Chapter 14 Dream or nightmare

Humphreys POV

White flashes flared in my vision and I saw faces of my family and friends rush through my mind. I saw Kate whispering, "You can't die." Then I saw Artyom shout, "You will lead us away from the forest!" I saw Kona and Jake yell, "YOU MUST FREE US!" I saw Gace whisper, "Please!" It all came so fast I screamed for them to get out of my head yelling, "I don't know how!" They all yelled, "FREE US!" Suddenly I became weightless and I was falling, I saw the trees and forest rush up to meet me and the clap of thunder in the distance mixed with rain that tried to choke me when I opened my mouth. I screamed in terror not understanding what was happening to me and I had almost hit the ground when suddenly everything froze. I slowly turned my head and stared at a single rain drop suspended only inches from the ground. The flash of lightening signaled that the event stop and I fell into the mud coughing and spitting the gunk from my mouth.

I groaned a little and I asked myself, "Is this a dream?" I looked down at my paws and slowly walked in a circle splashing mud onto the trees. "It feels so real." I thought. I lifted my head and observed where I had landed and quaked in fear as I spotted the distant outline of the crevice I now called home. "I'm trapped outside…at night." I whispered. I was about to run towards the canyon when I heard whimpering. I stopped and slid in the mud for a moment looking for the source of the sound. I padded over to some bushes and pushed through the thick foliage grunting as a thorn stuck itself in my leg. I emerged on the other side and found myself staring at a weeping pup. I called, "Are you ok?" I was expecting some kind of snappy remark of reply but the pup gave no hint at hearing me. I started to approach him when an awful wailing pierced the night air. I covered my ears and the pup yelped and ran through the forest still crying. I called, "Wait, it's too dangerous to go out alone!" I heard the pups paw steps get further and further away from me. I shook my head and ran after him dodging trees but the pup had a good head start on me and I wasn't making up much ground.

I pumped my legs harder and fearfully looked around expecting some kind of monster to jump out at me from the shadows but the darkness gave no hint of the malice beyond it. I tried calling again but the awful wailing drowned out everything but the rumbling of the thunder in the distance. I tore through the foliage and slipped in the mud spinning in circles until I crashed painfully into a tree. I groaned and scrambled to my feet searching for the pup. My spine chilled and I looked desperately and caught a glimpse of fleeing grey and tore after it. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and suddenly I ran straight into another clearing. I saw the pup crying in the center and ran over to him. I tried to pick him up but my paw couldn't touch him. I panicked and said, "You'll be ok." The pup looked up at me and his eyes widened in fear. I stared into his electric blue eyes but he didn't see me. I noted he looked oddly familiar, like the same wolf I saw every time I stared into the water. I gasped and saw that I was staring at myself when I was but a few months old. I desperately tried to get his attention but he gave no sign of seeing me. In fact…he seemed to be looking at something behind me. Slowly I turned and the pit of my stomach tightened in fear as I looked into the darkness of the forest. I made out the thin shadow of a creature… I whispered in fear, "No,no no no. a, a, ggriever…"

The griever extended a bony claw towards me and the dark pits that marked where its eyes were glared at me. I knew that dream or not this being was capable of killing me without pity, remorse or even a second thought. The pup behind me yelped and covered his eyes. I breathed deeply and prepared to fight the creature but it simply glided over the ground and before I could even move vanished into the darkness. I whirled around desperately searching for its whereabouts but saw no sign. I sighed in relief and went to face the pup but I froze in fear staring at the empty spot where the only thing that remained was a tiny pool of blood. Tears sprang to my eyes and I thought, "Was that really me or is this just a messed up dream?" I wiped away the single tear that had escaped my eyes and froze. I whispered, "Kona said the grievers leave only bones… I, er, the pup may still be alive." I scanned the darkness but saw no signs of movement. I ran over to the puddle of blood and saw some slight smears on the edge that lead deep into the undergrowth. Quickly I ran through the bushes and gritted my teeth as I made the mistake of choosing the path that wound in on itself endlessly. I corrected my mistake and followed the small blood spots and tufts of fur that had attached themselves to the bushes and trees. The darkness got more oppressive with each step I took and it seemed to get darker until I could barely see the signs that marked the passage of the monster that had taken the pup. I squinted and made out the small trail and quickened my pace hoping I wasn't to late.

