Rogue's Secret Mate

Chapter 4: Saving Hands

We've been trekking in the forest, far away from our cave but I had to reach civilization cause any minute for now I think I was going to slump over. The fever was making everything painful and blurry, my consciousness tipping on the edge.

One thing I was thankful for Forest was he's acting as our navigator-in the forest. Also I didn't have to worry much about Taiga whom tightly gripping on Forest's fur, surely not lost and left behind. Albeit hopefully the wolf's fur still intact.

I knew it's weird, Forest's actions seemed domesticated. Weren't aggressive, hostile or showing any signs of danger. Except for his reprimanding growl whenever I headed opposite of his way...so I prompted to follow him. Besides I didn't have enough energy to make protest or make decisions, as bad as it sounded I'd let the wolf take over.

Me on the other hand, I already had three trips to the tree, puking my guts out. My eyes were stinging and nose dripping like a faucet. My sweatshirt, no Teagan's sweatshirt I burrowed was soaking with sweats and I felt so cold yet I was burning up. Taiga would looked back at me from time to time and I just threw him a smile.

I whistled for Forest and he immediately halted, I couldn't still believe I was with a wolf which had a mind of a human or maybe he was cared by a human.

"Let's take a rest..." Taiga ran up to me and just stared waiting for me settle down against a tree. I noticed where his thumb and I grimaced which he just grinned...cheeky kid.

I glanced at my side and saw Forest settling down beside us.

I sighed and closed my eyes, I was so tired.

"Just for a while guys" I felt Taiga snuggling beside me and I wrapped my hands around him.

~

I heard growling and I snapped my eyes open on instant. Mind alert, I whisked my head to the source. Forest was crouching behind some bushes and growling lowly staring ahead.

"Forest?" He whipped his head to me in recognition and went back to growling on the bushes.

His growling intensified and I could hear why, voices; several voices. I wasted no time in heftting Taiga in my one hand and reached for my cane. Taiga woke up and I shushed him.

I looked for somewhere to hide the kid. The cave was so far to reach on time, the trees in this area were so thin small, seriously? Damn such a wrong timing, earlier we've been passing lots of trees and now none?

I was close to panicking, if Forest growls like that then something was dangerous out there. The voices were getting nearer and louder.

"Shit" I hoisted Taiga properly and he just silently dangled on my hand. A rabbit hopped in front of us startling me and almost sent me on my butt.

"Jeez dude, warn me next time" it stared at us and continued hopping, I faintly hear Taiga mumbled 'bunny' and I followed my gaze on it. I saw it disappear on a big trunk of an old tree, it's branches on the ground dead and close to decomposing. Bingo. The logged trunk was big enough to hide the kid and I lugged my self toward it. I put down Taiga and settled him under the fallen trunk. I scooped some soil to make a hole enough for Taiga to fit. He needed no words as the kid scrambled unto the hole, hugging his knees. He looked the same where I found him, perhaps this what happened to him before I found him in that burrowed soil he hid.

"Sorry boy but you have to hide for now I'll come back for you I promise. Don't come out unless it's me okay?" He nodded and cupped my face on his tiny chubby hands. He kissed my forehead and willed my tears to stop emerging.

I stood and limped back to Forest. The voices now totally prominent on where we were earlier. Forest was biting someone on the leg and a stifled scream from the boy tried to lash out. His buddy got a rock and threw it on the wolf. Forest stopped and sauntered unto me, growls still pouring from his mouth.