Werewolf!GermaniaXForestRanger!Reader Chapter 4

Werewolf!GermaniaXForestRanger!Reader
Chapter 4



Previously~

“We shall meet again, wolf-beast of gold.  Sometime in the future we shall meet again.  Forces shall clash and answers revealed, we shall meet again.”

This was the last thing to be heard before all became silent in the forest once again as I too disappeared into the darkness, following a path I may never be able to return from.

Presently~

The dead, grey grass crunched noisily beneath my bare feet, the blades rough like sandpaper and soft like ash against the soles of my feet.  The sky was a swirling black and grey mass that looked like a mix between a gas and a thick gelatinous substance, no stars nor moon or sun hung amongst the grey and black “sky”.  Despite the lack of source, a soft magenta light illuminated the grey and black landscape.  Actually, if I turned and looked behind me, or down at my feet, I would probably notice that the light seemed to be coming from the grass itself.  Wherever I stepped I left a glowing florescent trail that was neither bright nor faint.  It was actually rather pretty.

Other than the sea of glowing grass there was nothing to be seen in any direction.  Pausing in my aimless wander I looked around the empty land.  There was, of course, nothing to see.  The same patch of glowing grey grass stretched for as far as the eye could see.  With nothing else better to do I continued forward.  I had no idea where I was going, nor did I know where I was to begin with.  Everything was the same in every direction.  Looking down I watched as my bare feet stepped on the strange grass, watching as it glowed upon contact.  

Suddenly the grass changed from something rough yet soft to cold, hard, and smooth.  I paused and stared at the ground beneath my feet.  The ground had changed from grass to stone; the smooth rock was soft grey, just like everything else.  Looking around I found myself standing on a carefully lain stone path with rounded, slightly raised stone edging the sides.  The florescent trail I had left behind was replaced with stone that stretched far beyond my sight in a straight line.  Turning back around I found the empty landscape being dominated by a large stone castle surrounded by a large wall stretching around the outer perimeter.  

Deciding that there was nowhere else to go, I followed the path leading up to the castle.  Upon reaching the end of the path (even though it was more like a road then a path) I looked up at the large gate.  Both the gate and the wall towered high above me, the grey stone was bathed in the soft light emitting from the surrounding grass.

I wonder who lives here…I hope someone here can tell me where I am

Of course I had to get into the castle first.  I looked around to see if there was any kind of lever to raise the heavy wrought iron gate blocking my entry into the castle.  There appeared to be nothing on this side of the gate that would be of any use, in fact there was nothing on this side at all.

