Zootopia – Spirit Chronicles
Going on vacation for a week and didn't want to leave you guys hanging so stayed up extra late to pump out this chapter. Will start writing again next week when I get back so look forward to it! Until then please enjoy!
Chapter 12 – The Beast Within
Alex growled viciously at Bianca, drool dripping from his maw. The once kind and timid wolf was now a vicious hungry wolf intent on catching and devouring his prey. Letting out the howl to signal the beginning of the hunt he slowly approached the mountain goat, walking on all fours as he stalked his prey observing her movements. Bianca did the same, she never saw anything like this before. For once she started to feel scared, she had no idea what the wolf was capable of in this state. Yet she remained calm, having a few more tricks in case he does anything funny.
Howls of wolves started coming from all directions, Bianca could hear footsteps in the snow. It seemed like an illusion but Bianca saw another wolf in the corner of her eye. She wondered if Alex managed to move fast enough to appear to her side, or if it was her eyes playing tricks on her. Multiple growling sounds came form all directions. She turned towards them only to see the wolf disappear between the trees of the wintry forest. Then she saw it there was more than one wolf in the area. It was a whole pack of wolves slowly approaching her, trapping her where she stood. The other wolves were glowing a soft shade of blue light and looked like common wolf spirits. The other wolves had no clothes but had different fur and strange tribal-like markings on their bodies.
The primal spirit within Alex awakened the alpha that slumbered deep within his mind. It called forth an astral wolf pack that was his to command and utilize to defeat his foe. He had become an alpha that was able to lead a pack of special wolf spirits. They responded to his howl and gathered before him. He who had absolute authority and exerted a commanding presence, the extreme opposite of who Alex truly was. His rational mind has long since shut off, floating in stasis. It can do not but watch and experience what was happening. It was an out of body experience. He had no control over his actions, all he could do was watch.
The 'alpha' of the pack let out a strong bloodthirsty howl that shook the air, rattling the branches of the nearby trees. It was the signal to attack, the other wolves got out in the open and started to encircle Bianca, growling and barking at her. There were around 12 astral wolves encircling her running faster and faster on all fours as they inched closer and closer to her. Alex watched from afar as his pack began the attack. One pounced at Bianca trying to bite her but she dodged in the nick of time. Bianca was starting to panic. She wasn't sure if they were illusions or if any contact with them would cause pain. There were too many of them, it was thirteen to one and the wolves had the numbers advantage.
She tried to play her pan-flute, the spiritual weapon that allowed her to give her enemies pain via noise. It was also able to manipulate the air around her and cut her foes with blades of wind. The astral wolves were unaffected by the horrible melody and continued to take turns striking her as they toyed with their prey. Desperate, she gathered up her strength and played a wind manipulation melody. One that would warp the air around her to prevent any harm, a barrier of wind. The wolves tried to strike through this barrier but disappeared on contact. The astral wolves charged one after the other but all disappeared after attacking the barrier.
Content as she finally narrowed the playing field down to just herself and Alex she charged at him with a maniacal look in her eyes. She couldn't believe that such a weakling was able to change so quickly. The very thought that someone like this wolf put her on edge ticked her off. She was supposed to be strong and no have to use so desperate a move. The barrier drained a lot of energy from her, she was getting tired from the fight. Keeping the barrier around her she hoped to tear the 'alpha' wolf to shreds once and for all.
Alex charged at Bianca, content that his pack did their part in tiring out Bianca. He went in for the kill running with all his might and leaping into the air straight into her barrier. The blades of wind started rapidly slicing the wolf causing his old wounds from earlier to reopen and causing more to appear. The mountain goat could not believe that this wolf was this stupid. Bianca smiled believing she had won. It was in this moment that Alex's eyes glowed bright red. All of his power concentrating within his body. The barrier started to weaken and soon the wolf managed to burst on through. The smug look that was once on Bianca's face was replaced with one of shock and horror. Alex's fangs dug deep into her right shoulder, his claws scratching her body as she fell to the ground from the sheer force of the attack. Bianca may have been powerful in her offensive and defensive but she had a rather frail body and one bit from Alex was all it took.
Alex continued to bite her arm as Bianca screamed loudly in pain. She never was in a situation like this, not since she was a child. She couldn't die like this, she had to use her escape plan. With whatever energy she had left she gathered the wind around her concentrating it into a single point and unleashed it all at once at Alex. The wolf was blown away from the force of the wind by quite a bit, but the wind was so weak it barely hurt him yet it was enough to give enough distance for Bianca to get up and start running. She ran and ran, grabbing her bleeding arm trying to stop the blood from leaving her body. She looked back at Alex in the distance and swore revenge under her breath for the humiliation she suffered today. Alex went to give chase but the wounds he suffered earlier from breaking Bianca's barrier started to take his toll. He laid low in the snow, that was slowly turning red and started to rest as he closed his eyes to conserve his energy.
Nick and Judy drove like crazy through the streets of Zootopia to reach Tundratown. Leaving the remaining stolen jewels with their fellow Rhino officer, they headed to the outskirts of the frozen part of town where Alex reported he would be. It didn't take long for them to find the spirit gate. The fox and bunny were still tired from their earlier encounter but they braced themselves and entered into the Spirit World once again.
