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Each gasp of breath burned, it seared Danni's lungs and made her fight to keep running. Tree's appeared to sprout out of nothing, the swirling mass of snow making it near impossible to see. Her paws pounded against the icy ground. Each exhaustive stride tearing away her determination.
Danni was never supposed to come back, and yet here she was. Fear struck every nerve in her body, the trees a blur of green and white, her feet flying across the ground. The scent of the pack permeated the air, they were close. Howls sounded out at odd intervals signaling her direction, the hunt was on.
Sam would not hesitate to put her down. Danni needed to get to safe ground, but safe ground was deep in pack territory. The fear of death fueled any remaining energy she had stored in her aching muscles. This wasn't how it was supposed to end.
Deep guttural growls leapt up not far behind her, she could practically feel teeth nipping at her flank. Her muscles tensed painfully as she barreled through the final barrier of dense bushes into the clearing. One, two steps ,and she collapsed onto the thick untouched snow.
What sounded like thunder reverberated through the tree's, but not a soul passed into the clearing. The lone wolf attempted to lift her body, but she collapsed against the ground again, under the immense strain. She'd made it. Snow continued to cascade down around Danni; upon touching her skin it turned to warm rain.
Slowly, as the melting snow ran down her body, she let her bronze fur recede into her skin; she let it wash the wolf away. Danni knew that the pack was just on the other side of the clearing, and she knew it was easier to hate the wolf than the girl. So as excruciatingly painful as it was, she stood up.
Danni didn't attempt to hide her sobs of relief, her ribs ached. Tears melded with the melting snow, and it took two shaky attempts before she could lift her head high enough, to see the cabin in the center of the clearing. Home.
It'd been two years since she had laid eyes on the little brown house. It still looked exactly as she remembered it, built upon a solid rock foundation, the weathered wood paneling had stood the test of time. Danni's grandfather had built this house and in it she had been born.
That was the reason the pack would not cross over. It was the reason they edged around the clearing, rather then tearing her down. So long as she remained in the safety of her home, they could do nothing but Nash their teeth.
Danni's aching cries soon turned to a euphoric energy emanating from her soul. She was home. She'd raced through hell and here she was. Breathy laughs escaped from her mouth as she stumbled through the snow. Every few steps a leg might give way and send her tumbling back to the ground, but nothing could keep her from that little brown house.
Not the pack. Not the fear. Not anything.