Finding Truth Behind Legends
by Wizardtho
Chapter 15:
I feel like I’ve barely slept, though I must have been sleeping for at least 12 hours. I guess that’s the irony of waking, yet still being in a dream state.
Yesterday did not go well, so I’m set on figuring out how to shift today. The sooner I get this whole situation nailed, the sooner I’ll be able to truly wake from the sedation Will has me under.
With that in mind, I look outside to see the sky is lightening, but the sun’s not fully up. I hop out of bed and quickly use the facilities, then follow my nose to the kitchen, where I guess Taha had made a pot of coffee. I smile, but I still don’t see him by the time my coffee is made, so I take it with me as I search the house for him.
Though I call his name a few times, the house is silent, and I find no sign of him. None of the beds look slept in, either. Worry sets in as I walk back down the stairs, then look out the dining room french doors.
Could he be outside? Surely he would have heard me by now if he were in the yard.
I set my cup on the table, then walk out the french doors, trying to find any sign of Taha. My worry escalates as I walk the whole perimeter of the house and find nothing. Taha is gone.
Determined he’s somewhere close, I walk the path toward the gardens, not caring in the least that I’m still barefoot. Though it looks like the gardens need a bit of tending again, I can’t even find a broken twig or wolf paw-print on the path.
I turn and head for the bridge to the picnic island.
He loves the creek. Maybe he came out for a morning swim?
When I still find no sign of Taha in the creek or on the picnic island, fear sets in and I start to hyperventilate.
I can’t do this alone. I don’t know how. He promised he wouldn’t leave me, damn it! Taha, where the hell are you?!
The next thing I know, every bone in my body hurts, and I’m screaming at the sky as I fall toward the ground. Instead of my body meeting the ground in a hard thud, though, 4 wheat and vanilla paws meet the ground.
My breathing is ragged, but I hear Taha apologizing as he rubs his side against mine in comfort, I am so sorry, Isabella. I didn’t know any other way. I remembered after you fell asleep last night… you phased out of fear for me. Fear, little coyote, is your trigger. You even told me in the kitchen, right before Edward reached the house, that you were tired of all the fear. You wanted a way to channel it. This. Turning into your coyote. This is you channeling all the fear inside you.
I shake my head, But… you were gone. I couldn’t find you.
He smiles, nudges my cheek with his snout, then promises, I was with you the whole time, Bella. I had to keep out of sight, in order for your fear to build. It had to be genuine. I’m sorry about that, but I never left you.
I shove my side against his as understanding settles in me, then groan, You could have tried to tell me, you know… and I will get you back for scaring the daylights out of me. First, I’m starving, so do you wanna teach a girl how to hunt?
I can feel him smirking, then he gives me a wolfy chuckle as he dashes off toward the woods. I’m chasing him before I even feel myself move. Paws meeting the dew-covered ground. The wind rushing around me. Muscles flexing and releasing in perfect synchronicity. My lean body weaving through the trees without the slightest dip in my visibility or maneuverability.
I laugh, unable to help it, Crap, I can’t wait to tell Dad about this. Taha, this is fantastic!
I can hear him chuckling back as he calls me a slowpoke. It’s only seconds later that he slows to a stop, so I stop at his side while offering, Newbie here, remember? I don’t even know if I was running as fast as I was capable.
He gives me a wolfy grin, We’ll have to test that out on the way home then. Now. Close your eyes for me. What do you smell? What do you hear?
I do as he asks, then focus on my hearing. Water droplets falling from the leaves around us. Birds skittering on the branches looking for their morning meals. Something small… a bunny, I think… in the underbrush. A kind of soft thumping and rustling further out.
Taha hums, That. Focus your sense of smell in the direction of the rustling. Can you tell what it is?
The smell, when I trace it from its origin, is phenomenal. It’s earthy and rich; I want it badly. I don’t… it smells slightly familiar, but I’m not sure. It smells incredible, though. What is it?
Taha licks his chops, offering, Elk. By the sound and scent, he’s big enough for both of us to share, if you want to help me take him down.
I look at the mighty wolf and huff before laughing, We are waiting for what, exactly? I’m STARVING. Lead the way!
We’re running again, this time side-by-side. Taha explains as we make our way over the woodsy terrain, Keep an eye on the wind direction by watching the leaves and grass. Your Dad’s a hunter, so you probably already know this. You never want the wind blowing your scent toward your prey. It will spook them. Take the long way around if you have to. It’s worth it not to lose your meal. When I slow, follow my lead. When I tell you to go, don’t hesitate, pounce. Try to go for the neck, and put your weight into it, so that you take him down with you. I’ll go for the hind legs.
