When Snow Falls; The Stranger. (Rewritten.)
Chapter 29.
A Stranger named Tyler.
Day One; Hours later.
It wasn't the most festive of events, and it had an even more shitty reception, but I'd gotten through it nonetheless and managed to survive this far; taking a stroll through a forest clearing far from the mountain range with Blood and Shadow by my side, not standing guard over me as was their usual task, as this was their journey as much as it was mine, but close enough to me that their fur just slightly brushed against my hands, along with three other members of the pack ahead of us, following Winter as she lead us to some destination I didn't know, one that had taken us a fair distance from the mountian. Then again, I tended not to know these things as it was. This wasn't anything different for me, but I suspected the twins weren't as used to being left in the dark on things like I was. It made me somewhat happy in that regard as it meant I wasn't alone in this, and that they were forced to share in my annoyance. Not that it affected them in the slightest, because as far as I could tell it hadn't. I still took enjoyment of it nonetheless.
I didn't bother to question what it was we were doing here exactly, and for good reason, as I still had the wounds from...whatever the hell had happened a short while ago; looking at the bandages I had wrapped around my arms and shoulders with a hint of resentment, but kept silent about it, for now at least. And as reminder to keep my head down and my mouth shut. It didn't stop me from plotting some form of revenge in the back of my mind though, but that was maybe a joke I was telling myself. Possibly.
It wasn't like the usual abusive treatment I'd gotten around almost every corner, this had been shorter and less like combat, and seemed to carry more meaning than I knew. They hadn't ever let me off that quick before, and I wasn't eager to see if they'd finish it. Which is why I hadn't bothered to get some kind of payback over the matter, that and I still knew better than to go picking fights with the leadership, aside from the twins of course.
Still fucking hurt too, as I walked with a fair amount of pain involved. I was almost tempted to take a small break every so often if it weren't for the fact that I'd knew they'd leave me behind the second I did, and I didn't want to appear weak in front of the rest of the pack, having a pretty good idea of how things worked here, or at least I was starting too. For the most part, I knew I was able to keep up with Blood and Shadow individually, and the twins seemed to have some pull over the rest of the pack by how much they stuck by Winter, and if I had their level of strength I might get the same. I wasn't gonna push my luck though since I still didn't really understand how this all worked out, or where my place here even was. Best thing to do was to take it slow until I had everything figured out.
Which is how I would best describe our set pace, almost not even needing to take a break most times as Winter continually stopped for one long moment after the other, turning her gaze to different directions, almost as if she was remembering which way we needed to go, before we set off again on the arduous journey.
I looked around for anyone else to make any sort of complaint, but I was left alone on this as the others simply continued ahead the moment she moved, slightly annoyed at this behavior. They followed in line without question, despite the fact we'd been walking for several hours already. Their loyalty was both commendable and fucking irritating at the same god's damn time. I didn't have their endurance either, so that could have been taken into consideration, especially with the wounds I still had, none of which had healed yet.
An audible annoyed breath slipped out as I followed the small fellowship, lagging behind just a tad as my injuries started to act up some, ignoring them the best I was able for a time until it gradually passed, and I could walk uninhibited. For the moment anyway. It wasn't long before I dropped to my knees in a writhing pain as I dug my nails into the ground, gritting my teeth as my wounds burned intensely. They brought me down harshly as I lashed out to relieve myself of it anyway, even if it was for a moment. And a violent outburst seemed to be the cure.
I hadn't expected concern over this as I had rarely received any until now, but Blood and Shadow surprised me when they came to my side in a show of comfort, helping me steady myself as I used them as crutches to stand, making sure I didn't fall again.
They could have gone on and left me behind for the weakness I brought to the group, and they would have been in their right to do so, but they stayed in my need, helping me walk on the best I was able, their strides matching mine.
This was an unusual change from how I'd interacted with the two so far, but I welcomed it nonetheless, grateful to them both for this act.
"Lean." I heard the distinctive sound of words spoken, but severally grumbled and rougher than any voice I'd ever heard. I'd have sworn it came from beside me, looking towards Shadow, as it was he I had thought had spoken, but I convinced myself that was impossible, that and instead, focused on keeping myself together.
