Morning came with a bristling wind through the cave, reminding Maka of her misfortunes the night before. She dragged herself out of her nest with an uneasy feeling that she couldn't shake. The air has changed… Something is wrong. She hurriedly gathered her things, readying herself to leave the caves, but something made her freeze. Do I smell… blood? Maka had become accustomed to this smell over time, familiar to the pungent scent of iron and death. But where was it coming from? She crept through the cave inching closer and closer to the opening, where another creature was waiting for her.
A burly wolf approached from the entrance of the cave. Its fur was white like snow and its eyes were red; red like the blood dripping from its bared fangs. Where is Soul? Surely the blood is not his… is it? Maka's eyes suddenly grew wide. She knew she had to do something. She knew she had to move; but she couldn't. Why can't I move my feet? Why can't I raise my bow? This beast will kill me. I am going to die.
Before she could move, the wolf lunged towards her, eyes beaming with blood-lust. She closed her eyes, accepting her death, but it never came. Her eyes opened to sound of tearing flesh and a horrifying screeching sound. Behind her, the wolf was ripping apart one of those things that lives in the mountains. The creature continued to scream, it's lanky and pale limb being shredded by the wolf's teeth. Now is my chance… I have to run.
Maka quickly turned around and ran. She blindly ran into the raging blizzard, past unfamiliar trees and landforms until she couldn't breathe. "Great…" Her surroundings were completely new; the air harsh and chilling to the bone. "Now I am lost in the midst of a blizzard with no food or water. What am I to do now?" She looked around hoping to find something that could indicate where she was, only to be blinded by the thick layer of snow. There was a startling noise, but where did it come from? Maka couldn't see anything but white. And two red eyes directly in front of her.
This time, she didn't hesitate to raise her bow. Something is off. The wolf didn't budge; it only stared at her. Still, she didn't dare lower her weapon. Maka wished she could say she didn't feel fear at this moment, but her shaking knees and trembling arms told a different story. Her mind was racing. At this distance, I shouldn't miss… but this is no ordinary wolf. It is judging my every move, but doing nothing. It's just standing there. The two stared for what seemed like an eternity, neither one daring to move.
"You know, if you're trying to gain the trust of a human, this seems to be the best way to do it. Now go on, beast. I have to get back to my village by sundown, and it's quite a way down the mountain." She turned from the white wolf and started on her way, but the crunching of snow behind her made her come to a halt. Sure enough, the beast started to follow her. "Great. A stubborn wolf." She continued on her way down the mountain.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
The wolf followed. Hopefully this beast doesn't decide to turn on me. At night, it will have the advantage. I best hurry. The further they walked, the colder it became. Soon, it would be dark, and Maka would be alone in the mountains. Her fears would have to wait for now. It was getting darker by the second, and she needed to find some sort of shelter, or at least somewhere to build a fire. The wolf howled, drawing Maka's attention. As if it had read her mind, it led her gaze over to a small ledge. There was just enough coverage to keep them concealed for the night.
As she began to build a fire, Maka wondered what happened to the Prig from the caves. His body never showed up, and the wolf didn't seem to have any interest in attacking humans. So where could he have gone? Her thoughts ran back and forth until fatigue began to take its toll. She curled up close to the fire, but it wasn't enough. If only she'd kept those furs from the caves; but it was too late to turn back now. IT would be far too dangerous, even with her new companion. Her new companion.
"Aye, wolf." The wolf's ears twitched, but it did not move. She called for the wolf again only to get the same response. "Maybe if I say please…" With that, the wolf sat up. It cocked its head to the side expectantly. This little bastard. "Would you please come here? You may be a wolf but even you can freeze in a storm like this." The wolf pulled itself up from the ground and stalked over to Maka. It lazily plopped down next to her, letting her nuzzle into its white fur. It wasn't long until she fell asleep.