The Beyond

I ran. Running for my life. My little legs were burning and a cramp stung my side. I heard the pack of wolves behind me. I panted. My throat was dry. Burning. My lungs hurt, my paws then became heavy. I couldn't do it anymore. I pushed myself. "Come on Heep! COME ON! They will kill you if they catch up!" The voice screamed in my head over and over again. My heart felt like it was going to burst. Not from the running, but from the memory of my parents dying. Choking. Trying to help each other from the huge strange black wolf. I kept my pace until I came to a ledge. I stopped. Spun around, panic stinging in my insides. I could hear the wolves thundering in the snow. I whimpered. Wanting to cry. I needed my mommy and daddy, to protect me from these huge wolves,　but they were gone. Gone. I gulped and started to sob. I backed up near the edge when the huge black wolf came into view. He had at least six wolves behind him. The huge wolf snarled, walked towards me. He showed his teeth which were long and jagged. I whimpered. Looked at the huge wolves that were walking towards me. I glanced over my small shoulder to see a huge lake at the bottom. I closed my eyes. "Drown? Or get ripped to pieces?"　　I asked myself. Well, WHAT WOULD YOU DO!? I gulped then I instantly knew my answer.　I took a deep breath, then plunged backwards... towards the lake. I felt the wind blow through my fur. I tucked into a ball, never opening my eyes. I hit something hard, heard a crack, then fell into something cold. Water! I opened my eyes, but the cold water stung. I gasped, cold water rushing into my lungs. I　tried kicking myself up, but my nose hit something hard. I was under ice in the water! I couldn't get out! I　yelped　for help under water, but nobody heard me. My voice was gone with the roaring sound of the water.　I couldn't breathe. I was done. But I couldn't give up.　But my　eyes closed. I was drowning. I heard my parents' voices. Calling to me. Saying, "Don't give up, Heep."

* * *

I opened my eyes breathing hard. My heart was thumping up against my chest so fast, I could hear it. I plopped my head　down on the cold den floor. What an awful nightmare! I don't know how long I've been having it, but it was scaring me. Me, running from the huge black wolf that killed me parents. The lake, and me drowning. That all did happen. I don't know who pulled me out, but my heart went out to them.

I struggled to my feet. I shook, sending snow and water everywhere. I walked over to the entrance. I took a deep breath, then stepped out into the sunshine. My brown russet coat　 gleamed in the sunlight.

My stomach growled. Great. I was hungry. And I didn't have a pack to help me hunt. I was alone. I headed west from the northern border. I ran for miles when a cramp stung my side. I stopped panted and listened. Something was nearby. I growled, showing my teeth.

"Who's there?" I asked, pinning my ears back.

I heard a rustle in the bushes. I lifted my nose in the air. I inhaled a weird sent. I didn't know what it was, but it smelled bad. I decided to ignore it, and continue on my way. I ran, not caring what I rain into. It felt like being a puppy again. Running away from the wolves. My heart stung when I remembered. I shook my head and growled. I hated remembering my past. It made me sick. I kept running. Running. All I thought about was running. But I was tiring quick.

I stopped under a pine tree. I rolled in the nice soft snow. After a few hours of running, it felt good. I lifted my nose in the air and sniffed. I smelled something else. Food! I clutched my stomach as it growled once again.

I rose to my paws, then started walking along the edge of a small cliff. A sharp pain started to ping in my gut. Flashbacks started to come back to me. The horrible memory of me, backed up against the edge. I growled, smacking myself in the face. Drop it! I growled. I had to let go of these memories. Had too. I was so sick and tired of them.

I kept running alongside the cliff. I stopped when I saw something in the distance. I didn’t know what it was, but it looked strange. For miles, I ran over to that place. Finally, I got there, but so different! Huge big square houses were all over the place. And other wolves were wandering around with rope things around their necks, with humans! Were they crazy! And egads! There were mini mountain lions! They stared at me, and hissed. How weird!

I stalked into an alleyway, jumping at every noise I heard. The smell I was attracted to was coming from a window. I walked over to the window, stood up on my hind legs, and grabbed the meat. Yay! I got the food! I was just about to enjoy my feast, when something hit me square in the face sending me rolling. I jumped up, teeth bared. A human was standing over the meat, with a broom in both hands.

