Ol' Flint the Crow

All Alone!

Unable to keep herself away, The Runt's daughter leapt into the blood stained arena and huddled next to her dear father figure. She wept so much that Samuel had to brush away his own tears. It was a sad scene: The Alpha gurgling as the final signs of life escaped from out of him and the young pup's futile begging that he would live. These calamitous wailings reverberating through the wolf den, rendering everyone grief stricken... except Flint.

Lacking pity, Flint scoffed at the sight of the weeping pup. He then stormed off to retrieve his rapier and boldly paraded through the circle of wolves, frozen with fear, to release Samuel from his cell. It only took two quick strokes of his weapon to cut away the bars made of thistles.

Sheathing his rapier, Flint glared up at Samuel and gruffly said, "Next time, don't wander from the campfire."

In total agreement, Samuel nodded his head and rushed over to Miss Bleak who shoved the gold hilted sword into his shaking arms. Samuel mouthed a weak thank you and held his weapon with a pusillanimous grip.

"Well, all's well that ends well," Flint shot out an arrogant breath of air.

He sauntered past all the wolves and reentered the fighting ring. Passing by the whimpering pup still balling at her dead friend, Flint clucked and kicked a wave of dirt into the Alpha's pale face.

"Old dog," scoffed Flint one last time for good measure.

The bird flicked his head back and left. Suddenly, Samuel noticed the young wolf glaring up at Flint with fire in her wrathful eyes. She sank on her belly, and with an expression of fuming bloodlust she hurdled herself at the bird, who was unaware of the impending danger.

"Flint!" Samuel screamed and pointed with his sword at the attacking pup. "Watch out!"

Unfortunately, the minstrel's warning came too late. Snatching the bird up in her baby teeth, the wolf crushed down on the killer as hard as she could. Flint wailed in fervent anger from the pain pulsing through his back. He reached for his weapon while trying to pry open the pup's jaws with one of his wings. Once he managed to open up a wide enough gape, he unsheathed his rapier and placed it in between his armpit where he thrust it backwards and skewered a hole in the young wolf's mouth.

A blood curdling gasp shot from the pup's gaping lips. Blood flowed out of her like geyser and she spat the bird out. Clenching the side of his torso, Flint limped towards the howling pup and venomously cursed at her.

"You wolf bitch!!!" screamed the crow, making everyone around, even Samuel and Miss Bleak, shake in fear. Flint leaped in the air, came down on the whimpering wolf with his rapier, and shouted just before she ended her, "Why would you do something that stupid? I was gonna let you live, damn it!"

The sight of the crow killing one of their young caused the pack to go into a frenzy. One of the wolf adults, closest to the crow and the dying pup, rushed at them in a desperate attempt to kill the child murderer while he was distracted. But as the attacking beast leaped into the air, there was a sharp twang. The wolf flopped on the ground, sideways, with one of Miss Bleak's long arrows sticking out of his side.

Flint shot his eye at the dead wolf and glared at the obstreperous crowd who gnashed their teeth at him. Snorting in frustration, Flint flourished his rapier, taunting the wolves to come and attack him.

"Come on, then!" he squawked. "I'll kill all you wolf filths!"

Charging at the bird, seven of the braver wolves attempted to outnumber the bird. They rushed at him from multiple angles with their claws and teeth shimmering from the lights of the makeshift torches hanging from the walls. However, Flint sprang high in the air and began kicking the troches at the wolves to keep them at bay. Sparks sent their fur ablaze making them roll in the dirt and howl like crazy to keep themselves from being burned alive.