⚠️THIS BOOK IS A SEQUEL TO MY BOOK CHAINS!YOU MUST READ IT TO UNDERSTAND THIS BOOK⚠️

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(This takes place 2 months after (Y/N) and Jeff blew up ALF)

I trotted around the woods, scanning the trees and bushes for anything suspicious.

No birds chirped and no squirrels scurried up trees, it was completely still other than the breeze rustling the treetops. I mean, that's how it always was in Slender's forest.

"You see anything?" Clockwork asked, carefully picking her way through some brambles.

I shook my head in my wolf form. See, Slenderman apparently had this protective barrier type thing around the forest, so he always knew what creatures or humans dared enter his territory. It broke somehow and us Proxies had to patrol the forest every single day until he could restore it.

After about a week of patrolling I found that there were some pretty messed up creatures lurking in the shadows that I never knew about. Slenderman probably took care of it before it caused too much trouble when the barrier was still strong.

Clockwork sighed, as her eyes traveled upward she went rigid.

I knew that was no good. There was this one monster that we hadn't been able to get. Mainly because it could.. well.. fly.

I heard a screech from behind and I dropped onto my stomach, adrenaline beginning to course through my veins. I could feel talons barely scrape across my spine, causing me to shiver.

Clockwork dove out of the way just in time as she regained her senses. I jumped to my paws and whirled around as quick as a flash, pouncing on it from behind right as it began to rise in the air.

I shifted into human and grappled onto its neck. It tossed me around, shrieking angrily as it tried to get me off.

"A-lert-J-Jeff-an-d-Tob-y!" I managed to spit out. The vulture took off into the sky, cawing and trying to throw me off in the air. My fingers slipped slightly, causing my heart jump into my throat.

I shifted into my wolf, weighing it down as much as possible. I used my claws to grip onto the bases of its wings as it plummeted downward.

The bird cawed, seeming unafraid. I realized at that moment, that the bird wasn't falling, but diving.

I'm gonna die! I freaked, my entire body feeling paralyzed as I gripped the wings tighter.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the ground got rapidly closer.

I yelped in fear as the vulture made no attempt to slow down. Right when I was sure I was going to die the vulture extended its wings, shooting straight back up.

My grip loosened, and my strength failed me. I began falling full-speed toward the treetops, death awaiting me.

If I'm going down you're coming with me! I thought with desperation. I snapped my jaws down on a talon right before the vulture could get too far up. It screeched in pain, spiraling downward.

I braced myself for massive impact. The tree branches smacked my back and leaves whipped me in the face.

Right as I thought I was going to break my back, someone lunged forward and threw the bird sideways. A heart sickening crack sounded from under me as I landed a lot more softly than I expected.

"Th-th-That w-was c-cl-close." I heard Toby stutter and tic after a minute. I still felt paralyzed and couldn't find it in me to respond.

"You can open your eyes." Jeff puffed.

I slowly peeled open, trying to calm my rapid breathing. It all happened so fast. Too fast.

Toby was beside me, tightly gripping onto the vultures feathers. I assumed he was the one that knocked it over just in time. Jeff's knife was lodged in the vultures head, blood pooling onto the ground

"We-we finally got the thing." I sighed as I shifted back. My body stung slightly from the small scratches in my wolf form.

"That was a stupid move." Jeff commented. I rolled my eyes. Jeff had opened up a little more ever since I gave a year of my life up, but I mean, he was still the same angsty teen that disliked me no matter what I did.

Some people were just never grateful.

"Looks like a storm is rolling in." Clockwork announced, her eyes on the sky. I looked up to see what she meant and spotted dark black clouds swallowing up the setting sun.

"L-l-ets g-et b-back befo-before it-it get-gets too se-serious." Toby said. I nodded in agreement, glancing at the birds crooked body one last time before beginning to shakily getting to my feet and walking back to the mansion.

Storms were always severe in the forest, for some reason. Before we knew it rain was beginning to roll off of leaves and shower our heads.

I sped up, keeping my eyes downcast to prevent rain from pelting them.

