Chapter 3. Into The Unknown.

A full week had passed now but it felt like months. My time was spent hunting and foraging when I wasn't wandering aimlessly. All this loneliness was frighteningly familiar. Maybe it was good that it didn't affect me, maybe I was meant to be alone. What's so great about "true love" anyways? If I had imprinted, when would I ever have the time to do something like this? A whole world out there just waiting to be explored and I was free to roam it as both human and animal. Must be freedom's price I guess, this loneliness.

Though I'm not alone entirely as of three days ago. I have Bob now, he might be a skinned white rabbit that I poorly stuffed with dirt and twigs but he was my only company and he was good company too. Not one complaint no matter what I did. Twice now I've left him at a campsite accidentally and not once did he complain. If only more humans could be like Bob.

"Time to go Bob. Grab your pearls, we wouldn't want them to fly off. We're going top speed today!" Yes, I talk to Bob. Get over it.

"If my wolf sense calculations are correct I figure by now we gotta be close to the Bay, then after a quick little… freezing cold swim," I let out a grunt knowing that Bob definitely wasn't going to survive this next part of my journey, but I didn't have the heart to tell him yet. "Then we'll be home free. Just me and you Bob, against the world. No man required." I looked at the distorted bunny that was beginning to decay and deform from my terrible taxidermist attempt. "Other than you of course. Not to assume your gender! Although… I did look before ya know… Let's just get going."

I wrapped Bob up with my clothes that had quickly begun to stink like rotten kill. Partially thanks to Bob but also because I hadn't touched a body of water in so long that my wolf stench was starting to stink up my three last remaining human items. Though I hadn't shifted out of my wolf form since leaving home I knew if I had to interact with humans I probably shouldn't do it completely naked. That would definitely raise way too much unwanted attention. The woods were still warm, not quite winter yet but it was coming, there would potentially be people out so I'd needed to be careful and ready, though I realize packing shorts and a t-shirt for this time of year probably wasn't the most convincing human attire. It would have to do though if push came to shove and I could not avoid human contact, as the last thing I need right now is to get shot by some happy go lucky camper in the middle of nowhere.

After maybe two hours of running in a direction I hoped was right we had finally made it, we had been closer than I originally thought thankfully. From the mountain I perched on at the dawn of the day I could hear the rush of the water from the Bay. It was bigger than I anticipated even from this distance. I didn't have to be close to know the dark blue water was freezing cold, I shivered at the understanding that I would soon be swimming in it.

"See Bob! I told you I knew where I was going! Haha! Booooo yahhhh!" I began to let out howl and then quickly regained my composure once I felt it about to break through my snout. "Sorry! Sorry Bob I forgot, discretion is key! You're exactly right!"

I decided, once I realized I hadn't eaten much in two days, that I would need to hunt and rest awhile in order to make it across the water. With my luck I'd get halfway through and it would start to rain and I would be shit outta luck and drown from exhaustion. Plus since I'd need to swim at night it was going to be extra freezing so I would need to maximize my strength to make the trip as quick as possible.

"Alright Bob let's go find us a place to set up for the night."

The following night after a long day of careful hunting and digesting an entire doe carcass, which always had a strange way of feeling both appetizing and terrible simultaneously, while Bob sat around and did nothing, I gathered my things around my neck once more and met Bob at the campsite where I had left him.

"Bob I know you can't hear me and I really don't ever say this to anyone so I hope your soul or whatever feels special. Um… Thank you… you know for keeping me company these last few days. Also for being a really good meal." I laughed till I caught his wild deformed gaze. "Uh sorry that was inappropriate… Anyways it's been real Bob and I hope you are with your bunny family wherever um… bunnies go after they die. The spirit world? Heaven? Maybe Easter Sunday to poop out treats for the kid? Badum'tis" I laughed so hard I had to sit down. "Okay, okay sorry that was the last one I swear. It was great while it lasted. Till next time, old friend."

I used my giant paw to dig a hole into the earth and buried my friend. Oh hell, I might be going crazy.

Night came and filled my surroundings with darkness. It was finally time to take my next step towards wherever I was going. The next steps towards nowhere in particular Hopefully I'm making the right choice and my Mother and brothers understand. Who am I kidding, they want me gone, they're better off without me sulking around draining the joy out of every room I enter. I should've left the second I became like this. The second I cost them thousands of dollars in home repairs, the second Same fell out of love with me, the second I became useless. The second my Father had a heart attack and died because of me…

No time for that now, no time for weakness. Even if he died because of me he wouldn't want me to die in the darkness of my sorrows that surrounded his memory. That would do more than just destroy him, it would completely dishonor him. I can be sad when I don't have to swim a million miles, in the dark, across a Bay that I knew nothing about, into the unknown.

"Here we go." I looked once over my shoulder in the direction of Bob's grave. In the direction of my home and for a moment I hesitated. Tears swelled but I fought them back. No more crying. No more hesitation. My time in La Push was over, maybe not forever but for now it was, no amount of tears would change that.