Den Mother Ep. 01: Wendigo Blues

Alaska! Dead of winter and fucking cold.

"It's just you and me guys. We can do this."

Aurora Dawson followed behind her sled dogs through a careening valley of trees on both sides of a less than travelled path. In search of a downed transport plane which help would be far too late reaching in the turbulent weather pattern she bravely pushed on into less than pleasant terrain, determined to be a hero. With her team of twelve faithful Malamutes, she was fearless against the unknown. Having been an Army Ranger for the better part of five years until she was discharged over sexual misconduct unbecoming of an officer, she was well prepared to be a survivalist in the wilderness. Combat training, crack shot in most firearms, trapping and hunting skills, even with a bow she had an 85% accuracy in her aim. The sexual misconduct charges were nothing when framed for it to hide the rape she endured at her platoon's weekend long assault. When overwhelmed ... survive. That she did, just as she would today. Loving sex kept her sane under duress. However, when filing charges, she realized it was a losing battle and hung up her fatigues. Who needs to defend a country anyway, right?

In escaping the world, Aurora moved further north in her home state of Alaska, taking the sole job at a landing field and rescue unit, last stop before the Arctic Circle. Living alone was far better to rehabilitate her sanity. Her love of dogs made it easier; they were man's best friend even if she was a woman. At least they were loyal. Relationships were never on her radar but when she did let herself fall in love look what happened to her? Her former lover Commanding Officer Antonio Harker was only setting her up for failure.

"Fuck you Harker." Even now Aurora had flashbacks of he watching as his men ripped her clothing from her body and abused her again and again, "So, not the time." Shaking it off she called out to her dogs, "Up ahead Yukon, keep the lead steady Ghost. To the right by that bend." Her faithful lead dogs followed her words like worthy soldiers, their own troops on both canines' heels. Her bond with her fleet of hounds was astonishing. Somedays it was as if they were reading her mind.

Smelling and barely seeing smoke on the horizon she concluded she had reached the isolated area where the transport plane had crash landed. Survivors unknown, as communication ceased with screams of agony. That alone had her worried, the pilot Lloyd Prescott was a veteran himself, yet something scared the hell out of him on his last report. As if something attacked him while in the air. Something from within his plane. After refueling at her station and taking flight she knew it was only Lloyd and his 13-year-old son Kodi on board, carrying food, supplies, and medicine to the base up in Stones Throw, a research station on the arctic circle. God knows what they researched up there. He was not informed of everything in his cargo, to his dismay.

With a call out for help she knew the local rescue units would take a while in the storm to get there so Aurora took it upon herself to get the job done for them to the best of her ability. A credit to her career choice regardless of her scarred up reputation. She was tougher than they gave her credit for. Any Medal of Valor would be a dog tag in her mind, one she could share with her furry platoon.

"Whoa! Ease in Ghost. Slow down." Her pack leader obeyed, and the dogs halted Aurora's sled. Releasing two of her dogs to use as defense and tracking she armed herself with her rifle and a handgun. Fur coat added for extra warmth she paraded through the knee-deep snow to reach a hilltop where the smoke was choking the snowfall. Darkness was not a good thing, only flames and the green aurora borealis in the sky lit her way. Flashlight almost useless on her headband in its small-scale efforts kept her from getting lost in the trees. Reaching the top of the hill she looked down into a thin valley where the plane's burning shell was hunkered in. "Damn Lloyd! Your landing was pretty good considering."

Her dogs at her side begin sniffing the air snarling at something that agitated them. Huddling next to her in a protective pattern she realized something else was in the area. "Did you find a bear guys?" She asked her dogs Ghost and Folly. Just as she spoke a loud crashing of a tree to her left startled her, making her react by pointing her rifle in case it was a bear charging. Nothing!

Folly hugged her legs as if ready to turn her away, staring into the brush. "No time guys we have to see if we can find Lloyd and Kodi." She pushed from within their confinement and trudged toward the plane. Reaching it, she carefully avoided the dwindling flames and discovered the side hatch opened and literally ripped off of its top hinge to dangle and sway. Claw marks on the metal frame she presumed were tree scratches until closer inspection. "What the fuck did that?"