Thunder grumbled lowly, like the growl of an angry lion. Lightning strikes shot from the clouds, a loud BOOM following as it hit the ground.

I flinched a little from the sudden noise, speeding up.

I looked up to see where I was going and in the corner of my eye I spotted something unusual.

I stopped, straining to see what it was against the rain.

"Hurry up!" Clockwork called to me.

"One minute!" I called back. As I looked harder I saw a four legged silhouette in the distance.

I shifted into my wolf and decided to chase it off just in case it was dangerous. I didn't want to lead it back to the mansion and get in trouble.

I began to approach it, baring my fangs viciously.

As I got closer I began to recognize what it was. A wolf. It looked like the same one I saw so long ago.

Still, it was dangerous. I was no longer the softy I had been when I first saw it.

I snarled, causing its head to turn to me. My suspicions were high. That wolf had probably been sticking around for awhile and somehow surpassed the barrier while it was strong.

It's eyes widened in alarm when it saw me. I kept a fair distance away and sized up, puffing out my chest. A deep, threatening growl rumbled in my throat.

It flicked its tail and turned, fleeing the area while dodging trees on its way. I watched it's body shrink as it disappeared in the forest. I stayed there for a moment longer to make sure it didn't return and then exhaled, allowing my chest to relax.

I then turned and bolted down the slopes, taking one last glance behind me. I shifted into my human when I got to the mansion and I pushed the door open. I was immediately chilled to the bone, my clothes soaked.

"What took you so long?" Jeff growled, "Slender wants a report from all of us."

"I saw another.. animal.. and chased it off." I didn't exactly think it that it being a wolf was important.

"Is the patrol team for today here?" Slenderman asked, interrupting whatever Jeff was going to say next as he entered the kitchen.

We all responded with a 'yes'. I shivered from the cold, wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm.

"Any threats?" Slenderman asked.

"W-we kill-killed th-the gi-giant vult-ture, b-b-but oth-otherw-wise th-there's n-n-no s-s-suspicious a-a-ctivity." Toby reported. Toby was the leader of the group that day.

"Good. You can all go now." Slenderman said. I could feel his gaze staring into my soul, as if he knew I knew something. I shuddered, pushing the thoughts of the wolf to the back of my mind.

I quickly walked upstairs before he could ask any questions. I was deep in thought. The heavy pitter-patter of the rain echoed throughout the mansion, making it hard to focus, though.

I could hear Jeff's footsteps close behind as we made our way to his room. I pushed the door open, going to sit down in my corner.

The wind was banging against the windows, the glass hardly able to withstand the violent rain.

"I'm surprised this window hasn't broken yet." I commented.

Jeff didn't reply, he just shrugged and hopped into his bed.

I sighed, curling up into a ball and pressing my back against the corner. Jeff stared up at the ceiling, looking deep in thought as well.

"Night." Jeff said quietly, rolling over to face the wall.

"Night." I responded. It was hard to fall asleep due to my rushing thoughts and heavy downpour. But somehow, I finally did.

***

I jolted awake as a loud CRASH sounded from the thunder outside. My heart raced against my chest as I say bolt upright. I slowed my breathing, looking over to Jeff who was somehow still asleep.

Or at least I thought he was. I could barely tell due to his never-ending stare.

How does he do it? I thought. When I calmed down once more, I closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep. But I just couldn't.

I groaned, getting to my feet and walking to the window. I leaned against it, staring outside. I couldn't see a single thing.

A lightning bolt shot down from the sky, igniting the forest in a white light. In that moment I spotted something disappear into the trees.

What? I thought, rubbing my eyes. Was it that same wolf I chased away? Worry began swirling in my stomach. It hadn't caused any trouble, though.

Considering the fact that it had been there for so long without harming anyone, I'd say it didn't want trouble. But you never know..

I didn't know what to do. Should I wake Jeff up? I decided not to, he wouldn't be happy and probably wouldn't even believe me.

After a minute I figured that it could have been anything and that I was probably being too paranoid.

I sighed, going to lay down in my corner.

But for the rest of the night I couldn't keep my mind off of the creature.

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Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter to the book! Can't wait to post the next one.

Thorn, Out