care of the other two. And myself. That's the whole reason I brought myself into this in the first place. To help this boy, not to fight wolves for fun. Then this girl got brought into it and I just can't in my good conscience let anything happen to her. I have a feeling this guy can handle himself anyway, at least he has a weapon. I turn back towards the two behind me and I notice that the young girl is watching the man fight off the wolves excitedly. I shake my head at her lacking sense of urgency when the boy with the prosthetic leg looks up at me.

    "Help me up..."

    I don't hesitate as I reach my hand out and hoist him up. He stumbles a bit and I try to help steady him but he pushes me off. I start to get angry at this gesture but realize theres no time at this point to be mad or try to argue. He tells me to get the girl out of here, to not worry about him. I hesitate because I don't feel comfortable leaving him behind. But when I look back at the man fighting off the wolves, I decide I have enough time to take the girl to a safe distance and then come back to help the boy. So I shovel her up into my arms once again and start to take off. My eyes scan the area, trying to find somewhere a safe distance away to leave the girl. Behind a large tree or hoist her up onto a tree branch. Then I hear the boys voice again, the urgency in his voice is unsettling as I hear him yell,

    "WATCH OUT!"

    The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I'm anticipating what's to happen next. I turn to see one of the wolves midair, lurching in my direction, as if in slow motion. At this point, the wolf was only feet away from my face and I was positive there was no way to avoid collision. It takes all my strength to toss the girl as far I can away from the bloodbath thats sure to come. The wind is knocked out of me as the wolf plummets into my body with all it's weight, knocking me onto my back. I scream for help, trying to push the wolf away but it's incredibly strong. It's claws sink into my shoulders and I feel the blood running already. Drool coming from it's mouth, dripping down onto my face as it gnaws at the air, desperately trying to find it's way to my face. I feel so numb at this point, fighting for my life, using every shred of strength I have left to keep the wolf's teeth from sinking into my neck. My arms are starting to give out and death is inching closer and closer. My life is flashing before my eyes. My father, my brother... what will they say when they find my mangled body? Will my death haunt their every nightmare? Will they remember me as who I was or remember my face, torn apart and bloody, throat torn open? One of the wolf's paws move from my shoulder and it's claws run over the side of my face. It burns. It burns so bad, burning even worse as I feel tears hysterically burst through my eyes, running through my fresh wound. I can't hold it anymore. I have no clue if anyone is near enough for a rescue. All I can see is tunnel vision, focused on the wolf's face. Rabid. Unforgiving. Hungry. Inching closer and closer. This is the end. I fight the fear and tears to let out another cry for help, most likely my last.

    "Fucking hell, HELP ME!"

SHIN OF GS + ADOX

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[presto] SETH BROGAN FOURTEEN DISTRICT 7 PAT - 957 THEME BY ALI [/presto]