The blood got more and more pronounced as I got closer to the source and the surrounding forest seemed to mock me every time I lost the trail. Growling to myself I picked up the trail once more and saw I was approaching a darkened clearing. It seemed to radiate fear and darkness and as I drew closer red tinged my vision. I shook my head and the shadows of the trees leaned in towards me trying to make me lose my way. I closed my eyes and counted my steps ignoring the smells and sights of death that encircled me. "One, two three, four. One, two, three, four." I repeated it over and over until something stopped me. I opened my eye a fraction of an inch and stared at the trembling form of the pup that so closely resembled me. I saw red claw marks around his sides and tried to call out to him but my voice didn't work. I turned my head and saw a cave that seemed like it had fangs jutting out from it and whispered, "The legends are true, the saw toothed cave does exist…..But then, why are the creatures so deranged and decrepit?" I shook away my thoughts and approached the pup. The red tinges attacked my vision again and I doubled over in pain as a splitting headache emerged to torture me. I groaned and attempted to pick up the trembling pup with my teeth but made no progress. I shook my head but it was like I wasn't even there. I decided to try and experiment and poked my nose in the dirt and drew a line.

The pup stopped trembling and yelped at the indent. I quickly drew an arrow away from the cave and back towards the safety of the canyon. The pup scrambled away in fear and ran towards the cave. I yelled, "NO! TOWARDS THE CANYON NOT INTO THE CAVE." Suddenly for a split second the griever appeared in front of me and an eerie chuckle escaped its jaws. I ignored it and ran after the pup yelling, "STOP, DON'T GO IN THERE!" The pup entered the cave and the griever screeched and turned into a shadow that raced after the pup. Tears flooded my vision and I ran after them jumping into the cave and as I fell into the darkness I yelled, "KATE!" I fell for what seemed like an eternity and suddenly blinding light flooded my vision and I sat up right gasping. My vision came into focus and the red tinge had exited my sight. Sighing in relief I looked around and saw I was in a meadow. I saw no sign of the cave or the forest. It had all just disappeared. Groaning I pulled myself to my feet and saw three wolves approaching me. Gasping I saw it was Winston and Eve. My jaw dropped as I stared at Kate as well, she was so young. She couldn't have been any older then I was when the griever had grabbed my pup form.

Kate laughed as she dodged around her parents legs' occasionally nipping at their heals. I grinned and was about to call to them when I heard whimpering. I frowned and turned around to stare at the bloodied form of myself as a pup. Winston's ears perked up and he gasped as he spotted the pup. He called, "Eve, come help me." Eve stopped and gaped at the bloody pup and quickly padded over to where Winston sat applying leaves to the wounds in the sides of the pup. I snapped out of my shock and limped over to where the pup lay crying. Winston and Eve gave no sign of seeing me and Kate stood over the pup with a worried look on her face. Winston sighed in relief and said, "The wounds aren't deep, but we should take him back to our pack and fix him up." Eve nodded and grabbed the whimpering pup by the scruff of his neck and deposited him on her back. The three wolves quickly ran back towards the direction of Jasper. I went to follow them but suddenly I felt pain in my gut. I cringed and fell over as the darkness corrupted my vision and dragged me back into reality.

I slowly opened my eyes and went to scream as I stared into the black pits of the same griever that had taken me when I was a pup. It was silhouetted against the background of my den and I started to yell for Kate to get Grace out of our den and run when the griever suddenly nodded. It seemed satisfied and it slowly evaporated into the night. I lay there staring at the patch of darkness waiting for it to return but it never did. I shuddered and wondered why it had shown me that and I collapsed onto my chest and moaned, "Kate, please help me." I looked over to where Kate lay sleeping with Grace and she opened an eye and asked, "Humphrey, what's wrong?" I croaked, "A griever, it was here." Kate sat bolt upright causing Grace to tumble of her with a small yelp. She growled, "Where, where did it go?" I shook my head and managed to get out, "It's gone now, but I need to talk to Artyom and Dawn as well as the stalkers." Kate sighed in relief and said, "I'll bring them here right away." Slowly I started to lapse into unconsciousness and my thoughts turned foggy and hard to read.

