Rogue Wolf

Chapter Seven - For You

I pulled back my paw before I could do any more damage to Pajari, though I could feel the warm wetness seeping into the fur around my claws. Red streaks ran from the gray wolf's face, his flesh torn a whisker away from his left eye. The wound was shallow, but if I hadn't stopped myself I would have taken out his eye.

Pajari howled in pain and fright, tumbling to the ground and rolling away from me as fast as he could. Caedes stood still in shock, giving me a few precious seconds to act. Some of the wolves had already started to recover from the sudden turn of events. It wouldn't be long before they attacked.

I didn't waste any more time. I sprang onto the back of the large wolf that was holding Wing, my claws catching in his coarse fur. He made the mistake of releasing Wing to snap at me, no doubt thinking the scared she-wolf posed no threat to him whatsoever.

What an idiot.

A cornered, frightened wolf is far more dangerous than a confident one. He sure found that out quickly. Wing immediately snapped out of her helpless scared wolf act and sank her teeth into the large wolf's foreleg. She'd never been helpless after all. She must have been waiting for Pajari to come close enough for her to attack him herself and make a break for it. Wing's fighting would put a grizzly bear to shame. The would I had given her earlier didn't even slow her down.

The gray she-wolf lurched backwards, pulling the big male off balance, sending him crashing to the ground in a great heap of flailing limbs. I managed to leap clear of the falling beast just in time, landing lightly on the ground to face the angry Pack before us.

We were surrounded. While we were busy handing the brown wolf's rump to him on a silver platter, Caedes had formed a circle around us. Well, it wasn't exactly much of a circle. The shape had more dents in it than the average Caedes wolf's brain cells. Technically, they aren't all that dumb, but some of them are unbelievably stupid. To wrap up this spiel, the wolves made a lousy circle that brings shame to all circles.

Wing and I stood back to back and faced the wolves as they drew closer and closer. Snarls and growls echoed as the noise bounces around and grew louder and louder. Wing crouched, bunching her muscles as she prepared to spring.

"You know, this is feeling really cliché," I said suddenly, gesturing at the advancing Pack with my paw.

"Um...What?" Wing asked, taken aback by my abrupt comment.

"I mean really. The two of us back to back and facing off against a bunch of angry wolves hell-bent on killing us?" I pointed out. "Honestly, this sort of situation happens in every other scroll in the adventure section at the eastern library!"

"Are we seriously having this conversation right now?" Wing growled, rolling her eyes. "This isn't the time to talk about how the life or death situation which, by the way, we are currently in the middle of is too much like something you read all the way over at a library! FOCUS!"

"Right, sorry, sorry," I said apologetically. "Not a good time, maybe later."

"How about not at all?" Wing replied.

Guess she's not a fan of literature.

Caedes was staring at us, utterly dumbfounded by our ridiculous conversation. They had all stopped snarling, and most of them had relaxed, no longer tensed and ready to attack. Quite a few of them were snickering at us.

Apparently my plan had worked.

"You can thank me later," I said softly into Wing's ear.

My commentary had left the wolves off guard. They had fallen for a simple trick. They weren't ready for an attack. I would use that to my advantage, as previously planned. My gaze darted around at the gathered wolves, searching for a weak spot.

There.

There was a small spot in the crude circle of wolves that was far less densely packed. Perfect for a sudden rush attack. I would create an opening for us to escape through. Shove aside the wolves and make a break for it. That was the plan. I hoped it would work. It had to. It was our only chance of getting out of here alive. I was going to get Wing safely home. I was not about to let her die. She meant too much to me.

I didn't have time to explain the plan to Wing, and besides, the wolves closest to us would have easily overheard me in the near silence. The Pack was starting to get back in formation, and I could see a wolf or two beginning to edge toward the gap I was aiming for. The circle was shifting slightly as wolves leaked into the gaps to fill in the weak points. There was no time to waste.

Without so much as a growl or snarl to give away my intentions, I charged. I fell upon the first wolf and knocked her out with a hard blow to her head. I saw a pale gray streak as Wing followed my example a heartbeat later. Two wolves were down before the rest of the Pack had time to react.

Wing and I rushed the third wolf together, slamming into his flank and lashing out at him with swift blows. He was burlier than the first two targets, and he put up quite a fight. Wing tried to pull off the same trick that had felled the large brown wolf, but this one saw her trick and yanked his paw away from her. I heard the sharp click of her teeth snapping shut on empty air. The big male smiled, clearly smug about having thwarted her attempt.

But, of course, he forgot that there were in fact two wolves attacking him. He either had really terrible memory or been too focused on Wing to notice me. That, or he was like a good chunk of his Packmates. All brawn, very questionable brain capacity. He left himself wide open, blissfully unaware of the grouch of a wolf standing right beside him. It was like a deer rolling over and showing you its belly, begging you to eat it. Well, if you're not a fan of venison, then...Who am I kidding? Everybody loves deer!

Now, I did what any self-respecting warrior would do in my situation. I shamelessly copied Wing's signature move. Hey, it worked. I grabbed the foreleg the big wolf had so courteously pulled back right in front of my face. His smug look dissipated instantaneously as I yanked him off his paws, being replaced by a look of disbelief. His head turned to me as he fell, and his free paw lashed out at me. He smirked as the blow fell on my shoulder, even though it was about as harmful as a mouse punching a lion with a feather. However, he completely forgot to cover his head. His head bonked against a rock, and he was out cold, that stupid grin still hanging on his lips. The wolf's tongue flopped from between his jaws, dangling in front of his eye. He looked like an overgrown pup that had been playing too much and just dropped asleep on the spot.

Dignified.

By now, the rest of the wolves were almost upon us and the gap was rapidly closing. There was only one wolf left. But Caedes was closing in on us too quickly. There was no way we would be able to get out, even if we sprinted. The wolves would catch us easily as we tried to flee. I came to a decision almost immediately. I bounded past Wing, tackling the remaining wolf to the ground and leaving a wide open gap in the 'circle' of wolves. Wing raced over to help me, as expected.

"I'm sorry, Wing. But I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe. I'll do anything for you," I whispered, giving the beautiful she-wolf one last look before I shoved her through the gap.

She yelped and nearly stumbled, but she did not fall. I managed to see her turn back to me before the Pack closed in. This time there was no question in her stunning blue eyes. No horror, no fear, no anger. Yes, there was shock and pain, but it was not the pain of resentment or despair. Underneath it all was something I recognized. I had felt it enough to know what it was. Love.

Even though I was a loner, even though I wasn't valiant or noble, I was a hero right then. It felt good to do something so brave and courageous for somebody other than myself. A charging wolf bowled me over, and I hit the ground hard. I couldn't see Wing anymore. And I probably never would again. I laid my head on the ground as the Pack converged on their fallen prey. That was about when I caught a glimpse of a pale cream colored shape between the mob of wolves.

A familiar howl rang out as Ceraron charged Caedes, followed by a surge of Pack wolves that crashed against the mass of beasts like a violent wave of claws and teeth.