"I got it! I got it!"
I strode forward a bit but Reed certainly out ran me. He was trying to catch a moss ball that his brother had thrown. However the hallways wasn't the best place to play moss ball as I tried to tell them. They didn't listen, not that I thought they would. They could be very stubborn when they wanted to be.
Reed suddenly slipped and his whole body sprawled out. He howled in confusion as he kept sliding. I darted forward but I wasn't quick enough. Reed slammed into Scott's foot. Scott gasped in shock and turned, ready to attack. Reed's eyes widened in terror and I snarled to try and break Scott out of his trance.
Scott shook his head before he looked down to Reed. "Watch where you're going! You could trip someone," he scolded in a much harsher tone than he should have.
"It was an accident," I pointed out as my ears twitched. "He was just playing."
"Then tell him to go play somewhere else. This is a school, not a place for little dogs to run around," he shot back at me.
My eyes widened in shock. Was he really going to speak to me like that. I didn't think so. "First off we're wolves not dogs," I corrected as I tried to keep my anger contained. "Second we have just as much right to this place as you do and there was no one in the hallway when they started. Third they're just pups and they play. Didn't you play when you were younger?"
Scott curled his lip in rage and I could tell he either didn't care about any of my points or he didn't believe them. "Not like those things. I'm surprised the Professor allowed those little freaks in here."
"Freaks," echoed Reed as tears collected in the corners of his eyes. "We're not freaks are we momma?"
I shook my head madly. "No of course you're not." I looked back up to Scott and I was painfully aware that the rest of my pups had clustered around Reed in an effort to soothe him. "What is your problem?!"
Scott clenched a fist before he turned to face me, anger present in his appearance. "I don't have a problem," he argued in a fury filled whisper.
I thrust my ears forward. "Then I suggest you check your attitude. I've heard the Professor and Storm talking. They think that you're lost it after Jean died."
"Shut up," snapped Scott and I saw his eyes glow red behind his glasses and to my horror he pointed them to my pups. They wailed in terror and my motherly instincts kicked in.
With a yowl I leaped over them and tucked them under my underbelly. I bristled my fur and snarled up at Scott. Terror made my stand rigid but my only purpose was protecting my pups so that's what I was going to to. I tucked my tail between my legs and saliva dripped from my snarling mouth.
I suddenly saw something clicked and he turned just enough that he only singed my hind leg with his powerful energy. He gasped as he fell backwards, shaking his head to clear it.
I panted madly and looked back to my hind leg which was pretty badly burned. It began to heal though and I looked under me to my pups. They were all fine, a little shaken up but fine.
"Starlight," began Scott as he stood and reached out a hand to touch me.
I snapped my jaws dangerously close to his hand and to my relief he leaped back. "Get away from me," I spat as my hackles rose. "And my pups."
"I'm so sorry," panted Scott as he raised a hand and rubbed his head.
"Just get away from us," I warned as I lowered my head into my shoulders and spat on the ground. "I won't have you harming my pups!"
"I didn't mean-"
"Save it," I grumbled as I rose a paw to cut him off. "Just leave us alone!" I turned and pushed my pups out from under me and back down the hallway, away from Scott. Fear still prickled down my back in case that Scott would fire at us from behind but after a few heartbeats I realized that he had vanished.
"Why did Scott do that," asked Reed as his voice seemed to be strained in terror.
I lowered down and licked his cheek. "I don't know little one," I chided gently. "I think he's sick."
"Then why isn't he rested," chimed in Murk as she lashed her tail.
I chuckled in amusement, calming down a bit. "Not that type of sick like with a cold. He's sick in the mind."
"Can he be healed," inquired Thyme as her fur spiked a bit as if she thought Scott was listening to our conversation.
I bit my lip and hung my head. "I'm not sure little ones. I'm not sure.