Chapter Twenty Nine
Jasper
We waited for Emmett, Rose, and Garrett then went to join Charlotte who was watching the Res from as close as she felt safe. Seeing us she came back to give us a report,
"There's been a lot of activity in the village, most of the women and children have moved out further into the hills so they're expecting an attack. There are about eight wolves not including Sam who has been in deep conversation with the remaining elders. We're going to face most of the male Quileutes I think."
"The more the merrier I say. I've got a bone to pick with Sam Uley in particular."
I shot a glance at Peter and he subsided.
"Well it looks like we are outnumbered but its only the wolves that offer any real threat. We need to neutralise them first. Bella?"
I thought it best to let her have her say before we decided on the details.
"Any women still there but who run, let them go. The fear will stop them from coming back or causing us any threat and they can hardly go running to the authorities. Any men who stayed die along with the wolves. Sam Uley is mine though, sorry Peter."
Peter smiled and shrugged,
"Never mind Bella there are plenty of others, I'm sure I can find someone who wants to play"
Bella
I appreciated Peter keeping the atmosphere light but now it was time for the serious planning,
"Jasper you've worked out the strategy so I'm just going to listen"
He nodded and looked at Emmett,
"They are expecting us so the wolves will be strategically placed to protect the most important and vulnerable members of the tribe, the sick, elderly, and the elders. Ignore the clinic, the wolves stationed there will have orders to stay put, we only attack them after we finish with the others. You and Rose go for Old Quils place, he's the only original elder left after Billy killed Harry and himself. Peter, you and Charlotte take the right side of the village, Garrett and I will take the left. Bella, its your job to keep an eye on what's happening and protect whoever needs it. We don't know how the wolves will divide up, they may have a couple loose to go where needed most, you watch out for them. No playing around folks, this is retribution for Charlie and the wolves are going down. Every one dies and their bodies are piled up together and burned. Every one, understand?"
There were nods from everyone and I noticed Peter had become silent and serious now fighting was at hand. I just hoped I would be of use, this would be my first battle as a vampire and I had no idea what to expect. Rose and Em hugged and were mirrored by Peter and Charlotte while Jasper took me in his arms and kissed me,
"Keep safe Bella".
"Right folks, we ready to tan some hides?"
I smiled at Garrett and he winked at me,
"You'll be fine Bella."
It was getting dark as we moved in on the village, bonfires burned in the center and we could see shapes moving against them.
"Think they'll use fire against us?"
Jasper nodded,
"Probably but we are very fast, I think it will be a miracle if they catch anyone that way. No, I think they are relying on something much more basic and simple"
He pointed to three goats tethered in the center beside the bonfire
"Everyone stop breathing, I have a feeling they'll try to distract us with blood. That's why the goats are there but they may have access to human blood too, that's why I insisted we all hunt before going in. Keep your wits about you and don't be distracted by anything or the wolves will be on you in seconds. Good luck"
That was our signal and we split up, moving silently in the dark, unseen by the humans but the wolves smelled our presence and I heard their growls and snarls of warning. Their eye shine gave away their positions and I could see that as Jasper had predicted, two of the larger ones were stationed close to Old Quils cabin, pacing back and forth, their tails swishing angrily. The first contact was by Peter and Charlotte who tangled with a large wolf and two humans. I watched as Peter and the wolf circled while Charlotte fought the two men. She was much too fast for them and soon had one down on the ground his neck broken while the other moved back warily. Spinning at the sound of paws running I saw a huge wolf launch itself at Garrett but he avoided its attack almost unscathed, just a few claw marks on his right arm. Seeing my worried look he smiled and rubbed the arm before the two clashed once more. There was fighting all around me now and I tried to keep tabs on all our comrades while still watching the two wolves protecting Old Quil.
A loud cry of pain brought my attention quickly back to Emmett and Rose. He had a wolf by the throat, its back legs scrabbling for purchase claws ripping into his stomach but he held on while Rose had killed yet another human, the one who had made the noise. He lay, his arm ripped off at the shoulder, his blood pumping out to wet the earth below him and I stopped breathing immediately checking that none of our side had been distracted by the scent. Moving forward quickly I threw the blood soaked earth and the human carcass onto one of the bonfires, destroying the scent almost completely. Hearing another cry I turned once more to see Rose with a wolf ripping at her leg. I concentrated on her running over but before I reached her the wolf shot backwards. I continued concentrating on it and saw its frustration as it was unable to get close enough to bite her again.
Emmett's huge arms grabbed the frustrated wolf and threw it into the bonfire to join the human I'd consigned to the flames earlier. It screamed once before its fur caught and it sank down, lost to view in the flames and smoke. He went to tend to Rose while I watched their backs but it seemed our side was winning the fight. I could see three more wolf carcasses heaped on the ground unmoving as Garrett and Peter threw burning logs on them to make sure they couldn't recover from their injuries. Jasper was stalking a very large wolf which seemed more ferocious and cunning than the others, Sam Uley. I glanced over to the cabin but Old Quils protectors were still on station although their pacing and growls had grown louder and faster. They knew their side was losing! More bodies joined the pyre as human and wolf alike were defeated leaving only the battle between Jasper and Sam, and the two wolves still on guard duty. Peter, Garrett, and Emmett went over and I watched for a moment but it seemed they were more than a match for the two wolves and I turned back to Jasper knowing for a certainty it was Sam Uley he was fighting and I walked forward, snarls erupting from my own throat as I did so.
