Love Struck Delusion

Chapter 186 – Deep woods.

Pepper's POV.

"Molly!" I shouted as I was ahead of the pack. Raptor and Cody a few feet behind me as this elk was just as fast as I feared. But it was bleeding and the trail it was leaving behind was not stopping. It had lost a good bit by now and if it was going to stop it would be from that alone. Molly however was right on it's tail and as they made a sharp left going up a hill that was close to the mountain, I widened my eyes when I found a knocked over tree in my path.

"God damn it slow down!" I begged as I jumped over to try and regain my distance. With my AK still being held by my right hand, I quickly threw it over my shoulder as I ran and focused solely on running. Looking back at Raptor and Cody I shouted.

"I'm gonna catch up to them!"

Raptor nodded as I turned my head back to see Molly going further up another hill. The elk was leading us up the mountain. Chances are it had a hole somewhere it could hide in. But with Molly on his tail he had to take a more complex route. She was small but a good steep cliff would slow her down. But I wasn't about to let her get further ahead without me. So turning on my venom I got the speed boost I needed and started to gain ground. Cody and Raptor were still running behind but now I had the opportunity to catch up. So with Molly getting further up hill I soon reached the hill and began to climb up after her. The elk was clearly not as fast as it wanted to be, but he was still only focused on Molly who I could see slowing down from the energy she needed to climb through this snow. With my gun constantly slamming my back as I jumped up and up like the dog I was, I soon found the top and Molly only a few yards away.

"Heel Molly!" I shouted at her as she ignored me and kept going. As I kept up the elk and her turned through a tight set off trees. Snow and a branch came off as the elk slammed right into one of the trees passing through. Molly stumbled over the branch and that gave me the time to reach her. But even as I jumped down to grab her she still jetted off and I found myself face first in the snow. With my face covered as I quickly got back up to run, I shouted.

"Son of a bitch! Slow the fuck down!"

As I managed to get going again I soon heard from her.

"Braf! Braf! Braf!"

Widening my eyes I reached for my AK and found both her and the elk reaching a dead end. It was just a solid cliff and above was nothing but snow and steep incline going up the mountain. The elk had nowhere to go and I took aim a few yards away as it slammed it's whole body into the cliff.

"Braf! Braf!"

Snow came down on top of the elk and with no more hesitation I pulled the trigger.

"Toof! Toof! Toof! Toof!"

As my rounds connected to the elk's chest and neck, I lowered my rifle and watched as it fell back down into the cliff again. More snow came piling down as I looked to Molly who ran over to it to bark.

"Braf! Braf! Braf!"

Letting out a long breath, I dropped my venom and began to walk over. During my first few steps I said to the puppy.

"You can't be running off like that. You could have gotten...? Crack!"

Widening my eyes to a loud cracking sound; I looked up to see a boulder shifting in it's spot at the top of the cliff. Molly was only focused on the dying elk as I stopped and watched as the boulder all the sudden broke. The pressure from the snow behind it mixed with the power the elk must have hit it with was enough to get it to break off. Feeling my heart sink, the boulder began to come down and I knew right where it was going to land. So at the top of my lungs I shouted.

"Molly run!" With the dog looking up as snow came crashing down on top of her, I tossed my rifle to the ground and ran as fast as I could forward. My venom naturally came back from the emotion and without any concern for myself I came to her rear and went to try and pick her up. But as I got her by the waist, I panicked as a huge pile of snow came crashing right down into my head and back sending me to the ground on top of her. When I landed on Molly she cried out in pain. Then without warning another larger pile landed on top of us. It was so much I lost all the light the outside world provided me and just couldn't move off of poor girl. Using all my strength I kept my hold on Molly and pushed up. For a second I saw light and then coming right for my head was that boulder. My heart stopped as I knew I was getting hit here. All I could do was get Molly out of the snow and toss her as hard as I could to my left side. By the time she left my hands I managed to look back up in time to see the rock come crashing down. I couldn't go nowhere and without even thinking, I shut my eyes and raised my arms. Then all I felt was pain. Complete and unmovable pain.

