Winter Wasteland (The Pack)

Chapter 1

A few minutes later and they start to become worried. Where was he? But as Mitch is about to bring it up out comes Rob, smiling and holding the corpse of a snow hare in his hands. Although it seems mangled, more so than Rob could manage with his bare hands.

"Guys, Guys! Looks what I found!" Rob exclaims, holding out his prize for all to witness.

Four of the pack look excited at his find, for they are all most definitely starving. All except for Preston. Sure he's hungry too but what is concerning him is the hare, bloodied and ripped to shreds.

"That great Robbie, but where did you find that?" Preston chimes in, suddenly sceptical of his surroundings.
"I spotted it near the base of a tree, just like this. It looks like something was picking at it but I don't see wh- wait... Oh..."

Right on cue a snarl echoes from the trees only thirty meters away. The six males whip around to see a pitch black wolf with gleaming yellow eyes growling and gnashing its teeth at them from the bush line.

"Rob, throw the rabbit back to the wolves and let's all back away slowly..." Lachlan whispers, silently drawing his iron sword.

Rob obediently tosses his hare back to the wolf but it is not satisfied, slowly creeping out from the bushes. Mitch is about to notch his bow with an arrow and shoot down the canine until suddenly the snow picks up, along with the wind creating too thick of a flurry to aim through. Two more wolves, smaller than the black one, emerge beside it. One is grey and the other is white and they are also growling menacingly.

Backing up slowly from the blurry forms the six try to create distance from themselves and the wolves but only discover four more grey and white wolves behind them. And then more, two on each side, appear. They are surrounded. Mitch loads his bow with an arrow as does Preston. Lachlan has his sword drawn and Jerome wields his axe. Rob holds a wooden sword in each hand and finally Vikk is holding a diamond sword. They all stand back to back forming a protective circle as the wolves slowly creep towards them, all expect the leader who stays a few paces back.

And then with a long eerie howl the many wolves are sprinting at them, snarling and snapping. With the blizzard battering their faces and limiting their vision the warriors slash blindly at the predators, arrows flying in the direction of any moment and swords jabbing randomly. Preston manages to sink an arrow into the shoulder of the leader who in return yips in pain and turn on him, knocking him to the ground. Two more grey wolves pounce on Preston and it takes both Rob and Lachlan to push them off in an attempt to save him. Preston scrambles to his feet, stumbling to load an arrow. Although from the amount of activity that had previously swarmed him it led to the arrow not hitting his target, a wolf, but instead plunging right above Robs right ankle.

"AARGHH!!" Rob screams in pain, crippling to the ground and dropping his swords which are immediately snapped in half in the jaws of a wolf.

"Rob!" Preston shouts, shooting back the wolves around his fallen friend and rushing to his side, holding him up.

Mitch and Jerome have drifted apart and out of vision of the rest of the pack and Vikk and Lachlan are stuck fighting five wolves by themselves.

"Guys we need to scatter!" Mitch shouts through the freezing wind, from somewhere in the sea of snow.

From their position, Vikk and Lachlan push back the hoard of wolves, turning on their heels and running off through the blizzard and into the sheltering forest. Mitch shoots a wolf behind Jerome which Jerome than bashes on the head with his axe. The wolf whimpers and falls to the ground but another wolf is quickly coming to replace its fallen comrade. In this time Mitch shoots it in the leg to slow it down before dashing after Jerome who is already halfway to the trees. Half of the wolves chase after the escaping members leaving a handful left for Preston and Rob, including the leader. With both of Robs swords broken and a bleeding ankle Preston is left to defend against the onslaught. He spams the arrows at the remaining wolves, trying to inflict any damage possible before scooping Rob up into his arms and stumbling away as fast he can. A few dead wolves lying in the snow and small blotches of blood are all that's left before the figures of Preston and Rob have merged into the shadows.

~~~

     ~3rd P.O.V. (As seen from Mitch and Jerome)~

     Diving behind a large bush the two pant heavily, but quietly as to not give away their position. The sun has set and the moon is now a quarter of the way into the sky. The wind is still lashing snow but thanks to the vegetation the two are fairly concealed. They hear the paw steps of a few wolfs near them and hold their breaths, hearts beating wildly. A wolf is about to poke its head through the bush when a skeleton peeks around the corner, the rattle of its bones drawing the wolves attention. The skeleton flees and the wolfs yip and bound after it, leaving Mitch and Jeorme. After a few minutes of silence to make sure they're gone Mitch lets out a shaky breath.

     "I think... I think we lost them..." He breaths, slumping down in exhaustion.
     "That is true but..." Jerome continues, peeking over the bush, "I think we lost everyone else too."

~~~

     ~3rd P.O.V. (As seen from Vikk and Lachlan)~

     With the steady paw steps of pursuing wolves behind them the Aussie and Brit do not dare look back. Three wolves have followed them and are giving chase. Vikk freezing from the snow and tired from fighting begins to slow.

     "Keep running Vikk!" Lachlan calls out, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him along.

     No matter how they twist and turn the wolves will not let up. And to make matters worse mobs are now spawning and adding to the danger. But then a little lightbulb clicks on over Vikk's head.

     "Lachlan, get towards that creeper!" Vikk exclaims, pointing to a creeper a few yards away.
     "Are you crazy? That thing will blow us apart!"
     "Exaclty! We can use it on the wolves!"

      Lachlan unsure of Vikk's plan stutter steps. But having faith in his friend they adjust their course. The hissing creeper charges right at them and just as its about to explode Vikk kicks it towards the wolves, just bounding out of the bushes, and Lachlan tackles Vikk to the ground to protect him from the explosion.

     The wolves, whimpering, retreat into the bushes with their tails between their legs and Vikk and Lachlan share a high five. But they soon realize they cannot rejoice so quickly.

     "Hey Vikk... Where is everyone else?"

~~~

     ~3rd P.O.V. (As seen from Preston and Rob)~

     Preston dashes through the trees as fast as he can, carrying the injured and sobbing Rob in his arms. He truly hadn't meant to shoot Rob, and now guilt is eating him form the inside. But too tired to support his weight any longer Preston falls to his knees, praying he ran far enough to lose the wolves. Which thankfully he did.

     Gently, he places Rob on the ground who immediately clutches his bleeding ankle, an arrow still lodged into the flesh. The distant groan of zombies and clacking of spiders is audible but the duo can not care less at the moment.

     "I am so sorry Rob! I didn't know it was you!" Preston exclaims, enveloping him in a hug.
     "I-it's okay... I kno-ow it was an accident..." Rob sobs through shaky breaths while leaning into the embrace.
     "I promise in the morning we'll get that fixed up... But right now I hear mobs and we don't even know where anyone is... So let's just find somewhere to bed down."

     Rob nods in agreement and with the support of Preston the two maneuver their way through the cold darkness, in search for a place to sleep.

~~~