Hunted
Prologue

"Can I go with?" A little girl asked, her big brown eyes pleading.

A sigh came from the woman standing in front of her. She looked down at the child, "You're far too little." She said. "And it's getting close to your bedtime."

The girl's eyes welled up and she turned to her father, who was standing a little farther away holding a towel. He took one look at his upset daughter and instantly caved.

"C'mon, Angela, let her help. She'll be with us the whole time." The woman hesitated so he continued, "besides, she's always had a way with the animals."

Angela sighed again, rolling her eyes and muttering about how her husband was such a pushover. But she finally agreed, telling her daughter to go get her boots on.

The little girl squealed excitedly and dashed off to the mudroom, finding her rain-boots and slipping them on hurriedly. She ran back and flew past her mother and followed her father and older brother across the yard.

She fell in step next to her brother and glanced up at him. "How far are we going?"

"You shouldn't be here, Al." He told her, not answering her question.

She scuffed her foot on the ground, glaring as she walked. "I'm not scared!"

Her brother grabbed her wrist and stopped walking, letting their father continue. He looked her in the eyes, his face straight. "You should be. There are wolves around here, Al. And Hunters: men with guns. Their goal is to kill the wolves, but sometimes they don't aim very well." He grimaced and touched a spot on his arm.

Al's eyes were wide as she caught on. "You mean they'll hurt us?"

Her brother's eyes were solemn. "I'm saying be careful; don't leave mine or Dad's side, okay?" She nodded and they broke into a run to catch up with their father.

The woods hid the sunset, making it much darker. Al stayed close to her brother, just as he had instructed. An owl hooted in the distance and the leaves rustled in the wind. The girl's eyes darted nervously around her, suddenly convinced something was going to pop out at any moment.

They walked for several more minutes before she heard it: the quiet, but distinct sound of a whimper. She halted, spinning around in a slow circle, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from.

It came again, from her right. It was definitely an animal in pain. Not giving a second thought, she turned and bolted towards it.

"Al!" She heard her brother call.

"Alexis!" Their father shouted as soon as he understood what was happening. "After her, Calvin!"

Ignoring their yells, Al continued to follow the animal's pained sounds. After a few moments, she stumbled upon a tiny clearing in the trees. On the far edge lay a golden heap of fluff. She paused, waiting to see if it was where the whimpers were coming from. She saw it's chest rise before a whine escaped.

She gasped and started to run towards it. A hand caught her wrist, pulling her back before she got very far.

"Alexis!" Her brother scolded. "You can't run off like that, okay? Remember what I told you? You have to stick with us at all times! Or you won't be allowed to come next time."

Alexis' eyes welled with guilty tears and she turned to see her father catching up. She winced, expecting a scolding from him as well. Instead, he nudged his son.

"Calvin, look." They both turned to the clearing to see the animal lift it's head towards them.

Alexis gasped. "It's a dog!" She started towards it, slowly this time, knowing she shouldn't scare it.

"Alexis!" Calvin warned, but their father shushed him.

"Leave her be. This is why I let her come; she forms bonds with the wild like I've never seen before. Remember how we found Tasha?"

Calvin didn't answer. He did remember Tasha from just three years prior. Alexis had only been six at the time and she's stumbled upon an injured black bear cub, it's mother lay just feet from her, shot down by hunters. Somehow, Clavin's sister convinced the bear she was safe and led her back to the ranch for their parents to fix up. And they did, and Alexis got to help send Tasha back to the wild.

Calvin smiled at the memory, focusing back on his sister. She'd crossed the clearing and now slowly knelt to the ground, tentatively reaching out with a small hand to stroke the poor thing.

"It's okay," she murmured. "You'll be fine." She started humming a soft tune as she continued to pet the dog. It's pelt was dirty, but she knew it wasn't a wolf, for it had golden-brown fur, a splash of white on its nose, and a white chest and belly. She could tell it was young, probably barely a few weeks old.

She slowly scooted around it, using her fingers to gently examine the puppy. After a few minutes she came to the conclusion that the pup was a girl and she had been recently attacked by some sort of bigger animal, Alexis guessed a wolf.

There was a slash across the dog's nose and deep wound near her gut. One of the forelegs were bent at an odd angle, most likely it had snapped trying to defend herself.

Alexis took the jacket that was wrapped around her waist and placed it against the animal's deepest wound, applying pressure. She blinked gratefully at the child before resting her head on the ground and closing her eyes.

Al glanced up at her father and brother. "Come help!"

The dog's eyes snapped open, but Alexis quickly calmed her again. "Shhh, it's okay. We're going to help you."

Calvin dropped to his knees beside his sister and looked over the puppy. "We'll have to carry her back; there's no way she'll be able to walk on this leg."

Their dad nodded, pulling on latex gloves from his pocket. "Let me check the wound first." He took his daughter's place, Al moving to the pup's head.

"We got you." She whispered soothingly. "We'll take care of you, I promise."

She heard her father sigh and sit back on his heels. "Alexis I don't know how much I can do for her. She needs immediate medical attention and all I have is a towel."

"No!" She cried. "All we have to do is get her home! You and Mom have supplies there! Please! You can save her, I know you can!"

Her father sighed again. "Alright fine, Calvin help me put her on the towel."

They spread the towel on the ground and slowly lifted the puppy onto it. She whimpered, but didn't fight them, keeping her eyes on Alexis the entire time.

Calvin folded the towel like a hard shell taco, and helped his dad pick the dog up with it.

"Calvin, it's a puppy, she's not that heavy. Run home with your sister and tell your mother what to expect."

He nodded and grabbed Alexis' hand, taking off through the dark woods towards their house. After several minutes they burst into the house.

"Calvin? Alexis?" Their mom asked in surprise. "Where's your father?"

They were both gasping for air, but Alexis was able to speak first. "Puppy. . . hurt. . . Dad's carrying. . .get . . . supplies." She rushed out.

Their mom's eyes widened and she immediately rushed around, grabbing tools Alexis didn't know the name of. She helped her mother spread a sheet over the kitchen table and all three washed their hands.

Alexis placed the last tool on the table just as she heard her father come up the wooden stairs. Calvin slid the glass door open and together they gently placed the animal on the sheet covered table.

The second Calvin stepped back, their mother swooped in with the medical instruments, getting to work. Their dad slipped on a clean pair of latex gloves, grabbed similar looking supplies and began to work right along side of his wife. Alexis stepped back and watched in awe.

Her mom glanced over at her. "Alexis, it's time for bed, you have school tomorrow."

"But I want to help! I found her and I want to see if she makes it!"

Her mother sighed. "You did well, Honey. But it's time for Mom to do the scary stuff now, okay?" She turned to her son, "Calvin will you help her please get ready for bed?"

Calvin nodded and grabbed his little sister's hand. "Come on, Al. You don't want to see this part anyway." He whispered, "it gets really gross!"

Alexis sighed and allowed herself to be brought down the hall and into her flower themed bedroom. "Goodnight Calvin."

He crouched down and gave her a hug. "Goodnight Alexis. Everything will be okay."

She gave him a small smile as he stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him.

She quickly changed into pajamas and climbed onto her bed. She sat down and gazed out her window, into the dark woods. Her eyes flicked around until they landed on two dots coming from the trees

Her heart sped up; she swore the dots were eyes. They moved a little through the trees and the moon cast light onto what she could now see was a wolf. And the wolf was staring directly at her.