Raptor's POV.

"Toof! Toof! Toof! Toof! Pepper!" I screamed as Cody and I reached the top of the cliff to find our wolf companion going over to my dog who was just barking at the now dead elk. We were at least fifty or so meters away and when I went to say something with Cody at my side, we both widened our eyes as Pepper ran forward to grab Molly. Then immediately they were struck by snow.

"Oh fuck!" Shouted Cody as Pepper was dropped onto the ground with my dog under her chest. Both of us broke into a sprint and as we neared both the fox and I stopped as a large chunk of stone could be seen coming down. Then without warning Pepper tossed Molly to her left and looked back up to raise her arms at the incoming doom. It was so loud I felt everything slow to a halt the second she was smashed into the earth.

With Cody unable to move, I screamed while taking a moment to understand what just happened.

"Pepper!"

I got nothing back and instantly I ran forward to the area where she once was. As I got close it was clear this rock was the size of a small refrigerator. And right under it was Pepper who was under both it and a pile of snow just big enough to cover the right side of her face which she had buried. Unable to move, I took a look at the damage. The rock wasn't smooth. It's left end was out further then the right and that part had slammed into her right arm. The right side however looked to be right in her chest which was most certainly crushed by the weight.

"Oh shit." I said out loud as Cody came up from behind me to keep his eyes wide and mutter in shock.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me. Holy fucking shit. Is she...?"

Both of us panicked as Pepper opened her eyes. The first thing out of her mouth was.

"What happened? Ugh!" Blood shot up from her mouth and onto the rock as Cody shouted.

"Oh god she's...?!"

"Shut up!" I ordered him as I got down to her side. Pepper's eyes said it all. She came to the realization of what just happened and very slowly she went to look to her right side. All I could beg before she looked was.

"Stay calm."

Pepper's whole face went blue and her body began to shake. Blood was pooling under her as both Cody and I watched as she went to lift her arm. Then she began to open her mouth and say something, but before she could speak the part of her arm closest to her body came off. Blood splashed the rock as Cody screamed.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

Pepper could only look back to me for confirmation and all I could do was sit here as she whispered in utter loss for how to react.

"I...I...?"

Then her head looked back to her arm. In a second she let out this howl that was pure pain. After a second or two more, she fell back down to the snow and passed out. With Cody shaking as well as I. I flicked my head to him to order with a commanding voice.

"Help me get this off her!"

The fox was stunned and again I screamed it at him.

"Help me get this off her!"

After that Cody broke out and got to Pepper's other side. With both of us reaching under the rock I ordered.

"Lift!"

Combined we were able to pull it off her and send it to the ground a foot away. Then I had to focus as Cody asked in fear.

"She pass out?"

"Yeah. She passed out."

Getting down Cody then asked.

"What the fuck can we do?"

Looking over to the kid I replied.

"Do me a favor and get the end of her arm. We're going to put it back on."

Instantly the fox questioned.

"What?"

Shaking my head I ordered him.

"Grab her fucking arm and hold it Cody!"

Cody jumped now to do as I said. Slowly picking up Pepper's arm I got off my cloak and leaned in to gently nudge the wolf over. Reaching with my left hand I grabbed the rest of her arm and used Cody to pin the two pieces back together. Blood was pooling out from both of them as I pinned my right hand onto the part where it was cut. Holding the two of them still I ordered Cody who watched.

"Just let me relax and do this Cody. I need you to be strong."

"I'm fucking scared Raptor." He replied as I nodded and urged.

"I am too trust me. Let me try this. If I start to fade just keep calm and don't interfere. Understood?"