“How am I supposed to get in…” I asked softly to no one in particular.  There was suddenly the sound of a heavy clank and the sound of something moving.  The gate, seemingly on its own, began to rise and the heavy wooden door behind it also began to open once the outer gate had fully risen.  The door was slowly opening, but it had at last opened enough that I could see -----

~~~

Looking around all I could make out were blobs and cloudy shapes.  I blinked several times to clear my eyes and I began to make out trees and the sunlight filtering down through the tree tops.  Listening I could hear the sound of birds chirping and the wind rustling through the branches.  I was completely disoriented on where I was.  I couldn’t remember anything that happened the night before or how I came to be laying in the middle of the forest, alone.  Everything was just……blank.  

When I went to sit up I was suddenly struck as if by a semi-truck and I gasped in both pain and shock, instantly falling back down.  My entire body hurt, some places more than others, and there was a fatigue that was bone deep.  My head was throbbing and I became light headed as the world began to spin and wobble.  My stomach, though empty, was tying itself into numerable knots and threatened to empty itself.  I was breathing like a fish out of water and my body trembled and shook violently.  Fear had seated itself within me as I was thrown from one wave of disorientation and pain to another.  

I had no idea of how long I had been lying there suffering before a warmth settled on both of my shoulders before slowly spreading throughout the rest of my body.  Slowly the tremors began to ease and the pain went with it.  My head stopped throbbing and my stomach loosened so that it was no longer clenched in a vice of knots.  As my breathing began to return to normal I began to register a gentle but firm pressure on my shoulders where the warmth had originated from.  I slowly opened my eyes, which I hadn’t realized I had closed, pleased to see that the world had stopped spinning, and looked up to see a cloudy shape leaning over me.  It was really big too.  

As my vision cleared I was able to make out more details of the shape hovering over me.  Gold, everywhere, blue orbs, two of them, two triangles that twitched occasionally, a black spot below the two orbs.  I blinked as my breathing returned to normal and my vision finally cleared.  And I wish it hadn’t.  Before I couldn’t control the rapid beating of my heart nor my gasping breaths, but as I stared face-to-face with the werewolf only mere inches above me my heart had frozen and my breathing had stopped in its tracks.  I continued to stare wide eyed up into the blue orbs that gazed back down at me.  I was panicking but I was frozen in place.  

What was going to happen?  Was it going to attack me?  Was it going to kill me?  Why was it standing there?  Why was it so close to me?  Why hadn’t it attacked me yet?  These questions flew through my mind at rapid speed and it took me some time before I also made the realization that the warmth and pressure on my shoulders was actually its fur clad…..hands?  It was holding me down by the shoulders, granted it was gentle, but it was firm and keeping me in place.  

“…Hallo?”

Someone was talking but the only thing I could focus on was the opening and closing jaws and the flash of white teeth.  

“…Hey, are you…alright?”

Who was talking and why were they asking me if I was alright?  Can they not see that I have a werewolf looming over me at the moment?!

“Hey, say something.  Are you alright?”  At this the werewolf shook me slightly.  Wait, was the werewolf responding to the voice?  And why was its jaw moving the same time that the voice spoke?  Wait….

A small, strained whimper escaped from between my pressed lips and I could feel what little color I had drain from my face.

The werewolf huffed, sending warm air to blow across my face, “Good, at least you’re conscious.”

I stared for a few more moments before I felt my eyes role back up into my skull before I fainted back into darkness.

Yeah….That was smart.


~time skip~


Smoke.  Wood burning.  Something being cooked.  These were the first things that I noticed as I slowly began to wake up from sleeping.  I fuzzily remembered the dream I had had last night and I let out a small inaudible sigh.  

Another werewolf dream.  At least it didn’t end with another nightmare.

Something soft tickled my nose and I shifted away from it.  I groaned when the small movement pulled on a stiff muscle.  A small breeze of cold air flowed down my spine and I shivered, pulling the blankets up further to block out the cold air of the room.  I shifted my weight again and burrowed further into my pillow, taking in a deep breath and letting it out lazily.  It took me a moment but I realized that my pillow was unusually fluffy, and it had a deep, earthy-like smell.  My brows furrowed as I pushed my nose further into the fabric and sniffed it again.  The same earthy smell and I had to fight back a sneeze as the fabric tickled my nose.  I heard something crack and stopped moving, listening intently to the continues cracking noises.  Popping, hissing, and crackling all accompanied with flickering lights that danced against the lids of my eyes.  


That’s not sunlight…  I thought.

