A Rogue

The wildfire draws closer, flames consuming everything in its path as it stalks the cabin, slowly but surely.

In no time, the cabin will be consumed in flames and there will be no way out. Yet, I wait for Alaric's return, pacing anxiously at the porch whilst keeping a wary gaze on the flames.

'What is taking him so long?' 

Another glance at the flames and my heart shrivels within my chest, memories of the blaze I ignited at the Moon gala keep flashing through my mind, tormenting me with an overwhelming guilt.

The fire will not harm me, this much is true. But I fear it... I cannot help but be terrified of it, and I am losing confidence in being able to guide Alaric to safety if he does not come out soon.

A loud crash from within the cabin alarms me and I dash into the cabin, my eyes going wide.

Despite my careful watch, the flames had escaped my notice. Seeping in from the windows at the back of the cabin, the kitchen area and a part of the sitting room is already up in flames.

My eyes quickly scan the space, seeking out the source of that crashing sound and they soon zeroed in on a fallen wooden pillar, engulfed in flames and underneath it is a grunting Alaric.

His hand is extended and he seems to be reaching for something. A pendant lay some distance away from him, untouched by the flames... for now.

"Shit!" I exclaim, dashing for him.

Whatever the significance of that pendant, it is enough for Alaric to have risked his own life and though I do not see the wisdom in his actions, I cannot leave him behind.

"If you are so eager to die, do it alone!" I snap as I take hold of the edges of the pillar and lift with all my strength.

The flames lick against my skin, all around my hand but they do nothing to harm me while Alaric's pained grunts and the sizzling sound of flames burning into skin tells me Alaric's back will be charred if I do not get the pillar off in time.

Gritting my teeth, I unleash every ounce of strength I have within me. My claws extend and my wolf side surges to the surface as the pillar lifts a fraction, and with all my strength, I shove it away so it crashes some distance from us.

"Fuck! That hurts!" Alaric hisses, 

He attempts to get up to his feet but cannot achieve that on his own. Supporting him with an arm around his waist, I help Alaric to his feet and then snatch the pendant before we make our way out through the back door.

"Which way?!" I ask Alaric anxiously.

Alaric gestures vaguely in a direction with his hand and then slumps against me, his weight nearly taking me down.

I can feel his blood soaking into the fabric of my shirt but I do not allow myself to worry. Alaric is supreme, a Lycan with abilities that far bests every werewolf, he will heal in no time.

But to do that, I need to get us away from the wildfire, as far as possible.

My breaths are heavy and ragged with exertion, the smoke stings my eyes and makes it difficult for me to breathe but my lungs are more resilient than that of humans, I push through the pain and discomfort, hobbling my way forward with Alaric's direction.

It takes a while but the wildfire is soon a roaring hum behind us, and the stream Alaric spoke of is in my line of sight.

Grunting beneath my breath, I pull Alaric's weight along with me to the stream and test its depth tentatively before wadding across to the other side.

As soon as we are on the other side of the stream, the cabin Alaric described stands a short distance away, much smaller than the cabin that had caught on fire.

I guide us over there, kicking the door open before I pull Alaric into the cabin, searching around, there is only a couch within sight and I take Alaric over to the couch, setting him down with an exhausted exhale.

With Alaric's weight off me, I crumble to the ground, coughing and gasping for breath.

It takes me a moment to get ahold of myself and I go over to the door, intending to close it and just as I am about to, a low growl sounds from too close a distance.

Squinting slightly, I pick up the sight of a wolf. Fully shifted, a tell tale sign of the feral group of my kind, rogues.

Rogues...they are not usually daring enough to come this close to claimed territory, especially not territory marked by the feared Lycans.

But my guess is, the wildfire has alarmed them to stray too far out of their usual territory or perhaps they have lost their homes.

My eyes flick back to Alaric, unconscious and breathing painfully. Wincing, I step outside and shut the door of the cabin.

Standing on the porch, my eyes fixates on the rogue that slowly stalks over, I suck in a shaky breath, suppressing the terror I feel, I reach within as I did before, desperately praying and hoping the fire element within me answers my call once again.

In a moment, that familiar heat surges through me and a small flame lights up around my fists.

The yellow, animalistic eyes of the rogue grow alarmed at the sight of that and I hope his fear of the fire will be enough to spare me an actual fight in which I stand no chance.

"Don't come any closer..." I threaten, my voice faltering.

The rogue watches the flames I have summoned and then his head turns in the direction of the wildfire and then back to me.

In that brief moment, I can swear I pick up on a look of hate and vengeance in its eyes but I cannot tell for sure, before it darts off into the dark woods.

"What was that...did he perhaps think I caused the wildfire?" I wonder to myself, and within me, my heart constricts in unease.