When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a tree, not just any tree, but a very close tree. My face was pressed closely against it.
"Ow."
My entire body hurt like I had been used as a football in a championship match. Painfully, I pushed myself up from the ground, leaves sticking to my hair.
"Great," I survive being hunted by psycho wolves just to lose a fight with a tree."
I spat out a twig. My question is just simple: Why was there a twig in my mouth? Why was I even asking questions at this point?
I staggered to my feet, wobbling like a newborn deer that forgot how legs work. My head spun. I could hear birds arguing.
"Move!" one chirped.
"You move!" another replied.
"Did I just understand birds?"
I stared at the nearest branch. The birds stared back.
"Okay, nope," I don't need this level of connection with nature."
"Fantastic. Truly. I'm the future ruler of wolves, and I can't even walk without attacking the ground." I looked in a direction and saw,
A black wolf, he shifted into a man's form, tall, annoyingly calm, and looking like he hadn't just been in a life-or-death battle five minutes ago. Meanwhile, I looked like I had been dragged through the forest by my own bad decisions.
"You're awake," he said.
"No," I replied. "I'm actually still unconscious. This is a dream. Any second now, I'll wake up in my bed, and none of this will be real." He raised an eyebrow.
"This is real."
"Wow."
He walked closer to me, eyes scanning me like I was some kind of statue of beautification.
"You shifted twice in one night," he said. "That's unusual."
"Unusual?" I just fought evil wolves that turned into a furry nightmare and woke up eating wood. And your concern is unusual?" He laughed at me.
"Did you just almost smile?" "Don't do that. You don't get to be mysterious and funny at the same time."
"Oh, my God. The wolf forest man laughed. Should I clap?"
He nodded once. "Fair enough."
"Okay." "Let's review. I'm apparently some kind of special wolf. People want to kill me. You showed up, saved me, disappeared, reappeared, and now you're just standing there like you didn't just ruin my entire life."
"I didn't ruin your life."
"You lost control back there," he said.
"You think?"
"It means your Blood Moon abilities are awakening more than I expected."
"Great," I muttered. Nothing says 'stable life' like uncontrollable ancient power."
"Do you remember what happened when you blacked out?"
"Yeah. I turned into a wolf. I fought."
"After that."
I opened my mouth. Then I stopped and I fainted. This is me just waking up and talking to you like a piece of plywood.
"No."
"Well, that's comforting. Love a good memory gap after almost dying."
"Come," he said, turning away.
"Come where?" I asked.
"My pack needs to see you."
"Oh, fantastic. Yes. Let's go meet a group of strangers who can turn into wolves. That sounds like a safe and emotionally stable decision."
"Seriously?. "Do you have something against me?!"
"Careful," you might get attacked again, Aria.
"Oh, so now you're making jokes."
"You started it."
Then he said, "Damien."
"Okay. Damien the Mysterious wolf. Damien's eyes caught onto something in the distance.
"Stay behind me."
"Try not to trip, you're always so scared, how do I guide you to be a leader?"
"If I die, it's because of you."
"It'll be the ground."
After everything that had happened today, seriously, I need a deep rest. I knew one thing for sure: if I was going to survive this world, I needed more than just bad jokes and terrible balance. I needed to cling more to Damien to stay alive.
Though, honestly?
The jokes were helping.