The moment I'm to my feet, I feel somewhat more secure and when I pushed the girl away to go help the younger one, It was not in a mean way. It was just me trying to save the ones that have a better life than I. Ones that deserve to be saved. That child's mind is protecting her from something because I still can't get it off my mind how she thinks their just merely 'pups'. Still, a moment of safety is all I'm asking for as I notice, at the last second, the wolves glare back at me, taunting me. It's toying with me, that's all it is. That look in his eye is telling me that I'm not the one he's wanting. He's after something else. He's after a bigger prize. He's hungry and he's going to do whatever it takes to take down the two targets that are getting away. It's the hunt he's after. Not a cheap meal that's ready for it to get a hold of. My yell of terror barely even gets the girls attention in time. The girl in her arms goes sideways as my mouth drops to the sight that happens next. "No! Fuck! No!" I curse loudly, trying to push myself as fast as I can but my damn leg just isn't doing the job, I push off from a small cedar and go after the scene that's killing me to watch. The claws that rips into her face, the blood staining her shoulder. That's the wolf that knocked me down, and took a bit out of my fake appendage. That wolf is nothing but a monster ready to kill whatever it wants. Just like a damn career... it just wants blood. Slowly, it seems like I inch toward her and the wolf. Their fighting together, one against the other. One that wants to sink it's teeth deep into the neck of the girl as its teeth get closer and closer and finally, the moment I'm close enough to the tail that's flinging around madly, I yank yard on the tip, pulling fur as I get it's full attention. Now, the wolf's meal is the last thing on it's mind. It remembers the stick I jabbed into its head. It's so apparent by the look on his face as he rears around to snap at my hands but as stupid as my father calls me, I have the height against the creature adn before It leaps, I give it a taste of its own medicine to be taken down by someting larger than itself. A crash landing as it yelps out, but never stops gnashing those teeth toward my face. I'm completely gone in what I'm suppose to be doing. I'm halfway thinking about being in danger, and saving someone. A howl erupts from somewhere near me as I'm reminded about the other two wolves. Calling for help? Warning others to stay away? My arms swing around madly trying to get them around the neck of the creature threatening my life and the lives of the two girls. I can only hope that the girl with blood all over her, is going to be alright since I've not even been able to check on her. It was just mandatory that I take down this wolf and give her a better chance. A sacrifice repaid that she had given me. Who cares if I die? I'm only half a boy without a leg in this district. I'm not whole. This girl has a life ahead of her. Legs from the wolf bunch up and come to claw near my face, though they never touch my face, but graze my neck in the process. With how hard I'm trying to hold on to the creature, I feel like a chew toy a dog is throwing around, when I feel the bark of a tree behind my back and my head goes slamming against it as the wolf tries to get me to let go. "NO!" I scream. My fingers are starting to losen up around the neck of the wolf, but my only good leg is trying to kick the monster away or break a rib, either would be find with me, though a second later, and another hit against the tree has my vision waning for a moment and all strength gone from holding on to the monster. Heavy panting from the furry canine as me trying to focus on the two images, blinking several times to get it back into focus. One step closer it growls. Two steps closer, it gnashes its pearly white teeth. Third step, it attacks but what I feel is nothing, but a tugging as the monster clearly forgot about the fake appendage. Luck is on my side... but not for long. JErking and tugging pull at me. The straps that hold the appendage into place is being jerked from the velcro and fittings. It actually jars me the more the ferocious animal treats my leg as a chew toy for dogs. Finally, I've had enough, and the second, I hear a 'pop', I reach out to grab on to the appendage the mangy canine happened to seperate from the rest of my walking tool. My fingers grasp around the edge of it, but in a moments notice the wolf tosses it aside and takes to grinning at me with an open toothy smile. His head dips down, beady black eyes resting on my weakened state. "Go on. Do it... " I urge the monster on. My head swims with pain, but I still manage to give the creature a smile and with my middle finger going up to the beast, so does the words. "Fuck you...."

PAT - 957

[ミSailor彡]

❊ S P A R R O W L U X ❊

    My vision is becoming blurry as all of my energy seems to drain out of me. I've almost already accepted at this point that my world is about to turn black. That I'm just going to close my eyes, let go and accept this death. It was a pitiful excuse for a life anyway. Having to fight for everything we own, never making a worth-while relationship with anyone other than my father and brother. I accepted that this was it and there was nothing to do but just come to terms with it. Suddenly, I feel the weight of the wolf lift off of me. I wonder if I've just become completely numb and have died. But I hear commotion next to me. I hear struggle. Then a voice yell out,

    "NO!"

    I slowly sit up, my face pounding, my shoulders screaming with pain. My vision is blurred. Maybe from the loss of blood, maybe from the scratch embedded across my face over my eye, maybe from the adrenaline still pumping through my veins. I can hardly make out the figures in front of me. I recognize the outline of the wolf and... a male figure. It's the boy with the prosthetic leg. I panic as my vision starts steadying itself and I see him struggling with the blood-thirsty wolf. I'm fighting to pick myself up but only keep stumbling and tripping over my feet. My body won't work with me but my mind keeps yelling at it, get up... get up... 
    I watch in horror as the wolf manages to rip the boys prosthetic leg off, tossing it to the side. I see the wolf, looking just as it did when it was about to tear me apart, slowly inching towards the boy. The boy shouts obscenities at it and I'm trying to wipe the blood from my eyes to get a clear view. I see a few feet away, my pack sitting there. It must have fell off of me in my struggle with the wolf and had been opened, the contents spilling out onto the ground in front of me. Pinecones and rocks are spread out across the ground and it comes to me. I stumble my way over to it, hoping I can make it in time. I find a relatively large rock that I was going to use as a scrubbing stone for our clothes. It has another use, to bludgeon, and I intend to take advantage of that. I pick up the stone and come up behind the wolf, who was seconds away from making the boy into a snack. With the rock in my hand, I raise my arms up as high as I can, seething with anger, ready to kill. I let out another war cry, not like the one I peeped out whenever I made my first appearance, but a real one. My voice is ringing out of my aching throat and I bring down the rock with all the force I can muster. 
    I hear a crack and the wolf cry out in pain and figure I must have immediately cracked the wolf's skull. Oh, I'm not done with you yet. I pick the rock up again and get down on my knees next to the dying animal. I bring it down again, repeatedly, over and over. I was determined to reduce this monsters head down to a bloody pulp when I suddenly remember the young girl who must still be standing only feet away. She must be absolutely horrified. I drop the blood stained rock next to the carcass of the beast. I look over at the boy, who now has an empty space where his prosthetic leg once rested and he almost looks surprised. The more I think about it, I'm surprised as well. I've never expressed that much rage towards... anything. But the wolf deserved it. It's kill or be killed around here, I realize that now. 
    I slowly stand up and make my way over to where the boys prosthetic leg lay. It's covered in teeth marks and almost hardly recognizable at this point. I pick it up and examine it for a moment, just wishing that no one here had to go through any of this. I look back at the boy, who's still just looking at me. I walk back towards and him and gently toss it onto his lap. I wipe some of the blood off of my face and plop down next to him, almost forgetting that there was still the other man fighting off the other two wolves. I don't have any energy to contribute anymore. I officially give up. After all that, if there's still some mangy mutt out there trying to kill me, it could just have me at this point. I lean my head onto the boys shoulder and could honestly probably fall asleep right here, right now. 

