Shadows In The Smoke

The shadow in the fire light was unmoving at first. It was standing perfectly still, staring at us. My heart felt like it was beating my ribcage open, I could practically feel it beating in my throat. Finn stirred in my arms with a sleepy mumble and I pulled him tighter against me, one hand resting over his small back as if it could protect him from what waited in the dark.

Kira's dagger was already out, its blade flashing in the dying fires. Renn stood with his spear raised up, his muscles tensed and narrowed eyes fixed on the shadows.

Gage was still grumbling as he awoke, clearly unaware of our situation. Lena, the soft spoken, lisping healer, jolted awake and fumbled for her small bag of herbs. Marcus, the heavily built, burned smithy, grabbed a heavy log from the fire. Soren, the wiry, red headed scout, scrambled for his bow and quiver, and Elara, the tall fighter with one finger missing from her right hand, was already on her feet.

"Who's there?" Renn growled, his voice low and gravelly. "Show yourself, come on out or we'll do it ourselves." But he was answered with silence. 

Then the shadow at the edge of the fire light stepped out and gradually started approaching us. As those manly shadows moved closer, our little pack began to slowly rise to our feet and started moving towards those shadows.

 The moved forward until they came into our view, a scout for the Shadow Pack stood before us, lean and scarred, with a pair of yellow eyes that I had seen before. He wasn't alone, few more stood behind him with their lips pulled back in snarls, fur rippling along their bodies.

"Rogue," the lead wolf snarled, his gaze fixed on Finn in my arms. "We could smell the power. That pup. Hand him over and we'll let the rest of you walk free."

My blood ran cold and I held Finn tight as I slowly stepped back my legs trembling beneath me but refusing to betray me. "You're not laying a hand on him." I said cutting him off immediately 

 Kira stood beside me, her dagger held steady. "You heard the she wolf, now turn around and walk away. Now."

The scout let out a wet, raspy laugh. "You really think a handful of cripples and strays could stop the Shadow Pack from what's rightfully ours?"

Renn immediately rushed forward as the leader of the scouts tried reaching for Finn on my arms, his spear whistling through the air before sinking into the scout's shoulder. He howled, and even though he was already partially shifted, he continued his transformation to the fully formed wolf and then charged straight for Renn.

A fight immediately broke out .

Gage threw himself at the next wolf, his knife piercing and tearing through the wolf's stomach while he was distracted. Kira attacked the third one, her dagger a blur of silver. I barely saw the entire event, I was a bit scared, maybe because I have a new life with me whose warefell is my responsibility.

Lena grabbed Finn from me and stumbled backward with him clutched to her chest, whispering soothing sounds to him. 

Marcus swung his blazing log like a club, cracking it across a wolf's ribs. Soren let fly an arrow that whistled past my ear and sunk itself deep into a wolf's leg. Elara, growling, met another wolf with a flurry of fists and elbows, her battle skills evident as she moved like a dancer among the beasts.

 "Get behind me!" I yelled to the kids who were visibly trembling with fear.

The battle was fast and brutal, blood splattering all over, mixed with the wet sand as a result of the rain from earlier. Renn got a deep injury on his arm, but continued to fight with renewed fury. Kira who obviously was an experienced fighter made sure to finish off any Shadow wolf she came in close contact with. Gage used his limp to his advantage, drawing one wolf in close before driving his knife into its side. I could only watch in horror for so long.

Instructing Lena to take Finn and the children back again, I grabbed the burning log with both hands and swung it at the nearest wolf, the flames igniting its fur. It yelped and scrambled back but it was no use; the other two were already closing in.

One of them broke free from Renn and launched himself directly at me. I spun around, pulling Finn tight against me, ready to accept the bite…

A massive body collided with the wolf, slamming it to the ground. Renn and the beast rolled in a tangle of snarling fangs and fur. For a second I could see his eyes flicker with something dark, a flicker of memory, the day he killed the alpha's son. His hand was shaking vigorosly and he froze for some secs.

 "Renn!" I cried.

 The wolf lunged for Renns’ throat.

I swung the burning log, catching the beast across the muzzle. It howled and stumbled back, giving Renn just enough time to bury his spear deep in its chest.

 The fight ended as quickly as it began. The bodies of some scouts lay scattered on the wet ground, bleeding into the rain. Our little camp was a disaster: the camp nest was torn, our meager fire was scattered and its flames licked at the surrounding undergrowth, and the ground was slick with blood and rain.

 We stood there, breathing heavily, coated in sweat, dirt, and the blood of our enemies.

Gage wiped his knife on his pants, breathing hard. "They knew. They were looking for the pup."

 Kira was already by Renn's side, pressing a cloth to his bleeding arm. "Are you okay?"

 Renn nodded, but his gaze was unfocused. "I froze for a moment. I saw… him again. The one I killed."

 Kira's voice softened. "You didn't freeze when it counted, Renn. You saved them."

 I looked down at Finn. He was crying now, his tiny fists waving and his green eyes wide with terror. Lena rocked him, humming a soft lullaby as if he were still small and helpless. "There, there, little one. You're safe now. We've got you."

 Gage walked over and stared at the fallen wolves. "This was no accident. They could smell the power on the pup. The shift. Word's spreading faster than we anticipated."

 Theo stood next to Mia, both of them pale and trembling. "Will they keep coming?"

 Kira's gaze met mine over the scattered coals of our campfire. She gave a small, grim nod.

 "Yes," I whispered. "They will."

We spent the rest of the night cleaning up. Renn hauled the bodies away after Kira stitched his arm, Gage grumbled about moving camp at first light, Marcus moved the heavier dead/injured wolves. His scarred arms straining with the effort, Soren perched in a tree scanning the surrounding darkness, and Elara circled the perimeter. Lena stayed close to Finn, wiping the dirt from his face and telling him everything would be alright.

 I sat with Finn once he'd finally settled, feeding him when he began to fuss, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The vision from the night before had been true. They were watching us, and now they knew exactly what Finn was.

 As dawn began to break Kira sat beside me. "You did well today. You kept him safe."

 "I almost didn't," I whispered. "If Renn hadn't..."

 "But he did," she said, her gaze flicking to Finn, then back to me. "And you stepped in when he faltered. That's what brave people do."

 I swallowed hard. "I don't think I know how to be brave."

 "You're learning," she said simply. "And we're learning with you."

 Renn returned, his arm bandaged and his face etched with weariness, but his eyes were steady. "The bodies are gone. No more scouts. But we need to move, and fast."

 Gage nodded. "East. Further into the wilds. Away from the Voss border, too."

 I looked at my pack, each of them scarred in one way or another, and my heart swelled with something close to pride. Kira with her hidden scars, Renn with his internal guilt, Gage with his limp, Lena with her soft touch, Marcus with his silent strength, Soren with his nervous energy, Elara with her blunt honesty, and the two children with their fragile hope. They were mine. My responsibility. My pack.

 "Then we move," I said, my voice firm and clear. "Together."

 We packed what little we owned as the rain finally subsided. Finn slept against me, his breath a soft, steady sound. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the howls we had heard last night were only the beginning.

 As we began to walk Kira fell into step beside me. "Are you okay?"

 I looked at Finn, and then at the path stretching out before us. "I have to be."

 The forest consumed our old camp behind us. The wilds, deep, dark, and filled with things we couldn't comprehend, waited ahead of us.

 And somewhere in that wilderness, the Shadow Pack was coming.

 For him.

 For us.