Page 114 of Wolf's Endgame

“It’s her, isn’t it?”

I had no answer.

“I know it is,” Lottie continued. “Won’t eat a scrap of my cooking.”

It was the most bizarre thing to say on an already bizarre day, and it made me laugh. The old woman said nothing and just eyed me warily, but as I wiped my eyes of the tears of laughter, I edged closer to the cage the rabbit was in.

“Why the cage if it’s in here alone?”

“Slippery fish escaped twice now.” Lottie sniffed. “Comes back right enough, but still, it’s a tasty meal for any predators out there.” She gave me a pointed look. “You took your time.”

“I’m sorry.” I was speaking more to the rabbit.

“So? Is it my Zia?”

Looking at the older woman, I looked back at the cage, at the rabbit that stared at me patiently. “I have no fucking clue,” I told her honestly.

“You gonna take it?”

“Yes.”

“All right then, I’ll get some carrots.”

I blinked. “It eats them?”

“Nope. But you look freaked out, and I thought I’d give you some time to pull yourself together.”

I snorted another laugh. “I know now why she keeps coming back to you.”

“I’m her family, that’s why.” She closed the door behind her, and I turned back to the rabbit.

“Kezia?” The rabbit didn’t move. “I’ve lost my mind. I’m so desperate to believe you’ll come back to me that I think you’re a rabbit.” Opening the cage door, I hissed when the thing bit me. “Luna, if this is a joke, it isn’t funny,” I muttered as I grabbed the rabbit by the scruff of its neck and lifted it out of the cage.

I held it up to my eye level, and it squirmed and struggled, but my grip was firm. It was the same rabbit, but different. “Fuck it, you’re coming home with me.”

Walking outside, I met Lottie’s skeptical stare. “You carrying her back like that?”

I looked down at the rabbit in my hand. “Pretty much.” I handed it to Lottie. “I need to shift. When I do, keep a tight hold of it. I need to grab its scruff.”

“You’re going to eat her?”

“No!” I told her hastily. “Here.” I demonstrated the loose skin around the rabbit’s neck. “My wolf can travel quicker than me. I need to carry it, and it’ll be easier for me if you hand her to me like this.” I demonstrated. “My wolf is big. I need a little help to take hold.”

“You won’t harm it?”

“Never.”

Lottie held the rabbit protectively as it squirmed in her arms. I shifted, ignoring her protests about her ruined blanket. She took a few steps back when she saw how big I was up close. After a long pause, she took hold of the rabbit as I showed her. With great care on my part, I secured the rabbit in my teeth.

Lottie stepped back. “Well, I seen it all now,” she murmured. “Bring her back when she’s herself again.”

I couldn’t answer, so I simply turned and started the long trek home, with a white rabbit dangling terrified from my mouth.

The run was quicker given I was headed back to the pack in as straight a line as possible. I had a few encounters with some predators who thought the rabbit was an invite to fight for it, but I either ran over them or avoided them.

As my packlands came into view, I slowed to a stop as a thin, murky gray wolf stepped out of the tree line.

Druid.

---