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I'm too late. She's turned. I watch in horror as she screams and her body contorts. The blood, why is there so much of it? Why is there flesh on the ground? I don't understand what's happening. I am frozen as Danny consumes the flesh greedily. I call out her name and the wolf looks at me oddly. Then I hear it, another howl. Danny turns to the sound and rushes the bars, her thin red wolf frame slipping right through them and she's out the door! I stuff everything back in the bag, including Jake's clothes, and I head into the street. Now there are two wolves runnin' 'round making the people scream and shout. They seem to be playin' with each other, as the Deputy tries to fire off a shot, but the crowd is too dense. I hop on my horse and start to lead the other two in the opposite direction. Like Jake explained. He said that there was a small riding trail that he found that went around the town. That I was to take that and keep moving until morning. That they would find me as I traveled. I hope he's right because right now, I'm so petrified I'm not sure which way I'm goin'.
It doesn't take long for me to catch up to them. I'm ridin' along and there I spot them ahead of me. They look like they're having a good old time of it too. Leapin' around and rubbin' up against each other. They stay in my line of sight but don't get too close due to the horses. Seems they have all their faculties even in this state. It's all sort of strange, but I feel safer now than ever. Even though I'm pretty much all alone. Next thing I know they get slammed into by another wolf! They go rolling in a hail of fur and snarls.
I pull the horses back and pull Danny's rifle from the saddle. It's loaded. Jumping off the horse I run down the embankment to find them in a standoff. There's three more! Four on two. Those odds ain't good. I know it. Danny and Jake seem to also. They're scrunched down snarlin' as the four others approach. I aim at the group and pull the trigger. The buckshot sprawls and they all scatter. One is limping but still runnin', Danny is after him, Jake close behind. I can't catch them, I'm not stupid. I go back to the horses to find the wolves have found them. They've taken to them. Getting one down takes all of them down as they're harnessed together! I can't do much but shoot again. This time they take off in all directions. I'm sweatin' and pantin’ as I check the horses. Charlie is dying. There's not much I can do, so I point the gun and pull the trigger. I can’t let him suffer like that. My horse seems okay but Blue has a nasty gnash in his thigh. I cut Ellie, my mare, from them and have to pack all of Jakes gear on to her. I'm cautious listening to see if those other wolves come back. By the time I finish packin' up I'm exhausted, but too scared to sleep.
I walk for a while, looking for signs of Danny and Jake. I hear the howls in the distance but don't know if it's them or not. I'm not keen on findin' out at this point. I go down by the river and set up the biggest fire I can muster, hoping to rest. As I'm sitting there nodding out I see them come from the trees. They're draggin' a gruntin’ and mouth foamin’ wolf by the throat. I get up on unsteady legs and watch as Jake holds it down and it stops strugglin'. Seems to have lost the fight and submitted. Danny is restless as I take rope from the horses and tie the subdued wolf's mouth closed. I nearly get bit but Jake squeezes its throat and it goes still. I tie up its legs. Back to back and front to front. Seems that was what they wanted from me. Would have been good if they could talk, but no such luck. Once it's tied up, Jake let’s go and nudges me toward the fire. Danny is already sitting by it, but never takes her eyes off of the other wolf. I sit down and they both nuzzle up next to me. At some point I finally fall asleep.