Cody nodded his head back and went silent as I used all my practice up till now to attempt something as serious as this. And even though it was easier then when I saved Zeta back in Afghanistan, I still was getting lightheaded. It was much slower to come but as I felt my efforts working, I began to feel my legs go numb in the snow. Cody watched from the other side and kept the arms together as I mumbled out loud.

"It's working. Just a little more."

I had to power through this for another two minutes. And about halfway through the next two, I felt the wounds seal and my body release a warm wave of lifted weight off my shoulders. I let go of her arm immediately after to lean back up and catch my throat. Cody who was in shock looked back up to me as I felt something shoot up to my mouth. It came into my right hand like warm water and as I looked to it I knew something had to have happened. Cause it was blood. Cody who saw the blood uttered in confusion.

"Raptor are you...?"

Nodding my head and getting back down next to Pepper. I replied before he could finish.

"I'm fine. Just let me do this."

Cody went silent but now was at the ready to save me as I switched my focus now to Pepper's chest. The spot where the rock crushed her was right in the middle of her breasts. Her right side caved in maybe an inch as I reached in to place both my hands on her crater. The second I focused I knew what was wrong. Over six ribs broken, the skin ripped into two and parts of her lungs starting to bleed from being punctured by the rock. I knew this might be the thing to kill me. This was a mortal wound and right now I questioned if this is really worth my life. But I was stubborn and I knew it. So without thinking back on it, I gave all my remaining worth into saving her life. Her heart hadn't stopped and as things got to their peak I felt blood come back up my throat as I was only a quarter done.

"Aggghhkk!"

"Raptor!" I coughed up the blood onto the snow left of her and Cody reached in to grab me by the shoulder. Looking back to him I shouted.

"Let go!"

Releasing his hand I refocused and found myself nearing that special place again. The place where you see death coming. Where you're about to pass into the other world. And I was there for a long time. My eyes shutting and my mouth slowly opening as I felt her wounds reach their ends. As soon as I finished I fell completely down onto the wolf. I almost couldn't breathe and as I opened my eyes I found Cody reaching down to grab me back by the back of my shirt. He came right down over Pepper's head to pull me up and over into his chest. Dragging me a foot away he gently let me down. I did my best to catch myself before I could hit the ground and with instant pain I felt my chest nearly implode and a pretty large chunk of blood come back up my throat. Coughing it up into the snow Cody shouted.

"You're hurt Raptor!"

I couldn't speak. The pain was coming from my chest. And then all the sudden I felt as if my right eye was going to burn off. I had to close that lid and in fear I raised my hand up to cover it. Cody got me by the arms as I felt a small streak of blood squeeze out from my fingers. I held it back for only a few moments before it began to run down my face and onto and off of my chin.

Looking over to the kid with my left eye, I whispered out of the shear agony I was feeling.

"Cody?"

He snapped and as I went to fall back he rushed in to catch me. Lowering me onto his lap he begged.

"Don't you pass out!"

Shutting my eye, I tried to focus on my own body. The pain had reached it's peak and I was slowly coming down. Cody kept his hands around me as I softly mumbled.

"I'm not."

After hearing that he began to calm down and I started to focus on healing myself if I could. To my surprise I could manage a little. Enough to dull the pain down, but only slightly as every bone in my body felt like it was about to break. Reaching behind his back Cody pulled out a small cloth he had tucked in his belt. Once out he put it under my mouth to urge.

"Take it."

Giving him a single nod, I reached up to take control. And with no intention of laying here I tried to stand. Cody with wide eyes stared at me as I barley managed to get a foothold. Once I was there he asked.

"Are you okay?"

Nodding back I replied.

"I'll live. So should she." With our eyes going back to Pepper who was now just out cold. Cody asked.

"How did you do that?"

Readjusting myself to get back alongside the wolf, I knelt back down to reply.

"You already know that."

Just letting out a more control exhale, Cody said back after a second or two.

"That's just fucking crazy. She should be fucking dead. She would be fucking dead if it wasn't for you being what you are."

