The Wolf Charm

Johan shows his moves as the first two Characters show there personality! Tao needs some help with girls...

The North Paw ::: Chapter 2

The Wolf Charm

Paw over paw Tao walked with caution, the log that spanned the north river was long, but not wide. It was a task to get across without falling into the icy cold depths below. Tao lifted his snout to the clouds avoiding the urge to look at the roaring abyss.

'Paw over paw, don't look down, don't look...' was all that ran through his head to keep calm and steady. The noise of the world around him caused every other thought to vanish. 

The log shook and a grungy voice called from behind.

"Make it snappy Tao! We don't have all day!" 

He stumbled and lost his balance, but regained it again before he fell. His head was now pointed directly at the icy doom below the slim piece of wood.

Rocks jetted out of the swift river, some looked like spikes, others resembled boulders but non looked safe to land on. With shaking legs, Tao took a full breath in filling his lungs with the smell of clean water, fish, and damp wood. Letting it all go, he slowly lifted himself up and resumed the walk of what he knew to be his demise.

 

Focusing on the end of the log he advanced. In what seemed like five hours took six minutes, and by the time he had reached the end two of the other wolves ran across. Johan walked with ease, jumping and landing on all fours once or twice to show off his skill. 

"T-That w-was so" Tao stumbled for words as he caught his breath and began to slow his racing heart that was just about to burst from his chest.

"Hard? Hardly Tao, your just new to the hunting thing that's all" Johan while winking at two females who had just reached the end of the log. They both giggled and started to swing their tails back and forth as Johan started to stretch and pose for the two.

"How?" Tao said after the pain began to subside from his beating heart.

"How what?" Johan said, still posing for the two.

"How do you do that!"

"This?" Johan slapped his back end down on the ground and growled a deep and proud sound. The two girls practically fell over with awe, and began to pant heavily.

"Yes that!"

"It's easy, just show them what they like."

"Wow, sounds so easy..." Tao said in a sarcastic tone.

"For some it's natural" Johan winked at Tao "Tell you what, I'll help you out a bit!" the tone of his voice caused Tao to take a step back.

"Wait, how are you going to help me? I'm just a normal wolf, I don't even look good."

"That's what a bath is for!"

"What!" Johan threw his paws into the middle of Tao's chest pushing him a good three feet back and landed on his back, the water was cold for a second as he landed with a dull thud and splash. Tao scrambled out as fast as his paws could take him.

"A little cold I take it?" Johan said laughing the whole time.

"C-Cold?" he shook himself and let the water fly off his brown fur and into Johan's face.

"Not at all!" Tao laughed back.

  They nudged each other with brotherly love, Johan and Tao where the best of friends. Johan being the older brother always looked out for Tao, even when food was scarce, Johan would give his portion to Tao who in turn would not take the offer unless Johan shoved it down his throat. This made for a strong brotherly bond, they both trusted their lives to one another, but one thing was for sure, Johan always got the girls.

  "Tao, it's truly easy, just think, what do the females love the most about us males?" 

I-I don't know! That's why I'm asking you!"

With a hardy laugh Johan said "The goods my brother, the goods." 

"What! No!"

"Yes! That's what the girls want, they want us to show off. Posing is good for that" They had started to walk with the group again after the last of their hunting party had crossed. They had been tracking some game that would help the pack in the coming winter months. Tao was not a hunter but he volunteered to go because of his brother. They were in the back now, trailing the two wolves Johan had previously dazzled.

"Give it a try"

"Give what a try?" 

"This! Try doing this" Johan stopped and stretched his front legs far forward and raised his tail high in the air.

Taking a deep yawn he fell to the floor and started to roll.

"I can't do that!" 

"yes you can! and you better!" Johan said standing on all fours again shaking off the dirt from the ground. Looking at Tao he winked and gave a slight bark toward the two girls, catching their attention. They turned and looked back in their direction questioningly.

"Go!" Johan said in a slight whisper nudging Tao's side with his muzzle.

"I...But..."

"GO!"

Tao started to stretch his front legs out like Johan, but stretched a little too far. Losing his balance he fell on his side with a "Thud" Tao gave up and just laid there pulling his paws over his face.

"Smooth, very smooth.." Johan said mockingly.

"It's just not my thing Johan, I'm not good with girls"

"One day Tao... one day"

The two wolves Tao had tried to make his move on where laughing and turned away following the group again.

"See"

"Well... I thought it was cute."

"Shutup!" Tao yelled beating his paw into Johan's face. Jumping on all fours Tao walked behind Johan to avoid the girls.

 

Tao was laughing at Johan who was making silly faces at one of the back ends of the leaders, who in turn would look back and only see Johan walking and Tao laughing. Then, Tao saw her. She was beautiful, her fur was as white as freshly fallen snow with a slight patch of black that was the size of a coal chunk. Her paws and tip of her tail where splashed with black like she had been running through black ink. She stood in a ray of sun that had penetrated the forest they were in. She was talking to some of the other wolves, Tao could not here her but he knew she had the voice of an angel. For a moment all he saw was her, everything else dimmed out of existence. She made his heart leap out of his chest, his eyes drooped and his jaw dropped in awe.

