Chapter Seven

Xanath had fought the best he could. He had since lost count of how many werewolves he had killed, but he wasn't thrilled to see his men dying at their claws. Angrily he sheared another beast's head off but failed to detect an attack from behind. He was knocked off his horse and sent rolling in the dirt. He finally stopped and faced his assailant with a deep hatred.

"It's about time someone got you," Blox murmured, an evil smile on his lips. This werewolf was still in Hylian skin; he drew his blade and raised it above Xanath. "Would you fancy your head being sliced off? I bet it feels good…" He swiped downwards, but Xanath blocked his blow with his own sword. He jumped to his feet, backing up slowly. The counter strike had left his wrist aching, and he had the greatest urge to rub it.

"Enough of this bullshit," he shouted. Blox chuckled to himself.

"Why are proud men so hard to kill?" he humoured. Blades clashed once more. The werewolf proved to be too strong. His motions began to blur, and Xanath couldn't keep track. The Hylian was hammered with blows on all sides. "You're too slow!" Laughing, Blox thrust his sword into Xanath's lower abdomen. Wide eyed, Xanath fell onto his knees, clutching the blade and cutting his hands on it. Blox withdrew his blade, and to Xanath's disgust, licked the blood off its shiny surface. "Mm, tastes good…"

"Fuck you!" Xanath snarled, once again making another attack. Eril came from the side and tackled the man down. At the end of the confusion Xanath was found pinned down, a dagger at his neck. He held his breath.

"What happened to that brave face you had on earlier, eh? You look like a pathetic piece of rotting meat." Eril rotated the blade's tip into his trachea, letting blood run. "I so love the smell of terrified blood. Don't you?"

A furious roar rang out, and Serp, who had been amused by Blox's and Eril's torture of Xanath was jumped upon. Oversized jaws clamped shut on the white of his neck, ruptured his jugular and sent blood spurting everywhere.

"What the hell?" Eril looked up, getting off Xanath. "What just happened?" Xanath couldn't believe his eyes. The pale wheaten and white werewolf…it was Link. It had to be; he'd not yet encountered another of his colouration. Besides, he was much smaller and slightly lankier than the others.

"Why did you kill your kin?" Blox demanded, a vein visible at his neck. Link directed a throaty growl and bared his blood stained fangs. "No, this one's not of our league." Damn right he wasn't.  Still burning with unbridled bloodlust, Link jumped the other, going for his throat. Blox jumped, evaded his assault and landed as a wolf. Eril also had changed, and the two of them began to circle Link. The three werewolves looked as vicious as each other.

Link went for Eril, giving Blox a clear target. His fangs sheared through flesh and muscle. Link cried out furiously, slashing him across the face, gorging an eye out. Blox immediately released his hold, stumbling backwards and whining in agony. Bent on revenge Link lunged, mauling the tan wolf savagely. Enraged, Eril straddled Link's back, driving his fangs into his nape. Startled, the pale wolf reared up, violently shaking his assailant about. No good. The fangs were too deeply embedded. He was forced to simply fall backwards, crushing the grey wolf under his weight. Link then backed up, head lowed and let loose a growl. Eril almost fell for the taunt.

"Eril that's enough! We'll finish this off later!!" Blox roared. Reluctantly, the grey wolf stalked to his side, snarling.

"But he killed Serp! Are you going to let him get away with it?" The other narrowed his golden eyes.

"I know that shit head, but there's no point killing him now, not when we've spent so much energy in the battle. Vonndrake will see to his demise," Blox shouted. Eril submitted without further fuss.

"No boys, I'll see to Link's demise," all eyes turned to Paer.

"Bastard, I told you to stay with the princess," Xanath hollered. The advisor stared at him steadily, and the glint in his eyes told Xanath otherwise. "No…you can't be on his side. After all that's happened…"

"Xanath, I'll tell you the next time we meet, but I'm here to fulfil a personal desire of mine," he withdrew a bow and arrow. "To kill Link." The pale wolf immediately curled his lips back. "Ah, I knew you weren't dead. You think I can't tell the difference between a doppelganger and the real you? I merely played along as to not bring up any suspicion. No matter. As long as I'm here you will die, no doubt about it. This arrow is poisoned, and I doubt you can survive it." Xanath wanted to tackle him down but one of the werewolves prevented him from doing so. "You could run, but then you'll be a traitor if you did." Link took one step forward. The fur all along his neck and shoulders stood on end, his tail upright and swaying. He truly looked savage.

"Link run! There's no telling if he speaks the truth. That arrow could be poisonous," Xanath yelled. Link didn't listen. 'Paer lies…' He crouched, tensed his muscles and lunged straight for the man. A smile came across Paer's thin lips.

"Foolish creature…" he muttered, took aim and released the arrow. It pierced his neck; its tip appeared out the nape. The wolf stopped short, agony clouded his eyes. The poison began to take hold of his body, sending dark suffering to every nerve. Nauseated, he fell onto his haunches, and he began to cough up blood. The pain was suffocating. Again Paer smiled. "Boys, would you do the honours?" Blox and Eril attacked then, and Xanath screamed at them. Paer sneered at him. "Shut up!!" He dealt a severe blow to Xanath's head, knocking him unconscious.

A heavy front of rain had begun to fall when the sun had gone down. The blood of the dead went with the flow of the rain, turning mud into putrid messes.

The pain invaded his unconsciousness. Xanath rolled onto his back, groaning. When he opened his eyes a darkened sky met him. The wound in his abdomen had begun to clot, but he still hurt badly from the other inflicted injuries. With the injuries dealt from the werewolf he wondered if he'd any broken bones. Again groaning, Xanath forced himself up onto his feet. A wave of dizziness briefly overcame him, but he managed to fight it off. He was not a weak man.

"Goddesses…" he whispered under his breath. Bodies littered the place, Hylian and werewolf alike. Some had spears or swords embedded into their flesh, others were horribly mutilated and decapitated. War is a terrible thing, and for the first time he realised that. He just felt sick to the stomach.

He looked around, expecting to find Link but he didn't. In fact, no one was here with him…he was alone.

"Link? Where are you?" Xanath cried out. "Link!!" No answer. His pleas went unheeded in the still land. He stared at some of the dead werewolves. 'Anyone of these creature could be Link…' Xanath shook his head and began looking over each one.

"Paer, I swear. You WILL pay with your blood…" he said.