Opal POV

My nose twitches while my stomach twists with a wrench of pain. I'm starving. The instincts running through my veins are screaming at me to stalk. To find. To kill.

I put one paw in front of another, following a scent of something with a heart and blood and meat. The snow blows this way and that way, just another distraction from my real mission. It pulls the scent all over me, washing me with its pungent, delicious odor.

There are no thoughts in my empty skull expcept for the thoughts of a wild animal. I can feel myself slipping away as someone else entirely takes control. Maybe this new me is good. Maybe this is where I'm meant to be.

I quicken my steps, panting as my body feels heavier than normal despite how thin I've become.

Food is scarce, and it's a fight to survive.

My ears perk when the sound of wood cracking reverberates through the trees. It's a new noise, something to break the silence. My limbs freeze in place as I scan the horizon, curious as to what I'm about to eat for dinner.

A yellow blurb crosses the snow with the tiniest sound of paw pads hitting the ground. A cat. A large housecat walking with no worries. It's collar jingles against its neck. Unsuspecting. Weak. Delicious. Plump.

Part of my brain reacts, this rational part of my mind knows that this is someone's pet. A member of someone's family. They're expecting this animal to come home to them. They would be devastated if it were to go missing.

But the instincts to eat and satisfy myself overrun this small desire to preserve someone's feelings. My stomach is ruling me, the inner animal controlling my body and making my decisions for me.

I haven't eaten in weeks. It's time.

So, I prepare. I crouch done low in the brush, tucking my tail and my ears as I watch every slight move from the round feline.

It stops for a moment, looking around and swishing the tip of it's tail. Before it can think to take off, I spring towards it.

The cat yowls as my jaw brushes it's leg. It hops out of my teeth before I can close them. The thing is quick as it bolts away. I give chase as soon as it makes a break for it. It's not going to get away. Not on my watch.

I need this meal, desperately. Out in the wild, it's a fight to stay alive, a fight I plan on winning.

But the cat is much faster than I anticipated. Soon, it breaks through the tree line, and I'm not paying attention when I sprint after it.

All I can focus on is the yellow, fluffy tail of the animal I want to eat. My feet scrape across something hard and scratchy. But I don't stop. I'm blindled by the hunt. Controlled by my stomach.

I hear a scream and I stumble, my weak legs giving out from underneath me. My body flips, cartwheeling across what I quickly realize is pavement as my skull smacks into the unforgiving ground.

Gasps echo around me, and I struggle to stand up. My knees pop as I shake my head and look around. I'm sure that the cat is long gone.

As I climb to my full height, I realize the size of my mistake. A sense of urgency sparks within me. I suddenly feel sick.

People. Lots of them. Staring at me.

My breath picks up as I turn my head back and forth, taking in all the eyes watching me with interest. The streets are crowded with tourist type people. They talk and whip out their phones to take a quick video or picture of me.

Confusion and fear ripple through me as I take a few steps back.

"Wolf." The word comes through the fog of conversation that I don't understand. I realize that's what I am. I am not one of these two legged creatures.

I'm not really sure I know what they are. The only thing that comes to mind is human. They're so odd. I know that I should not be here. It's dangerous. These things are dangerous.

I turn tail and run, trying to escape their poisonous eyes and deathly curious nature.

Trotting across the sidewalk, I try to retrace my steps without taking my attention off of the unpredictable humans.

I look away for a split second, spotting the forest's edge. Safety. I start sprinting towards it when a horn blares. It rings in my head like an alarm, and before I can do anything I see a silver thing rushing towards me at immeasurable speed. I howl when it strikes me in the flank. Pain explodes through my back leg.

The metal machine stops right after the impact, sending me flying across the road. I'm fully aware of the crowd of humans watching me. They saw me get hit.

The name of whatever it is won't come to my brain through the impenetrable fog. Not to mention the pain in my shattered leg. I can hardly put weight on it.

Another dreaded human appears, coming out of the machine and towards me. I let out a snarl, protecting myself and my injury. The man rears back, hands in the air, fear in his face.

I snap my jaws at him and attempt to crawl away. I can barely move, but I have to. I can't let them touch me again.

Fear trickles up my spine once I finally cross into the woods. I'm alone. I know I used to have someone, maybe multiple someones, but I can't remember them.

There's only one name I cling to.

Keifer. I don't know who they are or how I still know I love them, but it doesn't matter. I don't know how to find them, or when I'll get to see them again. And I'll be dead soon. I know that well enough. I'm too weak to even find food, and now with this injury I'm worse off than ever.

I continue to push myself until I'm far enough away from the public to feel safe. I collapse on the cold, wet snow, glancing at my leg and panting as I try to catch my breath.

I'm so weak that I just lay here. There nothing I can do. I feel as though I'm simply waiting for death to find me and collect my soul.

My brain is such a blur, thoughts are hard to form. I'm becoming more and more of an animal each day. What did I used to be? Why can't I remember?

I had a name, a family, a purpose. I just know it. I somehow got here though, and now I'm lost and don't know anything from my past. I wish I could make my mind remember, but it won't. It's impossible.

The day's events slowly catch up with me, so I curl up as best as I can. I lay my head on my tail and exhale deeply.

I don't know what I should hope for, so I simply hope for all of this to be over soon. Even if that means death.

I close my eyes, and I search for sleep.

☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂☾❂

If you're reading this, you are brave :)

I'm sorry for my long absence, I've been having a difficult time having the inspiration to write. But I've been feeling more and more anxious to finish my works and create more stories for y'all ❤️

Thank you for all of your encouraging words and messages! I love all of you