Wednesday again and I’ve managed to go a week plus on a regular posting schedule. Yay me! Sadly, though, the only writing I managed last week for for #ThursdayThreads which had this perfect prompt: **”As far as I can tell.”** The original flash fiction was 250 words but I incorporated it into a rough-draft scene and expanded both the snippet AND the scene, so win-win for all of us, yeah? Psst It was a definite win for me. I won the challenge last week! Yippee!!! As for the expanded snippet today, all I’m going to say in way of a set-up is that Kin is acting (and looking a bit) like Lassie and Meg is Timmie. Also, the wild wolves are the ones she worked with in the sanctuary before the war started.
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Loch cleared his throat. “What are you, the wolf whisperer or something?”

That startled a laugh out of Meg and the juvinile wolves scattered. One of them barreled into Kin, tumbled over from the collision, and he froze, belly up but whining. Boss snarled and took several stiff-legged steps toward Loch and Kin. Before Meg could speak, Loch shushed her. Instinct told her to obey so she did.

Kin, much taller and heavier than Boss, casually left Loch’s side. His ears were back, his head slightly lowered. Meg eased out the breath she’d been holding. Kin displayed non-aggressive wolf behavior. Boss remained tense, nostrils flaring. Then the real wolf turned his head to look at her and she almost giggled again. The poor thing looked totally confused.

Loch squatted on his heels and he and Kin both focused on Boss. Were they holding an actual conversation? Somehow, that didn’t surprise Meg.

While this conclave went on, the juvenile who’d bumped into Kin, scrambled to his feet and retreated back behind all the others. Fascinated, Meg couldn’t keep her eyes off the interaction. The body language, the vocalizations, the whole idea that humans could truly communicate with wild wolves made her all giddy inside. Too bad her head continued to pound and she found her focus drifting.
Suddenly, Kin—still in wolf form—was nosing her and she realized she’d slumped over. “Hey, big guy. I’m okay. As far as I can tell anyway. Probably a mild concussion or something.” She put her arms around his neck and leveraged back mostly upright, though she continued to lean against him for support. “Can we go home now?”

“I’ve got her, Kin,” Loch assured the wolf. “ You need to stay in wolf form for a bit longer, mate, yeah?”

Kin yowled and Meg wanted to laugh but her head was pounding. He sounded downright indignant.

“Loch has clothes on, big guy. You’d be naked and I, in all my girlish innocence, would likely swoon at the sight of all your manly manliness.”

Her wolf growled and she did laugh before pressing her palms to her temples. “Oww. Don’t make me laugh.”

A moment later, Loch had her secured in his arms and they were headed down what she discovered was a large though rough-hewn tunnel. Kin padded beside them, carrying her pack in his mouth. The other wolves stayed in the larger chamber.

“What’s going to happen to them?” she mumbled.

“They’ll stay here until we’re gone and then they’ll move along. I suspect they thought to den up here but with the cottage still being use, they’d be hunted by the shepherds once the flocks return later in the spring. We told them that. They’ll head back to their home territory in the mountains. They’ll be protected there.”

“Good.” Did she say that out loud? Meg didn’t know. Her vision was fading in and out and all she wanted to do was sleep. Yes, sleep would be really good right then.

“Open your eyes, Meg.” Loch’s voice was as sharp as a slap. Her eyes snapped open. “We’re almost to the end of the cave. You need to stay awake until Kin changes and has the chance to check you over. If ya don’t, he’s liable t’lose it again.”

She dropped one arm and waggled her hand at the large wolf. “I’m okay.”

Loch eyed her, his expression brooding. “No, yer not.”

Kin pushed against her and soft fur brushed against her palm. “Concussion. That’s all, love. Ice and ibuprofen and I’ll be fine in no time at all.”

She got a growl in reply. And smiled as her wolf licked her fingers.
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And there you have it. A little humor in the aftermath of a very scary situation. And really, doens’t ice and ibuprophen pretty much cure most ails? 😉 Writers, feel free to jam away with the prompt. Readers, as far as you can tell, what’s are you reading today?