A/N: I'm really thrilled that you guys are liking this. I was really worried that you guys wouldn't like it. (sigh) You make me love you guys more and more... I love it. LOL. I'm in a pretty interesting mood, but enough about me... on with Blue Moon.

Chapter 04
Crush

Wanting to see the wolf had become a new obsession for me. Rory told me that it was too dangerous and that I should pick a new hobby. But that just pushed me away to the Elk Mountains more than she could have ever imagined.

It seemed that the more dangerous it appeared to be, the more I wanted to do it.

I wanted a nice, up close picture of the animal. A still, not a blurb that I have to enhance and manipulate to make it look as though it was some kind of large wolf-like creature. I had finally seen it with my own two eyes, and now, now I wanted to be able to get close. Close enough to take a prize winning photo of this amazing beast.

I had no priorities right now, though my father was trying to convince me that I needed to get a summer job. He was sure that it would 'build character'. I groaned at the thought of working during my auto-pilot months, but he just might be right. Maybe a job would help me get my mind of this wolf that I swear I'd seen, but had no tangible proof of, except of course for my manipulated picture and photographic memory.

The reddish-brown animal was pretty hard to forget, even from a distance as far away as across the lake. Sighing I packed up a few things and headed out to my spot. I'll be damned if I don't get a picture this time.

I had realized that he wasn't coming out during the day, so I brought a flashlight and a blanket, just in case I was out later than normal. I left a note for my dad telling him where I was, and that I'd be home late.

I camped out in front of the lake, rolling up the legs of my jeans so that I could sink my feet in to the mucky water. I didn't really care that you couldn't see the bottom, it was hot.

I glanced up at the sun, wondering if maybe I should wear shorts the next time I came out here. Glancing at my jean clad thighs, I tossed the thought away without a second thought. I couldn't bear to see my thighs outside of the constraints of a pair of jeans.

I had come prepared for my long day; I busied myself with some work on my laptop, when my eyes couldn't stand the light of the computer anymore I switched to reading. The sun was starting to set, I had been sitting around in the same essential spot for hours, I was going to get bedsores soon.

Putting the book away I slipped my camera around my neck and pulled out my binoculars. I searched the area I had seen the wolf in before, but I didn't see anything. I sat around for another hour, I was sure my father was probably calling me, telling me I needed to get my hide home because it was getting dark, but it wasn't like he'd be there when I got home.

I sighed to myself; I wasn't going to see the wolf today. I got up and packed my things, I didn't hear anything that sounded like wolf howling, or paws smacking the dirt. I was pretty bummed. I walked up towards my car and everything in my hands literally fell to the ground.

I was scared stiff.

There in the space between me and my car was the wolf. I hadn't been fooling myself, it was enormous, the size of a grizzly bear and as tall as a horse. I knew that to get away from Gators or Crocs you had to run in a zigzag pattern, but what was the rule for wolves?

Could I run? If I needed to, would I be able to outrun this large animal?

It stared at me, though its eyes were warm, and almost calming. I felt a sense of relaxation come over me, but I knew I couldn't relax. There was an enormous animal that could eat me in one bite staring at me.

But it didn't look hungry, it didn't look like it wanted to tear me in to shreds and bask in my splattered blood.

Its eyes kept a hold on me. They were dark brown, and they were deep, almost like this animal was a human, you could read so much in to them. Or at least that's how I felt. I could see its soul. It seemed almost sad, or tortured. Had this animal been someone's pet? Was it lost?

I couldn't find my voice, or the ability to move. The animal took a step closer, just barely making me flinch. Its large head bowed and we were at eye level now, I was no longer looking up in to those large brown eyes.

I felt like it was saying something to me, trying to tell me something, but I couldn't hear anything. I liked my lips and shook my head, this couldn't be happening to me. This is the calm before the storm, I'm going to be gobbled up in a half-a-second's time.

I closed my eyes waiting for it to happen. Everything was silent. The only thing I could hear was the rhythmic breathing of the large creature along with my own. After a few seconds passed I opened my eyes again.

"You're not going to eat me?" I asked it.

Wow, I felt like an idiot. I'm talking to a very large wolf, like it can understand me.

The large animal lolled its head from one side to the other, as if shaking it. Like it understood what I said. I took a step back, glancing down at my camera that was around my neck.

"Can you understand me?"

Real swift, Mols. I thought to myself. Talk to the damn animal, someone's going to overhear you and think you're certifiable. I shook my head, and the animal just looked at me, what looked like a wolf-like grin on his face.

Oh my God, I think this thing can understand what I'm saying. Or maybe I am certifiable?

"Can I… can I take your picture?"

Everything was silent for a minute, the animal backed away a few steps and I felt my heart thud louder in my chest. Wow, it was a beautiful creature, and I would love to add this to my scrap book.

It was a couple feet away from its original spot and I wondered what it would do if I took it without it saying it was ok. It's not a crime to take a picture of wildlife; it didn't belong to anyone, right? It wasn't copyrighted.

I took a step back, reaching for my camera. The large animal lifted its head, almost in a nodding gesture. I held my camera up and pointed to it, and the same gesture was repeated, its tail wagging back and forth.

I didn't hesitate at all after that.

I snapped a couple of pictures, and as soon as the flash went off a couple of times, I pulled the camera away from my face, wincing. I mumbled several inadequate apologies and the animal just started at me, that same funny wolf-like grin on his face.