Ghost beat Aurora inside the plane by leaping up into the hatchway ahead of her being as protective as he could be. Folly remained outside sniffing at the ground discovering large footprints in the snow. Barking at an unresponsive Aurora, Folly was on her own, Aurora had joined Ghost inside the plane. Within the storage area Aurora found the cargo tossed everywhere, a huge box busted open as if from the inside out. Tensed by the atmosphere of dread she pushed on, finding liquid on the floor that glowed a fluorescent green in color an almost mist like glow simulating the Borealis itself.

Ghost avoided stepping in it and literally bit her pant leg to tug her away from it. "Easy boy! Even I know that stuff could be toxic." Masking her mouth and nose with her fur she moved away and toward the cockpit. On the way there she found blood splatter, fearing the worst, that both Lloyd and Kodi were dead. At the controls she found Lloyd's body, well part of it. His torso was still strapped in, but his head and arms were missing. An eyeball on the dash in a bloody heap of veins made her jumpy. "What the hell happened here? He's half eaten." Turning quickly, she realized his son Kodi was not in the seat next to him. It looked as if his seatbelt was detached by his own hands, a good sign if anything that he might still be alive.

"Ghost? Find Kodi." She directed the malamute by locating a scarf she knew the boy had worn and letting the dog capture a scent. Backing away Ghost began sniffing the interior of the plane then back to the opened hatch. Barking let her know Kodi must be outside in the weather. Following him to the hatch Aurora slightly lost balance and stepped into the glowing chemicals. Being slippery she fell forward right on her face into the ooze, the liquid smothering her skin wherever available like an unwanted facial. Grimacing at the glow upon her skin combined with the sheer stupidity of her mistake she wiped her face with her gloves. Feeling no pain of its contact over her flesh, she concluded it was not as severe as she might have suspected, that is until the green ooze began to immediately eat through her fabric. "Oh, shit! Wait! Why is it only eating what I'm wearing? I'm coated in that stuff."

It was acidic yet not harming her actual skin. As if a surging fire of its own her fur parka was dissolving right before her eyes, yet the cold air was not affecting her. Fearing it she ripped her parka off and tossed it away. Just as her parka went edible so were her pants, her boots, her entire clothing. "FUCK!" She was not feeling any pain due to it, only the shock of it happening, nor was her flesh being eaten away either. "What the hell were you hauling, Lloyd?" In five minutes, time Aurora Dawson was standing nude in a dark cargo area. Suddenly, her flesh began to glow. "I'm so going to die here, aren't I?"

Ghost retreating outside joined Folly in searching for Kodi, Folly leading Ghost to the footprints for a shared examination. As if with human eyes the dogs concluded that whatever left that print was not ... human. Looking back to see Aurora stepping from the plane the dogs grew leery of her. Walking up to her cautiously the dogs whimpered circling her from a safe distance. Noting their curiosity Aurora shook her head, "How the fuck should I know? It's not like I want to go streaking in minus twenty below zero. I'm not even feeling the cold though. Whatever that green shit was it affected my physiology. I know you two don't understand me but just keep clear of me, so I don't hurt you guys." The emerald glow fading her body hue becomes normal, yet she still felt warm inside and out. "Guys go find Kodi."

The dogs returned to the tracks barking for Aurora to join them. Barefoot in the snow she reached them trying to comprehend why she wasn't freezing or getting frostbite. At the footprints she crouched to look them over. "Size thirty? Are we dealing with Sasquatch here?" Rumors of course, never solid proof but regardless she believed. She followed the tracks into the trees, her dogs in tow. Forced to walk through branches she realized they weren't even scratching her skin, essentially, she didn't feel their caress at all. Mind blown she grew more invested in finding the boy if he was still alive, she would explain her nudity later. Her dogs behind her every step of the way she found the tree that had fallen, bark ripped off of one section as if mighty hands forcing it out of the ground, roots literally veining out at its base. "Something big did that. Was it a warning?"

Peering around she discovered something else; her vision was perfect in the darkness. It hadn't dawned on her in her search but yes indeed her eyesight had adapted to its surroundings. It was not even like night vision; she just saw everything as bright as day now. "Side effects of that green shit, I guess. If this stuff doesn't kill me, I'm going to be a lab experiment myself. How am I going to explain I can't wear anything in these kinds of conditions? The second anyone sees me I'm a test tube maybe." She hears another crash of a tree in the distance haunting her for a brief moment. "Bigfoot's still here. Was he what busted out of that container? Was Lloyd hauling a captive Bigfoot?"

