Bloody Paw Prints

Ch 48 Decisions

Males liked to be in charge, they needed to have control. They think they’re superior. That’s why years ago woman had no rights, why only men were allowed to be the Prime Minister, or politicians. Men liked to know they had the final say.

They liked control, loved control. Maybe that’s why when Ash and Sky were at each other’s throats I felt out like I had no control. The two males wanted to be boss, and until that was decided everyone else was insignificant. I feared they were going to kill each other; they wanted everyone to know they were boss, and to kill an opponent must have looked like a good idea to them.

But to me, it looked like the most stupid thing they could do.

Blood stained the snow under the wolves’ paws, crimson against the white ground which was their battle ground. I padded around the boys, feeling both sickened and exited as they tore at each other. My socks were wet and cold, but I hardly noticed as I tried to think of a way to stop the fight.

Ash’s muscles bunch under his fur, skin ripple as he prepares to throw himself at the auburn wolf. Both wolves looked like they’d been painted red, blood stained their fur, mattered they’re pelt so they looked like bloody beast that had no control over their actions.

Sky meets Ash as he jumps, teeth snapping at each other’s face as they battle for dominance. I heard the skin tearing, smelled the copper of blood in the air, felt the aggression in the air like building electricity. “Stop” I whisper uselessly and pad around them, feet sinking through snow. I glance at the sky, fearing the helicopter was going to fly over our heads and shoot at the wolves brawling in the snow. The TV had said all the wolves were dead, that the hunters had wiped them out, but i still couldn’t help the racing of my heart whenever I was a wolf, out in the open, exposed to sky above.

Sky bark’s loudly and I look at him just in time to see his teeth sink into Ash’s shoulder. Ash twists around and with a snarl of rage rips into the back of Sky’s back, ripping fur open like it was nothing. They suddenly twist around, snapping at each other’s faces viciously before they spring apart.

The males circle each other, baring fangs at each other to make themselves look more intimidating. The air around them crackles with hostility, and despite my fear of the helicopter coming back I shift into my wolf, skin hot from the smell of copper, aggression and testosterone. My skin prickles, muscles tenses with apprehension.

I want to leap in between them, to join the fight, to shed blood. It looked exiting, and part of me craved to jump into the fight and wound them, to rip at flesh and splatter blood like they had. The other part, the more dominate part at the moment wished they would stop so I could curl up in bed and think it was all a dream.

Ash shakes out his ruff, still padding in a slow circle around the competing wolf. I train my eye on his paws, watching the red print he left behind with every step. He steps into a puddle of blood, but he didn’t seem to notice the crimson liquid stick to his paws.

My eyes flicker to Sky where I see blood dripping from his chin. I wasn’t sure if the blood was his or Ash’s, but ether way I felt like I was losing a battle.

Muscles shaking from exhaustion Sky leaps forward, crashing into Ash with a force I’m surprised didn’t make bones shatter. They were roughly the same size, with muscles that ripple every time someone tensed. They playing a deadly game, ruthlessly attacking, mindlessly allowing anger and the crave for control take over.

They were predators, and would mercilessly kill anything or anyone would threaten to stop them. That was the only reason I didn’t dive in head first and tear them apart.

I catch another scent just as the snow starts to fall, drifting around me lazily. My ears flick up and I stiffen, my head rising to look around. I spot the dog before she even sees us. Shana tenses when she spots me, fur raising and she growls before darting back away, crashing through the snow.