Slowly I opened my eyes.  I had to blink a few times to rid myself of the sleepiness that clung to my eyes, blurring my vision.  Once cleared I took in my surroundings.  I was not in my room back at the cabin.  Light from the open fire in the center of the irregularly shaped room danced off the grey stone walls, throwing shadows left and right.  Random objects were placed about here and there, no furniture however.  In one corner I saw a sword and a bow and arrows, along with other weapons leaning against the wall.  In another there was an assortment of what looked like handmade cooking utensils and a copper pot.  An assortment of furs and animal pelts were piled almost everywhere and a few hung from the walls.  Off to one side of the room there was a small pool of water.

Slowly I sat up and allowed the furs that I thought were blankets to fall from my shoulders and pool around my waist.  The air was surprisingly warm for being what I assumed was a cave with only one fire to warm it.  I couldn’t tell how high the ceiling was but the cave was rather large.  And I was alone.  

“Hello?” I called hoarsely.  My voice echoed off the cave walls back to me.  “Is anyone there?  Hello?” There was no reply.  After waiting a few minutes in silence, save for the crackling fire, I laid back down on the bed of fur that I had woken up on.  I was so confused; where am I, why am I here, what’s going on, what happened?  Nothing was making sense as I tried to piece together the little information I had, which was practically nothing at all.  I remember dreaming about something.  Something about a castle and glowing grass.  And then I remember waking up and being struck with terrible pain and then the werewolf showed up and I passed out.  And then I woke up here.  Nothing seemed connected with another and nothing made sense.  I couldn’t even remember what happened before I woke up in the forest, if that wasn’t a dream as well.  All that I could remember was everyone being extremely agitated and we were fighting, a lot.

How long ago was that?  It feels like something happened since then, but I just can’t remember what….

I kept trying to make sense out of nothing as I lay there.  Finally the dryness of my throat was too much to bear.  Rising to my feet I swayed a little.  Once I decided I was stable enough I made my way to the pool of water at the other end of the room.  Kneeling in front of the pool, I dipped my hands into the cool water and, cupping my hands, brought the refreshing liquid to my lips and let it run down my throat, quenching my thirst and easing the dryness in my throat.

Still feeling the effects of sleep pulling at me I splashed my face, hoping to chase away the remaining fatigue and hopefully clear my head.  As the water dripped down my face and hair, I watched the droplets create rings on the otherwise calm surface.  I sighed as I continued to watch my reflection in the water fragment and scatter with each droplet.  

The growling of my stomach at last drew my attention away from my staring and reminded me that having something to eat would be nice.  Remembering the pot hanging over the fire I went back to the source of the smell of cooking food.  Reaching over the fire I removed the pots lid and leaned away from the steam that came billowing out of the pot.  I immediately drooled at the smell of stew wafting from the open pot.  Looking around, I spied a bowl and spoon lying amongst the other cooking utensils pilled together.  Grabbing them quickly I began to spoon some of the delicious smelling stew into the bowl when I stopped, the spoon hovering over the open pot.

This wasn’t my food.  These weren’t even my belongings.  In fact, I had no idea to whom they belong to nor did I know where I was!  My mood fell as I replaced the pots lid and set the spoon and bowl back where I had found them.  My stomach was upset with my conscious at having been denied food; food that was literally right there in front of me, and good food by the smell of it!  Even though no one was around it was still wrong to take someone else’s food (though my stomach still wanted to argue the fact as it was doing at the moment).  

Trying to distract myself from my hunger (and the pot) I decided to look around a little more.  Like I had noticed earlier, there was a variety of objects lying around the place; some were in neat piles, others were just leaning against the wall.  I noticed several wooden trunks that I hadn’t noticed before.  Curiosity wanted me to open them but my conscious once again prevented me from doing so.  During my walk around I came across some familiar objects lying propped up against the wall.  It was my backpack and other bags along with my rifle.

Hurrying over to the wall, I inspected the items for any signs of damage.  Other than being covered with a fine layer of dirt they all appeared to be in perfect shape.  I also noticed how heavy the bags were too.  I couldn’t remember packing them, heck! I couldn’t even remember how I had gotten here!  Opening the bags I soon found out why they were so heavy.  Each bag was packed to the brim with my belongings.  In fact, everything I owned and had brought with me to the cabin was here!  The only thing missing was my green ranger jacket.  And my hoodie.

Frowning I closed the bags and stood, staring at the bags.  Why were they here?  Why are all of my things packed when they should be back at the cabin?  Why am I here when I should be back at the cabin with the others?  More questions continued to flood my mind as I continued to stare at my things as if they held the answer in them.

Sighing I decided that I wasn’t going to accomplish anything by just standing there and so decided to take a better look around at the cave itself.  With only the light from the fire I inspected the walls.  I couldn’t see any tool marks, or any signs of any animal having made the cave so I assumed it was naturally made.

