Drew woke with a start, eyes rolling as he tried to find his feet. Where was he? Where was this? Where was the cage?
Everything hurt, and he fought his howls, his wild cries.
They just brought men with cattle prods, more pain.
He sniffed, since that was the sense working best. Roast? Elk roast. Oh, that was cruel.
Get up. Get up. You have to move. You have to -- Wait. Wait, that was a man he remembered. He thought he remembered.
“Hey, you’re awake. You want some more milk? The roast is almost done. Sorry all I had was turkey before, but man that elk was frozen…”
He bowed his head. Milk. Goddess, he loved milk.
“Cool. Let me get some for you.” The man bustled away, and he thought hard, trying to remember what had happened.
They’d run away. Sister had unhooked them and they’d run away. Now he needed to know where they were. Why they were here.
“Here you go.” A pan of milk was laid before him, the man gently lifting him so he could lap at it. Oh, he could cry. It was warm.
He drank deep, the liquid sliding into him, giving him strength and comfort. He thought there was protein powder in there, vanilla maybe, but that was okay. It would help.
“Oh good. Good. You look so much better already.” The man stroked his ears.
He leaned into the touch. Whoever this was, he wasn’t a bad man. No, he was gentle and kind, and Drew was certain this was no trick.
The scent here was home and right -- something that let him rest and sleep and breathe.
He finished the milk and then went to his brothers, touching noses with them, licking their muzzles, loving on them one at a time.
Jason opened an eye to look at him, tail thumping. Oh, good. His eyes looked better. Less dull. He thought Jason would recover. Kent, at the end of the row, worried him. He offered what energy he had, pressing his forehead against Kent’s. Brother. Brother, heal. We’re safe now.
Kent moaned, the sound almost more human than wolf, but never moved.
The man brought milk and held Kent’s head, helping him swallow a bit, encouraging him to heal. He could smell the bit of sugar mixed in this one, which would help give Kent a tiny rush of energy too.
Come now, brother. Heal. Breathe and heal.
Kent’s fur started to look less lank, more healthy, and Drew’s legs collapsed under him. Dizzy. So dizzy.
“Hey!” The man grabbed him, helping him back to his pallet. “Hey, you were doing too much, huh?”
Was he? Not enough. Not enough to save them all.
“Come on. Rest. The others are sleeping well. I promise. There’s a rescue coming to help soon. People who can get everyone to a safe place to heal.”
This was a safe place. Here.
He liked the man. He really did.
“Shhh.” Those rough hands stroked his ears again.
He nuzzled in, trusting in the touches. Yes, he thought. Shh. Stay. Stay here with me.
“That’s it. Yeah. Oh, man, it’s been a long day.”
Yes. Lord, yes. An eternity.
“If I wolfed out and took a nap, do you think it would freak anyone out?”
He snorted. Of course not. Come rest with us, he thought.
Silly wolf.
“Oh, good.” The man stripped down, then stepped back to shift. Oh, so easy. None of them shifted so well right now.
He sidled over to give the wolf room, sighing as they cuddled together. So good. The scent of this one was so right.
Moaning, the big wolf snuggled up, licking him gently. He returned the favor, grooming the huge paws, thanking the man for his care.
Those gold green eyes closed, the wolf putting a paw on him as if holding him there, making sure he was safe.
He groaned deep in his chest and let himself relax. Rest. Safe. Friend.
Sleep slid over him like a blanket.