The Trees Up North

Chapter XIII

The werewolf lunged forward toward me. I rolled over to my left, avoiding the attack. Dirt covered my legs and back.

"Pine! Help!" I yelled. The werewolf raised his paw in front of me. I sprinted over to his legs and thrust my dagger into his right thigh. I noticed blood dripping from the blade's tip. The werewolf screamed in agony but remained upright. Instead, the werewolf rushed back at me.

I didn't have enough time to dodge his attack. The werewolf tossed me into the tree. All the air left my lungs. My legs held me up at an awkward angle. The werewolf growled and snarled. I held my dagger tight in my hands; I wouldn't lose. I braced myself, my heart beating wildly in my chest. A small scream left my chest as I charged towards the beast again. My heart raced as I darted around, dodging the swipes and bites of the werewolf.

I approached the werewolf's chest and sank my knife into his flesh. I could feel his flesh moving around the blade. An ear-piercing scream was given by the beast. He threw me to the side with extended paws.

Blood dripped down from the knife that was embedded in his skin. I reached into my bag to grab my other dagger. I could see the anger that filled the werewolf's eyes. I felt the fear rising in my chest as I clutched my dagger tightly, preparing to defend myself against the ferocious creature. The beast screamed as he charged forward.

This time, I wasn't so lucky. I moved to the right, trying my best to avoid his claws, but my arm got caught in one of his claws. I watched as he tore away skin. Blood immediately fell down my arm in waves.

I let out a yelp of pain. "Pine!" I howled, "Where are you?"

The werewolf grunted as he tried to reposition himself to attack me again. My heart raced, and my breath was loud in my ears. My dagger still lay in my hands. I scrambled for a plan, desperate to find some way out of the situation I was in. The werewolf bared his claws as he jumped towards me once again. I rolled over on the ground, catching myself, so I was on my knees. Blood fell from the wound on my arm, making the dirt where I was kneeling red. The wolf turned around. The blood that fell from his chest matted his fur. If that dagger could come out of his skin, there was a chance that he could bleed to death. I had to act fast.

Standing up, I charged at the werewolf. I used my non-injured arm to grab the dagger out of his chest. His paws swung wildly around me. I dove to the right of the wolf, pulling out the dagger from his matted fur. The skin sliced more as it dragged around the werewolf's chest. The wolf stumbled, whimpering in pain but still trying to reach me with his claws. Blood fell more heavily from the wound now.

With no time to spare, I quickly spun around and plunged the dagger into the beast's neck. The beast let out a howl as he finally hit me with his paws. I rolled over into a tree. This time, I just missed the beast's claws. With a surge of adrenaline, I scrambled to my feet and jumped away from the beast as it advanced.

My dagger plunged into his side, ripping up the skin. The knife dragged it across, causing the werewolf to scream. The organs of the werewolf fell from his body. Blood was everywhere, making the ground a dark red. His body slowly sank to the ground, lifeless and still.

I coughed, refusing to throw up.

"Where have you gone, Pine?" I mumbled under my breath. I trudged my sore body back down the road I had just come on.

I leaned against a tree, tucking my daggers back into my bag. I tore a piece of fabric from my shirt. A small whimper of pain left my mouth, and I put pressure on the wound on my arm. Blood slowly seeped out of the wound, and I gritted my teeth as I tightly wrapped the cloth around it. Feeling weak and exhausted, I knew I needed to find help soon. With a heavy heart, I continued on my journey, determined to find Pine and bring him back to safety.

I moved to sit down on the ground while taking deep breaths. The werewolf had died. My body was bruised and sore, but I had managed to survive the attack. I got back to my feet while ignoring the blood all over me and the pain in my arm. I had only one thought: I needed to find Pine. Even though I was relieved to have saved myself, I had to make sure Pine was also safe.

I was far enough away from the cabin to make it unlikely that he could hear me screaming. However, it was strange. I had a feeling he would have run to me.

I started walking down the curved path in search of any traces of pine. My sore arm was propped up on top of the bag containing my daggers as I made painstaking steps. I observed the leaves dancing in the wind. As the sun set, the ground became orange in color. I inhaled deeply, savoring how crisp the evening was.

In the distance, the cabin was getting closer. Around the building, everything was still. Any light that might have come from the cabin was gone, and the windows were dark. The silence was eerie, making me hesitant to approach. I quickened my pace, feeling a sense of unease creeping over me.

I was in front of a window. It was hazy and difficult to see through. Yet I could make out shadows. By the window, a tall shadow was present. I gave it a wave. The shadow had to be Pine's.

Another shadow approached the window at that precise moment. Then liquid splattered across the window. Red. The liquid was blood. My throat tightened into a tiny scream. I dashed to the front door as fast as I could. I fumbled with the lock, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, I managed to open the door and ran out into the night, desperate to escape whatever horror awaited inside.