As I inspected one wall I discovered a rather large opening.  I hadn’t noticed it before because of its strange positioning in the wall.  The opening, though large, was narrow and opened at an angle, so half of the wall hid it from view.  The entire opening created the optical illusion that there was no opening there at all.  

Taking a few steps through the opening I discovered that it lead to a tunnel, leading away from the cave I was currently in.  There was no light in the tunnel so I couldn’t see where it lead to or where the tunnel ended.  Going back into the cave I had woken up in I looked around again.  There didn’t appear to be any other openings, and there wasn’t really anything for me to do anyways.  Going to my backpack I pulled out a flashlight and a few spare batteries along, just in case.  You never know, right?

Heading through the opening I turned on the flashlight.  Its bright beam shot down the passage, illuminating the side walls for at least thirty feet.  Taking a deep breath I followed the beam of light down the tunnel.  As I walked I listened to the sounds of my footsteps echo off the grey and black walls.  I was surprised at how wide the tunnel was and how tall it was.  Two if not three people standing shoulder to shoulder could walk comfortably down through here, and it had to have been at least nine feet tall.

The tunnel continued on and I was surprised at how straight it was.  It took a while before there was a bend in the path, and after that it was still pretty straight.  I continued to search the ground and walls for any signs of the inhabitance of the cave, but so far I hadn’t come across anything.  At least nothing that stood out.  After a while I began to notice a freshness in the air and a cooling in the surrounding temperature and the slight incline in the ground.  

Fresh air.  I must be nearing the entrance!  My pace quickened as the incline grew steeper and the air became fresher and cooler.  I noticed the light in the light in the tunnel growing brighter aside from my flashlight.  Deciding to follow my senses I turned off my flashlight, pausing a moment to let my eyes adjust to the sudden change before continuing.  At last, as the light had grown brighter and brighter, I could finally see the entrance leading back outside.  Running the rest of the way, I burst from the tunnel and out into the forest.  

Slowing to a stop I looked around.  The first thing I saw was the few trees surrounding me. Then I noticed the cliff.  About fifty feet away the ground fell away into the valley below.  Turning to look behind me I recognized the side of Craggy Peak looming over me.  Looking back out over the valley I stared at the side of Blackened Peak.  Most of the trees had lost their foliage, all except the pines and cypresses.  The river below sparkled faintly as it reflected the sun’s rays, and a chilled breeze blew around me, sending a shiver down my body and raising goose bumps on my arms.  The view from this vantage point was beautiful.  The light from the setting sun set everything against a canvas of reds and yellows.  

Wait.  Cold wind.  Cold temperature.  Bare trees.  How long was I out?!  I distinctly remember there being green leaves on the trees when I fell asleep.  What was going on? Before I could begin to question everything, a deep voice spoke up from behind me.

“So, you’re finally avake.  Gut.  I vas beginning to vorry.”  The voice was deep and spoke with a German accent.  At first it sounded like Ludwig, and I was about to ask him what was going on.  But when I turned around all of my previous worries vanished and I felt the blood drain from my face.  Those blue eyes may look like Ludwig’s, and that voice may sound like Ludwig’s, but this was definitely not Ludwig, unless he had started walking on all fours, grew a long snout with sharp teeth, two wolf ears, a tail, and sprouted gold fur all along his body.  Then yes, that may be Ludwig.  Otherwise, the answer was a hell no, this was not Ludwig!

“AHHHHHHHH!!!!” yes, the first thing to come out of my mouth was a terrified scream.  Hey, anyone would have screamed if they suddenly found themselves staring almost face-to-face with a werewolf that was more than twice their size!  I quickly began backtracking away from the werewolf, who looked like they were taken aback by my sudden outburst and stared at me with a raised eyebrow.  Was that possible for werewolves?  Guess so.  But in my haste to get away I stumbled on a twig or something and soon found myself lying on my back with the wind knocked right out of me.

“Hey, calm down,” the werewolf was looming over me, “Are you alright?”  Again I screamed and backed as far away from the best as I could.  I soon found myself pressed up against the side of the mountain with nowhere to go.  Nowhere except…

Without thinking I got to my feet as fast as I could and ran right back into the tunnel I had moments before emerged from.  I was too far in a state of panic to think of anything else, let alone remember to turn on the flashlight still clutched in my hands.  I ran down the tunnel blindly, like, literally blindly.  I couldn’t see anything and I kept running into the walls.  I began running into the walls especially when the turns came up, and it hurt, but my fear of the werewolf that was more than likely chasing me down the tunnel at the moment spurred me to keep going and not stop.  

