Control

Chapter 32- Chase

Brennan couldn't help but take advantage of the slant of the hill he was running down. The wind was engulfing him, trying to push him back and up into the sky. Before reaching the bottom of the hill, he leapt to the bottom. White sparks of pain shot up his legs, but he didn't care.. It was closer to alive than he'd been in years.

There was a clearing to great him at the bottom, shadowed with darkness and viewed through his golden eyes. He raced across the clearing to take cover in the trees, almost like playing hide and seek. His heart reminded him of the life bulging in him as it hammered in his chest, pushing his heartbeat through the roof. Dodging between the remaining trees, he was closely picking up on Andy. The chase seemed to be driving him insane with the excitement of it, to become the hunter. It brought a warmth into his legs, which were picking up their pace... roaring him on to catch the prey.

He suddenly halted, confused when the scent ended in a small open area of 20 feet, surrounded by trees. Scanning the area, confusing banished away the feel of excitement and drove anticipation into his mind, making that the main need. He checked the air, catching thousands of different scents, none being Andy's. His stomach suddenly flushed with a small ball of fire.

Andy had suddenly disappeared and he couldn't find him. He unconsciously dug his claws into the dirt-covered ground, hanging onto reality before his mind could fool him.

Some heavy weight landed on his back, collapsing his legs from underneath him, sending his mind into a sudden panic. His first reaction was to get out from under it, instead of fighting it off.

His leg muscles tensed and strained as he tried to lift back up, only to drop back down in disgrace. A dangerous growl rippled the air, coming from him. Anger was starting to overwhelm his mind, and feeding rage into his strength. He continued to try and rise back up, but his attempts were failures. He had claimed a place on the ground, while what ever the dead weight was, sat with its jaws now locked on the back of his neck, having a better handle and grip on him to keep him down.

Reaction took him before a reasonable plan could be made, and he rolled underneath the thing, and the cause was his neck being released. Now free, he half crawled on his back, pushing with his arms and legs off the black shadow of stone carved like a wolf.

It didn't take long for an effect to happen. When he was up, white teeth suddenly shone with the help of moonlight, freezing him where he was. The scent was familiar, itching his mind, on the tip of his tongue... but it wasn't Andy's. He felt empty knowing he hadn't sensed its approach, and he'd been snuck up on. But he wasn't about to let him self be taken down again.

He could feel a coolness run through him, pumped through his blood stream as he lowered into what looked like a bow, his snout crinkled revealing a set of teeth hungry for revenge.

Its speed astounded him as it easily dodged around in the shadows, mixing him up. It vanished into the shadows, and suddenly appeared to his right. It used its weight again and smashed into his side, sending him in mid flight and landing hard on his side. The wind was sending small scents to him, but nothing told him where it kept disappearing.

Sighing he cut off a sudden yelp as some thing heavy collided with his back leg, but he knew it was gone as soon as it had attacked.

Shalimar had told him a while ago, that she'd had to concentrate on an invisible attacker to actually get a hit in. Grunting as one of his legs was swept out from under him, he closed his eyes.

The silence made him feel like years had passed, but eventually, their was a quick rustling that drew near and then bounced away, weary to come too close.

When the tapping of padded feet shot at him like a bullet, anticipation took him. Half falling to the side, he swung around as the thing tried to continue on past him. His teeth nipped its back leg, making the huge thing stumble, unable to control the shock and suddenness of what had happened. He brought it the rest of the way down when he caught its throat, pinning its squirming body to the floor.

As much as it wiggled and growled in discomfort he held still, jaw unconsciously locking to ensure that the thing stayed in his grip.

His whole world span suddenly, and when he opened his eyes, he was laying on the ground, the trees side ways on. Sitting up, pain shot through his legs and side, where some thing had delivered a hard knock. Stunned he scanned around, and found another wolf staring at him, stood next to the one who had attacked him earlier. But the new wolf's scent was familiar... Andy.

Brennan was on his feet in a flash, but Andy remained in a none hostile pose, casting suspicious glances at the unknown wolf. Now with time to look properly, Brennan saw that the wolf was nearly twice his size, just a bit bigger than Andy. Its fur was starting to go pale and to Brennan's amazement, it was changing into a more human form.

