Songs - Braveheart
- youtube dot com/watch?v=Ifr4aGA2o_A&feature=player_embedded
- youtube dot com/watch?v=kap2DlCAU0A
Chapter 36 – BATTLE CRY
It is starting, Sam declared.
We were all ready and we could hear the crunching of leaves and breaking of branches as they came closer, the trail that Bella left several hours earlier was working perfectly. Throughout the night we tried to get some sleep, and some of the wolves did, but I was too restless to sleep. I could see Alice leaning against a large rock talking to Bella, while Bella ran her fingers through Seth's fur. He was in heaven, like I knew he would be. It was still dark out, as the sounds of the approaching army grew. I saw Bella laying down, curled into Seth's side with her head on his shoulder. Bella would fall asleep soon and Seth was trying to decide if he should move.
Just stay where you are. I told him. There is no reason for her to worry.
Alright. Seth rested his large head on his paws and Alice kept talking, mostly yes and no questions so that Seth could respond.
The clearing we were in was very small, about fifteen feet in diameter, with thick leafy trees on three sides and a rocky ravine on the back. The Cullens were down the ravine side waiting. The plan was for us to advance first, saving the Cullens as a surprise attack. The moon was just over half creating a soft glow in the clearing and dark shadows within the trees.
The main instructions from Sam were, not to attack alone, which wouldn't be too difficult, except for that we had an odd number and for us to work as a team. Working as a team would not be a problem, we have all grown close over the past year. Even Sam and Leah were able to work together, though they didn't unless they had to. Sam planed to watch everyone's backs and not actively fight unless needed.
The first wave of vampires came and there was an adult male and female, a young girl, and two teenage girls. We gave a battle cry and our howls echoed off the trees. The moonlight reflected off their pale skin, and their bright red eyes seemed to glow in contrast. The youngest girl was the first to arrive and Paul and Jared took her while Leah and Quil went for the adult female.
Jacob and Embry, keep your eyes on the trees. I will cover for them. Sam instructed as he watched intently on the adult male.
It was a good thing that Edward warned us about their appearance, there was something about Paul tearing the limbs off of a child that seemed wrong. However her face was not childlike at all, the way she would gnash her teeth and snarl trying to get her small hands around Jared's shoulder. She was also very difficult to hold on to, as Paul tore her legs off one by one. He stood on her squirming torso while Jared silenced her screams when her head was torn from her body, landing next to the broken body of the adult female that Quil and Leah took out.
The adult male was enraged seeing his 'family' being torn apart, he jumped towards Paul's back and Sam tackled him to the ground. Sam was on his side with the newborn under him when the male bit his right shoulder. Sam howled as he rolled over to his other side and I saw Emmett and Rosalie joining them, and the astonishment on the newborns face as he was being attacked by fellow vampires.
Are you alright? Paul asked Sam.
Yes, it wasn't deep. I should be able to heal again soon. Sam replied.
I ran over to them and stood guard to make sure that he would be able to heal as I started watching out for my brothers.
Leah, Jared and several Cullens began to pile up some of the pieces of the dismembered newborns, that had been scattered. Embry and Quil crouched cautiously towards the two teenage females. There was something different about them, the way that they crouched, and weaved, staying more in the shadows. They were still in the trees not quite at the clearing, they seemed to be smarter and more skilled. One of them was filled with rage, her eyes were slits and I could barely see them. I assumed that she must be connected to the 'family' that they had just destroyed. She broke one of the branches from the trees and ran her hand along the branch snapping the leaves and twigs, then continued with two additional branches, poised and ready to strike.
Suddenly Quil started screaming, as a dislocated hand found its way around his back left paw. It began to crush several of the bones in his foot and he howled painfully.
Get it off, get it off, get it off! Quil panicked and began to move around in a circle.
Be still. Embry demanded and he grabbed on to the arm with his teeth and tried to pull, but the hand didn't let go, so Embry was just yanking Quil's leg further.
Ouch, dammit! Quil growled, until Jasper ran over to them and began to snap each finger off releasing Quil's foot.
