Hey people. Yeah, some of you are going to hate me for starting a new story right now, but here's an explanation that will hopefully quell some of your anger.
This story, the one you're reading right now, is new, but I'm tying it in with basic plot points of both "Princess of Demons" and "Heartache".
Neither of those stories got very much interest, and I'm blocked on them, so this new story is melding them together with new ideas and such, which, in essence, means those stories are discontinued. But I hope this story makes up for it. This beginning chapter is slow, but I promise this story gets getter!
Also, Courage of Awesome? If you're reading this, I promise, I'm not stealing the "shifter" idea from you! Promise! These shifters are very different from yours.
Blood Lust
Instinct took over her in an instant. She licked at the scrawny, newborn pup's coat, rough tongue gliding across his tiny pink nose and firmly closed eyes. With time, his eyes would open, and reveal their hue, but for now, it was a mystery, and she could only guess. Would they be her own stormy green like an uncut emerald? Or the oceanic blue of his father? Only time would tell. Sighing tiredly, she looked at her pup. He was a strong boy, loud whimpering cries signaling that his lungs were working just fine, and his short cropped coat was already a beautiful silver-gray color, with lighter points on his head, neck, belly and paws.
He was a fine example of a wolf pup if she ever did see one.
Her ears pricked when an unwelcome sound came from just outside the den. Outside, past the safety and warmth of the underground nest padded with plush grasses and leaves, a winter storm howled, fierce wind whipping at the barren trees and sending the snow flying like a miniature hurricane.
Whatever creature was out there was a very stupid creature.
She rose slowly to her paws, making completely sure that she wouldn't harm her pup as she stepped toward the entrance, muzzle wrinkling as a gust of the hard wind clawed at her face like a thousand tiny knives. A familiar, musky scent met her sensitive nose, and her tawny colored hackles lifted from the nape of her neck as she set her paws firmly in the dirt floor beneath her.
A dark splotch of blackness could be seen about twenty-feet away, partially obscured by the wicked storm that blew outside but still easily visible against the blinding backdrop of white snow behind it.
The creature stood completely still, as if frozen in place, her green eyes glaring warningly into where it's eyes should be.
Suddenly, it made a move, a stuttering step, violently shaking paws sinking into the snow as it bounded haphazardly toward her. She gave an involuntary yelp as it moved, its body practically bending in two and then stretching far longer than any beast should be able to extend itself, wild frenzy glinting on its borne fangs. Within three wild leaps, it had covered the distance between them, and before she could react, a wicked sharp claw dug deep into her muzzle.
It was a creature the likes of which she had never seen before. Its body was long and desperately thin, each and every rib visible through its dull, matted coat of ebony. Its head was small, and angular, coming to a harsh point at the tip of its nose. The creature opened its pointed maw, revealing the yellow, needle-like teeth within, blood from a previous battle pooling in the cavity of its mouth and dripping onto the floor of her den.
Where its eyes should have been, lifeless whites remained, making it impossible to tell where the creature was looking, if it could see at all.
She gave a fierce snarl in warning as the creature's head swiveled hauntingly toward her newborn pup, its mouth opening a few more inches and a fresh wave of the crimson liquid overflowing its lips.
It was bleeding from the inside.
"Who are you?" She barked, teeth snapping as she made a small lunging motion at the beast, trying to startle it, to drive it from her den, and away from her pup. It again stayed frozen in place, head pointed toward the nest of grass where her pup was sleeping, whimpering occasionally in his sleep.
She moved to stand directly in the creature's path, stretching her body so that she blocked all but a few inches in either direction, leaving the creature no easy way to get to her pup. She bore her fangs again as it made a high, nasally whining sound, lowering its head as if contemplating on whether or not to attack her.
"You can't even talk, can you?"
The beast made a quick, jerky movement, a feinting leap to the right, and let loose a hysterical yipping howl as she also moved in the same direction to stop it. It then dug its tiny paws into the dirt below, pushing against the ground and leaping farther to the left, in the opposite direction that she had gone.
