I scrambled to my paws as Ceraron charged into my attackers. His wounds were slathered with herbal poultices and hastily bandaged with broad leaves. One leaf tore away from his side and fluttered into the face of his enemy, blinding him. I took the chance and leaped at him, tackling the Caedes wolf to the ground as Ceraron's wolves ran at the vicious Pack. Wing came barreling over to help the cream-furred wolf with a particularly tough wolf. I could hear him hiss into Wing's ear as they both leaped together.
"Wing, are you kidding me!? You just met him, and you're already smitten? And he's got such a terrible family, are you sure you want to deal with this?"
Wing rolled her eyes. "You're the most over protective brother this side of Aurea, Ceraron. And he's charming."
That's all I heard before I lost sight of the two.
Whoa, they're siblings!? Wasn't expecting that! But she says I'm charming! FOCUS, SLEEK!
I sprang back to avoid the large white wolf I had run into earlier with Ceraron. His paws thumped dully on the ground, his mighty jaws snapping shut on empty air that my throat had once occupied. I guess the whole no killing thing has been forgotten. Oh well.
Skirting around him, I tried to find a weak point, but there were none that I could see. He was a strong, healthy wolf. A large, strong, healthy wolf. Oh joy. I flattened my ears, trying to look about as ticked off as possible, trying to intimidate the beast. Yeah, that didn't work. He charged, and I barely got out of the way in time. I wasn't sure I could beat this guy, and I was even less sure that Ceraron's Pack wolves could best Caedes. Sure, they had been winning at first, but that was only because they had taken them by surprise. I didn't think we could win. I glanced around and saw that the Pack wolves were needing to pair off to take down a single wolf. We were spread too thin.
I scanned the battle and saw that the Caedes wolves were drawing pairs away, dancing just out of reach and stirring them to strike again and again until more of the brutal beasts could cut off their escape and finish them off. In the chaos, nobody could see what was happening.
"Everybody! To me, now! Don't get separated!" I howled, loud as I possibly could. I could see some heads turn, and those who didn't hear were told by those whose attention I had gotten. The Pack came bounding towards me, gathering around me and facing outward to drive back any pursuers.
"We need three groups! One will be in front! Those in the second group will replace wolves from the first group is they cannot fight any longer. The third group will take the wounded out of the way so they do not get in the way or get killed. Now form up!"
I was surprised that they listened to me. I wasn't their Alpha. But that didn't matter to them at the moment. They had only come to fend off this threat, it didn't matter how they went about doing it. I was a little hurt that they couldn't care less about me, but it wasn't like I didn't expect it. If Root were here, they'd follow him, not me. But at least they were listening to me now.
The Pack split up into three equal groups and quickly went to their positions before Caedes had a chance to strike. They gathered themselves into a strong defensive formation. They hadn't followed my orders exactly, though. They took a few creative liberties, showing just how smoothly they ran and how much better than me they were at battle tactics. They formed sub-groups with barely a word exchanged. The commands rippled through the Pack in a river of ear flicks and tail gestures, all those words and orders passed with a few simple motions. It was one of the few times I'd ever been truly impressed by a Pack, but that was because I'd never been in one. They worked together so incredibly well. I was almost jealous. Almost. But not quite. Okay, maybe a little.
The wolves went on the offensive, and soon they had driven Caedes back. The brutes didn't know how to deal with a well-functioning Pack without commands from their Alpha. That was the difference between Root's Pack and Ragged's. Ragged did not allow the wolves to make their own decisions. His orders were absolute, not to be questioned. Root was wiser, letting them improvise. That was Caedes's weakness, and Root's strength. As much as I disliked him, I had to admit that he was an excellent Alpha. His Pack was incredible.
The Pack wolves forced Caedes farther back with another attack, every wolf on the front lines striking in unison. The enemy was disorganized and fought clumsily and without any decent fighting tactics. They simply could not function without their Alpha. Caedes scrambled away from the fierce wolves, whimpering and whining, all of them seeming to ask the same question - Where was their Alpha? Had Ragged fled and abandoned them? Was he a coward? He was supposed to be a fearless, terrifying, intimidating leader that knew nothing of fear, and did not shy away from a fight. I could hear some of them snarling curses under their breath, vowing to hunt down Ragged for leaving them like this. They obviously had little faith in their Alpha. But I highly doubted that Ragged had fled. It wasn't like him to flee. No, Ragged would never flee from a fight.
Regretably, I was proven right. I heard a sharp yelp behind us - from the third group. I spun to see the front wolves falter as more whimpers and cries burst out in a pitiful chorus. If they weren't careful, they'd loose their advantage. And such was the strength and weakness of the two Packs. Caedes cared nothing for their Packmates. They did not risk a fight to save a hurt or dying member. They simply trampled the wounded until they stopped pleading, until they stopped breathing altogether. Those who could not survive a fight wounded were not fit to survive in Caedes. They felt no pain in loosing a comrade. Their hearts were blocks of ice. But Root's Pack cared deeply for one another. One Pack member would gladly throw caution to the wind and rush into danger to save their Packmate. It hurt them when they lost a friend or family member, it hurt them to the bone. It was a weakness as well as a strength, but right now it was a weakness that Caedes would take savage delight in taking advantage of.
