“Where are they?” I whispered.
“They’re circling us,” Jonah answered.
“Quiet,” Ethan said, scanning the woods around us.
Cricket’s grip on Eugie’s collar tightened and we moved in around her, sheltering her. Eugie growled even louder then started barking. Ethan and Jonah tensed.
“Shh, Eugie,” Cricket ordered.
“Oh my God, there’s five of them,” Ethan said looking around.
I had no idea how he saw, but I knew how dangerous things had become.
“Each of us only has one shot,” Jonah quieted. “Keep them in your sights. I’ve got this one here, Ethan far left. Do you think you could get the alpha, Spencer?”
“Yes,” I said confidently, aiming at the glowing eyes a head above the rest of the wolves.
“Why can’t we try to scare them off?” Cricket said, worrying her lip.
“They’re ready to attack,” Ethan said.
The alpha started stealthily made his way toward me. Eugie began to growl again and the wolf bared its teeth, his snarl grumbling menacingly. Eugie barked and the wolf leaped toward us.
My breath held as I aimed my rifle. I fired, hitting him in the chest and falling him midair. Two more shots rang out succinctly. I went to load the rifle quickly to get the other two but they leaped toward us before I could so I swung the butt of my rifle and pegged one in the head, but it did nothing but slow him down and he set his sight on Cricket with renewed fury.
“No,” I breathed and threw myself on top of her.
Eugie ripped himself from her grasp and attacked the wolf.
“Eugie!” Cricket cried.
Jonah batted the fifth wolf with the butt of his rifle as well and we watched as Eugie chased both of them off into the woods, his belled collar ringing as he ran.
“Eugie!” Cricket yelled after him.
“We’ll get him,” Ethan promised. “Come with me,” he said.
Cricket and Ethan followed the bell and Jonah and I fell in beside them.
“They could be so far away already,” she said, worrying her lip again.
“We’ll get him,” I assured her.
She nodded.
We followed the bell as far as we could but out of nowhere the bell stopped abruptly so we did as well.
“No,” she said, her hands going to her head.
“He probably just went out of hearing distance,” Jonah tried to soothe.
“Eugie!” she called out over and over, her voice frantic.
“We should split up,” Jonah told her.
“Okay,” she said, without thinking and following Jonah, leaving Ethan and I together.
Jonah and Cricket went off toward the direction we last heard the bell, but Ethan and I just stood there staring at one another.
“Just follow me,” he said, walking into the left side of the woods.
Silently, we walked, keeping our eyes peeled for Eugie, when we heard the wolves once more. Both of us having reloaded, we crept upon them. Their noses were pressed into something and they were working together to ravage it.
“No,” I whispered running toward them. “No!” I yelled, my heart already shattering into a million pieces.
I raised my gun and shot one while Ethan shot the other and we stumbled upon Eugie, laying on his side, the only movement, the rustling of his fur in the wind.
“No,” I said, falling at his side. I pressed my face into his snout and waited to feel his breath but nothing met my cheek and I almost broke down. My palm went to his side and I felt for a heartbeat but it failed to beat. “Eugie,” I murmured, an overwhelming sadness already inundating me. My head whipped up. “Oh God, Cricket.”
I picked him up and cradled him in my arms, burying my face into the side of his neck. I had no idea how we were going to tell Cricket. My whole body shook with the weight of having to relay such awful news to someone I loved so dearly. I didn’t want it to be true. I would have paid my entire fortune in that moment to bring him back just so she would never have to know that pain.
I carried him the three miles back to the campsite and pulled out my sleeping bag, laying him inside and wrapping him up. I paced the side of the firepit, biting my nails while Ethan sat at the picnic bench, his head buried in his hands.
After half an hour passed, we saw Cricket and Jonah approach.
“Did you find him?” Cricket asked across the campsite.
Ethan and I stood by Eugie. “Cricket,” we said in unison.
Cricket stopped at the edge of the site and began to shake her head.
“Please tell me you found him and he’s okay,” she pleaded. “Please.”
I opened my mouth but couldn’t find the words.
She began to sob and Jonah tried to soothe her. At first she let him, but quickly slid from his grasp and turned toward us, her eyes weeping. She knew where she wanted to be. All I wanted to do was console her, but she wasn’t mine to console.