Saber shifter

Chapter four (edited)

-Magenta-
The roar of the storm had finally withdrawn from common acoustics of the cave.
My Leo and the stranger stood in the new frost laid overnight, Jay crunching the frozen ground underfoot. Their eyes were locked over the few metres of space between them.
"Now," I lazily announced, lounging against a convenient- if icy- boulder. "You know the rules. Two rounds. First with Jay in human form, second with Jay in wolf."
Leo's yellow eyes flickered over to me and back to Silver, hackles trembling with excitement. Jay gave a short nod, gaze fixed on his eager opponent.
"Ready? Okay... start!"

The lion was the first to move. His paws pushed against hard dirt, mouth agape as a bloodthirsty glee darkened the amber of his eyes-
And Jay's fist struck him out, faster than lightning.
I shuffled to Leo's side, arms held tight against the cold, and nudged the beast's golden hide. "Out cold," I sighed, and placed my hand on the enormous sculpted head. "Now we have to wait for him to come 'round before the fight between the two of us."

Thirty minutes past Leo's legendary loss, he was sitting in the entrance of the cave with a chunk of ice strapped to his face. The swelling wasn't too noticeable beneath the tight skin over his high cheekbones and large nose, but the low growl and unblinking death stare was proof that Leo wasn't too happy about losing.
"Time for us to party!" I turned to face Jay, he being already in wolf form and finishing a quick warming length of the cave. The great canine head nodded in assent.
I rolled my shoulders and let the familiar tingle of the shift take over. As soon as my front paws touched the ground, my maw opened into a huge, rowling roar. The power of my new body crashed through my veins and I stretched up to my full height, neck arched in pride.
My eyes switched to the wolf before me. He wasn't that much smaller than I was... maybe a few inches between us. Chuffed laughter sounded behind me as shock and confusion spread across that emotionless canid face. At least Leo was feeling better.
I huffed at Jay to get his attention.
We engaged.
I charged straight for him. The memory of Leo's failed run seemed to blaze alongside me, but at the last minute, I jumped over the silvery back. My considerable teeth closed on his bushy tail as I landed, but I was quick to release, muscling back to avoid a fanged whirl.
He flashed forward to bite my legs and tail, but there wasn't enough of my tuft to claw. Sometimes, I loved having a short tail. In my glee at having escaped tail-related revenge, I missed his slash at my feet and I yelped at the bleeding cut that opened across my right hind foot.
I gnashed my saber teeth at him and bit his tail as Jay faltered back from the deadly glitter. I crunched. His tail cracked loudly and the wolf squealed.
Jay squirmed out of my grip, panting as the mislaid bone left my teeth, and we backed out to leave some room for thought. We stared at each other, that strange glint of joy shining between us as the scent of blood trickled into the air, and Jay made the first move.
He charged. I bulled ahead a split second later. To a human, our lunging bodies would have been a blur!
My breastbone slammed into his meaty chest and we were biting, scratching. His teeth scored my front left leg and I fanged his shoulder. Every time we tired, we'd both back up, circling in the narrow space. His keen eyes observed my injuries, the length of my shortening stride. I eyed his weakened back half and the shoulder that was starting to trouble his step.
There was a tiny pause when Jay attacked. He shifted to his right.
I struck, ramming into his side and pushing him off-balance. The wolf scrambled on his back, pawpads scraping the sides of my face, but my teeth were already closed around his neck.
I won. Fairly.
Jay refused to give up easily. Eventually, once I felt him slacken and the muscles relaxed in my teeth, I let go and allowed him to slink away.
Leo was purring. <You beat him! Look, you hurt his pride- like he hurt mine...>
I remained in my beast-form. The lion had the look of wanting to speak more, and I didn't imagine that the sour wolf licking his wounds would be a good choice of eavesdropper.
<What are we going to do now?> Leo pressed. <Is he part of our pride now?>
<Do you want him in our pack?> I gave him a dubious look. <I mean, he's a good fighter, but he is a guy. Males like to be dominant, especially over females and... cubs.> My look turned sardonic as Leo curled his upper lip, sour at the implication.

-Viktor-
A mighty roar echoed from the mountains, shaking slivers of snow from the pine needles.
Our gathering froze. Bear and Wolf stared at the distant, misty peak, many furred heads wavering on tensed shoulders.
Negotiations with the Pack had almost concluded. I twitched an ear as mutters began to rise in the assembly of shifters and looked at the ragged Maximus standing by my side. <I believe that is what we are after,> I mused. <If we are quick enough, we can find her scent and catch her unawares.>
He grunted. I waited with a stern eye on the Bears pacing anxiously below, shifting my bear's massive weight in the snow. Several minutes later, Maximus gave me his reply.
<Fine. We will work together, for now.> Lucid yellow eyes turned to me. <It would be difficult for her to escape from all of us at once.>
<Excellent.> I turned to the mountains and gruffed, pawing snow at the Bears too distracted to hear me. Maximus barked to his Wolves, and together, we led the strange Pack into the mountans.

-Silver-
I got beaten. By a girl.
That fight could have been worthy of a new, Alpha position. I lost. I snarled to myself.
Little baby 'Leo' must be enjoying himself. His funny, stupid laughs still rang in my ears. My eyes flicked up to the horizon and I gazed greedily at the beautiful landscape. New snow, evergreen forest beyond the snowline.
A cloud rose above the trees. It was too late in the day for mist, and it was billowing up from the ground, very unlike a cloud. I dug my claws into the frozen earth and focused, ears wavering unhappily. My sight only improved in the daylight- I yipped quietly in surprise. A huge, mixed pack, hairy and slavering with excitement beneath the trees!
They must have heard the fight- the Bears were plowing a pathway for the Wolves- I had to get back and warn the other two!
And get as much distance from the prey items as possible.
I blinked and turned on my heels, bolting as fast as I could.

The cave was upon me in no time. I shifted without bothering about clothes.
"We have to leave, now!" My voice barked like the wolf I'd temporarily left behind.
"Why? Is someone coming?" She was human, too. I shook my head and focused on packing the bags my new allies had left strewn about. "They are coming this way, they must have heard our fight!" I spat angrily at a shirt that tore instead of pushing into the bag as I wished.
"Who?"
"The Werewolf King," I sighed. The girl was standing close enough for a bag. I threw one to her. "And some Bears. Obviously I didn't lose them like I thought..." my breathed mutter was lost to the open canvas of the second travelbag.
Magenta hesitated, but something of my hurry must have been catching. She was soon grabbing and packing alongside me, face crumbled into something both horrified and angry.
And something else. Something like determination.
She tossed her hair back and barked orders to her cowering lion friend. "Leo, come here! Give me another bag, Jay." I complied.
We were swift. Leo was strapped with the first pack, Magenta and I with the others- but loosely. I rolled my shoulders, testing the strap width and shifted without further ado. The fit was just right, and I jogged to the cave entrance, wiggling the muscles in my back to achieve the perfect balance of pack and body. The snow-cloud was bigger.
The sabertooth tiger brushed against me mere moments later. We acknowledged each other with a nod, and Magenta growled. She leapt into the lead, away from our pursuers, the lion close behind. I followed.
The strongest protector runs last. Familiar heat boiled in my legs.