Gifted #Wattys2015

Chapter 17

Building Bellyne

"Wolves!"

I stood up quickly, everyone alerted by the shout and the howls. The wolves were getting closer as the growls became louder. They were in the direction that we needed to go in too, which meant we couldn't continue the correct way to Bellyne. The others began helping one another - the stronger Gifted members helping the new and injured.

"Get our bags and the carts and get them out of here!" I yelled at Theo and Madi, who nodded to me, grabbing the carts and preparing to go. "Blade! Jason! Stay with me and we'll hold them off for a bit! Jamie, lead them in a wide circle around the wolves but continue in the right direction!"

"I can help!" Tuscan yelled, staggering forward.

"Fine!" I hollered back, we didn't have the time to argue.

The wolves were visible now, only a 100 metres away, a seeping fog making it difficult to make out the number though. Snarls and curled lips made their teeth seem sharper and whiter than I'd imagined. Blade flung his arms towards the ground, his swords flying out; Jason became his usual brown bear form and Tuscan crossed his arms over his chest, building energy.

The wolves charged at us, their pace quickening, their breath thickening the air. Growls ripped the silent air apart as the first row reached us - I cast a shield to try and stop them, but to no avail. Within minutes my shield broke down, the force of the twenty or so wolves too much to bear.

Jason lunged at three of them, tackling them down and pinning his claws into them. Tuscan sent several flying backwards with a golden beam that blinded us and the wolves. Blade stabbed his swords into the creatures, flinging them away, making them howl in pain. More wolves were flung backwards by my telekinesis, yelps of surprise escaping them as they shot into the distance. More seemed to be arriving though, and we were becoming hopelessly outnumbered.

The ground began to shake and rumble beneath our feet, a slight tremor in the earth. The noise of it grew louder until the vibrations underneath us grew more intense, to the point where we fell over in shock. Jason slammed into me as the ground lurched, and I watched Tuscan and Blade fall too.

From the fog that had been growing thicker by the minute, a figure flew towards us. The ground shook even more, a large crack splitting the ground apart. A cavern appeared in front of us, and howls echoed through the forest as the wolves disappeared into it. The flying stranger landed on the earth, and the shaking stopped, the wolves still segregated from us, their claws scraping at the mud. Many were clawing there way up the long crack the figure seemed to have created.

The ground shook violently again, and the barks subsided, replaced by whimpers as dirt and rocks fell upon them. The newcomer turned to me, offering a me hand upwards. I curled my fists, but then resigned my judgement and I took it; and he heaved me up. I made no comment, or any attempt to thank him; instead, I pushed past him to help up Jason.

Blade stood to his feet and stalked over to the figure, eyes blazing. "What do you think you're doing?"

"The last time I checked, erm, saving your lives.." He retorted, a dry humour in his voice.

"We had it all under control until you made the ground shake!" I yelled back.

"Oh yeah, is that why the sea of practically twenty wolves were about to engulf you?"

"You know what..." I never got to finish that sentence, my voice cut off by the sharp growl of another wolf. More had regrouped behind the crack in the earth, those not caught by the quake. And they were ready to advance.

The figure turned his attention back to me, and spoke. "When I yell now, shoot out a blast of that blue aura energy you have, got it?"

"How do you know about that? And why should I trust you?" I demanded.