Bloody Paw Prints

Ch 27 Fur, teeth and blood

I don’t know what I expected. Screams? But instead the screaming was growls, and the house became a riot of lights and sound. Lights burned through curtains, feet pounded on the floor as people moved to see what was happening.

I stood, frozen in the cold air outside. Images flashed in front of my eyes, of half people half wolves barrelling down the stairs. The image wasn’t to warn me, I know, but it didn’t stop me from flinching like I was going to feel the impact as the wolf jumped over the stairs and onto the waiting wolves below.

The world shifted back to normal just in time for me to see the front door bang on its hinges. I turn to Mikki, wanting to ask her what we should do by her hazel eyes were fixed on the house were wolf shadows danced over the walls and the sound of wolves fighting was emitted.

Part of me wanted to join in, to fight with the pack, but the other half wanted flight, to flee from the conflict and destruction. 

Sadly, neither of the feelings were winning, leaving me fixed to the place.

I hear the snow move behind me and sensed Mikki moving away. But before she even reaches the tree line something in the house shatters and a second later a wolf crashes through one of the shattered windows and lands in the snow.

Ember stands up and snarls at Carson who jumps through the window. The two wolves have a go at each other, both looking for the upper hand in the struggle. Images flash over my eyes but was too busy watching Carson and Ember that the pictures were faded mirages in the back of my head.

My muscles twitch and my breath becomes quicker but I don’t move, even as Bray jumps through the window with half the pack on his tail, along with several members I knew weren’t our pack. One was the big grey and brown wolf that had been at the house, the one that had attacked me- I technically attacked it but it did more damage so it’s responsible.

Ember was being driven towards me and Mikki despite her struggle to move around them. The rest turned on the pursuing pack, fighting them away but struggling. I glance towards Mikki in question but she was gone, only her paw prints remaining.

A strangled yelp draws my attention back to the fight. It was a mess of fur and teeth, claws and blood. I was suddenly moving, my muscles turning with feverish blood and my paws sank into firm snow. The sound that had drawn my attention was Ally’s yelping. She was pinned to the ground, a thick brown wolf stood over her, snapping at her neck with sharp teeth.

I slammed into the wolf’s side with so much force it felt like my ribs were going to crack. We tumbled through the snow, the world went white until suddenly my feet found the ground and I sprang from the snow. My paws find the wolves shoulder and my weight slams into him, sending us into the snow again but he pushes back with just as much force.

Teeth scrap the side of my head as we crash into the snow. My instincts kick in and a second later I find my teeth in his neck, my claws scratching up his face whenever he brings his face too close. Blood fills my mouth and a claw sinks into my thigh hard enough that the skin breaks.

Out of nowhere the wolf slams into me and I catch a glimpse of black fur before I’m in the snow again. I turn on the new arrival, baring my teeth in aggression only to see Vic growling at the brown wolf. My growl patters out until I turn to the other wolf who was getting up again. Out of nowhere an image of the pack running comes into my head. I didn’t need the visual to tell me we were leaving, I felt it in my bones and in the back of my head, I knew.

Turning tail we dash for the trees were I could see some of the others disappearing. I could hear the other pack, some perusing us while others howled and barked.

Ash appears beside me, matching my pace with ease. Blood mattered the fur on his shoulder, coated his nose and neck. I suddenly remember the scars on Ash torso.

Ahead of us Ember pulls to a sudden stop, evading Bray as he tries to herd her back toward the house. She doesn’t get far however, Ally and Tori were next to her, turning her back around. The way home is slow and at times we back track. Ember was relentless, always trying to get around the pack so she could go back, always stopping in the middle of a slow run so the pack had to start her moving again with force.

I stay to the side back, watching as the pack struggled to keep her moving. The other pack had dropped off almost immediately. Ash stayed beside me the whole time, keeping speed with me with little effort.

Eventually the house came into view and the pack forced her inside, swarming into the house like foxes down a rabbit hole.

Then the screaming started.