Zatanna rode through the woods on her pegasus, her brow knitted and her mouth pouring out incantations. One protection spell after another flowed from her lips, the words turning themselves around on her tongue, making her believe that perhaps backwards was her native language. She passed by some elves on her way up the final mountain, egging her pegasus on as the fair folk ran back to their trees to conduct their own protective measures. She would protect her vally from the hunters if it was her dying deed.
Artemis caught wind of the Seven Families coming together when the Great One called the clan together for a strategy meeting.
"War is upon us, my friends. We must make ready. Zatanna wishes us to join her," he paused, a look of contempt souring his face, "league to confront the hunters. I say differently. Ra's Al Ghul and his clan submits to no man, or woman."
The male vampires cheered half-heartedly, worried of what their mates would do to them. Artemis smirked, watching her uncle side eye her aunt warily. Dinah was too busy glaring at Ra's to notice Oliver's insubordination.
"So know this, fellow creatures of the night!" he said. Half of the company groaned audibly, eliciting another glare from Ra's daughter and lieutenant, Talia. Her father continued without a break, "We will prepare for war, but the witch will get none of our help!"
The company cheered again, more enthused this time, apart from Artemis and a few others. She knew how to fend for herself, but a small clan of vampires against several hundred humans armed to the teeth with who-knew-what. Joining the other tribes in fighting the threat seemed much more logical than sticking it out until there were none of them left.
Ra's continued to outline a detailed attack plan, if, of course, the hunters could even breach the outer defenses. She rolled her eyes at the protective measures Ra's was outlining, quickly finding flaws in most of them.
He finished speaking and dismissed the company. The small gathering of vampires dispersed to different parts of the castle, Artemis drifting away to her post by the door, taking up a spear and glaring at the man who sat in the same position across from her. Cameron, a painted whore of a vampire, had been her progenitor and she had never forgiven him for it. Before she came to be a part of Clan Al Ghul, Artemis had been a successful monster hunter, notch after notch in her belt for things that she had killed. After being turned, she realized what she had done and that not all of her kin were vicious beasts. However, those that were evil were as bad as they come, as demonstrated adequately by Ra's, Talia, and Cameron.
"Arty," he sneered, his painted lips pulling back over his sharp teeth. She glared at him, baring her own fangs in retaliation, spitting his name out like it was priest's blood, "Cam."
"This plan will never work," she said, trying something, anything, to make small talk.
"The great one is infallible, succubus!" he snarled back, the makeup around his lips cracking and flaking with his ire. She scoffed, turning her back and crossing her arms.
"You were the one that turned me, genius!" she snapped. He grinned, his fangs shining in the torchlight.
"Yeah, and I wish I'd drunk you dry, bitch," he said, liking his lips, some of the blue paint disappearing into his mouth, making him cough and splutter. "Given the chance and time, do you know what I would have done to you, Sweetie?"
"First of all, a bitch is a dog, and I am very far from that, if you couldn't tell," she began. "Second-"
Suddenly, an orange and brown blur shot by them, completely bypassing all defenses that the clan had established to keep out intruders.
"What the hell was that!" Artemis exclaimed, turning to face the direction the blur had gone. Something that barked and growled was still zipping around the main hall of the vampires hideout, making a mess of the entire room. Cameron's nose twitched, more of his paint flaking off with every movement.
He perked up as he caught the scent and screamed into a tube mounted to the wall near him, "WOLF!"
The hideout sprung to life, vampires pouring into the main hall, closing every path for the wolf to escape. He slowed, being met at every turn with another pair of barred fangs, eventually coming to a complete stop in the middle of the hall.
"Take me to your leader!" he yelled, a mischievous grin on his half-changed face, an old letterman jacket draped around his shoulders like a cape. He turned when a door banged open behind him, perfectly framing Talia, her stiff collar causing an unnatural silhouette in the backlight of the door.
"What do you want, dog?!" she drawled, her accent thick with pretension. The arrogant beast grinned at her cheekily, giving her a stage bow.
"My lady. I am here upon the request of Zatanna Zatara the Magnificent and Backwards-Speaking to request your clan's participation in the League for the Justice of Otherworlders, or, as my little brother calls it, the Justice League," he said, still grinning. "Also, my name's not 'dog.' It's Wally!"
The wolf's stump of a tail wagged through the hole that was haphazardly cut into the seat of his pants, the silly expression seemingly ironed into his face. Artemis squinted at the smell of him, taking a step back and almost landing on top of Cameron.
"Watch it!" he shouted, attracting the attention of the entire room. "You're lucky the Great One likes you, succubus, or else I would..."
He stopped shouting and sobered as Talia walked over to him. She wrenched open the door leading outside of the hideout, the other vampires jumping out of the path of sunlight that streamed in through the opening. She turned Cameron to face her and flung the door wide, bathing his body in light. He flinched away, cowering in his own shadow, eyes gazing pleadingly up at his assailant. She didn't spare him a second glance as her boot hit his sternum, forcing him into the open. She shut the door quickly, hissing as a few stray rays of sunlight fell on her cheeks.
The company, including Wally, winced as they heard the vampire's screams as the sun did its work on him, dissolving him to dust to be swept away in the wind. Talia looked around, challenging any other member of the clan to speak out of turn. Every being in the hall averted their eyes from her, looking either at the floor, the ceiling, or at Wally, who had sat down and was happily scratching his ear with his foot. Her gaze came to rest upon him and she began to stalk towards him.
"Now to deal with you, pup," she said, her nails glinting as if they were claws extending from her fingertips. Wally stopped scratching his ear, his eyes growing wider as the vampire approached him. "We want nothing to do with your League, nor your family."
Her voice rang throughout the hall, closely echoed by her father's.
"Take the halfling to the dungeon! He will be of some use to us yet," said Ra's disembodied voice. Several of his minions advanced towards Wally, who saw his opening and took it. He leapt through the gap in the vampires, running up to Artemis and Talia.
"Hey, babe! So that guy was a real jerk, huh?" he said, leaning up against the wall. "Oh, hey look! It's people who want me dead! Kiss for luck?"
Artemis' eyes opened wider at the realization of what he was about to do and attempted to fend off the encroaching werewolf. She was unsuccessful. Wally grabbed the sides of her face and pressed his lips to hers, his head tilting to accommodate for noses, his lips moving against hers gently. She brought her arms up to his neck, her soft touch quickly becoming a vice. She pulled him away from her and spun him around, her arms holding him in place.
"Never touch me again or I'll make sure you die by my hand, dog," she growled in his ear before handing him over to Ra's goons. He turned his head and grinned at her as he was dragged away.
"See you around, beautiful!" he called out before vanishing down a flight of stairs. Artemis wiped her mouth on her hand, spitting on the ground to rid herself of the taste of wolf. She shivered as she recalled his touch, his hands light but firm, and not at all unpleasant.
"Artemis!" Talia yelled, bringing her out of her reverie. "Go wash yourself. You smell of wolf."
Artemis nodded and slipped through a door to the washroom, still thinking of the young wolf prisoner who was starting to fester in the dungeon.