CHAPTER FIVE

I can tell that he is right behind me.

I can hear his footsteps as he runs towards me.

He is much faster than I am.

I keep running, but he is catching up.

I look around, trying to find a place to hide.

My eyes fall on a hollow log.

I try to remember if there are any dangerous animals in it. I hope that it is empty.

Impala is right behind me, so I run to it and dive into the log.

I curl up at the bottom and cover my head.

I hold my breath and wait.

I can hear him sniffing me.

I am shaking.

I don't want him to find me.

I don't want to be his match.

I feel the log shifting.

I peek out from my hiding place.

Impala is staring down at me.

He growls.

I feel trapped.

"I don't want to fight you," I whisper. "But I will."

"Is that supposed to scare me?" he taunts.

I have never felt so angry.

My anger makes me brave.

And against my better judgement, I attack.

Impala is surprised by my sudden burst of energy.

We tussle at the bottom of the log.

I feel his teeth on my neck.

I struggle to escape.

I can see blood on his teeth.

He is biting me, and I try to get out of his jaws, but he is biting harder and harder.

In this moment, I know he is trying to kill me.

I fight back.

I bite down on his neck.

I dig my teeth into him.

I can taste his blood.

He lets go of my neck, and I scramble to my feet and run away.

My heart is beating hard, and I am shaking.

I am bleeding, but I don't know how badly.

It doesn't matter how injured I am. I have to get out of here.

So I run. And I keep running.

I don't look back.

I run until my legs hurt.

I push my legs forward, but I can't make them move any faster.

Finally, I collapse on the forest floor.

I am breathing hard.

But I can't stop running.

If I stop, he will catch me.

He will kill me.

My heart is pounding.

I have to get out of here.

The sun starts to set in the distance.

I try to stand again.

But I am too tired. Too wounded.

I can't move.

I lie on the ground, staring up into the trees, and wonder if I am going to die here.

At least then, I would be with my pack. Thinking of them sends a chill down my spine and a pang deep into my chest.

I miss them. This is all so unfair.

I wonder if Impala is still following me.

I can't see him, but it's dark now.

I don't know if he's coming to kill me.

I lay silently, listening for him, but all I hear are the sounds of the forest. Leaves rustling in the trees. Crickets singing their nightly tune. No footsteps. No growling or howling. No signs of Impala whatsoever.

Maybe I am finally safe.

I take a deep breath for what feels like the first time all day, and for just a moment, I allow myself to relax. And that's when I realize just how much my strength has left me.

I've lost a lot of blood. Maybe too much. I don't know how much longer I can survive like this.

I look up at the night sky and search for the moon.

She is full tonight.

I love the moon. I have always felt connected to it-- safe under its light.

But not tonight.

I am so tire and scared and so, so cold.

I close my eyes and wish upon the moon.

I wish for safety and security. I wish for the strength to carry on. I wish for whatever it takes for me not to die here.

And then, I try to convince myself to open my eyes again. I need to be on the lookout for Impala. But I can't.

I am tired-- so tired. I know it's risky, but I can't help it. I have no choice. I have to rest.

I don't know what's going to happen, but I know that if I try to push myself any further tonight, I will die.

And then suddenly, I feel a warm breath in my ear.

I open my eyes.

I can't see, but I can hear the sound of footsteps.

I hear a snort from above, and I feel something pushing against me from behind.

I start to panic.

I try to get away from it, to get up, but I can't.

Something is holding me down.

It pulls on my neck, and suddenly, I feel a sharp pain.

I feel a warm liquid pouring down my fur.

It is running down my neck and over my back, and I am struggling to breathe.

I try to move, but my body won't respond.

This is it, I think.

I can't move. I can't breathe. I can't see.

I am dying.

Maybe it's a blessing.

Maybe it's what I deserve.

Maybe this is what I get for surviving-- for trying to go on when everyone I love is dead.

I try to cry out, but I can't. Something is covering my mouth and nose, and I can't breathe.

I try to struggle, but I can't.

I am suffocating.

I try to move my paws, but I can't. I can't scream.

I can't do anything. And I am so, so tired.

I close my eyes, and as the darkness overtakes me, I hear a strange sound, somewhere between a moan and a growl.

With the last of my strength, I force myself to open my eyes, and I see him.

It is not Impala.

It is a wolf I do not recognize.

And I have no idea what he is going to do to me.