Chapter Nine - Hunting Grounds
The wolf took in a slow breath.
In-
-and out.
The scent of its prey marked a path. A crooked line that led deep into the woods. The wolf followed- nothing if not obedient.
As it moved closer, the wolf's mouth watered. The promise of flesh made it dizzy. It had been so long since the wolf was last allowed to hunt. Even so, its skills had not dulled. The creature moved forward like a ghost. Its paws rested on nothing but soft, silent ground.
Another breath. Yes, its prey was close. Close, and moving closer. Oblivious to the mantle of death closing in.
Kai's consciousness scrambled inside the wolf. But he was weak. And the wolf was strong. It was impossible for him to discern where Kai's thoughts stopped and the creature's began.
"How far is the town?"
The wolf slowed. That had been the voice of its prey. The wolf licked its sharp fangs-
Soon. Oh so very soon.
"Not very far." Another voice. The wolf started to move again, then broke into a run. It could taste its prey in the air now. Its prey, and others. Others that would taste just as good.
Anger. Jealousy. Grief. Bitterness. Every negative emotion inside Kai's heart only served to fuel the creature. Kai spun and spun inside his (the wolf's) mind. He tried to remember- tried to remember the good. Fought to hold on to anything, anything that would help against the darkness.
But there was nothing.
There was nothing.
Anger. It consumed him. Kai felt the heat of it in his hands (its paws?) as it burned everything he was, had been, and would be. It wasn't fair, none of it was. He didn't deserve this. He had always done good, been good. And yet? And yet?
The wolf slowed. It surveyed the scene. Its target was visible now, lit up by the moon above. Deliciously vulnerable.
Jealousy. Kai pulled at his chest but the feeling clung to him. His fingers (its claws?) left deep, useless marks over his consciousness. He wanted to be someone else. Anyone else. He'd worked so hard. He'd fought so much. For what? For what?
"Wait." One of the men around the wolf's prey held out a hand. The man's cold eyes scanned the forest.
Sensing a threat.
Sensing the wolf.
Grief. Kai felt that was the worst of it all. He gritted his teeth (its fangs?) as the revolting pain shuddered through him. He had lost everything he'd ever had. His parents. His home. His life. His sister. But why? But why?
"Someone is watching." The man with the cold eyes said. "Or- . . . something."
The wolf's prey spun to peek into the darkness. "Something? What do you mean something?"
Bitterness. That was the thing that tied it all together. Kai had fallen apart, and the merciful string of bitter emotions had stitched him back together. It was a constant, sour taste but it was a taste that gave him strength, a taste that demanded action. In the end, there was no difference between himself and the wolf. Was there? Was there?
No.
Kai was the wolf. The wolf was Kai.
There was nothing left to fight for. Nothing left to fight against. Nothing.
Kai drowned within himself.
"I don't see-
The wolf did not allow its prey to finish. It leapt out of the darkness, a low growl resonating from its chest as it towered above its prey.
"Protect the prince. At any cost." The man with the cold eyes ordered.
The people around the wolf's prey retrieved their weapons, but the wolf paid them no mind. The only thing that mattered, was the child before it. Its target. Its prize.
The wolf lunged.
The prey fell back, his hands shooting up to protect his face. The wolf lashed out. Its claws dug deep into the arms of his prey. Skin split. Blood splashed. The smell of it tossed the wolf's senses into a frenzy.
"Prince!"
A sharp pain shot through the wolf. The creature jumped back. The man with the cold eyes stepped in between the creature and its prey, a pair of sharp golden weapons in his grasp.
The wolf struggled to find its footing. The pain- the wolf could feel a line of warmth over his fur, but also something else, something cold, something that wormed its way inside and made it hard to move.
"You hurt it." One of the other men said.
"Yeah, but not enough." A third voice. The wolf ignored it.
The wolf paced. The man with the cold eyes left no room for an opening. That was fine, the wolf realized. It could always go straight through.
Once again, the wolf shot forward. The man with the cold eyes threw one of his weapons forward, but the wolf was fast- it avoided the attack and pressed on. The wolf was close. So close, and then-
Bamm!
A wall of ice rose from nothing. The wolf hit the thick surface at full force. Blood pooled inside its mouth and it stumbled back.
"That's our Night Angel!" The man from before cheered.
Night Angel. The wolf let the name roll around its mind.
Anger.
Jealousy.
Grief.
Bitterness.
The wolf swung a claw forward. The ice shattered. With a growl, the wolf swung again. Fast. Faster than before. Because it was strong. Because it was better. The lunge caught the Night Angel on the chest. The man was tossed aside.
And there was his prey. Nothing between them now.
"No!" The Night Angel recovered fast, but again- the wolf was better.
The wolf had tricks.
With a howl, the wolf channeled the strength within it into something solid. A line of fire grew around it and its prey. The cold in the wolf's wound melted away into nothing. It straightened, comforted by the heat of its flames.
"Kai?" Its prey's voice was a whisper of fear. The name prickled against the wolf's mind.
"Fire?" A fourth voice, a woman's voice, slid through the rush of flames.
It was familiar.
The wolf (Kai?) faltered.
"That's definitely not right. Shoot that thing down, Drake!"
"You must not miss." The Night Angel said. "The prince…"
The wolf's eyes flickered up. Through the flames, he watched as one of the men aimed an arrow toward him.
"Kai?" Its prey coughed the name out once more. Syllables thick with the press of smoke. "Kai- is that you?"
"Don't! Don't shoot him!" The familiar voice came again. The wolf watched as the owner of it knocked the arrow from its path. It flew past, and into the darkness.
"What are you doing?" The Night Angel's voice was sharp. The wolf felt a surge of rage. No one could speak to Nya like that. No-
Nya?
The wolf growled. Kai clung to the name.
Anger. Jealousy. Grief. Bitterness.
Love?
"That's my brother." Nya hissed.
Yes. Yes, that was right. Kai was her brother. And she was his sister. And not everything was dark. And he was not the wolf.
Once upon a time, the demon found his sister.
Once upon a time, the demon … found himself.
Kai fought against the power of the sword. The wolf shook its head and pounded on the ground. Its paws landed firm on either side of its prey. The wolf looked down. The blood from its wounded mouth dripped.
"Kai. Kai, if that's really you-" The voice of its prey shook. Its prey's eyes never wavered away from the wolf's. "You- you don't want to hurt me. Right?"
The wolf leaned down. It flashed its fangs with another growl.
And still, its prey held his head up.
"Kai. Kai don't."
Kai- faltered.
The wolf did not.
The wolf's fangs snapped around the leg of its prey. It bit down with desperation. Holding on not just to the boy, but to control, to its power. To its rage.
Unfortunately for the creature, its desperation was its undoing. The sharp taste of someone else's blood cut through the last of its control.
The fire around them turned to nothing. The wolf curled into itself, and twisted back into a man.
"Kai!" Nya's voice broke everything. Kai watched as his sister rushed to him, arms open.
"No! Don't-!" Kai stumbled back. Away. "Don't get- Don't get close. I don't …"
"Kai…" Nya slowed. She let her arms drop. "Kai, please. Don't go. I'm here."
"I'm sorry." Kai whimpered. He shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Nya."
With a final glance at his sister, Kai turned away and ran back into the forest.