It lunged toward her pup, teeth snapping as it made a grab for the young wolf's head.
"Get away from my son, demon!" She roared suddenly, realizing the creature's ploy. She moved swiftly, and in a single, violent snap, clamped her jaw tightly down on the already bleeding creature's neck.
It gave only a few desperate throws before going limp in her jaw, dead standing.
Meanwhile the pup merely shifted in its sleep, peacefully and blissfully unaware of the violent bloodshed mere feet away from him. He simply dreamt of milk, and of what the world might be like as his mother quietly dragged the creature's lifeless body out into the snow, leaving it a few feet away from the den's entrance.
A proclamation of her strength and a warning to other creature's that might dare to attack.
Wearily, she reentered her den, stepping over her sleeping pup and curling up beside him, gently wrapping her tail around him and licking his forehead.
"Sleep well, my little Link. I will always protect you…"
Golden sunlight streamed between the rich verdant leaves, dappling the mossy ground below like the colored scales of a fish. A gentle spring breeze brushed across the forest floor, moving the leaves slightly and rustling the undergrowth.
High in the treetops, songbirds twittered cheerfully to their mates or young, and along the sturdy bows, squirrels skittered, jumping easily from branch to branch and playing among the foliage.
Through the thick brambles, a sleek creature moved, great strides covering ground at an impressive clip despite the graceful, reserved flexing of its muscles. A young wolf, with a dusky gray hued coat with a speckling of silver throughout and borderline white marks across his muzzle, around his neck, paws and lower belly. Set elegantly on his angled face, his eyes glinted in the sunlight, brilliant sapphire blue snapping at the slightest movement in his surroundings, and deep inside them, flecks of green swirled. In his mouth, the lifeless body of one of the less fortunate squirrels hung.
A sound in the distance caught his attention. He flicked his ears toward the sound. It was a series of yipping barks, a whining undertone carrying through. As soon as the sound died down, he dropped the squirrel, tipped his head back, and released from his throat a long, low howl. A single tone, gradually raising in pitch, then dropping dramatically before dying out altogether.
Mere moments after, he snatched up his pray again, and broke into a smooth trot, large paws being thrown out wide before digging them deep into ground, propelling himself through the forest. He bounded easily through the thickly wooded thickets, sense of direction never faltering as the occasional yip guided him by sound to his destination.
Breaking into a small clearing, where the sunlight could fully illuminate the grassy hill before him. Wildflowers were scattered through the grass, full blooms sending fragrant scents into the air and soothing his nose as he approached an older wolf that was lying among the blossoms.
Her tawny coat had dulled with age, turning a shade of fawn. Along her muzzle, and around her eyes, bright white hairs were peppered, revealing her age.
Mouth still clamped shut on the dead squirrel, he uttered a small whimper, telling her not to stand, but against his will, the she-wolf rose, shaking, to her paws, head dipped low, but lips gently parted in greeting.
He dropped the squirrel at her paws, and then softly licked her cheek, whining softly, chiding her for rising against his advice. She merely whined in response, nuzzling under his neck.
"You didn't go to The Grove again, did you Link?" She asked in a tired voice, slumping slowly back to the ground. She sniffed at the squirrel, and then looked back up at him, one emerald green eye becoming narrower.
"No, of course not mother."
The she-wolf took another whiff of the squirrel's scent, and a soft rumble escaped her throat.
"Link," she sighed tiredly, watching as he leaned back, sitting down on his haunches. "How many times have I told you? The Sacred Grove is a dangerous place, and hunting from those grounds is forbidden!" she barked, voice rising slightly.
His shoulders slumped slightly, and he allowed his head to drop slightly.
"But mother I-"
"No buts young man! You could have been killed!"
He dropped to the ground, belly rubbing against the ground, ears flattening. He thumped his tail softly against the ground, looking up at her though the top of his eyes. She remained silent for several minutes, glaring down at him with a steely expression.
