An angry storm broke out overhead, dark clouds rolled and rumbled furiously, flashes of light flickering in the distance, but Anya paid no attention.
She was too focused on getting to Raven as fast as she could. Too panic-driven to think clearly or notice the various wolf-like eyes watching her from afar as she hurried past.
Mid-run, Anya leapt through the air, her form changing with a series of unnatural twists and swirls. In the span of a second, her skin altered into a thick grey crust before sprouting with long blonde fur. Limbs snapped and distorted in the air, what began as thin athletic hands, feet, and flexible digits transformed to wide agile legs of considerable length complete with paws and razor-sharp claws.
Anya's grunts of pain instantly turned to ferocious growls as her feet hit the ground again. There wasn't a single fumble in her step as she raced through the darkening woods. Her neck only craned momentarily as a sharp set of fangs ripped anew through her newly formed beastly gums.
Panting and tracking, Anya continued to run harder and faster than she ever had in her life. The fear she held for Raven's life ripped at her heart in a way she'd never experienced.
Rain started to fall as she moved deeper along the grounds. Luna's scent grew stronger with every step now, as did Raven's, swirling somewhere further ahead, but still present.
Anya was getting closer. She could feel it. Raven was somewhere nearby.
But where? It wasn't only the rain that began to stifle the scents, there were others nearby too. Anya wasn't interested in identifying the other mystery smells just then. She focused on getting to Raven, possibly between Raven and Luna, if she needed to. Her mind would allow her to think of nothing else.
Anya slowed after entering an encirclement of trees. A thick lowly log sat at the edge. Her feet carried her over to the offending odors she hoped were only in her head. But as she neared, dread shot through her as she picked up on the last possible scent she hoped to find.
Raven's fear mixed with the air as Anya drew closer and something else too, something vaguely familiar but still uniquely Raven. That's when she saw it…
Blood. Raven's blood.
She hoped she was wrong. Wished for it to be a delusion, a mere mirage from fearful thoughts. But upon closer inspection—which included deep sniffs and cautious licks—it was confirmed. Raven's blood coated several areas of the fallen tree trunk.
Shit! She thought before taking off at top speed again.
Anya bolted in the direction of the odor, determined to catch up to them, although how far ahead they really were, she had no idea. It seemed an eternity had gone by without any sign of them.
Sure enough, Luna's scent grew stronger and stronger in the humid air as Anya rushed deeper into the forest. The trees grew thicker, the brush overgrown, upturned roots threatened Anya's feet every inch of the way. But she dodged them with ease.
Luna was so close now Anya could almost taste her on the wind. She knew Luna's scent better than anyone's. They'd slept together enough over the years. And been friends longer until Luna's bitterness of humans eventually caused a strain between them.
You better not touch her, you bitch! Anya screamed inside her head.
Soon, Anya came to another clearing, the musk of Raven's fear was even more intense here. It blanketed the air. Luna had definitely gone after the mechanic, and Raven was afraid for her life.
Anya pressed on, tears forming from worry, but she never allowed them to fall. Closer and closer, she ran through the trees until the first droplets of blood appeared in the mud. She stopped to smell them.
Fresh.
These were newer than the ones she'd found on the log. Luna had been waiting. She'd set this up. She was leading Anya somewhere deliberately.
She kept moving forward, cautiously, nose to the ground. Soon, more droplets appeared, then more, the trail kept thickening with them. Anya picked up the pace but kept her nose on the trail. The path continued thickening with more and more of Raven's blood.
Anya came across the bottom of a tree trunk with a bloody handprint. Raven's handprint.
Anya whined. The whimper of her wolf ringing through the trees. Where were they?
She kept moving until the final pool of blood came to an end in a small clear space, devoid of trees and brush. But no one was there. It didn't make sense. Both Luna and Raven's odors blanketed the area. Where could they have gone?
Suddenly, a weight fell from above, crashing on top of Anya and knocking her down with a painful yelp. She barked and spun around violently, teeth bared as her dark golden gaze narrowed through the rain at her attacker.
Luna.
Luna's eyes shimmered and glowed with the same brilliant burning hue of gold as she glared at Anya through the heavy rainfall. A wicked grin pulled at her lips before—in a flash—she warped through the air into her own wolf form.
A much larger, darker, more ferocious version of Anya stared back at her. Luna's vicious growling and salivating acting as a warning for Anya to keep her distance.
Anya growled back just as savagely. Where is she!?
Where she should be, Luna's unnerving tone echoed through Anya's head.
The two began circling one another, growling and snarling.
Back off, Luna. Now. Anya stood her ground, remaining fierce in stature, but Luna showed no sign of backing down.
Her laughter continued to echo in Anya's mind. The commander may have made you second in command, but I'm QUEEN of this pack. The lunar wolf! Do you really think the others will honor you over me? You're still a pup, Anya. A pathetic, useless pup. And I won't let you or even Lexa taint this family with the blood of humans.
Anya's growl turned ferocious. Queens have held no command in over a hundred years. Your position means nothing now, old timer. The pack is loyal to Lexa and will never betray her for you!
Luna barked several times in protest, jaws snapping with rage before finally answering, The others will choose to follow who they want to follow. They may have shown your toy comradery when she was just your plaything, but no one is going to want her tainted blood contaminating our family. Luna licked her chops just then, slowly, and with purpose. —deliciously tainted blood that is.
And at that, Anya went on the attack.
Jaws snapped, teeth sunk into flesh, fur ripped from skin, and legs broke in two. Blood sputtered and splattered and caked the ground. Howls and strangled cries of agony rang out against the raging storm.
The screeches and whimpers of wild animals reverberated through the trees in every direction. The sounds of a fight to the death echoed far enough to reach Anya and Luna's camp, drawing every wolf in the vicinity toward them.
However, the wails of agony and final howls of pain ended before anyone arrived to see the blood bath.
Only one woman would be found lying on the ground in her now human form, eyes unfocused, body unmoving, and a puddle of blood staining long yellow hair.