Zeroing in on the location of the disturbance Aurora found her eyes zooming in as if telescopic, "Oh crap! This shit's making me Wonder Woman I think." Staring closely, she spots something moving fast in the blinding snow. Jumping from tree to tree. "That looked more like a monkey." It was the closest thing she could describe it as by its fast-moving travels. Suddenly, more trees were toppled in the area of the tree dweller. It was as if something was trying to bring the creature down. "What are we dealing with boys? Bigfoot and Littlefoot?" Even under pressure Aurora Dawson kept her cool. Charging toward it she repeated herself, "Find Kodi, Ghost."

The dogs resumed sniffing about, Ghost finally picking up a scent in the opposite direction of the tree crashes. Folly stayed next to Aurora while she pursued whatever was out there. Finally, while sensing something dire Folly chose a new course running away as if spooked. This was unlike Folly she was normally loyal. Noticing her dogs retreat Aurora felt alone suddenly. "What the hell am I doing? This is so out of my league. Just find Kodi and get him to safety. You can do this Aurora."

Halting in step she realized the surrounding snow was covered in blood at every turn. More trees toppling two at a time spooks her enough to avoid the trauma of blood. Tempted to retrace her steps she turns left finding another of the trees, this one however had something crushed beneath it. Reaching it she found what she presumed was a bear until closer examination. "Holy crap! A beheaded ... Bigfoot?" A howl in the night tensed her nerves as she dared to touch the corpse. "That was no wolf."

Shooting glances from side to side, again she noted whatever it was in the trees and froze in her knelt position, fingers still caressing the headless body in her touch she realized something unexpected, "It's female. Holy fuck! It ... she was pregnant." Gentle fingers lay upon the mother's bulging belly. Strangely, her touch was not eating away at the corpse. "Huh? Why doesn't everything I touch deteriorate?"

Hearing a hissing sound made her zero in on red eyes up in the branches which were locked in on her tempting her to consider running. Whatever it was up there had found her as prey. Ready to run she saw the tree that held the eyes rip from underneath it and fall. The shadowy creature abandoning its fall by jumping into another treetop.

"More Bigfoot's fighting whatever killed this one? Dear God! What have I gotten myself into?" She takes more time in kneeling beside the beheaded giant under the fallen tree continuing to touch it upon its swollen belly. She normally felt nothing, but its fur was soft to her touch. "Sorry Mommyfoot! Your mate's getting revenge. Rest well, whoever, whatever you are ... were. I'll keep saying prayers if I make it out of here alive, for your whole family."

Using the tree trunk to pull herself up, the tree moved under her grip. "Did I do that?" She winced a moment then bent down to experiment by clutching the tree beneath with both hands lifting. In a breach of insanity Aurora lifted the tree easily and rolled it off of the headless Bigfoot. "That tree had to weigh over a thousand pounds. What in the hell did that green shit do to me? Now I'm Hercules ... emphasis on the Her."

Hearing laughter suddenly made her cringe. Turning toward the trees she found her assailant's eyes up close, literally breathing down her neck. It was demonic looking, built like a spider monkey but with razor like spines jutting from its back and arms similar to a cross between a porcupine and a monkey. Peering at her as if puzzled why she was not running, it explored her tender areas, salivating as if hunger claiming its palate. Knowing a confrontation was inevitable Aurora expected her life to be over. Strength, or not surely this thing could rip her apart. Tilting its head from side to side it wasn't sure what to make of her.

"You might want to look behind you Evil Eddie." She saw the male Bigfoot charging their direction. This was her first time seeing the Sasquatch, well, second time, but only one living breathing one. That mug was a good nine feet tall and easily over 700 pounds itself. Unable to move at the moment Aurora just waited to see if this would be her savior or just another kill.

"AURORA! RUN!"

Hearing a masculine voice behind her she turned to see a man also naked in the snow, his hair pristine white down to his shoulders. Beside him stood the missing boy Kodi Prescott terrified and hugging the man's side. Her warning too late the creature launched backwards up and over the back of the Bigfoot landing on its shoulders. A tail like a whip circled the Bigfoot's neck and began sawing it off, blood spurting outward as the Bigfoot fought back with mighty hands.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?" She cried out to the naked man.

"GHOST! MOVE!"

"Ghost?" Aurora dropped her jaw, "Oh, come on. You're a were malamute?" Mind blown! Ghost was a God. Yummy!

"Something like that. Take Kodi and go. We have this."