I heard one of the vampires gasp, and the other one in the trees snarled viciously as she threw one branch at Quil, like a spear, and another at Embry.
Watch Out! I yelled, as I darted towards them, leaping high in the air and caught the branches in my mouth. Jared, Paul and Leah ran towards the females in the trees growling fiercely at them.
"Irina, NO!" Carlisle yelled.
What? You know these bloodsuckers? I asked no one in particular.
"Yes, we consider them to be family." Edward answered me.
Great, I mumbled sarcastically.
"Carlisle, how could you?" Irina snarled at him. "They killed my Laurent!" She soared through several other trees getting closer and closer with the wolves chasing her. The trees swayed creating huge shadows from the moon as she sprung from branch to branch. The other one seemed not to know what to do, but followed her.
"Nooooo!" Edward yelled as he ran towards Sam, and Sam lunged away from Edward on his back legs throwing his paws out towards him not understanding, as her spear pierced Sam through one armpit at an angle towards his chest.
SAM! A unanimous cry erupted from us in the form of massive growls as I leaped over to his side. The two vampires in the trees started running and Quil, Embry, Leah, and Jared ran after them while Paul joined me by Sam. Sam was on his side and his eyes were closed in pain as his chest slowly rose and fell.
"I was trying to help." Edward tried to explain.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you. I told Sam, as I lowered my head to his shoulder.
"Carlisle!" Edward yelled.
You were protecting your brothers, that is where you should have been. Sam insisted.
No, that is not true. I shook my head and I could feel my fur brush against Sam's.
Jake, Sam coughed, . . . be the alpha that you were meant to be.
I will, but I don't want to loose you. Sam, please don't give up. You can step down, I'll step up. I swear. I promised fearfully.
I think that we are past that, Jacob. Sam whispered.
No! I insisted. I looked at Paul, pleading with him to do something.
Sam! Paul growled Think of your family, fight for them. Fight for Emily! Paul insisted.
Sam whined, painfully. I'm trying, he panted.
I looked around and saw Edward and Carlisle both crouched down in the grass next to Sam, but not touching him. Is there anything you can do? I asked Edward.
"I could try sucking the venom out of his shoulder." He looked questioningly at Carlisle, and leaned over Sam's chest examining the branch sticking through. "But I'm not sure about this."
Do not touch me! Sam growled at Edward.
"He would have to phase, for me to help him." Carlisle said. "And I'm not sure what the transition would do with the branch still inside. If it came out, he would certainly bleed to death."
Sam, would it help to get the venom out? I questioned desperately.
No! I want my child to know I died a hero and not at the mouth of a bloodsucker. Sam whispered, there was blood that drooled out of his mouth.
Your what? I asked surprised.
Emily told me yesterday morning, she's going to have a baby.
I was so completely overwhelmed I didn't know what to say or do. Emily was going to be having Sam's baby and he needed to be here for that. I couldn't think of people more worth living for, his imprint and his child.
Fight, Sam! Fight to live! I demanded.
Out in the trees I could see through my brothers they grabbed hold of the vicious leech that had tried to kill Sam. In that same moment the other 'family' arrived and they smelled Bella on Esme and immediately started stalking towards her. This was the largest 'family' with the adult male and female, and three males one maybe in his 20s the other two were older teenagers. It was clear that they were all very strong and powerful. The closer that they came to Esme the closer that the Cullen family came to them. When Jasper said that he would die for any of his family, it was easy to see that the rest of the Cullens felt exactly the same. I do not think that any of them thought about when Esme put on Bella's clothes, that it was putting a huge target on her back.
Suddenly back in the trees one of the females was torn in three large pieces, head, torso and legs with the pieces scattered about and the other female dropped from the trees landing on Embry's back. She placed her palms on him and he immediately started shacking like he was being electrocuted. His legs buckled out from under him and his body convulsed against the hard ground.
Leah, Quil, get her off of him! I ordered.
Edward turned to me. "Be careful! Kate can do that anywhere on her body, but her palms are most powerful."
