Wolfblood

Fangs of the Forgotten

Chapter 1

Night had fallen over the camp. The cubs were down for the night as were most of the adults. The alpha was just retiring too, leaving the betas to douse the campfire. They did so from a safe distance, pouring water into the centre of the flames causing plumes of steam to billow through the tree canopy. They knew it would serve as a beacon to any who sought them, but knew that with their watchers in the trees they would have sufficient warning should any humans cross their borders.

It was as the first of the betas ducked through the door to the animal skin shelter that a noise caused them to look over. A dark shape had fallen from the tree and landed at an impossible angle. They glanced at each other, concern passing between them unspoken, and ran over just as another shape dropped from a separate tree. As they reached the first one, a third also hit the floor. Too late, they realised it was one of their watchers. An arrow stuck up from his side, jutting out at and angle having pierced his heart.

"Everybody up!" one of the betas roared. "We're under attack!" His yell came just as the final watcher dropped from his tree and a blazing orange light arced through the woods. The flaming arrow struck the tent that the younger cubs were kept in, igniting it instantly. Wolfbloods were already on their feet and emerging from their tents, their eyes blazing as yellow as the flames slowly consuming the animal skin shelter amidst the terrified screams of the cubs. Females were already ducking inside and passing the children out, the healers running over to tend to any touched by the flames.

"Who would dare attack us?" The alpha had emerged and was looking furious, animal hide armour hastily shrugged on and improperly fastened. His spear was clenched in a white-knuckled grip. "The humans know better than to come out here!"

"No human could have snuck up on our watchers." The other beta was preparing herself for a fight as she grabbed a dagger off a fallen watcher having no time to retrieve her own weapon. "It must be tames!"

"They wouldn't dare!" The Wolfbloods went back-to-back, wondering why there was no sign of the enemy yet. Around him, he could only see his own pack desperately trying to put out the flames and save their cubs. Suddenly, he saw it. Yellow eyes were igniting along the tree line. Wolves broke cover with no warning and charged, cutting down members of the pack with their fangs before many of them could even register what was happening.

The alpha charged forward with a yell of fury, only to have his weapon ripped from his grasp with an invisible hand. It flew across the now gore-slicked battlefield before being caught by another Wolfblood, the face of whom was invisible beneath the hood of his cloak. He advanced on the alpha at a casual walk, as though strolling lazily through a field of grain, but spinning the newly-acquired spear menacingly in a flurry of motion too fast for any human to possibly achieve. As if on cue, his eyes ignited a primal gold as the alpha drew his secondary weapon, a sword taken as tribute from a human that had stumbled upon their camp in exchange for his life. Their blades met in a shower of sparks, however the alpha knew he was at a disadvantage. He hadn't practised as thoroughly with the sword, and so the balance differed from his muscle memory with the spear. The attacker on the other hand was right at home, moving as though he'd been doing it his whole life.

As the fight dragged on, the alpha began to visibly tire. He knew his pack was dying all around him and that he had to end it quickly, but the weight of the sword seemed to increase with each strike and rendered it impossible. In a last ditch effort, he decided to go on an all-out charge with a final lateral cut to try to decapitate his foe. The spear's shaft would prove no defence against the weight of his blade. Before he could complete the strike, however, the other Wolfblood thrust his arm out. The same invisible force that claimed the alpha's spear threw him back to smash through one of the tents. A strike from another weapon narrowly skimmed over his head to strike another of his pack as he landed on his stomach, his shirt lifting up at the bottom and the rough dirt scraping at his skin. He recognised the Wolfblood as one of his Betas, who dropped without a sound.

Furiously, he brought the sword up. It speared the murderous Wolfblood clean through. They hit the ground as the alpha scooped up the fallen weapon. It was smaller than what he was used to but weighed considerably less. He turned just as the Wolfblood that had first engaged him stormed across the battlefield, black cloak fluttering out behind him. Again, the spear was spinning in a blindingly fast wall of defence to leave no opening for any front-on strike. The alpha tried to stand up straight, but he was winded and breathing was an effort. The exchange was brief, but though the alpha fought valiantly, there was only ever going to be one winner. The other Wolfblood bated the tired alpha with a false opening before ramming the spear into his sternum so forcefully that the tip touched his spine and the shaft splintered. He snapped off the shaft and tossed it away as the alpha sank to his knees.

"For the longest time you thought yourself safe." The alpha looked up as the stranger pulled down his hood to reveal a familiar face. "The legend of the Kahn dynasty kept Wolfbloods safe from humans. But you were betrayed. Now, the wild world you treasure so much will fall."

"Fayveer..." The alpha barely managed to say the name before the light left his eyes. His body went limp as he fell forward. Fayveer stepped back and let him hit the ground unceremoniously, turning away from the battle at the sound of running feet. A young female no older than twelve had made a break for it and was sprinting away from the fight. One of the attacking Wolfbloods was sprinting after her in wolf form. She stumbled and the wolf was on her in an instant, his snapping maw of sharp fangs inches from her face. She swung her elbow, timing it right to the crunch of one of the Wolfblood's fangs breaking. She used that split second to bring her kneecap up and connect with the wolf's chin before swinging her other foot out to kick it the side of the muzzle. The wolf staggered back disoriented, allowing her to slide out from under it and start running again. It went to give chase, but Fayveer had crossed the battlefield in that time, lazily batting aside any who were left in his way and held the wolf back. It glared up furiously at him as it returned to human form.

"What are you doing? She'll get away!"

"I'm impressed by her." Fayveer replied. "She's the only one here who's put up a decent fight so far. She's earned the right to live." The other Wolfblood backed down. He knew Fayveer was not an easy alpha to impress. If she was to be left alone, then she was to be left alone. For now. Subconsciously, he ran his tongue over where one of his canines was now missing and vowed that should their paths ever cross again, the girl would suffer for such an outrage.

The girl ran blindly through the woods, her throat and lungs raw and her feet wounded and blistered. She'd known she was safe a while back, but still she kept on running. She ran until she arrived at a house, collapsing in the back garden. One of the last things she saw as she passed out was a Wolfblood hurrying out to her side. She let the darkness overtake her, unsure if she'd ever wake again.

Author's Note: Okay, so I know I promised my next multi-chapter story would be Hunters of the Dusk, but unfortunately I had a few problems with life getting on top of me and I started doubting what I was doing with it, so I've paused it until I feel more able to work on it again. In the meantime, I had the idea for this in my head and decided to write it up. My Halloween Wolfblood story will be coming soon too.