Getting Back

Stumbling through the woods I tried to find a point I recognized that could somehow lead me back to the cabin, or at least the beach. It was to no use though, every tree looked alike. If only I had a compass or something…

My grumbling stomach didn't make things better. I hadn't eaten for God knows how long and I had the feeling I would collapse soon. I was so tired and hungry I didn't even pay attention to the rustling behind me. You could also say I'd gotten used to it.

When I finally stopped walking and turned around with a sigh I saw a black tail stick out behind the bushes. Looks like I made a friend…

'Red light…' I joked. My voice sounded as tired as I felt.

The dog emerged from behind the trees and wagged its tail when it saw me. 'You lost boy…' I laughed.

All it did was look back at me with a blank expression on its face.

I frowned. The dog still didn't seem like a reliable companion. I figured it was just as hungry as me, and hungry animals get vicious. It couldn't hurt having some company though… as long as I made sure I kept my dagger close just in case I should be fine…

'C'mon boy…' I mumbled. I walked on, and the dog kept up with me in a steady pace staying two to three steps behind. Perhaps it trusted me as well as I trusted him. I turned around and looked down at the dog. 'Do you have any idea how to get back?' I asked him.

The dog tilted its head when he realized I spoke to him and looked at me with curious eyes. He wagged his tail a bit, but of course it had no idea what I was saying. I shrugged and pushed a branch aside, but abruptly pulled my hand back when the dog barked. I looked behind me and saw it had its ears up straight as it growled at whatever was beyond the branch I had been about to push out of the way.

Just as I was about to ask another pointless question the dog dashed in my direction. Out of reflexes my hand went to my dagger, but the dog ran past me and disappeared behind the bushes. Normally if there was danger it would head the other way, that led me to believe whatever was there, was worth checking out.

When I made my way through the bushes it turned out I was wrong though. The dog had led us to a small clearing hidden out of sight by a couple of high thorny bushes. In the middle of the clearing was a heap of ashes. Suddenly I noticed what had caught the dog's attention. When I moved closer I could smell the fragrance of extinguished fire. It was vague, but it led me to believe whoever had been camping here hadn't left that long ago. Perhaps it was the dog's owner or something…

I looked around, but there really wasn't anything useful to be seen around the clearing.

The dog was digging through some leaves with its nose. I paid little attention to him and sat down next to the ashes as I tried to retrace my steps in my head. There had to be a way to find back the cabin. I couldn't have strayed that far…

Just as I was about to get up and try orient where I was the dog happily walked up to me with something in his mouth.

'Whatcha got there boy?' I asked. When I approached the dog it growled and stepped back. 'Let go…!' I ordered. To my surprise the dog's ears fell flat against its head and it dropped a can onto the ground. It fell with a soft thud.

For a second I was surprised of the fact the dog obeyed me, but I didn't really dare pick the can up, I was afraid the dog would bite me if I did. It just sat there though and stared at the can with the same begging eyes as when I'd had the dog biscuit in my hand.

I carefully bend over and snatched the can away. When I did the dog looked up at me with expecting eyes.

I looked at what he'd found. It was a can of peaches I recognized the design form somewhere but couldn't quite remember from where. I'd come across many different cans; this didn't have to mean anything. For all I knew these cans were just common around here.

I carefully placed it back on the ground and looked at the dog.

'Where did you get that?' I asked. The dog got up and wagged its tail as it barked once.

I walked over to the pile of leaves the dog had just been digging through, brushed some of the leaves away and revealed two more cans. They contained beans by the looks of it.

The cans had been carefully concealed. Without the dog I probably wouldn't even have found them.

All three the cans were full. For a second I struggled with the idea of taking them, after all they belonged to someone else and this person might come back. My own stomach quickly ended the dilemma when it growled so loudly even the dog raised its head from where its was laying on the ground. I sat down about a meter away from it and took my dagger out.

The dog got up and sat down closer to me when her realized what I was going to do. I carefully sliced off the lid and looked into the can of beans.

I took a couple out and placed them in my mouth. Man that tasted good! Just as I was about to have some more the dog yelped softly. 'Right…' I said. 'Sorry boy, I'd forgotten about you for a sec.' the dog wagged its tail.

'It's your find after all, so it would only be fair if I gave you as well.' I said as I tilted the can a bit and purposely spilled a hand full of beans onto the ground. The dog immediately got up and ate them all. I laughed, but the smile melted off my face as the dog got closer. I got up and backed away a bit. Suddenly it started growling softly. I didn't like this… I didn't like where this was going at all. The dog got closer and it revealed its teeth. What had I been thinking trying to befriend this thing? He was a wild animal!

I couldn't take it anymore, and I snapped. 'That's enough!' I yelled. The dog flinched when my loud vice echoed through the trees. 'Sit down!' I yelled as I pointed at him. The dog seemed to hesitate, but sat down after a few seconds. I seemed to have made clear who was in charge now, and the dog avoided eye contact.

'Th-that's a good boy.' I said. I felt bad for him; he looked skinnier than any dog I'd ever seen. I placed the can on the ground. The dog looked up at me. 'Go ahead.' I sighed.

