5 - Aurora

"What is that thing?" Tyler asked, peering over my shoulder as I fiddled with a small black box. It felt weird – here I was, a girl from the 21st century, trying to explain a camera to a werewolf dude who might as well have been from medieval times.

"It's called a camera," I explained, turning it on and showing him the little screen light up.

He scrunched his eyebrows up like I'd spoken in riddles. Ugh, how do you even explain a camera to someone who probably didn't even know what electricity was?

"Okay, new tactic," I muttered to myself. "Let's try a simpler approach."

"Imagine it's like a memory catcher," I said, holding the camera up. "You can use it to snag special moments from your life, like pictures or even short videos. Then, whenever you want to remember something awesome, you can just pull it out and, poof! There it is again, like magic!" I gestured dramatically, hoping he'd get the idea.

Tyler's brow remained furrowed, but at least he wasn't looking completely lost anymore. Maybe? Deciding actions spoke louder than words, I pointed the camera around the carriage, recording a bit of our journey.

"Okay, check this out," I said, pressing a button and replaying the short clip I just filmed. It showed the scenery rushing past the window, along with Tyler's surprised face when I pointed the camera at him.

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Amazing. "Do you have any memories from your world there?"

"Yup!" I chirped, happy I could finally show him something cool from back home.

I opened the photo gallery and started scrolling through pictures of sunsets, beaches, and fluffy animals. I even showed him how to swipe the screen to see the next picture, which made him giggle. He studied each photo carefully, like he was trying to understand a whole new world through these little squares.

"Your world is seriously gorgeous," Tyler sighed, his voice filled with awe. That made me smile – it was always nice to share a glimpse of home, even if it was just through pictures.

He kept swiping through the photos until one caught his eye. He stopped scrolling and turned the camera towards me, showing the picture on the screen.

"Where was this taken?" he asked, his voice gentle.

I frowned a little as the picture filled me with a wave of bittersweet memories. My hand instinctively went up to touch the necklace around my throat.

"That's... Aurora," I mumbled, the name escaping my lips before I could stop it.

The picture showed me bundled up in winter clothes, sitting on a snowy field and gazing up at a breathtaking sky. But what truly made the photo special was the giant white wolf beside me, its fur gleaming in the moonlight. It had a unique black marking on its forehead, almost like a diamond.

The photo itself was simple, but the swirling colors of the aurora borealis dancing across the night sky made it magical.

Taking the camera back from Tyler, I felt a lump rise in my throat. I decided to show him more than just a picture. I scrolled through my photos until I found a video I had taken that day, and with trembling fingers, I pressed play.

The screen flickered to life, showing a younger version of me stumbling upon a magnificent white wolf in the snowy woods. The video captured our first meeting, our playful moments together, and the bittersweet goodbye we shared when it was time for me to leave.

***

[FLASHBACK].

A cheesy grin plastered on my face as Fern held up her camera. How could you resist taking pictures in a place like this? Seriously, it looked like a scene ripped straight out of a storybook! Switzerland for two whole months – best. vacation. ever!

I scooped up a handful of snow and launched it into the air, laughing as Fern captured the whole thing on camera. But then, everything froze. The playful snow shower became a silent blizzard as a loud crack echoed through the air.

Gunshot?

"Whoa, was that a gun?" I whispered to Fern, my heart starting to do a little drum solo in my chest.

"Yeah, it sounded like it," she replied, her voice tight. "Maybe we should head back to the van?"

Instead of fancy hotels, we rented a sweet van that was practically a house on wheels. Perfect for exploring Switzerland without the hassle of finding a decent parking spot every night.

"Nah, I don't know," I mumbled, a knot forming in my stomach.

The gunshot seriously creeped me out. Like, bad feeling vibes, you know? Then, a howl pierced the air, long and mournful, like a hurt animal. My heart thudded like a bass drum, and this strange urge to follow the sound washed over me. Before I could even think twice, my legs started moving, pulling me deeper into the snowy forest.

"Adeline, wait!" Fern yelled after me, but I was already gone.

It felt like someone out there needed help, and I couldn't just ignore it. Fern, bless her ever-recording soul, took off after me, camera still rolling.

I skidded to a stop when I saw a trail of crimson staining the pristine white snow. My breath hitched in my throat. Pushing through the fear, I followed the bloody path, Fern trailing behind and still filming like a trooper.

"Girl, is that… a wolf?" Fern gasped when the trail led us to a clearing. And there it was, a magnificent wolf, but badly injured, its fur stained red.

I gasped – the wolf was breathtaking! Its fur was the color of fresh snow, with a cool black diamond marking right on its forehead. Even with blood staining its fur, it was like something out of a magical story. It let out a low growl when it spotted us, but it sounded weak, like it could barely lift its head. My heart ached – it had a nasty gash on its shoulder, blood blooming around the wound. It looked like a gunshot.

Suddenly, a voice shattered the quiet. Fern and I whipped around to see a guy standing there, a gun glinting in his hand like a bad omen.

"That's our wolf!" he barked, aiming the gun right at the injured animal. My hands flew up in the air faster than I could think.