Shadewylf

24.2 - Survival

The wolf's still silence only worsened Angel's fear. The only sound filling the room was the tap of his claw, steady and purposeful. The scraping screech it made on the stone sounded uncomfortably like bones grating together.

It was Jaser who spoke first, his eyes bright red, sparkling with excitement. "Nice to finally meet you all," he proclaimed, surveying the room. "The mighty Wylfrost - I must say, you've been very evasive. We've wanted to talk for ages." He grinned. "It's rather rude to spy on us like that, you know, and not hang around for a chat."

Turning, he looked towards Angel's corner of the room. His gaze fixed onto hers. "And for the Twilytra... well, you've been staying here a little while. I trust you're having a pleasant stay?"

The edge in his voice made Angel's skin crawl.

Thea snickered. "I still think you could have found somewhere better." She was crouched on the floor, but now she straightened, clearly hiding a wince at the strain.

This time, Jaser didn't rise to her mockery, though he did shoot an angry glare her way. "Too bad you'll have to stay here for the rest of your short lives," he replied, tone casual, though the underlying growl wasn't difficult to hear. His glare turned from Angel and Thea to Fiammetta, eyes reflecting her fire in shining crimson. "Doubt our spies now, Flamewylf?"

"It wasn't spies that brought us here," Fiammetta said, voice tight.

"Perhaps not, but it was expertise far greater than yours." He was fully smiling now, basking in his clear victory. "No wolf can save you here."

His snout was still open, ready with more words to fire, but a voice silenced him.

"That's enough, Jaser."

The voice perfectly suited its speaker. Finally, the grey-eyed wolf ceased his tapping, and just like that any control Jaser had held vanished. It was the wolf in the centre who truly held that control. He paused, letting every wolf feel his cold presence.

If Miyuki's words had been ice, his were a frosty river - flowing slowly but deliberately, winding around every bend with careful ease. No joy, no warmth, nothing. Just the empty chills even his voice left behind. His eyes were the same - a flat grey, devoid of emotion, perfect mirrors to reflect the rock wall beside him.

Before he'd even spoken another word, Angel's throat was closing up. Tremors gripped her forepaws.

"Apologies for the wait," the Shadewylf began eventually, taking a purposeful step forward so that Jaser and Harisah fell into his shadow. "My senior soldiers and I were discussing... certain matters." The flick of his gaze to follow the final word made Angel shiver.

"What matters?" Katana snapped back, clearly less frozen by the wolf. She pushed to her paws, ears folded forward in challenge. The healing magic had at least restored her fiery courage, even if her step still wavered.

Cold eyes settled on her. Without meaning to, Angel flinched sideways, dodging away from Katana and the chilling promise those eyes whispered.

"Nothing that concerns you, Earthwylf," he told her. "Our plans for you were already decided." Another pause, yet just as effectful as every one before it, letting the ominous edge in his flowing tone wrap around each heart. "No, matters that concern your Shadewylf friend."

Angel stopped breathing. The air was snatched from her lungs. She stared at the Shadewylf in horror, guilt and fear and failure all sizzling bright and stinging inside her.

How could she forget about Toivo? Of course he was nowhere to be seen, she saw that now. When they'd knocked him out, they'd taken him somewhere else. He wasn't like the rest of them. Perhaps they would try to twist his mind... or maybe he was nothing but a traitor to them. Maybe he was already dead.