It didn't keep Winter from slowing her pace much, as there was only her own, so I did what I could to keep moving, and from passing out at the same time, I didn't know how much kindness the two had left in them. If I allowed myself to fall, I had no idea what the two would do next.
Something about the burning reminded me vaguely of when I traversed through the forest center, following the call of the strange clearing, yet this was much more extreme and severe, and it only seemed to grow the further we went. Just like another calling echo finding its way to me.
Where It had been hypnotic and soothing and had beckoned me to follow, which I had no problem giving myself over too, here I found no such thing. I didn't know what was wrong with me, and that was the scariest thing about it. I didn't know if it was actually my wounds, or something deeper and darker.
They burned, sure, but the closer we got to wherever Winter was guiding us, the more I realized there wasn't any real pain to it. Just rage. And it felt wild and animalistic. Worse than what I'd felt fighting the two, but not anywhere near as severe as when I'd stood before Daku; where it was the dark figure's power coursing through me that had caused me to feel those black pits in my very being. But this...This felt all my own...
It didn't feel as deprived as it had then, but it felt a very close second, and almost as dark, weighing me down some as I trudged along at whatever pace I could manage, until we, at last, came to a large stone, decorated with claw marks all around it, engraved deep across the ancient stone surface, hidden away from the rest of the of the forest by the overgrowth of trees and the rest of the vegetation. Almost as hidden from the world as this entire mountain and its secrets were, having a feeling only the wolves knew of this place, and that no other creature had ever walked here, no matter how big or small. Strangely, I felt honoured to stand here now, feeling that I was the first ever of my kind to do so.
I believed Winter felt the same as she gazed upon it for a long while, though it was harder to place what her thoughts were, remembering its great history, one that had existed for a brief glimmer compared to her's as memories and thoughts came back to her of past lifetimes. I didn't understand what it had evoked out of her, but something about her longing gaze brought me my own sense of comfort as I kneeled down to rest, feeling exhausted as the rage was taking a heavy enough toll.
Each other wolf around me gathered to hear Winter as she barked out whatever words were in their language as the rest listened intently, while I somewhat ignored the entire conversation, not caring much for it as it wasn't something I understood.
For a minute I sat in my own silence before each pack member barked out in response to given orders and took off, each on their own and in a different direction, leaving me with Winter, alone for the first time since she'd come to my rescue.
It felt a tad awkward to be here with just her, all things considered. But it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. At the very least, it was tolerable, but not any more than that as I'd have rather been anywhere else.
I said nothing, same as she. The Only difference was, I felt like she understood me, and anything that might fall from my mouth. My reason for not saying anything insulting to her as I knew right from the start she'd recognize one immediately. Maybe from my tone, or that she actually did understand my tongue.
Strange creatures these wolves, as far as animals went I supposed. The more time I spent in this place, the more I felt as if I was losing my mind as it descended into insanity, be it hearing voices that came from nowhere to dark beings hidden in the furthermost reaches of my mind, lurking about in whatever world existed beyond my thoughts with power beyond my understanding. Maybe that explained my welcoming attitude of these events, and why I felt myself better connecting to this place and those that called it home.
Maybe I'd call it the same in time, but not now. And I believe Winter could feel my reluctance in this, in her own way that was. She took leave of me and made the climb up the rock before resting upon it, looking down at me as I looked on, lost in any meaning of the day.
While she had made her climb, I took rest beneath the stone for the moment needed to regain my strength and recenter my senses, almost deaf to the surrounding land just as I had been before my little trip of self-revelation; closing my eyes as I tried to push that bubbling anger away, still left with a feeling of weakness the longer I let it sit, and nothing else was working to ease it. Just when I pushed it away, it was right there again, whispering over my shoulder.
Meditation proved ineffective, not having the right mindset for it with my thoughts as clouded as they were, which prevented me from opening myself up to the world again, shut out from it or denied by some other unseen force.