    "Figured you might need that."

SHIN OF GS + ADOX

[Andrei Ehrenström]

Andrei had never much encountered wild animals; even though he had the means, he almost never ventured outside the fence. There had never been need, really. The Ehrenström family was one of carpenters, not loggers, and everyone knew better; there were wild animals beyond the fence. Not just any wild animals either; there were of course the hellish bastard offspring of the local wolves and the muttations that he could only guess had been used in the war some decades ago. He knew that there were bears out there as well, but Andrei hoped he would never have to meet one. Even his size and strength wouldn't be enough against an animal like that. The huge wolf-mutts were more than enough of a handful. He slowly shuffled back, trying to herd the kids back towards the fence; the two wolves in front of him clearly recognized him as the biggest threat and were keeping their distance as they advanced, but Andrei didn't have to be raised in the woods to know they were formulating their plan of attack. Evidently, in the huge racket of noise he was making, Andrei had neglected to notice the 4th wolf retreat back into the woods; he only caught out of the corner of his eye another figure flanking their little group, but even before it leaped at the boy, the two wolves in front of them decided it was their turn to act. Both of them ran at him, one leaping at his stomach and managing to get a huge mouthful of his shirt and jacket; the other snapped right at his throat, knocking him flat on his back and the hatchet from his hand. The only thing keeping it from mauling him was Andrei's forearm braced against it's throat. With two wolves on top of him and one arm preoccupied keeping his throat from being ripped out, he struggled to twist his body enough to reach behind him and grab the carpenter's knife holstered on the small of his back. The wolf that had grabbed his shirt wrenched its head from side to side, not yet realizing it was tearing up his flannel shirt and not its' prey's stomach. From his position on his back, Andrei raised his leg and kicked the beast off of him, giving him the clearance he needed to grab his carpenter's knife and bury it into the other wolf's throat. The wolf snapped a few more times, each time the motion seeming more labored until it slumped over on top of him. By now, the other wolf had recovered from the boot it had received in the torso and had honed in on the kids as Andrei heaved the dead wolf's body off; this time, though, he was ready. No sooner had the wolf started running for the kids, Andrei had gotten to his feet and tackled the wolf to the ground, wrestling it under him and locking his arms around its head. The wolf barked and snarled and struggled under him, as Andrei held on for dear life. But under his weight, and against his strength, the wolf's struggling became less violent, the snarling turned into gasping as its supply of oxygen dwindled, until it stopped moving against him altogether. Andrei lay there for a moment, not wanting to let go until he was positive the beast was dead. He could feel no breathing, no rapid heartbeat. Exhausted, he rolled off of the wolf, somehow managing to get to his feet and gingerly pick up his hatchet. The blade was sticky with wolf's blood, and the blood on his hands left dark streaks on the light wooden handle. The first wolf, the one he had flung his hatchet at, was still alive on the ground, its breathing wheezing and painful; Andrei could only guess that the blade had broken its ribs or punctured a lung. Even if it was a vicious wild animal, it wasn't beneath him to put the beast out of its misery. It only took one hand to swing the hatchet into its spine, killing the wolf instantly. It was almost silent again, save for the sound of Andrei's own pulse in his ears as the rush of adrenaline started to subside. He turned back to the kids, holstering the hatchet and sheathing the knife. As he got closer, though, his heart nearly leaped up into his throat; the boy and older girl were covered in blood next to the body of the 4th wolf, but the boy.... his own leg was laying there in his lap. "Oh god, no..." Even in his exhausted, survival-instinct-clouded stupor, Andrei ran towards them. The thought of when he had taken Leif into the forest ran through his head; his brother hadn't sharpened his own axe properly, and when he swung it into the hard body of a pine, the blade had glanced off the trunk and embedded itself into his knee. Andrei had carried Leif all the way home, whimpering and clutching his leg, but this... this was so much worse. He'd failed to protect them... Andrei was at their side in a second, checking the boy over for injuries; even though he was covered in blood, Andrei couldn't seem to find any besides a bump on the back of his head. He held the boy's head in his hands, finding no signs of shock besides that of having to fight wolves. It did, admittedly, take a moment for him to gather the nerve to look at the leg in his lap... and realize it was made entirely of wood. It was a prosthetic. He breathed a sigh of relief he was quite sure was unlike any other. "Oh thank god..." The older girl, however, hadn't fared quite as well. There was a gash across her face, and angry red scratch marks raked over both shoulders. "C'mere..." Andrei shrugged off his jacket, tearing off the shredded, drool-covered ends and cutting off a strip, soaking it with his canteen and gently cleaning off the cut on her face. "I don't think you're gonna need stitches." He instructed her to hold the cloth against her cheek while he went to work cutting up the rest of his jacket and cleaning the wounds; it wasn't much, but if he didn't find something to keep his mind busy as he came down from the flight-or-flight instinct Andrei was positive he was going to lecture them for being so stupid to wander out into the woods alone and unarmed. They'd already learned that lesson the hardest way possible. That was two of them.... "Where's the other one? The girl?"