"Tao? What are you..." Johan followed his dazzled stare.

"Now that one is to die for. Look at her, strong, fast, a perfect wolf by my standards" Tao's eyes were still glued to her, his tong was now hanging out of his gaping jaw.

"Awww wittle Tao has a wolfy cwush!" Johan was mocking him. He started to laugh so hard his tail fell between his legs. After some good time Johan started to calm down before he started rolling on the floor. Johan looked at Tao still giggling, his expression changed slowly to a more serious look as he saw the way Tao looked at the female wolf.

"You really like her, don't you?"

Tao gave a deep sigh as she walked out of his view.

"Who would have thought, you, young Tao would fall in love with the pack leaders daughter"

Tao's heart fell to the floor, somewhere he heard it hit the ground with a loud "fwump"

"She is?" he said with a slightly depressed tone.

"Yup, she is way out of our league, well... Yours that is"

"What do you mean... My league?"

"Well, she is the pack leaders daughter... So only the strong and brave can even hope to ask her father to even take her out to see the moon let alone talk to her. You have no chance at all... Even if it were by luck"

Johan Sighed as Tao's hopes fell.

"My brothers first crushed crush... How cute."

  Tao snapped back "And you! You think you have a chance!"

"Wow buddy calm down, no need to get mad over it. I don't even thing I can get that far..."

"Tao sighed deeply letting go of his anger "sure" He sounded depressed now.

"Don't be like that... Maybe there is a chance, a SLIGHT chance. It's a small one but, maybe."

"You think?"

"Tao, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything."

 

Tao, Johan, and the hunting party walked for hours tracking the game they where meant to catch. By the time the sun had fallen they had only caught two rabbits. "Not much, but... it will have to do, we are too far in the forest to continue, we will try again next time." The party leader had said eyeing Johan and the rest of the normal hunting group. They nodded back in approval of something Tao had not pieced together. Everything on the way back go darker and darker, even the water at the log looked deeper because of it. Tao took a running start on the way back. He got to the end with ease.

"Told ya, you just have to get used to it!" Johan had said after the rather fast sprint across the log. Tao tried many times to get a second look at the girl he had seen, but she was far in the front and he was far in the back. Every time he tried to make a move forward Johan would ask "Where are you going?" Tao did not want Johan to see his attempt at talking to the she wolf so he would reply with "Just, excited to get home... That's all" it was half true, he was excited, but at the same time as he walked he would  dreamed about what would happen if he got to talk to her. His thoughts where all centered on her until they reached their home below the Oak tree that had roots they used as shelter. The other wolfs passed on to their homes, both Tao and Johan fell asleep in a matter of minutes.

 

That night, his dreams where full of horror and fright, he was kicking and thrashing wildly.

  'The room was dark like a never ending void of darkness, Tao tried to find light but no matter how far walked or how well he looked there was nothing. The sound of water making the constant sound of 'drip, drip' made it all the more annoying. Deep within the darkness came a voice. It was faint but noticeable. Tao could hardly make the words out. He perked his ears forward and listened harder, still the voice was too far away to hear. In defeat he started to jog toward the voice,  as he jogged  the voice stopped. He slowed and perked his ears forward to listen again. This time he heard a scream, Tao started to run to the voice, deep within him he thought he could somehow help. He stopped, the scream had ended and it was dead quiet. Perking his ears forward he said "Hello?" Tao's Hackles flew up as a defining high pitched scream filled his ears, he swung his head right and left to see the source but all that he saw was darkness. He started to run again, this time away from the source, his ears pealed back as the scream became louder and louder following him. Tao fell to the floor, fright engulfed him and the fear would not let him move. He franticly pawed at his ears clawing and whipping his head around. Tao started to scream back in pain but the scream became so loud he could not hear his own voice, he felt blood on his paws which he assumed was from his ears. A smooth female voice broke the panic. It rushed through him causing his thoughts to calm and his heart to slow, the screaming started to die down and the pain subsided as he began to feel peace. "Shhh, it's ok, just sleep, you're ok now, just sleep." Tao tried to open his eyes but all he could see was blinding white. With defeat he fell back to the world of dreams, this time, he dreamed about the she wolf he saw, peace filled Tao's whole body as the sweet sense of release rushed through him. Everything was calm, everything was right.

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Author's Note

Thanks for reading the second chapter in North Paw! I know there is not much detail currently but don't worry! everything will smooth out in the next chapters to come!

Want something to think about? Try to answer these few questions!

1) Who do you think the Female voice was that calmed Tao during his Horrible Dream?
2)Do you think you will keep on reading?
3) Do you like Johan or Tao the most?

Just so you know the name Tao Howling was taken from this story, so.. well.. lets just put it this way.. It's my story! The story about me! Yes I am a wolf xD

Please comment below! Here are a few topics you can use to comment!

1) Grammer
2) Structure
3) Detail
4) The way the characters talk to each other!
5) Do you like it or no?


Thanks a ton everyone and I look forward to seeing your comments!

Your Writer and Wolf
Tao Howling