"We?"

Up through the ridge to her left stepped eleven naked humans, a female in the lead next to another dark-haired male. They both looked as if tribal Inuit. "Aurora ... come." The woman said, "It's me ... Folly."

"No fucking way. I'm losing it. It has to be the chemicals."

"That creature killing the Sasquatch is a Wendigo. The plane must have been carrying it up North." Ghost added passing the boy off to one of his fellow wolfpack members to get him to safety. "Go with Tailchaser." The boy was beyond traumatized but they were human looking so he did as told shivering without a single blink.

"Unreal!" Aurora felt as if she were in a never-ending nightmare. Ignoring Ghost, she turned to the battling behemoth with its bareback rider sawing away at his hide. "Not on my watch." Breaking a healthy tree branch off as if a baseball bat she circled behind the creature and swatted its spine. Reacting with a screech it evaded the second swing by hurling itself over her, the Bigfoot stammered around bleeding out but in its quest for vengeance still sought to get a grasp over the Wendigo.

Landing behind Aurora, the Wendigo used its barbed tail to lash out at her leg. While it pulled her off her feet it discovered its sharp talons and spines could not pierce her flesh. In its shock its guard dropped, and the Bigfoot grabbed the creature's arms using all of his might to rip its limbs from its body. In a scream of agony, the Wendigo was pummeled to death with its own arms. Skull stomped on until mush the Sasquatch found justice. In its dying breath the Wendigo's essence, its spirit phase, emerged from its pulped body and flew skyward into the trees wailing like a harsh wind.

Successful the male Bigfoot dropped on all fours and ignored those around him, crawling to his mate's corpse to die alongside it, his head on his mate's belly as if listening. Feeling awful that she couldn't save him Aurora watched the Bigfoot peer at her with sorrow yet expressing happiness all the same before falling into a slump over his mate.

"Holy fuck! I have got to be drunk out of my mind. This did not just ... yep ... still naked. Fabio still there, dick hanging." She eyed Ghost with worry, she was so far out of her league that this could have easily sent her brain into insanity. Yet, she was still as warm as if in Tahiti, her skin was perfect, not a scratch, no signs of even being frost bitten. "Nips are hard I must be feeling a chill and not knowing it. That or ... oh, come on?" Ghost had turned back into a Malamute; all of her dogs were back to normal and watching her with curiosity. "Am I crazy?"

Walking over to Ghost she reached down to touch his snout, he awaiting her soft touch praying it would not harm him. Faith in his Mistress he accepted his fate. With a pat on his head, he was not harmed. "You really did turn human, right? I'm not bonkers, am I?" Ghost nodded as if sneezing and tilted his gaze. The other dogs joining his leer into the darkness. A loud scream heard; the dogs bolted toward it leaving Aurora behind. "What the hell now? That was a woman's scream, not Kodi's."

Lured in by more noises as Aurora ran after them, she saw lights up over the trees, the sounds of choppers in the air. "That's Army Ranger Copter's. Fuck! I can't be seen naked out here." Staying under the canvas of trees as best she could she trailed the dog tracks into a clearing. Finding them clustered around something totally foreign to Alaska she paused to stare, seeing Kodi by himself walking ... up a staircase.

"Who builds a stone staircase in the fucking wilderness without anywhere to go? It just goes up but stops in mid-air." She reaches her pack and finds them circling the decapitated body of Tailchaser still in her human form. Ever protective Ghost moved in front of Aurora before touching the staircase. Halted she looks up at Kodi with a worried look.

"Kodi? Come down from there before you fall off the other side and get hurt." She yelled against the night wind; the boy seemed entranced ignoring her. "Shit!" She nudged Ghost out of the way and pursued Kodi up the stairs. Each step she took her brain grew fuzzy as if confused of what she was doing. Ghost growling at the bottom of the steps with Folly next to him braved the unknown and followed her up. Folly and three others joining in procession.

From above them a bright light from a copter shown down over them. Aurora knew she was seen but maintained her course. Kodi at the top of the steps stood lifeless and confused by where he was. Teetering there, Aurora found the courage to run the rest of the way up and clutch him by his shoulders. As strong as she was, he resisted displaying a strength of his own. "Damn Kodi, did you touch that liquid too?" Realizing he had clothing on that hadn't dissolved even under her own touch she guessed he had not come into contact with it. "Let's go back Buddy. Hot chocolate at my place?"