"Link, I'm just trying to protect you," she whispered finally, reaching forward and licking his forehead, nuzzling her wet nose against his cheek. "You're my entire world. If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do."
He looked up at her, and after pulling up slightly, nudged the squirrel toward his mother.
"Eat." He said simply. Her eyes flicked toward him, before she gingerly started to eat, starting with the limbs, gnawing around the slender bones. After a few minutes, she pulled up, and nudged a small pile of meat toward him.
"You need to eat these."
"But mom, I went hunting for you. I'm fine. Really."
"Link, these are the organs. They're packed with nutrition that a growing boy like you needs."
"Mom, you need to eat more. You're withering away!"
He looked at her, eyes looking on with worry at the ribs that could easily be seen from beneath her pelt, and her bony hips protruding dangerously. She was deadly thin.
"Link, I am your mother, and I know what is right. Now eat."
He gave in finally at the commanding tone of her voice, and leaned down, devouring the fatty organ meat quicker than he had planned, his stomach egging him onward until he had eaten every last bit. He had been hungrier than he had thought.
Stomach somewhat full, and the warmth of the sun making him feel tired, he laid down beside his mother, yawning once before resting his head on his paws, drifting asleep to the sound of songbirds and his mother's heartbeat…
The sun was setting when he woke. He quickly shook himself of the clinging fingers of sleep, lifting his head in a swift movement, sharp, snapping blue eyes quickly searching the area.
There was something different about the clearing. Something wasn't right. He flicked his ears carefully, listening intently. Past his line of sight, obscured by the thick undergrowth of the forest, a twig snapped beneath the weight of an unknown creature.
He stood silently, careful not to wake his mother. The wind changed directions, coming from behind the unknown, unseen beast, bringing its scent across the grassy hill and wafting into his nose. But he had not been prepared for the scent that found him, and he gave a soft yelp as the stinging, acidic smell burned at the sensitive interior of his nostrils, a scent he had never smelled before. It was painfully strong.
It smelled like death.
He watched the underbrush carefully, muscles stiffening as a shadowy figure crept from the brambles. It was probably only a little bit smaller than him, with a matted black coat and tiny paws that barely made a sound on the grass. But where its eyes should have been, nothing but lifeless white holes remained.
Seconds later, several more of the creatures' leapt from beyond the bramble, high-pitched squeals hurting his ears. He stood, nearly frozen with fear of the unknown creatures, not noticing as his mother rose to her paws beside him, panting with the exertion, upper lips curling in a snarl.
"Link," she said softly, drawing his attention. "Run."
He looked toward her, eyes, widening.
"But mom-! You can't!"
"That doesn't matter. You need to run. Now."
The creatures' stalked closer, more and more coming through the brambles until before them, it was a practical sea of them, seething with movement as each bumped against the others' in their advancement.
"Mom, you'll die!"
"I have lived long enough,"she licked his cheek, and then surprised him by giving him a sharp, painful nip on his haunches. "Go!"
There was something in her tone that made his stomach churn, and body moving nearly on its own, he turned, bolting in the opposite direction of where the creatures' continued to pour out from.
His legs pumped as hard as they would go, his body bunching up into a tight ball and then stretching wide, eating up the ground in his frantic escape. He ran for miles, only once faltering, when a high pitched howl screeched into the night, recognizing it immediately as his mother's voice. But he continued running, dodging around the massive trunks of the forest trees and leaping through the thorny underbrush.
It was at dawn that his body came to a stand-still, crumpling to the ground in a shivering heap. His breath would come in nothing more than exhausted gasps, lungs burning for oxygen, and eyes quickly slipping shut, falling into a dead sleep, not noticing that he had fallen upon the cement doorstep of a ruined temple. Underneath him, three golden triangles were inlaid in the gray colored pavement, stacked in a pyramid. Or the single, glowing red eye watching him from the shadows…