Golden Destiny

Chapter 9. - Ascension

I felt Jarick's clothes give way as he shifted, but I knew it would be too late. The rogue leader was too close to us for it to make a difference. At worst, he would rip Jarick to shreds before he even finished shifting. At best, Jarick could dodge the attack and I would be the only one left in the wolf's path.

All of a sudden, I heard a howl coming from close by. At the same time, Jarick finished his shift and with a mighty leap, he met the wolf who was distracted enough by that howl to turn its head so Jarick was clear of its teeth. They landed a few feet from me, Jarick snarling and huffing at the ground as the leader shook its head to rid itself of the daze brought about by hitting the ground.

I looked around and saw that the rogues were looking in the direction of the cabin. I turned to that direction and saw my three brothers in their wolf forms slowly prowling towards us, letting out low, sinister growls. Behind them, my mom held her bow, taking aim at the leader.

"Mia, come to me," mom called out, her bowstrings tight, her gaze fixed at the wolf in front of Jarick.

I moved slowly, my heart beating a mile a minute, which I was sure everyone could hear. I was also feeling some tingling in my hands and feet, as if the blood was rushing back to them at once. I must have stood still longer than I thought.

"Jarick, go with your sister," mom's voice ordered us again. It was clear to everyone watching that even though she wasn't a wolf, she had authority here.

Jarick growled at the leader one last time before turning back on him to get to me. My eyes widened for a fraction since that was the worst insult a wolf could give. Turning one's back on another wolf communicated that no threat was posed.

We were about ten feet away from the leader when he shifted back to skin, and angrily yelled at his group. "What the hell are you doing just standing there? Get them!"

And all hell broke loose. Jarick suddenly shoved me with his head and I flew through the air and landed on a big pile of leaves which I didn't notice earlier. I saw his eyes grow in size as he watched me land before he swiftly turned and caught a rogue who was about to attack him in his jaws. He shook his head and blood splattered all around. He threw the rogue to the ground on its back and got on top of it. His claws raked across the rogue's belly and I saw its organs spill out. Not finished with the rogue, Jarick sank his teeth into the rogue and ripped his throat out.

All around us, the same thing was happening with my brothers and other rogues. Jameson and Jagger were fighting two wolves each at once, and were winning. Jervin seemed to be playing with a much larger wolf in front of him before he, in a move that if my sight were that of a human's I wouldn't be able to discern, leapt on top of the wolf and took a huge chunk out of its neck.

I saw mom letting out arrow after arrow, already having felled two wolves with shots to the head. She gave me a brief smile before letting of a shot to the wolf who almost got ahold of Jameson's flank. Her gaze suddenly shot back to me and she threw her bow to the ground and started running my way. I looked behind me and saw the leader prowling his way to me. His great head looked in my mom's direction before he leapt to where I was standing.

He never made it to where I was. A huge white wolf tackled him to the ground and without further ado, sank its teeth into his throat and yanked out his windpipe with a growl.

My heart stopped beating and I looked at the majestic wolf in front of me, not believing what I was seeing with my own eyes. Could it be? Did my mother shift?

I looked at my brothers and most of them were done with the wolves they were fighting. Only Jervin was still posturing with the remaining rogue, and that fight immediately ended when Jameson gave a low growl, as Jervin huffed and bit the rogue's neck deep enough, his head almost came clean off.