SIX

-Unknown POV-

What is that scent? Follow! says my wolf. Why is my wolf reacting to it, like a child in a candy-shop? I sniff the air, but it’s like it disappeared as soon as it hit my nose previously. I try to shake the weird feeling off, and continue my patrol. I need some food if I want to survive the last month of this winter. Although the winter was soft, most of the berries and roots are eaten. Every year is becoming more difficult. Living as a rogue is not the easiest way, but I like to be on my own. Most of my family members are living like rogues, I never understood why. My parents taught me to stay away from packs, because those are causing problems.

They never explained the exact reason, though. We were happy, until that one cold winter. I had a sister, she died in the cold winter at the age of 4. If we lived in a pack, she would’ve lived. We were sick of grief, but my mother suffered the most. My mother mourned every day, all day. She lost her sunshine. Father and I were doing the patrols and made sure she stayed as healthy as possible. But she got sick, I still believe it was from sadness. She died too, and then it was just father and I. I was just nine at that age. We kept going, father and I. I loved my dad. We hiked, walked and went further than we normally did, just to make sure we had enough food.

Years have gone by and on one day, father never returned his patrol. I went searching and found him dead, he hung himself. I started to travel, in fact: I just fled. And because I’m too afraid to join a pack, I’m just by myself. I haven’t spoken to wolves in years. I’ve seen them, but I just watched them from afar.

And here I am, searching for food but sensing a scent I haven’t smelled before. It’s like it pulls me towards it. But I can’t pick up the scent anymore. I start walking around the area, carefully my big black paws aren't making any sound. It’s easy for me, I’m used to being invisible. That’s how the life of a rogue works.

I give up after half an hour. It’s just, gone… I found some food, though. So I make the decision to go ‘home’. But I can’t shake off that feeling, that scent awakened something deep inside me. I can feel my wolf is restless, and wants to smell that scent again. But I haven’t found it anymore.

I walk into my cave, my home. This area is full with hills, rocks and caves like this. Some well hidden, like mine, and some more visible. I shapeshift to my human-form and start dressing myself. There are holes in my pants, and my sweater is all dirty. I don’t wash them often, everytime I do, they wear out more. And this is all I have. That’s why I’m always shapeshifted when I go outside. I’m not often walking on two feets anymore. But making dinner is more difficult with paws than hands.

I lit the fire and grab some water to fill my old saucepan with. I fill the water with some roots and berries and I cook it. It’s not a lot, but it will be enough to sleep on. I sigh, I need to find some real food soon. I’m not weighing the same I did in autumn, I’ve lost some big numbers. I can tell I’m not as strong as I used to be. But I’m glad I still can take care of myself.

I eat the soup slowly, when my wolf starts talking to me. Please, find that scent! I need to smell that scent again..

I ignore his voice, knowing I couldn’t find it before. I’m pretty sure it’s gone. But he continues: Seriously, I’m going to harass you all night, if you’re not going to find it.

Darn it. I know he means it. He usually doesn’t talk to me often, we are pretty silent creatures. I sigh. Fine, let me finish supper first. I finish my meal and undress again.

Well, you can take over. I didn’t find it before, maybe you will. I say to my inner self, and I feel how he takes over. He runs outside and I can feel us sniffing the air. It’s amazing to see the world through his eyes. Although I’m the same person, it’s different when he takes full control.

Wolf! That’s.. I smell it again! I say suddenly, surprised.

I know.

I can feel the excitement of my wolf, he’s running towards that scent with no doubt. He knows what to do. He stops in front of a big, rock wall and I’m starting to get confused. Wait, what? Wolf starts to sniff again, and he walks towards that wall. Within seconds, he found a small gap after the wall and he went in with our head. The first thing I see is a big cave and it seems to be the opening of a big garden. Interesting! But I’ve no time to think about it, Wolf is reaching for a dark colored object on the floor. He doesn’t hesitate, and grabs the bag in his mouth and goes outside. He runs back home.

Wait. Wolf? What was that? What are you doing? I want to go back to that wall! There was a big garden inside, maybe there is food. There were humans, too! WOLF!

But he isn’t listening. He’s just running the same path home. I have to say, that bag smells incredibly nice. It’s the same scent we smelled before. It feels satisfying to carry it in our mouth, the scent so close to our nose and head. I’m so obsessed by this scent, that I forget about the humans soon. The moment we’re in our cave, I feel how Wolf is giving the control back. Thanks, bud. I say to him. Immediately, I shapeshift back in human form. The scent is less appearing right now, but it still draws me towards it. I open the backpack, and the scent is even stronger now. It’s filling my nose and I’m almost feeling drunk. This is amazing. My wolf is reacting too, he’s dancing in my head like a little puppy.

I empty the backpack, and smell every item that goes through my hands. Why am I so obsessed by this scent? Who are those humans? This backpack must have been theirs, well, at least from one of them.

Those were not humans. They’re ours.

I stop emptying the backpack. What did you say? I ask my wolf, confused.

You’ve heard me.

Yes, I’ve heard him. But what the hell? “They are werewolves, too?” I ask out loud. But I already know the answer. They didn’t smell human. I try to find their scent in my head, I must have smelled them when we were that close. But for some reason, I have trouble recognizing the wolf-parts in their scents. I’m starting to doubt. Are you sure, Wolf? I mean, I do trust you, but why couldn’t I smell them?

Dunno. But this bag is from one of them. And this bag is from a she-wolf. So they are she-wolves.

I haven’t seen she-wolves close in years. But I have no time to think about it. It’s that scent again, but now it feels like I’ve been hit by lightning. My senses are sharp, and it’s like I’m losing my body. I sniff the air, the scent is everywhere now. I feel how a growl leaves my body, Wolf is feeling it too. Without thinking, I shapeshift again, ripping the only clothes I have, apart. But I couldn’t care less. I have to follow that scent. It’s dark outside, now. But I feel like I can see the scent in the air. I’ve no problem following it, my body knows what to do.

Wolf?

I’m not sure what to ask, though. I can only tell my brain is getting blurry, like if I’m drunk and cotton balls are filling my head instead of brains.

I must go to that scent, follow that scent!

He’s feeling the same. My body is going nuts, I feel tingles and I just know I have to follow that scent. I have no idea what’s happening, but we don’t care. We don’t think, we just follow the scent. I notice we are walking the same path again, straight to that wall.

We found the gap easily, and we go in.