"Get out of here, mutt!" He yelled running towards me, swinging the broom.

I growled on last time, then fled. There was no way I was going to beat a human with a weapon.

* * *

A storm was brewing. A big one. Smelled like snow and rain. Over my years of experience of weather, it smelled like a snow storm. I knew I had to find shelter. I wandered far away from the town, being careful not to wander idly in someone else’s territory. I knew how to find fallen tree trunks and caves for warmth. I learned how to survive. On my own that is.

It seemed like hours until I passed by a small den site. The top of the entrance was already caked with snow. A tree was leaning over the top. It looked big and warm enough to squeeze into. I walked over to it, sniffed it. The smell of a fox lingered inside. Fine. I told myself. As I crawled in, snow fell on my back. I turned my head. My russet brown fur was already white.

I crawled over to the side of the cave, and lay my head down on my paws. Outside, the wind howled. I felt snowflakes brush into the cave. I turned my head towards the back, so I don’t get snow in my eyes. I forced myself to sleep.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, all I could see was darkness. The wind stopped blowing though. I sat up, only to bump my head on the top of the cave wall. Ouch! That hurt. I rubbed my head then crawled to the doorway. But it was blocked by heaps and heaps of snow. Great! How am I supposed to get out of here now? I lay my head on my paws to think. Could I bust out? Or could I just kick the snow out of the way? That's it! I crawled to the snow coverd entrance. I used my nose to pry a small hole in the snow. The cold make it numb. Next, I used my paw to dig through the small hole I just made with my nose. With a small crack, all the snow fell out of place. I was out!

The bright sunshine shown through like a warm campfire. I inhailed the warm sweet sent of flowers. After a strom, you have to admit, it can be cool out. I stepped out in the sun, my russet brown coat seemed to gleam once more. I peered around at where I was at, since I didn't have time to look around last night. Everything was comlpetly covered in snow and ice. But with the sun out, it will melt soon. I decided to go explore this open land. Nobody seemed to own it.

I was about to mark my territory on a tree, when my stomach growled. Oh man! I forgot. I haven't eaten for two days, and I was getting really hungry. I had a chance back in that town, but a man chased me away with a broom. I snarled. I turned around, and put my nose to the ground. I started to pick up some sents... A fox, a hare, moose, and wolf. I rasied my head. I guessed a wolf passed through here not to long ago. And a moose too. I sniffed the wolf sent. A male. No dought. Many wolves run into me from time to time. But I'm not the one looking for trouble. Trouble always seem to find me. And I certainly didn't want any trouble from this wolf.

I turned around and spun off, running blindly into a territory I didn't know. I stopped when I heard a voice behind me...

"This is not your territory," a grey wolf hissed.

I puffed my chest out to make myself look bigger.

"Yeah, so what are you going to do about it?" I snarled.

The grey, seeming to be male, frowned.

"If you don't get out, I'll have to forceibly remove you," he snarled showing his teeth.

I raised my eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Says you and what army?" I asked swishing my tail.

The grey wolf threw back his head, and let loose a howl I'd never heard before. Before I knew it a huge black wolf jumped in front of him. He... looked familar. The black wolf growled opening his mouth. His teeth were long and jagged. I cocked my head. The black wolf backed my against a tree. I just stared. The black wolf was huge, with scars down the right side of his face. His nails were so sharp, they looked like long needles. He was a big dude. And was not friendly. The black wolf opened his mouth and spoke.

"Heep, we meet again."

I stared, then turned away to think. I was having flashbacks now. A huge black wolf forcing me to the edge of a cliff. He looked like the wolf in front of me now. My head was screaming the same thing over and over.

!!!!!

It was the wolf from the year before! The same black wolf that killed my family, and almost killed me that year. It was the strange black wolf!

"Ok ok. You got me." I said stupidly.

The strange wolf smiled an evil smile. He walked towards me.

"You have grown since we last saw you," he said eyeing me.

"You have grown a darker russet color coat, longer teeth, longer nails, everything," he added with a smile.

I knew I had to get out of her before I become kibble.

"And your point is?"

I