Fevered

Wolves

I am shaken awake by Bowen's paws, "There's definitely something in these woods Bee," he says, and nudges me over with a paw. Something definitely isn't right. It's still dark, but dawn can't be too far off now.

I shudder and sit down, the cold wind biting at my shoulders. I hear the sound of animal breath in the distance.

"Bow?" I say quietly, my hand on the hilt of my sword. I see that my bother is awake, and he copies my gesture and looks around anxiously.

"There's something and it's not friendly," Bowen repeats. A sharp noise, like a cry or a wail, breaks out through the trees. It's a howl. Wolves. I unsheathe my sword and bite my lip. No. Please not wolves. Anything but wolves.

I do know that wolves tend to frequent this area of the woods, near the ocean. They take our sheep and cattle in the winter, and find their own game deep in the forest during the summer months. These animals aren't civilized or gentle like Bowen is. They are cruelly intelligent, and cause havoc in Ogya. I'm not ready to face a wolf, no matter the lengths of my magic.

"I'm going to drive them away," Bowen says calmly, "You two stay put, swords drawn. Don't lose your heads."

"Never planned to," I whisper. I'm in no position to argue.

"Are you sure we shouldn't help?" Ben asks as Bowen lunges off into the brush, "I have a dog at home, wolves aren't actually that bad."

"Maybe in your world Ben, but neither you nor I are quick enough with a blade for these wolves."

I hear a sharp growling noise over my shoulder and turn. I had hoped that it would be Bowen. But this is far worse. An enormous wolf growls over me, his breath hot on my neck. I don't know whether to run or to hide or to curl up and pretend he can't see me. For the first time in my life, I'm completely petrified.

Ben's eyes are ringed with white in horror but he doesn't move or speak. We're trapped, and there's no easy way out of this one. The wolf's wet nose touches the back of my neck and I shudder. This is not how I'm going to go.

I slowly move my arm, pulling my sword out of the cloth that holds it, and before I can move, a high-pitched growl freezes me solid. The wolf standing over me is tossed to the ground. And Bowen is at it's throat.

I hold back a scream and slide my sword out and hold it before me. Ben follows, his back against mine so we are defended from all directions.

Bowen and the wolf wrestle, biting each-other's necks and slashing with claws.

We watch their painful struggle uneasily. The lion and hisses, and the wolf growls. I shudder and watch as Bowen sinks his teeth into the wolf's side. He holds it there and shakes it until the animal goes limp.

Bowen steps back and shakes his fur. It's then when I realize that he saved my life.

We move the wolf's carcass away and Bowen tells us to get a few more hours of sleep. Frazzled, I do as he says, mind running straight into sleep, no hesitations.

That was a strange runty chapter. X