She-wolf

She stared on as the stag leap into the overgrowth and vanished. Shivering, naked, and weary, she looked around her. Amongst the residual physical pain from her catalogue of injuries, she felt a sense of great relief. She was alive and alone. Her wounds had closed but no doubt it won't take them long to find her.

The forest was still in the early hours of a cold autumn morning. The silence was broken only by the breeze through the trees and the restless trickling of a stream running through the middle of a clearing. A ghostly mist slowly descended over the dew-sodden ground faintly illuminated by the waning glow of the moon overhead. Nothing moved apart from the crystal-clear water. No creature made a sound, and yet among the dark shadows, a pair of circumspect eyes peered over the clearing and observed the scene with extreme caution, studying every detail as though hunting for any signs of life. The slightest movement or sound, the smallest disturbance would mean potential danger. She was weak, hurt, and vulnerable. 

A gap in the clouds passed over the moon and temporarily brightened the scene. A faint rustle from the fallen leaves nearby caused her body to tense, probably just a rodent, but she couldn't afford to be careless. But with the trickling water beckoning her, she surreptitiously moved out of her hiding place and crept toward the stream, each step as delicate and as deliberate as the first. Her grey and white furs were wet with dew and blood. She limped from a savage injury to her hind leg with her tail between them. Her body was battered yet her spirit was defiant. 

A gust of wind hit the trees and made them hiss. Somewhere a branch cracked and she stopped motionless again, crouched lower and ready to run with the last of her effort. Another fight now would surely be her last. Her tattered ears erect and her nose twitching, she waited until she was sure that she was alone, and then crept closer to the stream until she stood at its edge. 

The smell of the fresh clean water filled her nose with pure delight. Her mouth pined for its sweet taste as she heartily lapped it up. Each time she tried to swallow her throat burned. Such was the ferocity of the previous night with several sets of jaws trying to leave their mark, yet her need compelled her to carry on.

After drinking as much as she was able to, she stood on trembling limbs and again observed the surrounding area. The night was beginning to brighten. The hiss of the trees and trickling water were becoming faint as her ears were succumbing to increasing tinnitus. Only the sound of her heart remained audible as a rapid relentless beat. 

She steadily walked into the water until she found a shallow place somewhere in the middle. It was so cold it stung the pads of her paws, yet the increasing sensation of tension throughout her body and her near-total exhaustion made her care little for any more pain. 

Enough was enough. Panting deeply, she looked at her wavering reflection as the moon found another gap to shine through. Her snout was covered in cuts and gashes. Her right eye was swollen, her left ear was torn.

Her limbs grew effete. Slowly, she lowered until she was lying in the water. One final look around, and she curled herself up, laying her head on her paws to keep her snout out of the water, then gradually, her eyes closed as a strong numbing sensation spread through her whole body, eliminating the pain and the biting cold of the stream. 

The wind eased. The mist continued to creep steadily over the ground. The birds had long since begun to sing yet none flew over the clearing where the stream trickled over rocks and stones. Gradually, from out of the surrounding forest, various animals began to dare their way toward the stream as they do every morning. Today, their instincts told them to stay away. Something wasn't right. Among the animals was a stag, the Leader of a group of deer. It sensed something, potential danger, yet his group needed refreshment. He stepped towards the stream until he stood by the edge. Everything seemed normal except for what looked like a new rock in the middle of the water. All around the scene were clumps of white and grey fur flickering in the breeze. An unfamiliar smell told him that there was something to be cautious of. 

He looked back the way he came, twitching his ears and licking his lips; then dipped his mouth to drink. Other members of his group hurriedly yet quietly came up to join in. As more came he walked further into it, getting closer to the new rock. The strange smell was coming from it and it was covered in more of the wispy fur being blown away by the breeze. He sniffed around it then dared to gently nudge it. Then it moved. Instantly the group of deer ran back to the forest. The stag stopped just before disappearing and looked back. The rock was a young human woman looking back at him with wild fearful eyes through strands of long wet hair. 

She stared on as the stag leap into the overgrowth and vanished. Shivering, naked, and weary, she looked around her. Amongst the residual physical pain from her catalogue of injuries, she felt a sense of great relief. She was alive and alone. Her wounds had closed but no doubt it won't take them long to find her. Enervated or not she had to keep moving, had to give herself the chance to heal and gather her strength to face them again. One more fight should do it. Another victory and they will be the ones running. 

She looked at her reflection. Her pretty face will have scars, as will her throat, chest, and the rest of her body, a small price to pay for what she's fighting for. Her eyes were still the eyes of the wolf. She cupped her hands and splashed her face several times until her reflection showed them to be human again. 

Four weeks until the next full moon. Four weeks to avoid the others and be wary of the humans. She looked hard at her tremulous face in the water. She had nothing to lose now, yet everything to gain!

Hasan Maruf teaches English at DPS STS School, Dhaka. His interest lies in diverse genres of literature.