"No, wait! Stop!" I called. "Wing, Ceraron, and five others will come with me! The rest of you, stay here and keep fighting! Do not fall back, once you are forced into the undergrowth, backs against the thick tree trunks, you will not stand a chance! You will be split apart and taken down! Fight back!"
Ceraron and Wing ran up to me, along with three wolves I recognized and two I did not. Sap was a light brown male with black and pale yellow splotches, Kyra was a solid smoky gray she-wolf, and Jorka was a white male wolf with silver patches. The other two were both she-wolves, one black and white, one plain black with a brown muzzle.
I turned and ran toward the source of the cries, coming nose-to-nose with Ragged himself. He was leading a group of his wolves in an attack against the wounded. It was a petty, cruel move, and he knew it. He had actually stooped that low. I was almost surprised. The third group was trying to fight him, but they could not drive Caedes away and protect the wounded at the same time. It was either protect the injured wolves and most likely loose several wolves in the process, or focus on fighting and let the injured be slain.
"Ragged! Leave them alone!" I barked angrily, clenching my teeth, furious at his cowardly move. "How about you pick on somebody who can actually fight back?"
Ragged turned to give me a wicked smile, but the seven wolves I had brought with me were already charging him before I had even finished my sentence. They ran at Caedes, and the third group was spurred on by renewed hope of victory. The brutes were being assaulted from two different directions. Things were looking up. That is, until Ragged unleashed his hidden backup.
More Caedes wolves pounced from their hiding spots, falling upon the Pack wolves with gleeful howls of sick, sick delight. I staggered at a particularly nasty blow from a smiling gray wolf, but I managed to stay on my paws. I would not fall again, no matter what. There were far more wolves in Ragged's Pack than Root's. It was no wonder Caedes was so deadly, or how they could suffer so many losses and never become small or weak or dwindle out. With every attack they gained more members than they lost by threatening and intimidating the wolves they chose into joining. I wondered if we eight now fell into that category.
Ragged flicked his tail dismissively. "Okay, I'm going to give you all a choice. Join my Pack and live. Refuse and be put down like a dying dog. Oh wait...You are a bunch of dying dogs!" He laughed, a sound that made me want to tear his fur off. "We'll even take care of the wounded if they choose to join us. Sound like a good deal?"
I could see the wolves - especially the wounded ones - actually consider his offer. But their loyalty was with Root. Every single wolf shook their heads, too angry to open their jaws, for they would have sooner bitten Ragged's ears off or screeched curses at him than politely answered 'no'. Hostility rolled off of them like steam, filling the air like it too. I knew we were all about to die.
My brother sighed, shaking his head, as if he was actually disappointed or surprised by their answer - as if he actually had feelings. What a day that would be. "Too bad. I wanted to spare you, I really did. But you leave me no choice." He glanced up at his Pack, nodding his approval to go in for the kill. "Go on then. Kill them. But leave that one to me." I gave half a flinch as the Alpha gestured at me. I was expecting him to say something like that, but I was still nervous.
I should run. This isn't my Pack to defend. It never has, and it never will be. RUN, JUST RUN, WHY CAN'T I RUN!?
But I didn't run. I wasn't going to run away from Ragged. Never again would I turn my tail to that terrible wolf. But at the same time, there was no way I could possibly fight him. We were all doomed. I saw Caedes approach, this time slowly, so as to relish their order to kill. I knew they would cherish every second of it. But we would not go down without a fight.
I exchanged a glance with the seven wolves with me. We all nodded, silently coming to an agreement. We would stay behind and allow the wounded to escape.
Sap, Wing, Kyra, and the black and brown wolf ran at Caedes while Jorka and the black and white she-wolf paired up to challenge a large broad-chested brown and rust-furred wolf. That left Ceraron and I to tackle the nearest - a formidable-looking she-wolf with a missing eye. We ran at her after I gave a quick nod to the third group.
"Go on, we'll take it from here."
They stared at me, then nodded solemnly, regrettably understanding what I meant. They each helped to carry off the wounded, casting pained glances back at us as they went. They knew they would most likely never see any of us ever again.
We were fighting a hopeless battle, fighting only to buy time. I never thought I would die like this. I had never dreamed I would perish fighting alongside those who had branded me an outcast. Not even in my wildest dreams.
Is this where we all die? Is this the end for us?
But no, it was not meant to be. We were not going to die that day. For we received help from an even unlikelier source.
I heard a rumbling roar, a familiar one at that. A huge male grizzly bear reared up, casting his fearsome shadow over the Caedes wolves as he spread his mighty forepaws and bellowed again. The Caedes and Pack wolves screeched, terrified. A wolf was one thing, but a bear was a completely different story. Every wolf was panicking except me.
"Wait! Hold on! He's on our side! Pavor! Pavor came to help us!"