Shadewylf

24.1 - Survival

Angel awoke with a jolt, her eyes snapping open. Instinctively, she flared her wings out in readiness for danger. Her injured wing twinged dangerously at the pull.

Wincing, she flicked her tail out instead. She heard it slap against stone. Much to her dismay, they were still in the cave.

She was lying on her stomach, nose throbbing from being squashed into the rock floor. Tugging it upwards, she raised her head, blinking a few times to let the room come into focus. Even once it had, making out her surroundings was still very difficult.

It was almost completely dark. The only light that allowed her to make out the shape of the room at all was the flickering lamp, barely a flame as it smoldered in the far corner of the room. As Angel's eyes adjusted further, the minature pool of light it created allowed her to trace the shapes of several wolves, all slumped in a similar way to her. Judging from the easy way the patch of fur nearest to the lamp shone, they were the fallen Icewylf soldiers. Her shoulders relaxed when she noticed the slight dilation of the lit-up wolf's nostrils.

Pushing upwards, Angel forced herself into a sitting position. Every movement made the numerous scratches slicing beneath her fur sting, but the pain wasn't unbearable. If anything, she was becoming used to the constant prick of wounds.

She turned her head away from the unconcious Icewylves to survey the other side of the room, to her left. It was much harder to make out the area, as shadows hid it from the feeble glow of the lamp, but there was just enough light to make out the bodies of more wolves. Squinting, Angel studied them, but even with her newly-adjusted eyes she couldn't identify them.

"Psst!"

Ears pricking up, Angel's gaze shot towards the noise, twisting her body back towards the Icewylves. One wolf was now stood above the others. The pale shine of a pair of eyes, staring her way, caught the lamplight with ease.

After a moment of Angel's hesitation, the wolf jerked their head to the side, beckoning her over. With a nod she hoped could be detected, she rose stiffly to her paws and padded over.

As she approached, the wolf became clearer, until Angel realised that she was the same wolf that had followed her through the tunnel and into the battle. Perching beside her, Angel examined the nearby wolves, recognising Konrad splayed right next to the lamp. She gulped, the idea of such a powerful wolf being so helpless tightening her throat.

"Is anyone else awake?" the Icewylf asked. Her whisper was perfect - an icy mist, quiet yet still prickling cold. Angel's reply felt like rough sand compared to her voice.

"I don't think so. I can't see anyone else moving." Turning, she met the Icewylf's eyes. "Are you quite close to Konrad, then?" The question had been forming ever since she'd first met this wolf.

"Yes," came her reply, short and sharp. "I'm one of his commanders - Wylfrost leader for Vendett." She flicked her tail, the snowy colour glinting in the pool of light. "And you're the Twilytra Airewylf, right?"

"Yeah. I'm Angel." She held out a paw automatically, as if to shake, then retracted it quickly just as the Icewylf lifted her own. They stilled for a few moments, before both setting down their paws, glancing away.

"I'm Miyuki," said the Icewylf, after clearing her throat awkwardly. She rose to her paws, casting a shadow over Angel as she blocked the light. "Have a look for any possible exits," she ordered. "If they got us in here, this place can't be entirely sealed up."

Nodding, Angel jumped up, stepping carefully around the fallen Icewylves to scan the rock of the walls. A crack caught her eye, and she darted up to run her claw along it, but it was nothing but a dent that led nowhere. Sighing, she moved on, resorting to patting at the wall with her paw as she crossed into the shadows.