"Being what? A stupid fucking man who almost got himself killed for a person I barely know?"

Getting down next to me Cody replied.

"For being what? For being a fucking god. Raptor what you just did here is fucking unbelievable. And what? You don't care about her? Thought she was important to you?"

"Her sister is important to me. Up till now Pepper has been a bitch and had wanted to hurt me. I care a lot fucking less when it's her."

"Shut up." Cody urged me as I went silent to breathe a little.

After some time he said.

"You're not dead. She's not dead. That's all that matters. And I will bet you when she wakes up she'll never want to hurt you again. You'd be lucky if all she did was become your new number one fan. But even that is to be expected. Your fucking insane and she's alive. Everything is okay. Right?"

It was at that moment we both remembered Molly who Pepper had both crushed at some point and had thrown. Stumbling to my feet I found her buried in a chunk of snow. She was trying to get free but there was too much on her. As fast as I could I got down to try and grab her. After a good tug I got her free and back up to solid ground.

"Braf! Braf!" She barked as she saw me there with her. Then she tried to walk and instantly she fell over onto her side. Widening my eyes I put my hands on her to focus. Cody who was understanding the queue by now grabbed me by the shoulders and held me there from falling.

Molly wasn't hurt too bad. Looked like she sprained her back legs from being laid on. And without much more effort I got it under control. Thank the lord it was ten times easier and once I was done I managed to remain up on my own two feet. Cody let out a sigh of relief as I looked back over to Pepper to order.

"Watch over her."

Widening his eyes in confusion Cody questioned.

"What do you mean? What are we doing?"

"We're hunkering down for a little."

"Shouldn't we get back to the lodge?" Cody then asked as I tried to walk back over to the wolf. Cody followed behind as I felt my legs buckle. Hitting the ground at her feet I cough up some more blood and put my hand over my mouth to reply to the clearly concerned fox who was now at my side trying to help me up.

"We can't go in this condition! Pepper isn't moving till she wakes up and I...I...?"

Shutting my eyes as Cody leveled me up on my knees, I listened as he stated.

"Your hurt man."

With blood coming back out from my eye, I nodded and gently pushed him off me. Sensing I was really hurting Cody begged.

"Just let me help. Is there anything I can do?"

Shaking my head and using his rag to wipe my face I replied.

"Just do what I said before and watch her with me. This amount of blood might attract predators. And...and I'm in no condition to fight. Not right now. I...I need a minute. The pain is...it's a lot kid. Please...please just be ready."

Looking passed the young fox who gave me a quick response of.

"I got it. Don't worry. Just try to relax. Take your time."

Pointing behind him and towards Pepper's rifle which was tossed over into a small bush I urged.

"Get her weapon. Just in case."

Looking over to the bush Cody stood back up and went over to grab her gun. As he did I lowered my head to just try and breathe. Even after all I did to keep myself going all I could feel was this agonizing pain coming though my chest. And my eye was still bleeding. I did my best to remain as calm as possible as I struggled to maintain focus. I had the will to push my limits and regardless of the pain I tried my best to heal any damage I had inside. I couldn't tell what the injury was that was causing all this pain, but it more or less felt like an internal bleeding. A feeling I've had enough of in the past to tell.

With Molly coming to my side she barked up at me as I opened my left eye to look at her. She was concerned what I was feeling like. I think she knew I was hurting. But keeping my focus I urged her.

"It's okay baby. I'm okay. Just give me a few minutes."

"Braf!" She replied as she bumped my leg and went off to look at Pepper who was breathing calmly next to my side. I watched from this point as Molly got right alongside her head. Licking her ears and soon her right cheek, Molly figured out she must have been asleep. Cause right after, she parked herself right along her head to lay in the snow with her new friend. Molly knew that much at least and I had no choice but to at least thank her for saving her life. She would have gotten herself killed after all this and for what? My dog.

It's the least I can do.

mT Shadow.