That was all the encouragement it needed. He almost attacked the can and within a few minutes it was completely empty.

I was so incredibly soft… feeding a dog.

'Ah well… what's done is done.' I said to him. At least I'd now proven I still had some humanity left in me. Good karma could never hurt… unless this would be the last bit of food to be found within the area… but I didn't want to think about that. The dog looked up at me happily. 'Just don't tell Nick okay? I said with a smile.

Nick… I really had to get back to him. The sun was setting behind the trees. The chance I found my way back already was small, but it would be even smaller if it got dark.

I bent over to pick up one of the full cans, but left the other one. That seemed fairer. I felt kind of bad for stealing like this. I couldn't stop thinking about how I would feel if these were my supplies getting stolen… I was too nice for this world…

When I looked at the dog it had its tail between its legs. For the brief time I'd spent with any dog I knew that wasn't a good sign. I faced the same direction as he did, and saw what frightened him.

A lurker had gotten stuck between the thorny bushes and tried crawling through to get to us.

'Don't worry boy.' I said, as the dog made an attempt to run off again. 'He's stuck; he won't be getting to us.

Normally I would have been more on edge when a lurker got so close without me realizing, but I was relieved it wasn't the owner of this camp back from their evening stroll.

The dog yelped behind me, but I got closer and took care of the lurker with one quick stab.

'See, we're fine.' The dog barked once happily. 'Shh quiet boy, we don't want to alert any others.'

I walked in the opposite direction of where the lurker had come from and crawled underneath the bushes. The dog followed. As soon as there was enough space the dog shook his head, and some leaves and thorns stuck in his fur came out.

I noticed it had taken the other can and thought about taking it from him but didn't. The dog had found the cans anyway, so who was I to take it? I let go of the thought I was stealing. With the good karma I'd obtained by feeding the dog the universe should condone us this one. I noticed I started feeling closer to the dog. Half a day ago I had kicked it because it had bitten Nick, and now I'd fed it. Was I starting to grow fond of it?

I shook my head. I couldn't forget it wasn't a person. He could get wild real easily

If you looked past the vicious mood swings it was really cute though... I smiled as I followed the dog with my eyes.

A cold breeze helped me snap out of it and I walked on. Around me it started getting darker and darker. Every shadow looked like a person, but I felt slightly safer having the dog with me, knowing it would alert me in someway if something dangerous approached us, it being purposely or not.

I started to panic, because the forest only got less thick. If I was on the right track it should thicken instead of the opposite, the beach lay behind the thick layer of forest… right?

I grew more tired every step I took. Where was the lake…?

Tears stung in my eyes. I wanted to be strong, but I knew full well that if I wouldn't find back the cabin Nick was in trouble.

I reached for the key in my pocket. Not to mention I'd locked him in. for him there was no way out of the cabin. I should have thought it through! I hit myself in the head. I couldn't help but see Nick in that armchair starving to death while I was out losing my way and creating distance between him and me.

I didn't recognize anything anymore and fell on my knees as I sobbed. Normally I wouldn't cry about something like this, I needed a clear head. But the cold, the hunger and lack of sleep weren't exactly helping.

The dog was still a few steps behind me. When it heard me cry he carefully approached me. If I hadn't been crying I would have laughed because of the irony of the fact he was the one carefully approaching me now.

He dropped the can and I flinched when he softly nudged me. His wet cold nose tickled in my neck and I jumped up. Alarmed because of my reaction the dog stepped back. It was still really skittish, but it almost seemed as if it had slightly opened up to me. At least I hoped it had, I was in desperate need of a friend right that moment, even if he was just a dog.

'It's hopeless…' I sobbed. 'How am I ever going to find my way back?'

Suddenly the dog dashed off without any warning. So far the feeling it had slightly opened up to me. I felt lonelier then ever.

I wanted to ask it to wait for me, but why did I even really care?

I shrugged sadly and let it run. When it had run a few meters though, it turned around as if waiting for me.

I frowned and picked up the pace. Every time I got a bit closer it ran ahead a few meters until it suddenly took a turn and disappeared behind the bushes.

I pushed the plants out of my way and had to resist the urge to hug the dog that proudly walked through the sand of the beach with the can in its mouth.

I laughed. 'You did it, you brought us back!' I cried out happily. I walked towards the dog and petted it without thinking. It didn't seem all too happy I did, but it couldn't try biting me because of the can in its mouth, so he just slightly recoiled when my hand touched his rough black fur.

I saw the cabin standing on top of the hill and ran towards it.

It was dark, so I couldn't really see where I was going. I just kept running near the building.

If there had been light, I would have noticed the fact there was another pair of footsteps leading towards the cabin, a fresh pair that hadn't been there when I'd left.

The door was ajar, and I was so relieved to be able to get to Nick again I didn't notice it wasn't even supposed to be open.

Behind me the dog barked. It sounded like the sort of bark he made when the lurker had attacked us, but I paid no attention to it.

I barged into the cabin, but had no time to look around. I had to duck, because someone lashed out to hit me in the head with a broken bottle…