Andy moved a bit closer to him, but Brennan kept up his defence, unsure of what Andy would do. Brennan had once again not sensed him, and knew why. Earlier, he'd been zoned in on Andy's position, not taking notice of the things around him. He'd done the same when he'd been fighting off the other unknown wolf.

When the thing was fully transformed, Brennan suddenly felt the need to pick his mouth up off the floor where it had dropped. The shape of a man it was now in... And a familiar one. Brennan knew why Andy looked so tired and had a loss of attention to the man. For he had the same brown eyes, suddenly full of excitement, and the same wavering brown and black hair. Brennan found him self-looking into the same brown eyes when he had in the cave, facing off Chris. Still the same Old Nick.

Nick was oblivious to the cold, and to his nakedness, as he strolled over to him and Andy. He chuckled as he stared down at them both, getting a growl off his father in response. Andy started to change, and soon Nick was standing next to a smaller but older version of him, grinning down at his father.

Nick must have understood the look his father was giving him, and his grin grew. "I didn't know you guys would hear me-" he turned to look down at Brennan, "-but you..." He chuckled as he lazily ran his hand through Brennan's fur, unaware of Andy giving him a harder look.

As soon as Nick went to pull his hand away, Brennan snapped at it but only missed the fingertips, annoyed that Nick had been playing an easy game with him. This only received another deep chuckle off Nick.

Andy grabbed Nick by the arm, and was suddenly talking fast and angrily. Nick looked taken back, but after minutes passed, Andy lost the anger in his voice. When they were done, Nick eventually nodded, giving his father a small pat on the back, and an amused smile that only eased his father a bit.

Brennan suddenly felt the odd one out, as Nick and Andy stood in normal form and him in the wolf like state.

Andy smiled down at him, and reached out, stroking his side. His voice sounded loud in his ears, "Just try to bring back the thought of what you used to look like, and when you feel tingly again, you'll eventually change back".

Brennan couldn't help but huff. It was easy for him to say, since he was already in normal form. Nick had sat down during the little chat, and was watching them. Brennan couldn't help but feel un-comfy in front of Nicks brown eyed gaze that caught every thing.

Pushing that aside, Brennan found an image of his self in his mind, and the spikes of tingling came like a tidal wave over him, leaving him shivering. Fire erupted in every bone again, causing him to groan. After what felt like eternity, he was back to normal, laying on the ground, heaving for air. A cold sweat cased his whole body, leaving him shivering from the cold draft that filtered through the surrounding trees. But he was oblivious to it all, as his mind concentrated on the amazing feeling of the tingling as it started to die back under his skin, back into some hidden place inside.

Andy's cold hand on his shoulder shocked him more than he would admit. He was still in the woods, in the darkness, but able to see Nick and Andy, and pieces of surrounding growth.

He climbed to his feet, weary as he took in every sensation off the things around him. The bits of grass he came across when he took some steps, the whispers of wind that cling to his arms and back.

Nick chuckled in the background, watching as Brennan marvelled at the things he'd felt for years.

"You know Brennan. Theirs a small stream of warm water around here, why don't you try that out. You'll defiantly like it..."

Brennan shook his head; still seeming lost in him self, "No thanks. I just wanna get back now..."

Andy started to lead them off, pushing and prodding his son to the lead, who was still chuckling away. Brennan grunted, trying to push away the uneasy feeling he had with Nick. He knew he would defiantly go and hunt out Adam in the morning, and get some needed answers off Chris as well, but Adam, he needed to talk to first.

Nicks voice suddenly filtered through his trail of thought. "No need to be so embarrassed Brennan. We're all men..." Andy ground his foot on the ground, making it thump and his son know he was going to far.

Brennan laughed his off, trying to lighten the mood that was settling over Andy so suddenly. "That's what I'm afraid of". Nick didn't seem to hear as Andy started to laugh at Brennan's comment. Brennan was just grateful he'd gotten the laugh, if Andy had chose to, Nick would be nursing his pride and a sore head in the morning.

Slowly, the forest was being lit by a dull blue, filling it with sudden life as creatures woke with first light to hunt prey, do what they did. Brennan was grateful to be in the mansion by that time, tucked away in his bed.

Hey guys. How was that one for you?

I'm gonna give things a small twist, so bear with me.

Also, thank you for the replies, and don't forget to keep them up.

Thx 4 reading

Tunder28