Red Hood and the Blood Moon

Chapter Five: 'The Beginning of the Hunt.'

It aimed its opened jaws at her throat, but Red Hood jumped over the beast with ease. The woman could feel every muscle in her body burning as adrenaline seeped into her core. Without hesitation, she turned and aimed her rifle at the werewolf; Red Hood didn't allow it a moment to rekindle itself as it crashed into the wall. With the crowd mostly dispersed, the mercenary angled her weapon perfectly and filled the monster's backside with silver bullets. It was frightened by the explosive gunfire colliding into its body.

A throaty growl escaped it as blood leaked from its back, but to her horror, it didn't stay down. Silver hurt werewolves immensely, this was known, but this had to be a stronger one than what the Fable had dealt with... it got right back up and lunged quicker than it did before. Red Hood dashed out of the way but this time, its claw managed to slash her thigh. Blood oozed out of her as she grunted with agony. But they both mirrored the same look; a perfect blend of anger and excitement, one would describe it as insanity.

Her movements were quick; the awful sound of bullets breaking skin crackled across the town, like thunder dancing through a storm. Every shot landed, but the beast kept running and jumping from building to building. It didn't look like it was slowing down. Red Hood knew she had to think of something else, or she would lose this battle. Instantly, an idea popped into her brain, and she quickly lowered her aim. Before the beast could make another leap for her body, the woman shot the crack of the wooden roof it stood upon. The disruption of the old construction sent the house and the beast tumbling down. It howled in shock and terror as wooden edges pierced its shoulder and right leg.

For a moment, it was comatose, but a moment was all the woman needed. A war cry escaped her as she pulled her dagger and jumped on top of the beast. Silver easily cut through its skin; sweet, barbaric laughter echoed from her as she tore its flesh open, opening a wound across its chest. Over and over, she cut until she could feel its heart racing beneath the tip of her blade. Her eyes widened with glee as she saw it-trepidation in its red eyes and frantic movements, for it could see that death was near. And she loved it, obsessed over it, craved it... that look of fear before she took the life of a monster.

"You're mine!"

She lifted her dagger to perform the final strike, but something went wrong. The werewolf snapped and slashed her skin, sailing her across the square with a trail of her own blood following her. Red Hood winced as she felt pain gripping her arms. Her dagger had been knocked out of her hands, and they were bleeding heavily from the claw marks. But she had no time to dwell; the werewolf quickly set itself free. The cuts she'd made healed, but not fully. Thirty slashes were still evident and seemingly pulsing with pain. Infuriated, it lunged at her before fleeing could grace her mind. The woman squinted her eyes shut but death didn't take her. Instead, she heard the sharp collision between fangs and silver. Woodsman was standing over her with his axe lodged between the beast's jaws.

"Where the hell were you?!" She screamed.

"A little busy!" He bellowed, looking past the black monster.

Red Hood followed suit and what she saw shocked her. Standing on one of the roofs was a majestic werewolf with sharp, pointy ears and a white coat of fur, resembling a tainted winter as blood dripped from it. Blood earned from Woodsman's open wound on his shoulder and its own cut across its legs from his axe. The werewolf's gaze resembled a bright blue sky, but the evil in it was crystal clear.

"Another one?!" She screamed, shooting it before it could jump.

Her blood caught its shoulder and unlike the black wolf, it did a lot more damage. But even so, they were fighting more than what they bargained for.