"I'm an idiot," I murmured to myself looking down at the camera to adjust the settings.

When I looked back up the wolf was gone. I felt my heart thump a few extra times than necessary and twirled around violently surveying the land for any sign of the animal. Had I been dreaming again?

Did I fall down and hit my head?

I must have looked around for several more minutes before I dully gathered my things and headed to my car. It was too late to drop the film off, but I don't think that I wanted to have these developed by Lo.

I know she wouldn't say anything, but she keeps copies of everything that she likes, and I don't want these pictures floating around. I would have to turn my room in to my own personal black room, which I really didn't mind.

It was fun sometimes to develop your own film, but a pain in the ass at the same time.

I spent half of my night blacking out my windows and shoving things under my door to make my room as dark as possible. I turned off anything that could give off any kind of light except for my special amber light that I used when I did do my own developing sessions.

I didn't need to see what I was doing because I had done it a million times; it was like riding a bicycle. I set everything up, retracting my film and putting it in to the container with the wash.

After a few hours of toying with my solutions and pictures I had three really great shots of my wolf. I sighed to myself in amusement. I wasn't crazy.

The best part about it, the wolf didn't seem to be dangerous.

I grabbed my phone and immediately turned it on to call Rory. After several rings she answered bitching in my ear for waking her up. I glanced at the time and winced.

"Sorry!" I murmured in to her ear.

"Jesus, Mols… what the hell?"

"Ok, you know I wouldn't call you if it weren't really important, right?"

I heard her sigh and shift, "I know, what's up?"

So, I told her. Everything, from beginning to end in exact detail. I couldn't bear to leave anything out; I told her exactly what he looked like, the mixture of the red and brown fur around its body, the way its tail wagged. And the way it nodded and shook its head at me.

"You're going mad," Rory confirmed. "There is no way a wild animal shook it's head at you or gave you the OK to take a picture of it…"

"I'm telling you Ror, I thought I was going crazy too, but honestly…"

Our conversation lasted another twelve and a half minutes before I hung up with her and scanned one of the pictures of the wolf. I made her swear up and down that she would not post his on her blog, or show anyone. It was for her eyes only.

I had made it back the next few days, and it seemed like the wolf was getting braver and braver, as was I. Every time I would see it, it would come closer to me. I was still scared out of my mind, though deep down I knew that this creature wasn't going to hurt me.

After the fourth visit it felt almost natural to see him there, and I was starting to stay longer and later, making my father worry when he couldn't reach me on my cell phone. I ignored his pleas for me to do anything but go back out to the Mountains, but I couldn't stop myself.

I would stay out there all night if I could, I didn't take anymore pictures of the wolf, afraid that it would run off again.

I had been sitting out here for about fifteen minutes, the sun was just setting and I glanced around, no sign of my wolf yet. It was my fifth visit now and I was highly anticipating it. The wolf was getting so much closer every time.

Close enough to where I could touch him, though I hadn't yet. I was tempted to last night, but I wasn't sure exactly what it would think of me if I did so. I honestly was thinking that I was already in the loony-bin hype up on all kinds of drugs making me have these hallucinations.

But apparently, from Rory's words I was very much in my right mind, and this was very-well happening to me. I didn't understand how, and I didn't want to. I thought it was the coolest thing that has ever happened to me.

I leaned back against my blanket, glad that I had brought it because the ground was seriously becoming uncomfortable. I closed my eyes for a few moments, wondering where my wolf could be, when I heard the low breathing of the animal. It was so familiar now, I could pick it out anywhere.

Opening my eyes I saw it lying next to me, where it had yesterday. It looked like a really large dog, but it was incredibly more human than even the most well-trained animal I'd ever seen. It looked up at me, those brown eyes holding mine.

I felt a fluttering in my stomach. That wasn't normal, that feeling was generally reserved for my secret crushes or boyfriends, not for fairytale creatures. I pushed the feeling away and scooted down closer to the relaxed being next to me.

"You're something else," I whispered lowly to it, half-expecting it to answer me, though I knew it wouldn't and well… couldn't.

It cocked its head at me, that wolfy grin on its face. I wondered if it were a boy or a girl? Could I honestly be this close to a female animal? And have the feeling that I just had for a girl wolf? The thought was disturbing enough for a boy wolf.

I shook my head; it wasn't possible for me to have a crush on an animal. I glanced down at the wolf again, my hand slowly reaching out to touch its fur.

I wondered if it was soft or coarse.

Its head lolled to the side a bit, taking me in as it lifted its large head as if to tell me to go ahead and touch it. Slowly my hand inched closer and closer to him. The mahogany fur was more tempting to touch than I had every anticipated.

My fingertips brushed the long hair that covered its body and I smiled as soon as my hand disappeared from sight. The fur was a little rugged but still soft, like it needed a good brushing. I wonder if I brought a brush out here if it would let me brush it.

My hand moved in to the fur, rubbing softly inspecting the small fibers that touched and tickled my palm. I adjusted myself, now sitting on my knees watching as it watched me. Our eyes met for a brief moment and I could have sworn I saw it wink at me.

I swallowed hard, maybe it wasn't entirely impossibly to have a crush on an animal.

So, Molly thinks she's going crazy, I guess I can't really blame her. If she thinks she's falling for a wolf... :)