Chapter 8 Blinded by despair
Humphrey's POV
I opened my eyes and the brilliant sun was shining through the tiny cracks that lead to the safety of the den. Groaning I dragged myself to my feet and squeezed through the opening to the forest that lay beyond. I limped over to where the Terror had stood and stared at the spot like I had the other night. I saw that there were small tracks that had been left and I sighed in relief that the Terror was simply a very skilled night time hunter. I looked up and gasped in surprise that the sun was already setting and had started to disappear behind the horizon. I thought, "We slept the entire day?"
Suddenly I heard the clacking of rocks falling to the ground and saw Kate trying to exit the den. I ran over to her and said, "Kate, stop. You need rest." Kate shook her head and groaned, "Pack, war. Must stop them." I stopped her and asked, "What, the packs going to war?" Kate looked at me through tired eyes and said, "You don't know." I looked at her confused, "How would you stop the war if there was one anyway?" She looked at the ground and said, "There was going to be a marriage."
I looked at her and asked, "How would that involve you?" She looked at me in tears and yelled, "It was supposed to be between Garth and I!" My heart slowly compacted and I teared up as well, "That's why you were so eager to get home." Kate shook her head, "At first I thought that in time Garth and I would come to love each other but now I know that will never happen."
I stared at the ground and weakly asked, "Is this why you tried to leave me at the canyon?" Kate choked up and shouted, "DID YOU EVEN HEAR ME, I'M NOT GOING THROUGH WITH IT ANYMORE!" I looked at her startled. I didn't have any room left in my heart for hope so I simply said, "Than how would you stop the war?" Kate looked at me miserably and said, "I don't know but I have to try." She continued, "My heart belongs to someone else." My heart seemed to wither and die and I wondered which alpha she had fallen for, but instead I told her, "Its getting dark, we should go back inside."
Kate just shook her head and said, "Humphrey, do you even realize how much I care for you." I shook my head, "Yes, you showed me when you went to howl with Garth and when you left me at the canyon." I heard her choke up but didn't see why. I crawled through the dens entrance and saw the pup was beginning to stir. I walked over to her and shook her gently awake.
I whispered in her ear "Your safe now." The pup's eyes shot open and she tried to run but her wounds kept her from getting far. I ran and grabbed her, "Stop, your too injured to go anywhere." She struggled and Kate came in the den and said, "Humphrey's right, that thing did a lot of damage to both of us." The pup wearily observed us and Kate showed her the wounds she had received. The pup stuttered, "I-I have tto find my parrents!" I sighed and said, "I'm sorry but it's already too dark to go anywhere." Kate smiled weakly and asked, "What's your name?" The pup fearfully answered, "Grace." I smiled and said, "That's a pretty name Grace." Grace blushed and said, "Thank you." Kate asked her, "Where are your parents?" She answered miserably, "I think there dead."
Kate and I shared a look. Kate began to speak, "We can ado." I cut in, "Take you back to our pack." I looked at Kate and asked, "Sorry, what where you saying?" Kate shook her head, "Never mind." I heard her mumble, "Is he blind." Confused by this I looked back over to Grace and asked her, "So what were you doing out there?" Grace sniffled and replied, "I was playing tag with my brother and our parents lost us in the forest." It was getting dark and we heard screaming, than something jumped at me and I felt the most horrible pain in my chest. Then I saw my brother run off being chase by some terrible monster. I finished, "The Terror." Grace nodded, "It got my entire family."
Kate asked, "Where your parents part of a pack?" Grace shook her head, "We traveled everywhere, and it was fun until…..." She started to sob, "They all died." Kate hugged her and whispered, "It'll be alright, were here to protect you now." I nodded and said, "I promise that it won't hurt you again." Grace looked at us with hope and asked, "You really promise?" Kate smiled and replied, "Of course we do." I asked Kate, "Do we still need to go back to Jasper?" Kate looked at the pup and said, "I don't think that's the right thing to do. At least for now."
(Humphrey is still blind to the truth, but I hope that was entertaining enough and I'll be working on the story a little more often now.)