I didn't need to tell them, they heard it the same time I did, but that didn't keep them both from lunging at her. Leah got to her first and instead of biting her like she was planing she smashed against her with her shoulder. Kate was flung into a tree and she scampered up the trunk high into the branches and Jared growled fiercely at her. Leah shuddered for a moment like she had been zapped and it made her seem dizzy as she landed awkwardly on the ground.
How is Embry? I asked.
I don't know. Quil answered. I think he might become unconscious, and his heart is erratic.
Embry was still on the ground shaking with the after shocks of his torture and Quil stood over him watching carefully.
Back here, Carlisle immediately was at Esme's side, and he and Jasper both eyed the adult male, as he leaped towards them they began to tear him to pieces. Rosalie and Emmett attacked the adult female and the oldest other male jumped on Emmett's back and began to bite him.
Go, Paul. I ordered.
The venom seemed to hurt Emmett, but it didn't slow him down. Paul charged towards the newborn that was on Emmet and tore one arm off as Emmett reached over his own head and grabbed onto the newborn twisting his head off as his body flung into the newborn that Jasper decapitated.
Jake, Sam moaned. I looked down at him and his chest was barely moving. In his mind I could see Emily smiling at him and while he tried to hold on to the image, it kept slipping.
Sam sighed, painfully. Leave me and lead.
I can't.
Yes, you can. You've always been able to lead, you just didn't know it. It's in your blood, once you stop fighting it you will know what to do.
Nothing is that simple, I countered. To try and help I thought of Sam with Emily and let him look at my mind. I thought of the countless time I have seen him kiss down her scarred cheek before landing on her lips. Each pack member did the same, one at a time we saw, their wedding, the look on Sam's face the day he imprinted, the way they kissed after she agreed to marry him, and how she would stand in a crowded kitchen and look at him like he was the only person in the room.
Suddenly, Sam was gone.
I looked down and saw him naked, on his side, in a pool of blood where the branch had broke in the transformation process. He was unconscious with a faint heartbeat.
Edward, I need Carlisle! I yelled.
Instantly Edward's fist slammed through the face of the male that Carlisle held. "Let's go!" Edward said to Carlisle and they sprinted together over here.
Tell him to do anything he needs to, in order to save his life. I said to Edward and he translated to Carlisle. I didn't care if Sam didn't want their help, he was going to get it.
There was one teenage male left and the last 'family' arrived, when I saw a flash of red. Instantly it captured mine and Edward's attention, and we both darted into the trees.
Leah and Jared, get to Paul and help the Cullens. I ordered. Quil stay with Embry.
As I ran, I looked up into the trees and she was moving so fast that she was hard to see and Edward climbed up the tree and began to leap from branch to branch like she was. I knew that Edward was fast, but he must have been going his maximum speed as he nearly blurred completely from view.
The next thing I saw was another flash of red as she came crashing to the ground. She gave a vicious cry as she ran directly towards me.
"Jacob, get ready to leap right, she isn't planning to attack, unless she has too. She is trying to get around you." Edward warned.
Alright. I acknowledged, and crouched low ready to spring.
"Now LEFT!" Edward yelled.
I sprung left and my body collided with Victoria and we were a tangle of limbs as we slammed hard into a truck of a tree, splitting it in half. The impact cracked my ribs, knocked the air from my lungs, and for a moment I couldn't breathe.
Victoria snarled viciously, "You stupid mutt," she hissed, as she rolled onto my chest. I could feel the searing pain as her poisonous teeth sunk into my neck.
Her teeth sunk in deep on the right side of my neck and she brought them across like a knife. As blood poured out, I could feel myself drowning in my own blood. There was a unanimous scream from every pack member, as well as Edward. Then he grabbed Victoria by the legs and flung her into a large bolder shattering it into many pieces.
"Oh God! Jacob!" Edward knelt by my side.
I could feel the venom burning as it moved through my veins. All I could do was growl and moan, as I tried to spit out the blood, but I would gag and choke. Edward tried to hold my neck together while he moved my hair out of the way to be able to look at the bright crescent mark.