I didn't know if it was my growing primal rage, but the longer I sat the more I could start to feel how sharp my teeth and claws were. Like they were getting even more so as time passed and brought on worse by a kind of drive I didn't understand. Something in my thoughts starting to worm its way through all the chaos until it was clear and concise.
"Hunt...Kill..." I heard a voice clear as day speak to me, much more than any others had been before, opening my eyes back with a touch of surprise from it, looking up towards Winter as she peered down at me with a strange look about her, and I found I couldn't look away from it. Something wouldn't let me.
"Kill." I heard repeated to me, commanding my body to move as I rose up to my feet, no control over any of my movements, unable to shut out the voice as it overtook me.
"Hunt." I wanted to disregard whatever I was hearing as my own voice or thoughts twisted until I somehow didn't recognize them, but wasn't able to offer up any other explanation besides growing insanity to justify this, slowly shuffling off further into the forest and leaving Winter behind as she watched me leave down a path I'd seen one of the other wolves travel as well, not knowing why, just that I was compelled to walk it as these words were repeatedly shouted increasingly and increasingly louder, and so I was compelled to obey. This wasn't a voice I'd ever heard before, grumbled and rougher than any I had.
This wasn't as before, as those words resonated within me, driving me towards whatever I was supposed to find with an increasingly savage need for it, focused particularly on the first word, hearing its loud echo, until I broke out into a hard run, swiftly stomping through all of the forest, brushing aside everything that got in my way, almost tearing the woods apart in my lust, doing so with an increasingly violent ferocity.
I ran for some time, with no concern for where I was heading and feeling no exhaustion anywhere in me, as though I was running without limit, only knowing I was letting my instincts guide me, feeling a kind of rush I hadn't yet experienced as I charged in recklessly, feeling myself renew the more I ran.
Hours upon hours passed me by in a quick blink as I followed a few trails hidden away by something trying to keep its movements secret, whatever the creature was, it was large and clearly trying to avoid being found by the wolves; dirt and snow brushed over tracks, and random brushes and trees disturbed, maybe to lead one to believe a different path had been taken. These things were done to keep the wolves off of its trail, but I don't think it had counted on me being its hunter. I wasn't experienced in any aspect of this and had no real idea about what I was doing because of it, I was only getting lucky in this endeavor of mine, stumbling upon these things by chance, steadily learning as I continued on.
I didn't feel in control of myself, and dealing with that was an equally terrible and terrifying thing to experience; my mind was still my own, possibly the worst thing out of this as I was aware of it all, just driven by chaotic thoughts that cluttered about a wasteland until everything became a nonsensical blur and flurry of emotions that had taken that control of my actions away.
I'd said before that I'd give into that part of myself without hesitation if it meant I could survive; to learn how to not be afraid, but I never imagined it'd be like this. To be fueled by instinct and rage to such a degree that my body was acting on its own wasn't something I ever thought would come with that, and it wasn't something I found myself wanting, starting to somewhat regret ever having made that decision in the first place as being filled with this much rage sickened me. I felt dizzy and on the verge of puking my guts up from the adrenaline alone, but the anger made it all the worst for me.
To my relief, I could start to feel once more, slowly coughing hard as I came to an immediate stop, feeling like my lungs were starting to collapse from the sheer effort. I almost at once wished it hadn't ended yet as I caught myself from falling, grunting harder as I didn't seem to be getting enough air, still not entirely used to the mountain altitude.
I dug my hands into the side of a tree to steady myself, my nails seemingly sharp enough to slice through the bark with little effort, but I hadn't noticed yet, too busy taking a look around where I'd ended up.
Much like the wolf den near the peak, I'd come to a stone gorge, looking ahead to see that the further it went, the less the forest there seemed to be, until there was only rock and sand.
I caught my breath in the time I waited outside the entrench to the area, feeling my curiosity rise the more I stared into it.
I wasn't suffering through my loss of control, yet I still felt compared to venture forward and face whatever had gone inside, having noticed the trail I'd been following had stopped right outside the border, having most likely gone inside as there was nowhere else to go.
I didn't know if it was instinctual or the inexperience and foolhardiness of youth, but I felt some excitement over the prospect of exploring places unknown to me, taking my first step into the new part of the territory.
