The wolf's ears perked up as he heard a faint noise in the background.
"I can't believe that oaf would make us wade through up to our ankles in this bloody forest!" A pompous, manicured voice complained.
The animal's heart quickened; looking to his partner, he found Sasha exchange a wolfy look with him, concerned. The two wolves pressed themselves into the undergrowth, fighting not to be seen. Who knew what terrible danger these humans would hold?
"Shut up Malfoy." another grumbled.
"I swear as soon as I get out of this-" the young human kicked some dirt into the air, unsettling the thick mush of fallen leaves that lined the forest floor and scattering some insects. "I will write home to father - I'll - I'll have that oaf Hagrid suspended!"
"Yes, Malfoy. You've told me. Repeatedly." They were getting closer - too close. Swinging closer was their silver magic lights, which cast a eerie luminescence across the entire forest, hushing the animals and ruining the two wolves night visions.
The male wolf hissed to his partner, voice low, fearful. "It's them, Sasha. The magic users!"
"We must flee!" she whispered back, hackles raised and eyes darting across the illuminated trees fretfully. "Their magic may be no match for ours, but their race is subtle and quick to anger - if we cross their kind we may not return to speak the tale."
The two wolves - who could somehow talk - scattered away from the young stick-wizards, careful not to make a sound.
The humans' voices rang out again. "Wait," one said, "what's this?"
They were too close; the wolves fell away, and in their haste and fear they did not smell it until they were upon it:
A unicorn.
It lay spreadeagled across the ground, throat ripped viciously with teeth and silvery blood slowly seeping out of the wounds and tricking into the undergrowth like some sickening stream. Its eyes were glassy, its once-immaculate coat mottled with its pure silver blood. The stench of death was heavy in the air.
In their shock, their horror at seeing one of the most beautiful and innocent creatures of the forest slain in such a brutal way, they paused.
The two wolves circled closer to the unicorn, horror coursing through them, fear tricking second.
"What foul creature could do such a thing?" he heard Sasha murmur next to him, and together they circled around the unicorns corpse, heads bowed low against its chest in mourning for the brilliant creature, in respect.
"Look - there's more blood over here!" came one of the magic humans' voices, and a rustle. The two wolves heads whipped up to find a boy, dark-haired and scruffy looking, staring at them with wide eyes.
They were frozen like that for a second, until a silvery blob of blood dribbled from the wolf's mouth. A second human appeared behind the black-haired boy, his head craning to see what his companion had frozen at, and screamed.
Everything jumped back into motion with a bang. The two wolves fled from the corpse, legs burning and chests heaving. One of the wizards raised his wand to the air and the sky was suddenly filled with an intense light, and an immense noise as the flair illuminated the sky.
There was a crash beyond the trees, a little north of where the two wolves were fleeing to, and they changed directions, hearts pounding furiously in their chests.
They'd been seen. The humans had thought they'd been the creatures that had killed the unicorn. And now they were running for their lives.
There was another crash - like a loud thumping noise, and suddenly their path was blocked by a monster.
It was easily as large as the trees themselves, towering over the wolves. Giant tufts of fur tumbled down the monster's chin and huge leather coat flapped in the wind as it turned to them, beady eyes gleaming with an inhuman rage. Beside the giant, a monstrous hellhound growled with a noise like thunder, and the giant raised its arms to level a construction of wood as heavy as a treetrunk at them and reach for the trigger.
They turned again to flee, but they were too late.
"Teach 'yeh t' kill a unicorn, 'yeh bloody wolves!" the creature howled, and Hagrid let loose a volley of arrows from his crossbow that thudded straight into the unwitting wolves' hides and tore into the two with yelps of pain.
There was only blood, and only pain, and then there was only death.
Hagrid turned to the two children. "Good work ther', lads." he called. "Wi' any luck that'd be th' last of 'em." He picked up the two wolves' corpses and slung them over his shoulder. "Now Buckbeak will appreciate a nice li'l wolf soup, I rec'on."
(written by Palindrome)