What are you doing? I asked Edward.
"Trying to save your life," Edward answered. He shuddered for a moment before he brought his mouth down and began to suck.
I'm coming, Jake. Leah called and started running this direction. You had better not kill him! Leah warned Edward.
I could feel the burning get less and less, as well as the sound of Edward swallowing. "You're clean." Edward determined and he took a deep breath. Blood covered his face and his chest as he continued to hold my neck with his hands. His cold hands burned, but it was better than bleeding to death.
Thank you, go after her. I moaned painfully, to Edward.
Leah lunged on the scene and crouched by my side. What can I do? She asked.
"Keep his neck closed until his healing can hold it together, it shouldn't take much longer." Edward instructed.
Edward was at my front and Leah phased back to human, and leaned over my back as she placed her hands over Edward's, he slipped his out. I could feel her strong hands around my neck, as well as the tissues started to join back together, and the gash began to seal close.
Go! Find her! I insisted.
Edward took off after Victoria, who unfortunately had a pretty far lead.
I took this chance to check on the rest of my pack. The last of the newborns had been taken out by the Cullens, Paul, Jared and Leah and they were burning the pieces, except for Leah who was here with me. Quil had pounded on Embry, until he took a rough breath and howled in pain. Embry had been able to slowly make it back to the rest, his muscles were extremely sore from contracting so intensely, when he was being shocked. It was very difficult for him to move, so Quil was still watching out for him. Quil was a little paranoid about random vampire parts that might be lurking around, but I couldn't exactly blame him for that.
I stayed on my side while my ribs continued to heal and I was scared to move my neck because I didn't want to reopen the injury.
After a few more minutes, Leah phased back. Are you alright, Jake? She asked.
Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. How is Sam? I asked Leah.
I had been trying to watch Carlisle treating him at the same time that I was chasing Victoria, but it was very difficult to multi-task like that.
Leah shook her head and couldn't speak. Instead she showed me Carlisle trying to get the bleeding to stop. Esme was by his side trying to help as much as possible. He explained that he wasn't going to suck out the venom because Sam had already lost too much blood. Sam's body began to shake violently and then he was completely limp and his heart stopped. Carlisle continued what he could, but it was clear that there was nothing more that he could do.
Dammit. I couldn't believe that Sam was dead. He was my leader, my mentor, and my brother, and I knew that I would miss him. But as much as Leah tried to hide it, I knew how much she still loved Sam and it would hurt her even more. I'm so sorry, Leah.
Don't! Leah growled. I can't handle it. Leah said, shaking her head, and I could feel the hard cover that she wore to try and protect herself.
I understand.
Besides, it wasn't your fault, Jake.
Yes it was, I shouldn't have left him.
You can't be in two places at once, it easily could have been Quil and Embry instead. That leech just got a lucky shot.
There was a long howl in the distance.
SETH! BELLA! Leah and I said, at the same time.
I sprung up on my feet, my ribs were still sore, but at least my neck had healed so that it was no longer bleeding and we both started running towards Seth. I couldn't believe my eyes, but Alice was on the ground headless and her arm was flying directly towards Bella. Seth's paw blocked the arm and it smashed into the ground. Bella scampered behind Seth, right as Victoria jumped on Seth's back. Then all I felt was Seth's pain as Victoria began to crush his bones starting on his shoulder working down his back. Seth tried to buck Victoria off while also trying to determine where Bella was, as he continued to scream and scream in pain.
Every pack member began to run towards Seth and even though the Cullens didn't understand what was going on, they could tell something was happening and followed. The pack started speaking all at the same time, and I heard Bella screaming. It sounded like she said something, but I couldn't understand what she said. Leah was fastest and outside of me ordering her, nothing would have kept her from getting to her brother. I ran as fast as I could, but my ribs and neck kept me from running at my full speed.
I saw Leah arrive first and she ran directly to Seth.
Seth, are you alright? She asked nervously.
