The woods creak with wind and flurries, shaking around me with ferocity. The mountains are alive with each breath in and out of my lungs. I tremble with knowledge that I will soon become a part of nature.

There's not much strength left in my steps, my bones leak energy into the ground. My stomach is long past growling, demanding food, it's become used to being completely empty.

I lay under a circle of trees, the branches bare and scratching together in the wind. Heaven is calling me, death pulling at me.

My eyes roll around in my head, restless like my body but at least my vision is still mobile. I can count my few blessings while my flesh rots.

I can only wish that my mind is still intact. I wish I could remember those I miss. My old life is gone, and now my body will decompose and feed the Earth. At least something good will come from my death. Nature will run it's course, the forest will benefit from my death.

The pain eases as the hours go by, and I know that my passing will be soon. My suffering will finally come to a close.

A disruption of the forest rumbles through my spine. Someone is here. Something that's not supposed to be here. My lips twitch, revealing my teeth as I try to snarl at the intrusion of my peaceful death. My attempt to be menacing fails miserably. I can hardly move anymore.

"There it is!"

"We found it."

"Quiet down, you'll scare it off."

A small pack of humans emerges from the trees, stalking towards me with equipment and careful, hushed movements.

I want to struggle when they kneel around me, mewling in pity at my still form.

"Poor girl, she's gotta have broken bones."

"She's so thin."

Another shakes their head, watching me in wonder.

"She may be thin, but she's the biggest wolf I've ever seen." They all nod in agreement, and then they start looking me over.

I whine low in my throat as they touch me. I want their hands off of me, I want to bite and scratch them until they're running in fear. I'm the scared one here. I thought this was the end. I was so near to oblivion. I just want my peace at last. Why won't they let me die?

"Don't worry, sweetie. We're here to help."

Before I know it, a needle is shoved into my leg. A small pinch, and then numbness. They pick up my body, maneuvering me onto a sling and lifting me into the air. I watch the trees go by, the snowflakes fall, and the shoulders of the humans carrying me away to an unknown place.

The last thing I see is the leafless branches high above me, and then I slip into darkness.

Cold surrounds me, and instead of it being a natural, wet cold from the snow, it's unmoving and heartless. I gather what little power I have left in me to raise my neck and glance around. I'm laying on a shiny platform, a small piece of cloth barely covering the metallic ground.

A groan leaves my throat, worry erupting in my gut like a volcano of raging hot anxiety.

Confusion bubbles up when I realize that tubes and wires are connected to me. I panic, my body seizing with energy out of nowhere. I quickly figure out that I'm strapped down. Tight, restrictive restraints have me pinned down.

I'm used to being confined to zero movement, but that's only because of my weak body, this is different.

I try to howl, only to realize that my snout is also tied shut. I freeze, listening as someone enters the room. A light flickers on, causing my eyes to burn. I frantically look around the white room and the human walking towards me.

"Oh, poor girl. We'll have you fixed up in no time." She remarks in a soothing voice. Soon, her hand is on my side, brushing her fingers along my ribcage.

"Absolutely emaciated. Poor thing." I can't concentrate on her words, too focused on the feeling of contact of our skin.

I can remember the last time I had the feeling of a gentle touch. I don't know if I love it or hate it. Whatever the feeling is, it's intense, so intense I try to squirm away from the contact.

She stops touching me, going to fiddle with the tubes that are hooked up to me. She inserts a needle into the tube, slowly and deliberately pressing down until the liquid seeps out, drawing to my veins like a river.

Already weak as it is, I whine as I become even more lethargic. Whatever the liquid was, it's draining the strength from my bones completely.

I whimper, she touches my neck, stroking my fur.

"Shhhh, its going to be alright. We will take good care of you. You'll see."

☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂ ☾❂☾❂

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