It was another day, and Zoe went ahead. Throughout the journey was only white, fluffy snow. But she breathed only cold emptiness. It creates the feeling you're walking in cold emptiness. And because of the strong wind and blizzard, you can't see the sky at all. From this point, it's getting very creepy. But for some reason, the snow didn't touch the path, which was covered in sand, like a forest sand trail with a grove. But here is no green around; no grass, no trees – just a cold, snowy desert.
Digging through the snow, the purple dog didn't get any snowflakes, but she froze as if her head had plunged into icy water. The blizzard formed something like a funnel, or rather: a tunnel. The snow served as the walls and ceiling, and the path was the ground, like the place where people walk, build rails or travel trains on.
Zoe proceeded, but she couldn't control herself as her paws carried her forward. Suddenly she saw a white spot in the distance. She was surprised how she could see it, since everything else in her sight was white too. But curiosity arose in her, and without realizing, she moved in a faster pace, and she was soon running. The spot grew by the second, and formed into a silhouette after a while. A few moments later, Zoe was ready to argue that that the silhouette was a little thing, and moreover, she knew for sure that this strange object was a cat. But she wasn't so sure about its sex. It sat, dropping its tail. Our heroine almost had reached the subject, really wanting to know who it was, and what they were doing in such a strange place, but something stopped her. All around, she sank in the darkness for a moment but then, she said her friend Russell in a pale veil. His face was something worried, and he kept glancing from side to side, afraid of something.
What's wrong, thought Zoe, not daring to ask this question in the ear.
The dog rubbed her eyes and decided to look back. The state she was in no way resembled the dog from yesterday evening. Yesterday, she fell asleep under a cozy log on a moss bed next to the berries, but today, she is in a damp cave, covered in moss. It turns out moss does not create a normal bed.
"Um… Where are we? What if–" She tried to ask a question.
"Tshshsh…!" her friend squeaked at her, preventing every attempt to speak. He was waiting for something.
As curious as Zoe was, it all became clear ten minutes later: A proud beast had entered the cave. He had grey hair, and a series of sharp fangs. I think we all know that this beast is indeed a wolf. Next to him were two smaller wolves. They were brutally grinning, but restrained themselves. The wolves saw the strict look on their boss' face and did not even dare to make an extra move. The chief sat down in front of our travelers and, after waiting for the others to sit down, spoke.
"My name is Gray Fang. I am the leader of the pack, who owns the territory you are in. I strongly advise you both to quickly leave, so we will not answer for ourselves. You have until sunset." He growled at them afterwards, and then turned and withdrew from the cave.
A moment of silence passed and the two pets wanted to ensure the wolves had left. As soon as they were completely sure of it, Zoe hissed.
"Mmph! As usual: No greetings, no answers – well, as they say. They didn't even want to listen to us! How could we have known this was their territory?! And not only their territories!" She singled out the word "their" especially; all forests are common.
"You're right. Well, let's just make sure the situation doesn't take another wrong turn and get it over with. We should leave; they're wolves, and wolves are predators. They consume small animals like us – even alive. And–"
"Well, what do they think of themselves?!" The dog didn't want to put up with this, "As if they are something better than us!"
"Listen, Zoe: Wolves are dangerous, and I don't want to end my life far from home. We're leaving immediately!" Russell snapped! Then, he moved to the exit and saw a forest completely unfamiliar to him. Behind him came his friend.
"Hah. Now, where do we go? We are here for the first time." Zoe said. The hedgehog could not squeeze out a word; he knew Zoe was right: they don't know anything about this new land. They don't know where came come, where they were. They don't even know which direction leads home. For a moment, Russell felt so hopeless; so weak in this vast world. For the first time, he felt do small compared to the Earth. And how small it is in comparison with the Universe itself!
But feeling this lasted only for a moment. It was impossible to miss a single opportunity. There was no one around, which was good. But, what if the wolves decide to kill them without waiting for sunset? That thought frightened both. Silently, Russell moved forward, and Zoe, as if feeling his patronage over himself, silently followed him.
It's been about two since our travelers have started wane ring among the trees. Their branches seem to be tightening to themselves. Amid them, to cannot squeeze into them, let alone talking about animals like a dog or a hedgehog. Dark spines, hanging on a branch of spruce, pricked everyone and everything that touched them even a little. They did not spare anyone. There were no beautiful flowers, covering them with their own crowns, no small, helpless herbs, not even mosses or lichens. Firs flooded the entire huge area. The soil beneath them was oxidized and filled with fallen and yellow "leaves". Those do not rot very long, and form a pungent, but at the same time, litter. Of any other plant, you can only see horsetail and moss here, which is rare on tree trunks.
And thus, with their paws, Russell and Zoe both entered the darkness, hungry, but still somehow moving forward. Unfortunately, all was unsuccessful as Zoe's belly started rumbling. Russell acknowledged this, and for the first time in two hours, he made a stop.
"We need to eat," he said firmly.
"Well, there's clearly nothing around – unless you suggest eating pine needles?" slowly stretched her companion.
"She's right," Russell muttered under his breath. "It would be better if we died a quick death in the stomachs of wild, then being tormented by hunger."
Both thoughts were then interrupted by the rustle of pine needles; coming from somewhere behind. Zoe growled, and Russell aimed his thorns on two uninvited guests. Both looked very strange; a bit skinny and adventurous, and it all happened in just two days. They looked like the wolves that had grown thin over the winter. They look just as angry, like a predator, who saw a man in their possessions. They waited for something; something big; something that would deprive them of their lives in a couple of seconds, but in response, they heard this…
"Stop! Calm down, I will not harm you; I just want to help."
A lean wolf came out of the shadows. Although his ribs were visible, the wool glistened and glossed like a gray-black waterfall. It was thick and long. There was a scar on their face. Their amber eyes did not express any fear – on the contrary, they can read anxiety and the desire to help. This wolf felt sorry for the two pets; they looked so terrible. Even the wolf in comparison with the pets looked much neater.
"My name is Maurice. I will help you get out of here."