Chapter 214 - : (1/2)

”Come on Nathaniel, don't play games with us.” Robert said, shaking his head.

”No, I swear grandpa, this is not a joke. I really heard something. It was coming from the end of the garden.”

”What did you hear, dear?” His grandmother asked.

”I don't know really, it sound like something between a moan and a squeek. You didn't hear?”

”No, we didn't hear anything but our hearing doesn't match yours at all.” Robert sigh.

”He's right dear.” Diane seconded.

Nodding, Nathaniel start walking in the direction where the noise came from, his grandparents following along. Arriving at the end of the garden, his focus zero in the hedge that was bordering the property. Walking slowly, he crouch down and was moving the branches away when he hear something growling inside.

”Wait, get away Nathaniel! There is a dog in there!” Robert shout, pulling him back.

”Don't worry grandpa, you forget what I can do. A dog even a rabies dog is not fast enough to bite me and we need to know what is doing in there.” Nathaniel said, moving forward on his knees to get a better view as the growling return.

It was until he move one of the larger branches that he could finally see what was in there, his grandparents also seeing it.

”Nathaniel, watch out!” His grandfather shout.

”It's a wolf!” Diane exclaim, taking a step back in fright.

”Don't shout!” Nathaniel whisper quickly, locking eyes with the eyes of the wolf.

The wolf was crouching between two branches, growling at Nathaniel and was looking ready to pounce on him. It had blue eyes and his head was white while the rest of his fur look grey even if Nathaniel was not sure if it was his real color or the fact that it was covered in dust and mud. Nathaniel could also see the bones protubering from the fur showing that it was famished and he had blood on his paw. He was also very young judging by his size.

”It's not a genuine wolf, it look like a crossbreed with a dog.��� Robert said, looking attentively at the wolf.

The wolf/dog was growling even more seeing Nathaniel who kept advancing albeit slowly. Even so, Nathaniel never leave the eyes of the canine in front of him, issuing a silent challenge that he knew would be answers.

”Guys back up, the wolf is going to attack me, I will be fine, don't worry.” Nathaniel said.

The word had barely left his mouth when the wolf suddenly launch himself at him, his muzzle open wide, ready to bit his head off. Nathaniel grab the wolf when he was mid air and slammed his back to the ground. Before he could turn or try to bite Nathaniel hand, he had clamp his jaw on the wolf throat. Feeling the teeth biting his neck, the wolf immediately went still and start growling which Nathaniel respond with his own growling.

Stunned into silence, Robert and Diane did not know what to do or what to say witnessing the situation. They had never expected something like this to happenned at all. Even if they didn't understand any of it, Diane start to realize something.

”It's almost like they are talking to each other.” She said thoughtfully.

”That's impossible.” Her husband denied instantly.

Nathaniel and the wolf kept growling at each other until the wolf start whimpering. That's when he finally release his hold on the wolf throat and paw, backing away slightly, he took a sitting position beside the wolf. After cleaning his mouth of the fur and other less appealing things, he lift his hand in the direction of the wolf who lick it gently in a clear sign of submission.

Seeing the scene, Robert and Diane were completely stunned. Just like that, a feral wolf had turn into a gentle puppy. That's when it look at them and the wolf start growling again.

”Nope.” Nathaniel said, tapping his nose which stop the growling instantly.

”What the hell?” Robert immediately exclaim.

”Oh, I should explain. In wolf culture, when you keep looking at them, they saw it as a form of challenge, I believe it's why he attack me even if fear had also something to do with it. Once I had my teeth on his throat, he knew that his life was in my hand, that's why he stop moving. For the growling, I just did what he was doing like I remember it for the documentary I saw on Discovery Channel about wolf when I was nine years old.”

”Why did he growl at us?” Diane asked, taking precaution at not getting near the wolf who was sitting beside Nathaniel.

”Because it doesn't know you and you are not a part of his pack. Even if it's a cross bread, it seem that the wolf DNA in him is the most prominent. It also stop when I told him to because since it's submit to me, I think it sees me as is alpha now.”

”Seriously?” Diane ask, surprised.

”Yes but I'm a long way from being an expert, we should talk to someone qualified to answer that. I'm already surprised that what I did work, I don't want to push my luck further. Wait, there is something else in there!” Nathaniel exclaim, crawling back into the hedge after hearing a wheezing sound.

Seeing him move back inside, the wolf follow along and even passing in front of Nathaniel before stopping.

”What are you hiding in there?” Nathaniel asked, looking at the behavior of the wolf oddly before making him move to the side.

”Hey, that's a puppy!” Robert exclaim, seeing a dirty little furry form roll into a ball.

”No, that's a kitten!” Diane immediately corrected.

”What a wolf doing protecting a kitten? It should not have, I don't know, eat it?” Robert questioned.