Like the Snow

or a moment I wonder how he had managed to carry all this here as a wolf. But it slipped past my mind as my eye landed on the large roll.

It was far too big for me to try and carry the thing, and that was on a good day.

”Hu, ” I whined quietly.

It would have to be rolled, but even then the task was so daunting that I couldn think about how to start going about it. Though at this point my feeble muscles were probably working better than my mind.

Doing my best I grabbed the top and pulled it towards me. The weight of the fur fought against me until my foot slipped out beneath me. Fear blinded me as I fell and all I could do was grip to the object I held. Which lost its perch and rolled on top of my foot.

It took a moment for the aggressive battering of my heart to settle. It took several heart beats for me to realize I wasn breathing. A second more and I remembered how to do so.

Slowly I stood up and assessed the situation. The fur had rolled out and was now in a spot where I could easily push it instead. With a sigh of relief I moved to the other side.

It was quick work after that.

Though I should perhaps note that in the time it took me to make up the bed, a rabbit had appeared over the fire and a little kitchen had appeared.

My stomach grumbled weakly.

My body swayed as my eyes lazily drifted from the rabbit to the bed.

”You should change. ” The sudden voice broke through the absolute silence.

”Hhoo, ” I gasped gripping my chest, my body swaying slightly. ”I don have anything else. ” I informed him feeling helpless.

I turned to look at the man and found his dull gaze.

”My shirt. ” He clarified his gaze shifted to something on the table.

”Oh thanks, but Im ok. ” I tell him with a wave.

”Your clothes are wet. ” The wolf challenged.

”Fire. ” I reminded him by pointing at the rabbit.

”Youll freeze in the night if you don change. ” The wolf enlightened me.

”Oh. ” I breathe out uselessly.

”Ill go outside, you can change in here. ” The wolf decided with a little sigh. He groaned as he stood up and guilt stepped into my heart.

”You. ” I started but my bravo faded, ”don have to leave, ” I muttered.

The wolf either didn hear or didn believe my words. He strode out of the cave.

I watched until he was completely gone before rushing to wiggle out of my clothes. The jacket and shirt were easy enough. My fingers stumbled over the clasps of my bra, and the fabric of my jeans had become stuck to my legs. I opted to keep my underwear on and got to work laying out the rest of my clothes on the cave floor.

Once I was covered again, and the signs of my struggles were erased I inched towards the entrance.

”Um, mr. Wolf? ” I called out awkwardly. I hadn realized that I didn know his name. This whole time Id thought of him as nothing more than a wolf, but he had a name. He had to, right? ”You can come back! ” I tried louder when he didn reappear.

That was about as much as my little bare toes could take. I scrambled to the blanket, where the thick furs could protect me from the biting cold.

He would come back when he was willing to, I told myself curling under the blankets.