Wolf-Shifter

Dancing among the Stars 48

As he stood, he was shoved aside by a black blur. A rough cry rang in the air, it had sounded like the scream of a panther. Rose saw, in the candlelight, the figure of a man and her heart skipped a beat.

Nyesh.

The panther had a tight hold on the thief's shirt, holding held a knife to Ralon's throat. "Don't you dare touch her, traitor," he growled. "Leave now, or I'll slit your throat!"

Ralon's eyes danced in mockery, "Really, boy?" "Do you really have the guts to kill a man, much less your father's partner?"

"You have no part in Sheeva Intre!" Nyesh replied, "You betrayed them."

The boa constrictor looked at his Mana's son with mock-hurt. "Did I now?" The thief then gripped Nyesh's shoulders, pinning them to his sides, and both fought to escape the other. Suddenly, as Ralon held Nyesh over the edge of the balcony, Nyesh somehow shifted into his panther form and, as Ralon dropped Nyesh over the edge, the boy dragged his enemy with him.

There was a scream and a sickening crunch as both fell, unable to shift, to the ground below. Rose struggled with her bonds and, as the weak cloth loosened, she reached up and ripped off the gag, scrambling to the balcony. But all she saw was a mess of limbs and slowly forming pool of red. Tears burned in her eyes as she thought of Nyesh…

Hurrying down the stairs, almost two at a time, down to the main floor of the Court, she felt her fury grow and her tears blind her as she dodged anyone in her way. Shaking, she ran to Nyesh's side, nightdress ripped in some places from tripping past people in the halls and now caked in a thin layer of blood as she collapsed in the grass, trying to dislodge Nyesh from the mass of twisted limbs Ralon had become.

Nyesh had shifted back into his human form as he fell, she could tell but it had done no good: His left arm was broken, and his left leg was twisted in an odd way that sent bile rising in Rose's throat. Blood pulsed from long cut on his temple and smeared now on her nightdress and black and blue bruises mottled his back. Rose, beyond tears now, held the unconscious Nyesh to her chest, mindful of his injuries.

The princess jumped when Ralon stirred, grunting in pain. Her face paled when she realized the 'mass of twisted limbs' had not been Ralon, but Nyesh all along. As Ralon opened his eyes and grinned, Rose tried to drag Nyesh away but, with the state he was in, she could only move an inch or two without hurting him further. She watched in horror as the man stood and, with shaking hands, raised the poisoned knife to kill her.

Suddenly, a black wolf crept from the shadows, and its form rippled to that of a man, dagger sheaths at his sides. "Step back, Ralon!" He ordered.

Salem and Namid hurried over to them, faces clearly worried. When Namid saw Rose, unharmed and Nyesh's state she gasped and kneeled to her daughter's side.

"Rakab stop," Namid whispered, turning to her friend. Her face was fixed with concern, tears at the corners of her eyes. "Please. Just don't do this…"

"Don't worry," he glared at Ralon, "I know what I'm doing."

Rakab drew a dagger and snarled a challenge as the boa constrictor narrowed his eyes and raised the knife to stab the wolf. Rakab dodged as Ralon cut through air, stumbling around to face Rak, screaming his rage as he fought. Battle cries cut through the air and the heavy breathing of the men could be heard as Rakab focused on avoiding the poisoned blade.

Namid felt defenseless as Salem held her, watching Rakab and Ralon circle each other, eyes locked upon the foe. Ralon stabbed but missed as Rak dodged and attacked. Ralon hissed and quickly swerved to swipe at Rakab's side, but he moved just in time to miss the second swipe and stabbed at Ralon's shoulder, making a deep wound in the flesh of the boa's arm. It was like some sort of dance, a dance of death.