Nike

Ch. 4

While Nike was gone, the 5 wolves and the dragon fought the bandit group they had surrounded.

The leader of the bandits starts shouting orders to his group, "Kill the wolves first then we can deal with the dragon." Brandishing their swords, the group starts trying to stab the wolves, but with each swing the wolves manage to avoid the blades.

Shadow, being the alpha of the pack, goes after the leader first hoping to take their organization out. The leader's sword swipes at his neck, but the wolf slips under it grabbing hold of the man's wrist with his teeth. Jaws piercing his nerve endings, the man loses control of his hand and drops the sword. Slamming his fist into the wolf's face, Shadow releases his wrist with a yelp. With the man still recovering from the bite, Shadows goes for his throat ending the leader's life.

Aurora attacks the first man in front of her. Her body smoothly slips into striking distance where she rips his stomach out with her fangs. She repeats this process with the next man and the next until none remain.

Breezy follows her mother's lead taking on the man in front of her, but she's not as smooth allowing the man to nic her ear. She ignores the pain and tackles him to the ground so she can swipe his throat with her claws.

Soul gets distracted watching his mate fight, but when a man tries to blindside him, he jumps forward. Frustrated, the man goes to slam his sword straight into the wolf's back. In return Soul moves the side forcing him to fall flat on his face while the wolf breaks his spine and then his neck with his sheer weight.

Terra is left with the weakest looking man. Not wanting to be outshone by the rest of the pack, she viciously attacks the man biting through his entire hand then going for his throat as he bends over in pain.

Oliver slipped around the wolves fighting trying to do his part in taking on the attackers. As he attacks one of the men left open, another slips behind him with a dagger aimed straight for his neck. Luck being on his side, Oliver shifts avoiding an attack from his target making the dagger miss his neck. Unfortunately his shoulder is gouged with the knife still stuck in his arm. Noticing his predicament, Aurora moves from her last target to take one of his attackers down.

During the whole fight Balthazar just watches his huge size being more of a burden to the wolves weaving in and out of them. From his spot on the edges, he sees as the last man falls to the ground and Nike returns with yet another human following close behind.

With her sense of smell heightened, Nike smells the blood coming from Oliver's stab wound and the nic in Breezy's ear. Her eyes widened in shock before rushing towards the two wounded. She quickly stirred her magic, flowing it into Oliver first.

Her magic finds the open wound with blood flowing profusely out of it. Knowing what will happen to him soon, Nike commands him, "Lay down."

He quickly lays on his stomach so she has access to the wound. Once again slipping into her magic, Nike regrows the blood vessels torn by the dagger then moves on to his muscles. Not long after, he's good as new, but his eyes won't stay open anymore.

Moving quickly, Nike moves onto Breezy's ear. The wound isn't too bad, but without healing her hearing might have been permanently damaged.

As soon as the healing is done, Nike stands tiredly, "Noir right?" She asks the man who had followed her through the forest.

"Yes my lady. Thank you for healing my brother." Noir bows in thanks.

Shaking her head, Nike ignores him turning to her pack, "We need to stay another day. I don't have the energy to leave anymore. Sir dragon, can you carry him back to the cave? It isn't safe on this road right now."

Balthazar quickly agrees, "Of course mistress. Will you be alright walking or would you like a ride as well?"

"I will be fine. Let's go. I want to be back there before night falls and the scavengers come for these men." Nike commands the group as she walks into the forest full of confidence once more.

Shadow, nervous for his sister, swiftly moves to her side in case she needs his support. "Sister, you are pushing yourself too hard."

"I said I was fine." Nike glares annoyedly at him.

"You've never done this many major healings in so short a time." Shadow argues back. The rest of the pack hums in agreement, but Nike rolls her eyes taking off into a jog.

Her energy levels were falling fast and she needed a safe place before she passed out again.

Shadow doesn't let her leave him behind though as he takes off right after her. Knowing he wouldn't be able to keep up, Aurora stays behind to guide Noir and the other wolves follow her lead.

"At least eat something Nike!" Shadow whines as he runs by her side.

Reluctantly Nike agrees as they enter the cave. She takes some of the meat left behind in the rush to find Terra and Nike earlier and starts gnawing on it.

Satisfied that she'll eat and rest, Shadow curls up to her side, "Thank you for helping Aurora. I know how low your magic reserves are right now and her injury wasn't life threatening."

Not replying to him, Nike curls up to his side just as Noir walks in with the wolves standing guard of the entrance once more.

Noir is intrigued by this mysterious woman, but the sight of Balthazar landing with his brother steals his attention away.

"Young one, take your brother from my back please." The dragon speaks in common tongue.

Rushing to his side, Noir pulls his twin from the dragon's back carefully laying him on the ground as Balthazar situates himself in the large cave. Once again as her patient starts to awaken from his magic induced slumber, Nike begins falling asleep.

"Oliver! You're ok! When I felt you being stabbed I was so worried!" Noir cries out. "Don't you dare do that to me again!"

Still groggy, Oliver just mumbles, "Sorry."

Hitting him lightly Noir yells, "You better be sorry! Mother and Father would kill me if anything happened to you."

Annoyed with how loud their being Shadow growls at the twins, "Shut up!" but the human's can't understand what he said.

Being the only one who can translate, Balthazar tells them, "He said shut up. You are being too loud. The healer needs sleep to recover." Embarrassed, the brothers nod their heads.

"Is there any food for us to eat?" Noir asks the dragon?

Aurora, knowing Nike's need to care for everyone, tells Balthazar where to find the food so he can tell the humans. Once they find the raw meat, the men move outside to roast it over a fire. After they've eaten, everyone in the group goes to bed except for Breezy who stays watching the cave.