The barrel of the gun was pointed straight at us.
I stood in the snow like a stake driven into the ground and couldn't tell who exactly the shepherd saw in front of him—me, a small white speck against the field, or the dark beast behind my back. But wherever his hand chose to aim, the bullet would still fly our way; I felt that in every bone.
The wolf moved slightly. I heard the snow creak under his paw.
The movement was almost imperceptible—he just stepped to the side so he ended up closer to me, covering me a little with his body. Not planting himself as a wall, not throwing himself forward, but as if by accident, with one light shift of his weight.
The shepherd saw anyway.
Most of his face was hidden by his hat and scarf, but his eyes were clear. Gray, narrowed, wary. They slid over me, lingered for a heartbeat—and then jumped to the wolf. To the dark fur, the broad chest, the teeth just slightly bared from his heavy breathing.
I felt something inside the shepherd come to a decision.
"Damn… mangy wolf," I could make out his lips moving under the scarf even from here.
He stepped forward on his rise, bracing the gun tighter against his shoulder.
I filled my lungs with air without knowing what I was going to do—scream, run, or just stand there. The wolf beside me tightened like a bowstring. His tail dropped, his ears stood straight up. He wasn't looking at me anymore; all of him was turned toward the man.
I had time to notice a snowflake off to the side, drifting slowly toward the ground, catching the light.
I had time to feel my heart slam so hard it seemed ready to burst out of my chest and run on, even if the body stayed here.
And then the world folded into a single sound.
It didn't sound like thunder or a bone breaking. More like the crack of an old board when it's snapped in half.
The wolf jerked.
His body lunged forward, then back. Something dark splashed across the white snow.
He managed one more step toward me—as if he wanted to make sure I was still standing.
Our eyes met at very close range. There was no fear or anger left in his. Only a tired "so that's it."
I took a step toward him, but my legs wouldn't obey.
The snow underneath me rocked like water.
Somewhere behind us someone shouted, and the flock howled in chorus.
I saw the wolf fall, saw his black fur break the white surface, and in the next second everything around me turned pink, warm, and strangely quiet—like the inside of a closed eye.