After what felt like an eternity of running I finally saw a faint glow of light coming from the cave I had woken up in.  With gasping breath I flung myself within the warm room.  Bending over, my hands on my knees, I coughed and wheezed as I tried to regain my breath as my heart pounded in my ears.  Over the hammering of blood in my ears I could barely pick up the sound of something moving in the tunnel, coming closer and closer to the room I was currently in.

Standing back up I franticly looked around the room for something to defend myself with.  My eyes landed on the sword and bow leaning up against the wall.  I had no idea how to use a sword, but a bow and arrow I was very familiar with.  Running up to them I went to grab my weapon of choice when I was suddenly struck with something.  I couldn’t use these, they belonged to someone!  I couldn’t use something that didn’t belong to me!

A high pitched whine escaped my throat as I turned back around to look for something that I could use.  Wait a second, why did I care if the weapons belonged to someone?  They were weapons that I could use to defend myself with!  It didn’t matter that they didn’t belong to me!  Did it?  No, it didn’t!  Spinning back around I reached for the bow and quiver full of arrows, but I just couldn’t bring myself to take them!

Good God!  What is wrong with me!?

Turning away again I gave up on the idea of using the bow and arrows.  The sounds from the tunnel were getting louder as they moved closer.

Come on, think!  What can I use to defend myself with!...That’s it!  Running over to my bags I snatched up my rifle and aimed it at the entrance to the tunnel only to realize one thing.  The gun had no ammo in it!

Shugar Honey Ice Tea!  Someone had emptied the gun of all bullets, and I only now registered the piece of leather wrapped around the trigger in such a way that rendered the gun inoperable.

Doggoneit, shoot, fiddlesticks, dangnabit, shiitake mushrooms!  I shouted over and over in my head as I wrestled with the strap of leather before finally managing to get it off, only vaguely aware of what I was shouting in my head.  I gasped and looked at the entrance of the tunnel at the sound of a grunt and something being dragged down the tunnel.  I tear through the bags, desperately looking for spare rounds.  Finally I come across a box laying at the bottom of the bag (what a great place to put them, at the bottom where I can oh so easily get to them!).  Wrenching them out I pull a hand full out.  I look up to the entrance just in time to see the werewolf step around the corner before entering the cave.  

I franticly clawed at the gun, trying to get it to open so I could load the bullets, as I kept looking up to watch the werewolf’s progress.  I hardly noticed the deer in its mouth as it continued into the cave, all of my attention was getting the darn gun loaded!

At last with a click I got the rifle loaded with bullets.  As I raised the gun to aim I found myself staring face-to-face, yet again, with the werewolf only a few feet away from me.  I gasped at its proximity.  I hadn’t noticed its approach I was paying so much attention to loading the gun.  The gun was only raised half way and as I went to raise it the rest of the way, the werewolf reached out with a fur covered hand and grabbed the gun.  I gasped again and tried to pull the gun away from it, but the werewolf held firm before pulling on the barrel and removing it from my grasp.

I quickly moved back, pressing myself back against the wall as I watched in horror as the werewolf placed the rifle to the side and turned its attention back on me.  My breathing was rapid and shallow, almost hyperventilating, and sweat was running down my face and drenching my shirt.  My heart was beating so hard and fast that I thought it was going to break my ribs.  For what seemed like ages but was only mere seconds I stared at the werewolf in its ice blue eyes, as it stared back at me in the same manner, only it lacked the fear that I felt.

Dread filled me and I struggled to move back even further into the wall as the werewolf moved closer.  Its size was already large, almost as tall as I was when I was standing, but it was enormous when looking up at it from the ground.  I screw my eyes shut and cried silently as I shook, the werewolf leaning down so that its large jaw was right in my face.  I shook uncontrollably, jumping in fear when I felt the soft fur of its muzzle brush up against my cheek.

“Relaxe,” it whispered, “I’m not going to hurt you.  If I vanted you dead, I vould have killed you by now.”  I continued to shake as I felt its hot breath on my neck, jaw, and ear, the soft fur brushing against my cheek.  I cried softly despite its words and waited for the inevitable, for its jaws to close around my neck and kill me.  But as I waited, it appeared to make no move to kill me.  In fact, it made no move at all.  It remained where it was and I could still feel its fur tickle my cheek as its hot breath blew gently against the side of my face and ear.

At last, after another seemingly long eternity, I gathered the courage to open my eyes and look at it.  I could only see half of it and one blue eye as it remained in the same position.  But when it, or he, noticed me looking at him he slowly moved his snout away from my face.  I went to close my eyes again but stopped and watched as the werewolf moved away from me, taking several steps back before staring back down at me.

Once again we were staring at each, but this time it didn’t last as long as the werewolf turned away from me, heading to the fire where the pot of stew still sat cooking when he said, “Come, you must be hungry.”