Word Count//Theme by Ali

[ali]

Quickly, the girl beside her helped the boy with one leg to his feet then grabbed hold of Lila’s arm, ready to escape. The Princess paused for a moment, perhaps thinking which way to run, but it was a huge mistake. The excitement that filled Lila from head to toe, and made her feel like she was going to pop, did not last long. The thought of princes and princess was rudely ripped in two as something terrible began to unfold. As the little girl looked back towards the wolf, the world began to run in slow motion. The boy with one leg cried out as a wolf leapt towards the Princess. The pretty girl shoved Lila away, causing her to fall and graze her knees against the dirty, leaf littered ground; it was a shock but Lila recovered quick enough to look back over her shoulder to see the girl be knocked down by the savage beast. Lila’s eyes widened in horror as the wolf dug its huge claws into the pretty girls shoulder, snarling loudly and biting at her neck. The little girl could barely muster a scream as she saw blood seep into the girl’s shirt as she slowly began to give up the fight against the creature. The prince was preoccupied with another wolf and the boy with one leg was making his way over to help the girl who was being attacked; this wasn’t how fairy tales were supposed to happen. All the commotion and chaos raining around her, made Lila fly like a little bird. Scrambling to her feet, the little girl ran off into the forest. She was doing all she could to keep herself from falling to the floor in a shaking crying mess as she hoisted herself over logs and ran through thorn bushes. The pins clawed at her clothes and tore at her skin, they clung to her hair and tugged until she could untangle herself from the mess. She tripped more than once, on twigs and rocks, scrapping up her knees more and more as she ran further from the others. Suddenly she halted, realizing that she was not alone out her in the perimeter of the war zone that was unfolding behind her. A shadow of the last wolf, stalked amongst the pines and logs. She could here is breathing from where she stood, not a meter from her. Looking around, the girl saw few options she could take to escape. She could run back to where the others were and risk being attacked by the lone wolf or she could keep running until she hit the fence or she could hide. To her left stood a fabulous oak tree whose roots mangled and twisted amongst the dirt to create a small cavern- dark and damp- beneath the towering tree. Hurrying to the small opening between the roots, the little girl crawled into the hollow. It was dark, dank and smelt funny in there but it was safe from the wolf. She was sure there were spiders, worms and all manners of creepy crawlies crawling amongst the dirt and over her but at that point, Lila Flower did not care for that. She was afraid, there was a wolf stalking outside and it could find her any moment and rip her into tiny pieces. This was no game. She couldn’t just, wish the wolves away; they were real, blood filled, thinking beings that Lila had no control over. And that scared her more than the animals. In the distant everything went quiet and it seemed as if the wolf had retreated back to the others because she could no longer hear its paws padding softly against the foliage. Her friends had also become silent, she could no longer hear the sounds of battle. Lila felt tears form in her eyes at the thought that they may all be dead, consumed and eaten by the wolves as a lovely afternoon snack. She didn’t know their names but they had tried to protect her from the dangerous wolves when she had been too blind to realize them for what they were; a threat. Hugging her knees tightly to her chest, Lila began to sob quietly hoping that if her friends were alive, they’d come find her soon. 717 Words