"Look Carrots...paw prints...they are heading for the woods." Nick said looking at the snow. His natural fox instincts helping him to track other animals.
"Alright let's follow them... hurry!" Judy replied as she started running following behind Nick. "Dang it...I hope that dumb wolf isn't hurt..." she mumbled under her breath.
"Look! Some of his fur is in the snow... we must be on the right path..." Nick said after following the tracks through the woods for almost 10 minutes. Judy ran ahead of Nick to take a look around and let out a frantic scream.
"Look Nick! Over there! I see something it... it looks like blood!" she screamed calling out to him.
Nick ran over to Judy, with an extremely serious look on his face as he saw the blood-stained snow. It didn't take long to find Alex laying down in snow stained red all around him. His grey fur covered in cuts and bruises, the bleeding started to slow from what he was attacked with earlier but the wolf felt extremely weak.
"Alex! Alex are you ok!?" Judy said running up to Alex unaware of the state he was in. The wolf opened his eyes to see the bunny officer run up to him. The rational, normal Alex try to cry out 'Run Judy! Stay away! I can't control my body' but it was too late, the weakened wolf growled furiously reaching out to bite the paw that stretched out to touch him. Luckily Judy's quick reflexes prevented her from getting bitten.
"Alex!? What's wrong with you!? Why did you try to bit me?" She yelled at the wolf feeling a bit betrayed by her friend.
"Carrots get back... that look in his eyes... it's the same as Manchas..." Nick said running up to Judy to protect her standing between Judy and the wolf.
"No... it can't be... did he go savage? Did they use the Nighthowlers on him?" Judy exclaimed trying to rationalize the situation. The circulation of those poisonous flowers were monitored very closely by the government ever since the incident over a year ago. While they would be hard to get a hold of it wasn't out of the question if it was a criminal organization like Phantom behind it.
Alex manged to get up on all fours and although weak he looked ready to attack the fox and bunny. A deep sorrow resonated from his soul it was crying in pain. "No... this isn't how I wanted it to end...I wanted to live...but at the cost of not being able to control my body? That I would attack and kill anyone around me...no... No... please... someone... anyone... help me!" Alex's soul cried out hoping anyone would hear it.
"Alex... I don't understand... you can't control your body? Don't worry Alex we are going to help you." Judy said in a questioning state. She seemed to be able to hear the voice of Alex's soul somehow.
"Judy what are you talking about... why are you talking back to him he can't hear you... he's on the Nighthowlers remember?" Nick said angrily.
"Judy! If you can hear me... please... help me... I don't... want to hurt anyone..." Alex's soul cried out
"Nick... this isn't the Nighthowlers... it's something else... Alex...I can hear his voice... his soul is crying out to me...Look he isn't even trying to actively attack us... he's just standing there... someone poisoned by that flower would be at our throats..." Judy said rationally.
"Are you sure your ears aren't broken Judy? Oh well you do have a point..." Nick said as he relaxed his guard a bit.
Judy went up to Alex cautiously and touched his fur. "Alex you have to fight it... whatever is holding onto you... you have to be strong..."
Alex was summoning all of his willpower trying to stop himself from attacking them. Judy's words and actions were starting to break down the primal 'alpha' that felt like it was taking control of his body. He slowly but surely felt the feeling of the snow on the ground. He felt like he was regaining his senses and no longer had any intent of attacking anyone or anything. The feral look in his eyes were gone replaced with a look of relief.
"J...judy...N...Nick..." Alex said weakly... "I...am...sorry...I...made a mistake...I did horrible things...to you...I almost got...killed...I... am...so..scared..." He couldn't take it anymore, the wolf broke down crying. One mistake became another and like a chain reaction he was faced with a desperate fight for his own life. A mistake that broke his mind in two...that almost made him kill another mammal... that almost made him hurt his friends... he hated himself.
"Alex..." Judy said sadly as she watched Alex cry, unable to find the words to comfort him.
Alex cried and cried but as he did his wounds were opening again. His body was extremely hurt and beaten from the fight, he nearly collapsed from pain.
"Carrots...we have to get him to a hospital now...we can talk later...but Howls...I'm glad you are alive..." Nick said giving him a smile.
"Alex calm down, everything is going to be fine! We'll get you treated so please stay awake, keep breathing...slowly..." Judy asked Alex as she took her tie and parts of her sleeve and wrapped it around the open cuts on his body. Nick did the same making makeshift bandages to help stop the bleeding. The wolf was getting dizzy from the massive blood loss but he tried his best to stay conscious.
Nick and Judy were able to save Alex just in time but they were curious about what happened to him. They wanted to ask but it would have to wait until he is better, the wolf was in no state to talk. As they carried him back to the hospital thoughts lingered in their minds about Phantom and their plans. How would they be able to fight off an entire organization by themselves? Even if they took the help of a civilian like Alex they would be up against overwhelming odds. Could they protect the city? Could they stop whatever they were planning? Could they save the mammals of Zootopia from a threat that they were not aware of? They walked back silently, as these thoughts played over and over in their minds.