Events seemed to slow down and speed up randomly. I saw Artyom and Dawn rush to my side and attempt to wake me but I couldn't keep my eyes open. I heard there voices conversing and I tried to stand but fell to the ground again groaning softly to myself. I heard Artyoms voice say, "Quickly, he's been under too much mental stress to stay awake for long. Kona, knock him out so he doesn't hurt himself." I heard Kona reply, "Is there any other way?" Artyom snapped, "No, now please do it before his mind tears itself to shreds." Kona grunted and I felt a stinging pain in the back of my head as the darkness took me once more.

My mind slowly started to repair itself from the unwanted intrusion of the griever and I cracked my eyes open as pain shot through my head. I groaned and suddenly Kate was standing over me with a concerned look in her eyes. I gave a small laugh and told her, "You look worried." Kate nodded and replied, "Artyom told me that a griever hijacked your mind." Groaning I pulled myself up and Kate helped steady me. I nodded and said, "It did and it showed me a lost portion of my past. I didn't remember it because of the shock from my wounds." Kate's jaw drops, "My parents said when they found you were beat up but I didn't think it had anything to do with all this." I cracked my neck and received a jolt of pain as I said, "Neither did I but something happened, there was a cave. The saw toothed cave from the legends and it led me out of the forest. But it also seems to be home to the grievers and maybe some other nasty things."

I saw hope in Kate's eyes and she whispered, "So there is a way out." I nodded painfully and told her, "Yes but it seemed like I caught the griever of guard with my escape when I was a pup but now I have to get an entire pack through that area." Kate smiled and hugged me whispering, "We can do it, I'll be here to help you each step of the way." I smiled gratefully and told her, "I think after this I'll be done adventuring…..forever." Kate laughed and kissed me passionately. I grinned and savored the kiss reluctantly pulling away to ask her, "How long was I knocked out." The grin vanished from Kate's face and she bit her lip and answered, "Five days." My jaw dropped and I mouthed, "Five days!?" Kate nodded again and she whispered, "They lost four of the stalkers." Panic seized me and I asked, "Was it anyone we knew?" Kate shook her head, "No just some of the old timers that had gone out for food." I sighed in relief but still felt badly for the stalkers that had died. A voice called, "May we come in?"

I turned around and my head pounded in protest but I grinned as I saw Kona and Jake standing in the doorway. I eagerly replied, "Of course, make yourselfs comfortable." Kona and Jake nodded there thanks and Kona asked me, "So you feeling better, you have a lot of training to catch up on." I chuckled and replied, "My head hurts but I should be fine, although I have some good news for you guys." Jake gave me a silly grin and said, "We do to, Kona is.." Kona elbowed him in the ribs and growled, "Not now." Jake rolled his eyes and said, "Fine, we can tell them later." Kona nodded and turned her attention to me and asked, "So what did you want to tell us?" I gave a small smile and said, "I found a way out of the forest." I raised my paw as they went to say something and finished, "It's dangerous but there is a way out." Jake gave a small whoop of joy and shouted, "WE CAN RAISE OUR PUPS IN PEACE!" My jaw dropped and I asked Kona, "Your pregnant!?" She glared at Jake and he shrugged and gave a small smile. Kona rolled her eyes and told me, "Yes, it happened two days ago." Jake nuzzled her and she purred a little. Kate smiled and told them, "Congratulations!" Jake smiled and said, "Thank you, I've always wanted pups and now there's the chance of raising them without having to fear for their lives." Kona glared at him and asked, "Why can't you take anything seriously?"

