The Way of the Wolves

3- Once

Elora and Vicka jumped down from the trees and drew their swords from their belts. They ran along the forest floor until they caught up to the humans. The girls jumped onto the path behind the horses, rolling to break the fall and make it more silent so the men wouldn't hear.

They ran prepared for anything that might happen. Then they both stopped behind them in their human forms, put their swords away and slapped a smile on their faces.

Vicka kept walking to the left of the horse

"Hello. Are you looking for someone?" Elora asked with a very innocent voice.

The two boys whipped around clockwise not noticing Vicka standing directly behind them. She approached them slowly trying not to make any noise.

They both stood and stared.

Eric dismounted his horse. They were mesmerized by her beauty. Elora was used to this.

Eric was very surprised when this strange girl did not flinch when he took a step closer to her.

Eric never took his eyes off her. He sensed something was very wrong. He took cautious steps toward the girl until he was only 3 meters away.

She had long dark hair and bright blue eyes, her face was perfect and her legs were long. Eric would say she was perfect. But the strange thing was that he felt a pull towards her.

Elora slowly but causally moved her hand onto her sword attached to her belt.

Good move, the prince thought. Wait, why would a girl have a sword? Girls don't fight.

"Did you come from the village?" Eric asked, now very suspicious.

"You're the prince?" Elora asked trying to avoid his question he had asked."Prince Eric, the one and only" He replied and stuck out his hand.

She stared at it and cocked her head. She had never seen someone do this before. She looked over at vicka and vicka shrugged.

Eric was trying to get her hand off the sword.

"It's not safe to be in the enchanted forest alone. Please come back with me." He stared into her bright blue eyes and, shivers ran up his bare arms When her eyes started to glow.

Elora smiled a wickedly. "I'm not alone." She stated.

Eric frowned and looked over at Mark for the first time and saw a girl behind him, with a sword in hand. "Mark!" He yelled, but it was too late.

"Oh yay! Now the fun part." Elora sounded like a child on Christmas day and drew her sword.

Eric heard the sound of a sword being pulled out of a sheath and turned his attention back to the girl. He pulled out his own sword as they heard a painful scream fill the air, but Eric and Elora didn't take their eyes off each other.

Eric smiled, "I can't fight a girl." He put his sword to his side.

It was Elora 's turn to smile, she swung her sword cutting Eric's cheek just enough for it to bleed.

Eric had leaned back to avoid his face being cut off.

He was stunned.

"On the other hand..."

He blocked another swing from Elora.

"Why does a girl like you need to know how to fight?"

"Living in the forest isn't as easy as it looks." She replied with a smirk.

"What about those ugly werewolves? Have you ever met one?"

He blocked another swing to his head.

Elora was furious, nobody calls my pack ugly. She growled showing her teeth, which weren't very scary since she was in the wrong form.

Elora stabbed Eric in the shoulder bringing a painful cry that filled the forest.

"Yes, I have seen them." She said through gritted teeth.

She pulled her sword out of his shoulder.

Eric grabbed her foot. She fell onto her back, landing on a sharp rock she let go of her sword. She clenched her jaw as pain crept from her back and sped across her spine, but she recovered quickly from the pain.

She jumped up, but Eric was faster.

He grabbed her sword and her wrist, their bodies pressed close together. Elora fought her wolf to stay in her human form. The closeness of a human made her feel vulnerable. Elora hated feeling vulnerable.

"What is your name?" Eric asked. The question was more of a demand but his voice was gentle, like a caress on the face. She refuse to feel comfort from it though.

"Elora." she responded.

Vicka, who had been behind them watching them fight, laughed. Elora glared draggers at Vicka and she instantly bowed her head in submission. Eric, who had been observing the two communicate in an unusual way, was now staring into Elora' s beautiful eyes again.

Something in side of Elora had the urge and comfort to be close. she had never experienced this before. She felt herself starting to shift forms and she immediately pushed harder for control. If she let her wolf push her out of the human form then her wolf form will have more control over her human form, Elora also didn't want Eric to know that she was a werewolf. She dropped to her knees not being able to keep her wolf in control. She took several deep breaths and her claws that had extended slowly disappeared.

Elora suddenly realized that Vicka was standing next to her helping her up. Eric was on the ground flung next to a dead Mark.

"Are you alright?" Vicka asked her. "I'm fine." She said.

"we are leaving." She said as Eric begun to get up. Vicka had thrown him across to were the horses stand knowing that he was the cause, surprised that a little girl could throw him so far.

As soon as Eric stood up on his feet he was surprised to see that no one was anywhere to be seen except, a body lay on the floor that once was his best friend and a fierce bowman.