Going the Distance -Write to Rank Anthology-

Mother's Love

Thunder crashed as lightning cracked across the sky, lighting up the darkened world below. The howling of the wind silenced any creature trying to call out for help in hopes of shelter being given to them. However, there was no safe haven from the storm that evening for anyone. Not as lightning spiked downwards, striking the ground and exploding the nearby mountains into oblivion. Not as the wind whipped around, taking with it the tall pine trees only to leave the explosive sounds as they fell to the ground in a heavy heap.

Just as the rain started coming down in an unrelenting downpour, crimson eyes glanced over the owner's shoulder quickly. Long black hair had been drenched, sticking to the young woman's face, but the panic and terror could be seen painted upon her delicate features quite clearly.

However, there was no one more terrified than the little boy the woman's hand had a tight hold on.

Silvery white hair and lavender colored eyes attempted to watch where they were running. His little legs moved as fast as they could just to keep up with the woman pulling him along through the trenches of the forest.

"Mama?"

The young boy huffed out, his lungs burning from the non-stop running the pair had been doing. Days of constant travel left him weary and the running only added to the child's exhaustion, the loss of motivation to continue on starting to take over the little boy.

Those bright crimson eyes quickly fell to the child trailing behind her despite being pulled along to make it easier on him to follow. She slowed their sprint to nothing more than a walk, but ultimately, she stopped the pair of them in hopes to give the child a momentary breather despite the threat looming behind them.

Chest heaving, trying to catch her own breath as well, the raven haired woman knelt down before her snowy haired child. She tried to put a reassuring smile upon her face, not wanting to scare the young boy than he already seemed to be. Though, the smile failed to hide everything she was feeling in that very moment.

Panic.

Fear.

Sadness.

With shaking hands, the raven haired female reached out and brushed back the damp strands of white hair from her child's face. She knew the rain would wash them back down the moment they began running again. However, she wanted to look upon his face once more, not knowing if she would ever get the chance to after that stormy night. While her thoughts were on the possible future, her fingers skirted down the child's cheek, her ruby eyes taking her little boy in as if it would be the final time she would actually see him.

"My child, my sweetest Malcolm.. Just hold on for a little long, this trip is almost over. Soon we will be-"

Even over the roaring thunder, the sounds of howling could be heard mingling with the onslaught of the storm. The woman's ruby eyes quickly rose, looking towards an unseen force racing towards them. A force she had been trying to outrun since before the storm began raging. It was what she had been trying to avoid since stepping outside of their territory and into another:

The werewolves.

Her eyes snapped back to Malcolm, her little boy and precious angel. He was her one and only after the murder of her husband, their king, the young boy's father by blood. As much as it broke her heart to think about, there was a chance that he may lose his other parent that night if they didn't get away soon enough.

"Mal, sweetheart. . . run."

"But-"

"Go, run baby!"

The raven haired female nudged the small child away, desperation filling out her facial features. It broke her racing heart to watch as her son jumped, startling back away from her raised voice. However, it was obvious the tiny tyke quickly caught onto what his mother was saying and got the hit as to what she wanted him to do. Though, at five years old, he was extremely hesitant to just run off without the only family he had remaining.

As Malcolm slowly turned away, he ran as fast as he feet could rightly carry him. Meanwhile, the raven haired female turned back to face her enemy. Lightning lighting up the forest to reveal the pack of wolves stalking towards them. The threat that had been on their tail since they first stepped foot within the forest.

Five large wolves drenched, their fur matted and dripping from the overbearing rain. Eyes filled with murder and sharp teeth gnashing together were aimed in her direction. Snarls and growls rumbled from somewhere deep within their chests. If not for the thunder roaring overhead, it all might have sounded far more menacing to the woman than it was to her now.

"You can come for me, but you will leave the child be!"

She barely managed to get her plea out before the first of the wolf rushed from the treeline towards her. Its jaws were open, powerful and aimed right for the most vulnerable part of her body -- her jugular. Following close behind were the other four. Claws were drawn and teeth barred as they all flew towards her with lightning speed. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she crouched down, preparing herself for the complete impact of the pack coming at her.

Lunging herself forward, the female vampire caught the first wolf by the head, her shoulder lodging itself deep within the beasts mouth. A mistake on her part, but something she could not avoid any longer.

The moment she buried her fingers within the coarse fur of the wolf, she swung the creature around in a wide circle to gain some form of momentum on it. Using what strength she had left, she lifted it from the ground at the same time its razor sharp teeth cut into her shoulder. Even as they did so, she let go of the beast, the teeth buried into her flesh tearing free as the wolf went flying in the direction of its packmates. The young vampire was left with a searing pain through her shoulder, arm and back. The warm crimson that now seeped from her new injuries was being washed away by the torrential downpour of the rain. However, she could not let the near loss of her arm keep her from protecting her child, a future king if he could make it to the other border of the forest.

The wolf she tossed slammed into one of the other wolves, the two that colliding having been sent tumbling across the muddy ground and left lying in a tangled heap.

Raising her crimson gaze once more, lightning flashed, igniting the forest and lighting up her eyes like bright rubies. Rage filled them as she prepared for what may very well be her final fight. The only thing she regretted was not getting her child to the Tower of Elders. Now she could only hope Malcolm would survive long enough to rise to the throne. She only wished she would have been there to see it happen.