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[presto] SETH BROGAN FOURTEEN DISTRICT 7 Word Count THEME BY ALI [/presto]

There's nothing better than facing death head on and without fear. Either, with a curse or fighting back, one way or another death always seems to find me. There's no doubt about that. Question is, what age will I be when I die? What minute will I face my defeat? What second will I regret my last breath? All are answered in a matter of moments with that sudden look from that wolf when something hits it over the head. When the hands of the person bring something down on the wolf with a sickening thud and I watch in terror at whose hand's the wolfs death is produced from. The girl that came to my aid first and was the first to speak to me. The girl whom I immediately tried to defend when the wolf went after her instead of me. The raven haired beauty who is finishing off the wolf that wants to take my last breath from me. My mind is purely in a fuzz at the moment, my eyesight swirling around in front of me with complete adoration for her courage. "My god..." I mutter out, as she takes several more blows to the head of the animal, blood paining the ground and her hands, and a few drops land on my pants. I can't take my eyes off her, for if I do, I might just start to freak out. Then, without notice, she just stops. She stands up and walks away like it was nothing. My mouth clinches tightly and I bring a hand to the back of my head, feeling of the knot forming from the wolfs attempt to knock me out. He did a good enough job as my vision still wants to spin away, but its starting to slow, but the pain is coming now. I'm coming down from a high of adrenaline. "Where..." I start to say to her but she bends down to pick something up and just like that, she's back at my side and tossing my mangled prostetic leg back into my lap. I look at the damaged leg and immediately, I wonder what my dad's reaction is going to be. Let alone, my mom. She will absolutely have a kiniption fit. Ha! Imagine her screaming at me now? My little sister, too, I assume. She's just like her. "Thanks... umm..." I don't know her name, nor do I have any more words for her. What do you say to someone who just saved your life, twice? Then she falls to her knees and leans on me within seconds. My hand goes straight around her back to keep her from falling anymore. She's simply exhausted, and shaking. Too much excitment and the blood on her face... the claws got her face. "Hey? You okay?" I barely get the words out when the man runs over to me and her, immediately checking me over for injuries. I'm still holding on to the girl, but he's more worried about me. I can't say anything though. I just can't seem to make sense of this all.. Am I in some form of shock? His hands move over my extremities and then to my head. When he touches the knot forming on the back of my head, I actually flinch and let out a painful groan. As he glances down to see the mangled leg on my lap, and his sigh of releif, it occurs to me that he probably thought it was real and that wolf had actually done that. In my mind, a form of laughter seems to want to come out, but it doesn't because with the releif that I'm potentially unharmed, his attentino is on the girl. My fingers extent and flex several times, kind of like massaging her back, bringing her back to life, if she would. The older guy takes to fixing her up immeditely then asking something that I'd forgotten totally about. "The little girl.. where is she?" I snap out of my stupor. With the guy taking care of the girl, I move my hand away from her back and roll to my good knee, letting the broken leg roll off. "We gotta find her." My fears are starting to come into play. What if she had been hurt by one of the wolves when I wasn't watching? Did another wolf appear and take her? I'm bound to the ground by the lack of a leg, but that doesn't stop me from trying. As clumsily as I am able, I claw into a tree to get to my only foot and hold on. "Girl? Where you at? Little girl?" My vision swims causing me to drop my head into my arm. Without the sound to keep me where I'm from, I push off from the tree and hobble to the next, unsteadily. With both hands cupped around my mouth, I yell out for her again. "WHERE ARE YOU? Are you hurt?" Sounds of sobs are suddenly teasing my ears. Lightly, the noises seem to draw my eyes to pinpoint the location, though it all seems to look the same. Another sob. "Girl? Where are you? The wolves are gone. Dead. They won't hurt us anymore." I try to coax the person out by letting her know of the safety. Trying to follow the direction of the sobs is hard enough as it is and pushing off from the next tree is no easy task. I succumb to the weakness in my leg and crumple. "Damnit... where are you?" I'm frustrated as my fist hits the ground.