After confirming that there was nothing around Theodore that could be a threat, except for the wild dogs, I flew up and followed their tracks. As I got close enough to see them, I strangely felt that the wild dogs were very angry.
There was a smell of burnt ash mixed with the musty smell of animal fur, and although it was hard to describe, I instinctively knew it was the smell of anger.
Emotions have a smell? I decided not to think too deeply about whether other animals also had the ability to distinguish it, or whether it was just me.
It was clear that everything that was happening to me was already far from common sense. So, instead of trying to analyze things, I kept an eye on the wild dogs.
"Grrr..."
They were prowling around a small burrow, baring their teeth and growling fiercely. It was a rabbit burrow they had hunted for tonight's dinner.
Judging by the way they were growling at each other, they seemed to think I had invaded their territory.
Until now, they wouldn't have cared because I had only been picking berries and grass, but now that I was constantly poking around and hunting, taking their prey, I could understand why they were wary.
They might have felt a sense of crisis that they might lose their throne in the forest as well as their food. Seriously, I hunted a few rabbits and they're this angry?! Is the forest yours?!
First, I spied from a distant tree to assess the situation, and then the wild dogs began to move somewhere. I followed them carefully.
The place they arrived at was a small clearing. Surrounded by bushes and with a pile of dry leaves in one corner, it seemed to be their resting place.
One of the three stayed in the clearing, and the other two left as if to scout. Originally, I would have dismissed the fact that they had come close earlier as a coincidence and just gone back, but the smell mixed with anger bothered me.
Besides, it was strange that two of them had left. It's not like they're standing guard, so why would both of them need to leave? No matter how I thought about it, it was clear they were looking for me.
What should I do...? Even if all three of them attacked, I wouldn't lose, but I wouldn't be unscathed either.
The best thing would be to get through this without a fight, but judging by the wild dogs' momentum, it didn't seem like they would just let it go.
I eventually spread my wings slightly. Okay, I can do this. Golden eagles hunt large mammals, right? I even saw an article about them hunting wolves.
I don't know what species I am, but I'm bigger than them, and it's just a wild dog, not even a wolf. I can take it, can't I?
I was so nervous that my toes, which were tightly gripping the branch, were trembling, unlike when I hunted rabbits, but I soon shot out like an arrow.
I flew at my maximum speed and subdued it headfirst. The wild dog died without even realizing I was close.
Not a bad start. My heart, which I didn't even know was beating normally, was pounding wildly, but I shook my head and calmed my pounding heart.
Calm down. It's no different from hunting rabbits...! It's not like I'm going to die, right?
I calmed my mind and flew up again, following the faint scent of anger.
I flew slower than usual, worried that they might hear the sound of my wings, but I was able to catch up quickly because the wild dogs hadn't gone far.
The two of them were moving with their noses to the ground, sniffing and looking for something, and it was obvious they were looking for me.
This time there are two of them... Will I be okay? It would be best to subdue them without getting hurt, but...
As I hesitated, the two of them suddenly raised their heads sharply. They must have smelled the blood, as they were looking at the place where the dead wild dog was and growling.
I had to deal with them before they ran over there. I threw myself again.
"Grrr! Woof-!!"
This time, they were on alert, so they noticed my movement and turned around, but I was faster.
I subdued one of them headfirst and killed it instantly, just like before, but while I was distracted, the other one rushed in and opened its mouth wide to bite my neck.
"Screech-!"
Fortunately, I managed to twist my body just before its snout closed, so its teeth only grazed me.
It was fortunate that I didn't feel much pain, either because the wound wasn't big, or because of the tension.
I was rolling on the ground because I had forcibly twisted my direction in the air and failed to land properly, but I quickly got up.
It seemed difficult to subdue the wild dog, which was already wary of me, in the same way as before, so I flew into the air and then quickly descended, digging my claws into its back.
I almost dropped it because my legs were trembling at the sight of it shaking its head and snapping its teeth to bite me, but I gave strength to my toes and flew high.
The wild dog's resistance was so strong that I couldn't go any higher, so I dropped it to the ground as it was, from a lower position than expected.
"Krrk... Krrrk..."
The wild dog, which had fallen defenselessly, struggled for a moment before letting out a final scream and drooping.
It's dead... right? When I got closer, I couldn't hear a heartbeat or breathing. It was really dead.
"Screech..."
I let out a long breath. My heart was still pounding and my breathing was still rough, but I was so tired that I felt like I was about to fall asleep.
If I could, I wanted to lie down and rest right now. I don't think I was this tired even when I was awake for a week... I returned to my nest and went to sleep for the first time since Theodore came to the forest.
ꕥ
Theodore slowly opened his eyes, feeling the cold morning air. As soon as he woke up, he looked for the eagle that had saved him, as he always did, but the spot where it used to sit was empty. The same was true elsewhere.
The eagle always stayed within his sight, and even if it left for a while, it would soon return. Is it going to save something else again? The big eagle, pretending to be indifferent, was diligently bringing things, as if it was worried about him. I wonder what it's going to bring this time.
But contrary to his expectation, the eagle did not appear even when the darkness faded and the sun rose completely.
He wondered if it was distracted by something else, so he caught and grilled the fish that it used to eat well, so that it could smell it and come, but there was still no sign of it. He grilled another one, but it was the same.
When he was grilling the fourth fish, it finally appeared. But instead of sitting in its usual spot, it sat on a tree far away from Theodore.
"Why are you not coming closer and staying there..."
Theodore suddenly stopped talking. It was because dried blood was stuck to the eagle's silver feathers, which were shining faintly in the sunlight.
"Are you hurt?!"
He was startled and asked as he approached, but the eagle just looked down at him. The eagle, who would normally have given him a cute and cheerful voice, seemed particularly weak.
He had forgotten to answer because he was too nervous yesterday and was worrying about getting rabies, but Theodore couldn't help but misunderstand that it was because he was badly hurt.
"I'll look at your wound, so come here. It could be a big problem if it gets infected."
The eagle still didn't answer and didn't come closer.
He wanted to climb the tree and get closer, but he couldn't do anything because he was afraid it would fly away. It was always avoiding his touch.
"I'll heal you. Like you did for me. I will never hurt you."
Theodore, who was about to take another step, stopped abruptly. It was none other than him who told him not to trust people.
He had vowed never to do the foolish thing of trusting anyone because of the betrayal of the closest people, but wouldn't it be ridiculous to force that eagle to trust him?
But Theodore eventually took another step.
"I told you not to trust people, but just once is enough. If you trust me this time, you don't have to come near me again, no, you don't have to show up again. So, will you let me heal you?"
The eagle, who had been staring silently, finally came down to the grass and began to approach with very slow steps.
Theodore waited patiently without urging or taking the initiative.
Then, when it finally came close enough. Instead of reaching out his arm, he soothed it with a very affectionate voice.
"Thank you. Bear with it even if it hurts a little. I'll make you better soon."
ꕥ
I often have the same dream. It was a dream of running around here and there like a mischievous child, full of excitement.
On two feet, sometimes flying with large wings or swimming in the water, and sometimes becoming the wind itself. I could be anything, and I could go anywhere.
'Come here.'
I, who was excited and poking around here and there, eventually turned around at the gentle call.
Because I have to go back.
No matter how far I go, the call eventually reaches me, and of course, I go back. To that place.
'That place?'
Where is that place? So, where did I come from? Who is waiting for me?
'Come back, to me.'
No matter how far I had gone, in the end, only that place was my place.
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