I let out a breath and repeat, Got it. Follow your lead. Go means pounce and put my weight into it. Aim for the neck. I won’t be under paw since you’ve got the back end.
When we slow, Taha crouches down and starts stalking toward a field with a pond in it. I quickly but quietly follow suit. The elk is here for a drink it seems, coming into the clearing from our left. Taha’s right; he’s massive! Taking a look at the leaves and grass, I know the breeze is coming toward us, but I already knew by the scent of the elk practically assaulting my senses.
Before I take another breath, Taha tells me to go, and he hauls ass toward the elk. I’m running, pushing myself as fast as my paws will carry me, all the while practically calling out in my head, Oh, shit! I wasn’t ready, damn it! I’m sorry, elk. Really sorry. So hungry. I promise your death will mean something. Fuck, I'm sorry elk!
I barrel into the massive beast, my jaws lock onto its neck, and suddenly I’m yanking its neck around as we both go down together. Taha lands next to me, his body straddling the hind legs, but I hear him chuckling in his mind, That was a brilliant take down, but Bella, I don’t think the elk heard your apologies.
I chuckle, then let go of my hold on the neck, since I heard it snap during our landing. I shrug as much as I’m able to in this form as I think, I’ve never hunted. I’ve eaten cooked deer and elk before, of course, but never had to kill one. Yeah, I was sorry I had to do it, but it wasn’t going to stop me.
We dig into our meal right there by the lake, then spend about an hour playing in the water to clean up after Taha quickly buries our kill. It’s not long before I start to tire, and Taha assures me, There’s a cave nearby we can rest in.
I follow him to the cave a few minutes away. Taha guides me back into the cave, where there’s oddly several blankets made into a comfy looking pile. When he senses my curiosity, he explains, I’ve kind of claimed it as mine. I usually stick closer to the reservation, but I come out here once a week to rest in this cave, so that it stays empty in case I need it in a pinch.
Taha settles on the blanket pile with a hum of content, then offers, Come. Rest with me. We can hunt again after we wake, then make our way back to your house. I’m sure you’ll be ready for a hot shower by then.
I easily settle down next to Taha with my body curled against his side. I let out a yawn, then whisper in my mind as my eyes close, Sleep well.
He returns the gesture as his body curls a bit more around my own. I feel surrounded, warm, and safe, so it’s not long before I’m asleep.
I feel like I’ve barely slept, though I must have been sleeping for at least 12 hours. I guess that’s the irony of waking, yet still being in a dream state.
Yesterday did not go well, so I’m set on figuring out how to shift today. The sooner I get this whole situation nailed, the sooner I’ll be able to truly wake from the sedation Will has me under.
With that in mind, I look outside to see the sky is lightening, but the sun’s not fully up. I hop out of bed and quickly use the facilities, then follow my nose to the kitchen, where I guess Taha had made a pot of coffee. I smile, but I still don’t see him by the time my coffee is made, so I take it with me as I search the house for him.
Though I call his name a few times, the house is silent, and I find no sign of him. None of the beds look slept in, either. Worry sets in as I walk back down the stairs, then look out the dining room french doors.
Could he be outside? Surely he would have heard me by now if he were in the yard.
I set my cup on the table, then walk out the french doors, trying to find any sign of Taha. My worry escalates as I walk the whole perimeter of the house and find nothing. Taha is gone.
Determined he’s somewhere close, I walk the path toward the gardens, not caring in the least that I’m still barefoot. Though it looks like the gardens need a bit of tending again, I can’t even find a broken twig or wolf paw-print on the path.
I turn and head for the bridge to the picnic island.
He loves the creek. Maybe he came out for a morning swim?
When I still find no sign of Taha in the creek or on the picnic island, fear sets in and I start to hyperventilate.
I can’t do this alone. I don’t know how. He promised he wouldn’t leave me, damn it! Taha, where the hell are you?!
The next thing I know, every bone in my body hurts, and I’m screaming at the sky as I fall toward the ground. Instead of my body meeting the ground in a hard thud, though, 4 wheat and vanilla paws meet the ground.
My breathing is ragged, but I hear Taha apologizing as he rubs his side against mine in comfort, I am so sorry, Isabella. I didn’t know any other way. I remembered after you fell asleep last night… you phased out of fear for me. Fear, little coyote, is your trigger. You even told me in the kitchen, right before Edward reached the house, that you were tired of all the fear. You wanted a way to channel it. This. Turning into your coyote. This is you channeling all the fear inside you.
I shake my head, But… you were gone. I couldn’t find you.