Seth was on his side as he continued to moan and whimper. I will be, it just hurts. Seth had kept his eyes open searching for Victoria, who had quickly sprung from his back. Now that Leah was there, he closed his eyes and I could feel him relax.
I leaped, landing next to Leah and began to search for Bella, but I couldn't see her anywhere. Seth, where is Bella? I asked.
I thought she was here. She was right behind me. Seth answered panicked.
Where is Victoria? Leah asked.
I don't know. Seth began to cry and his body shook, which caused him to howl in pain.
The rest of the pack and the Cullens arrived. Jasper ran to Alice and frantically began to piece her back together, with Esme's and Carlisle's assistance. Leah continued to comfort Seth trying to get him to relax so his body could heal, his crying and shaking was making it worse. I began to sniff around trying to find Victoria's scent but it seems that she must have been up in the trees where her scent is much harder to trace. The harsh winds were making it extremely difficult.
The moment her pieces were back in place, Alice snapped back to life and she began screaming about Victoria.
"Victoria, has Bella!" Alice screamed.
Immediately my snout was in her face, and Jasper looked at me cautiously. Where? Where did she take Bella! I growled, and suddenly I heard Edward's voice interpreting it for me. It's about freaking time you showed up, I mumbled.
"Sorry, I followed her scent to the water and then I thought she would be heading back towards La Push for Bella, so I went that direction. I didn't realize that she figured out that Bella was here. I heard everyone running here, so that is when I changed directions and started running." Edward explained.
"She is going back to Seattle, but hasn't decided specifically where." Alice answered.
Let's go! I insisted.
Jake, we can't go chasing her around Seattle as wolves. Embry said, worried that I was going to get mad at him for contradicting me.
We need you, Jake. Leah insisted. Sam deserves to have you here, when we bury him.
I whined, because I knew that they were right. I needed to stay here for my pack.
"Jacob, Bella is alive . . ." Alice stated.
How do you know that? I questioned.
"Because Victoria is still planning different ways to kill her." Edward answered fiercely.
I couldn't decide if I felt relieved or even more nervous. Of course I was glad that Bella was still alive, but I hated to think of what torture she would endure. Promise me, that you'll bring Bella back to me.I said to Edward.
"I will, Jacob." Edward promised.
ALIVE! I clarified. And truly alive, not a frozen over corpse that moves.
"I'll do my best." Edward answered.
I knew that was just going to have to be good enough, because that was the best answer he could give me.
The Cullen family ran together towards Seattle, except for Carlisle who offered to stay behind to treat Seth. Seth wasn't able to phase back yet so everyone, but myself, phased back and carried Seth towards La Push. I ran back to Sam, and I saw his broken and stiff body. I phased back and knelt down by his side, and I couldn't hold it together any longer. I cried for my alpha and wished that he would have been able to train me. I cried for my pack family who lost their leader and was now going to be following me. I cried for Bella and I wanted her here with me and not in the clutches of a sadistic vampire. I was so scared, so alone, and continued to cry until I couldn't cry any more.
Then with shaking arms I lifted Sam's body and carried him home. I knew that my life was never going to be the same, from now on, I was alpha.
THE END
Author's Note: For those who think 'The End' is a joke, it is not. This is the end of Bella's Sun. Obviously this story is not over and there is more to tell, so there will be a sequel. However I need more time to write it than normal because I will basically be telling two separate stories. There will be Jacob and his pack dealing with the death of Sam and the Cullens searching for Bella.
Here is the plan, there is an epilogue for Bella's Sun, some details of the battle I couldn't tell very well in Jacob's pov, so it will be clarifying details of the battle. (For example: how Victoria was able to take out Alice and kidnap Bella) So if you have any questions about the battle please ask and I will do my best to get everything taken care of in the epilogue. After that I will post the 2nd and 3rd part of the beginning in Bella's pov once a week.
That will give me about three to four weeks and then I will be posting Bella's Sun 2. I'm sorry for the huge cliffy that I am leaving you all with, but you know how much fun those are. ;D