Jake chuckled and said, "Because I have hope, and I'm making sure you don't lose yours." Kona rolled her eyes again and went to give him a crushing reply but Jake firmly kissed her. Kate coughed a little and the two wolves broke the kiss. Jake sheepishly said, "Sorry, couldn't help myself." Kona shrugged and told him, "You never could…" Jake opened his mouth to reply but I quickly intervened knowing that if he did this would never end. "Come on guys; let's go see my parents so we can tell them the good news. Jake raised an eyebrow and said with a straight face, "All the good news?" I nodded and repeated, "All the good news." Quickly I pulled myself to my feet before another argument could start and called, "Let's get moving." Kona and Jake followed me out of the den and Kate grabbed Grace who had been sleeping peacefully in the corner. The five of us walked up the dirt trail and I looked down on my new pack and saw with surprise that there were very few wolves left. I asked Kona, "What happened to everyone?"

Kona sighed and told me, "The grievers have been taking them, just like the day it all began. One wolf a day until there was almost no one left. I gulped and asked, "Anyone you knew?" She shook her head, "No, the stalkers keep to themselves most of the time and the ones that disappeared were at the end of their line anyway." I spoke up again and said, "So then its like a warning?" Kona nodded, "Seems that way, it's like they want something and are taking wolves until they get it. But I can't figure out what it is." Kate spoke up and asked, "When did they start taking wolves again?" Kona replied, "As soon as the griever got into Humphreys mind." I shook my head and groaned, "This is all my fault." Jake shook his head and said, "No, it's not anyone's fault." Kona nodded and added, "He's right, for once." Jake grinned and said, "That's the spirit!" Kona just grumbled in reply. I shook my head and Kate whispered, "How can anyone stand these two?" I laughed and said, "There not so bad, just as long as you have a good excuse to take a break once in awhile." Kate shrugged and I turned my attention and saw Kona and Jake where arguing again. I thought to myself, "Drama wolves…"

I decided to run ahead and as I approached my parents den I saw Artyom overlooking the canyon. I padded over to him and sat down. Artyom whispered, "So many gone, and it'll only get worse." I shook my head and said, "No, it can only get better." Artyom turned his tired eyes on me and asked, "How, I know you got out before but you don't remember how you did it." I nodded and said, "You're right, I didn't remember." Artyom looked at me suspiciously and as I heard the rest of the group get nearer he said, "You said didn't." I nodded and continued, "I did, I remember now." Artyoms eyes widened and he shouted, "WE CAN ESCAPE?" I grimly nodded, "We can, but it'll be hard." Artyom snorted, "What isn't?" Artyom then quickly called, "Dawn, come here!" Dawn emerged from the den and I smiled and told her, "Your wounds are getting much better mom." She smiled and said, "Yes, I feel much stronger now." Dawn turned her attention to Artyom and asked, "So what did you need?" Artyom excitedly pushed me forward and said, "Tell her." I grinned and said, "I remember how I escaped." Dawns eyes brightened and she whispered, "So we can all escape?" I nodded and told them, "Yes, the griever that captured me as a pup came back and somehow tapped into my head and showed me what happened. I don't know why but anyway there was a cave from the legends, the saw toothed cave. No one knew what was inside it but what if it's another entrance and exit to the forest?"

Artyom muttered, "Could be, this forest is a legend as well so it would make sense that another legend would talk about a way in and out." I nodded and said, "Exactly." Dawn looked over and called to the rest of the group, "Welcome to our little overlook." Kona and Jake stopped arguing and said, "Oh, thanks." Kate rolled her eyes and came to sit down next to me. I cleared my throat and said, "We need a real plan to get out of here with all of us, the remaining pack and stalkers included." Dawn nods and throws in, "Yes, that's the goal." Jake raises his paw and asks, "So how can we pull this off?" Kate smiles and replies, "I think I have a plan that might just work."

(How can they all escape the forest? Will the sawtooth cave lead to freedom or is it a trap? I hope you guys enjoyed this one so tell me what you thought, and if I accidently forgot to explain something don't hesitate to tell me so I can fix that in the next chapter. Until next time :D)