He smiles, nudges my cheek with his snout, then promises, I was with you the whole time, Bella. I had to keep out of sight, in order for your fear to build. It had to be genuine. I’m sorry about that, but I never left you.
I shove my side against his as understanding settles in me, then groan, You could have tried to tell me, you know… and I will get you back for scaring the daylights out of me. First, I’m starving, so do you wanna teach a girl how to hunt?
I can feel him smirking, then he gives me a wolfy chuckle as he dashes off toward the woods. I’m chasing him before I even feel myself move. Paws meeting the dew-covered ground. The wind rushing around me. Muscles flexing and releasing in perfect synchronicity. My lean body weaving through the trees without the slightest dip in my visibility or maneuverability.
I laugh, unable to help it, Crap, I can’t wait to tell Dad about this. Taha, this is fantastic!
I can hear him chuckling back as he calls me a slowpoke. It’s only seconds later that he slows to a stop, so I stop at his side while offering, Newbie here, remember? I don’t even know if I was running as fast as I was capable.
He gives me a wolfy grin, We’ll have to test that out on the way home then. Now. Close your eyes for me. What do you smell? What do you hear?
I do as he asks, then focus on my hearing. Water droplets falling from the leaves around us. Birds skittering on the branches looking for their morning meals. Something small… a bunny, I think… in the underbrush. A kind of soft thumping and rustling further out.
Taha hums, That. Focus your sense of smell in the direction of the rustling. Can you tell what it is?
The smell, when I trace it from its origin, is phenomenal. It’s earthy and rich; I want it badly. I don’t… it smells slightly familiar, but I’m not sure. It smells incredible, though. What is it?
Taha licks his chops, offering, Elk. By the sound and scent, he’s big enough for both of us to share, if you want to help me take him down.
I look at the mighty wolf and huff before laughing, We are waiting for what, exactly? I’m STARVING. Lead the way!
We’re running again, this time side-by-side. Taha explains as we make our way over the woodsy terrain, Keep an eye on the wind direction by watching the leaves and grass. Your Dad’s a hunter, so you probably already know this. You never want the wind blowing your scent toward your prey. It will spook them. Take the long way around if you have to. It’s worth it not to lose your meal. When I slow, follow my lead. When I tell you to go, don’t hesitate, pounce. Try to go for the neck, and put your weight into it, so that you take him down with you. I’ll go for the hind legs.
I let out a breath and repeat, Got it. Follow your lead. Go means pounce and put my weight into it. Aim for the neck. I won’t be under paw since you’ve got the back end.
When we slow, Taha crouches down and starts stalking toward a field with a pond in it. I quickly but quietly follow suit. The elk is here for a drink it seems, coming into the clearing from our left. Taha’s right; he’s massive! Taking a look at the leaves and grass, I know the breeze is coming toward us, but I already knew by the scent of the elk practically assaulting my senses.
Before I take another breath, Taha tells me to go, and he hauls ass toward the elk. I’m running, pushing myself as fast as my paws will carry me, all the while practically calling out in my head, Oh, shit! I wasn’t ready, damn it! I’m sorry, elk. Really sorry. So hungry. I promise your death will mean something. Fuck, I'm sorry elk!
I barrel into the massive beast, my jaws lock onto its neck, and suddenly I’m yanking its neck around as we both go down together. Taha lands next to me, his body straddling the hind legs, but I hear him chuckling in his mind, That was a brilliant take down, but Bella, I don’t think the elk heard your apologies.
I chuckle, then let go of my hold on the neck, since I heard it snap during our landing. I shrug as much as I’m able to in this form as I think, I’ve never hunted. I’ve eaten cooked deer and elk before, of course, but never had to kill one. Yeah, I was sorry I had to do it, but it wasn’t going to stop me.
We dig into our meal right there by the lake, then spend about an hour playing in the water to clean up after Taha quickly buries our kill. It’s not long before I start to tire, and Taha assures me, There’s a cave nearby we can rest in.
I follow him to the cave a few minutes away. Taha guides me back into the cave, where there’s oddly several blankets made into a comfy looking pile. When he senses my curiosity, he explains, I’ve kind of claimed it as mine. I usually stick closer to the reservation, but I come out here once a week to rest in this cave, so that it stays empty in case I need it in a pinch.
Taha settles on the blanket pile with a hum of content, then offers, Come. Rest with me. We can hunt again after we wake, then make our way back to your house. I’m sure you’ll be ready for a hot shower by then.
I easily settle down next to Taha with my body curled against his side. I let out a yawn, then whisper in my mind as my eyes close, Sleep well.
He returns the gesture as his body curls a bit more around my own. I feel surrounded, warm, and safe, so it’s not long before I’m asleep.