The imprint bond that formed between Meryl and me was a most peculiar sensation. It was almost as if there was a constant feed of information dully playing in the background of everything that I did, accentuated by spikes of different emotions. Lately that emotion had been happiness, a joy that knew no bounds. It could be mistaken as nothing other than love, and though I pined for what maybe could have been between us, I knew that our hearts were too different. Our souls were bound by a limitless friendship, and I would care for him to the end of my days. So in his bliss, I found delight as well.

This day, however, red lights seemed to flash in my mind. Fear suddenly overcame me, a fear that was not my own. My head shot up from where it rested upon my paws, ears flashing forward alertly. In the next moment I was on my feet. For a few seconds I stood rigid with all of my nerves prickling in anticipation. Something was wrong; something was very wrong. I let my eyes slide closed for a moment, trying to get a bearing on where he was. The smallest hint of the direction I should head was all I needed, and then I was off at a gallop. I tore down the mountain, moving with all haste. It didn’t matter what had instilled such fear in my soul; it was imperative I reach him, help him in whatever way I could.

Before long I was crossing the borders of my homeland and sprinting towards Iromar. I barely skirted the edge of the pack’s border, feeling my heart thump wildly in my chest. With each step I knew I was growing closer to him, for I could sense his presence stronger the further I traveled. But when that amplified radio of his emotions in the back of my mind made a sudden transformation from fear into absolute rage, I actually stumbled over my paws and had to stop for a moment. What was happening to my painted healer? Quickly I regained my balance and pushed onward, legs extending to eat up the ground in all haste.

When I finally reached him, he was alone and the metallic tinge of blood crept into my nostrils. They flared, and the hair along my ruff and back prickled uneasily. Eyes of mahogany flashed around me, looking for another wolf, wondering if whoever had dared to harm my Meryl had stuck around to suffer my wrath. But there was no one. I did not hesitate, moving to Meryl’s side and looking him over, feeling somewhat helpless in my late arrival. Blood matted the fur over his hindquarters and down his left flank, as well as his shoulder and who knows where else. All I saw was crimson marring the perfection of his browns and blacks and whites. I knew I could not do for him what he had once done for me in the aftermath of battle. But I would do whatever I could to help him. He need only ask. “Meryl,” I said softly, lowering my nose to his face, touching his cheek softly. “I am here.” Though I wanted to hunt down whoever had done this to him and tear them limb from limb, all that really mattered in this moment was making sure he would be alright.