The girl who chased the moon

Chapter 13

Daniel Snow leaned against the frame of the door, the arrogance of his posture rivaled only by the self satisfied smirk on his face. "How wonderful too see you again, Anne" he mocked.

I held up the sword, pushing Valancourte behind me. "Don't come any closer" I warned him.

"Ah, you see Beatrice, I'm afraid I must" he sighed, "You see, I require a conversation with Monsieur Valancourte" 

"I think your business here is done" I told him, the sword quivering in my hand, adrenaline coursing through my veins as my heart pounded against my chest in anticipation. "On the contrary, ma cherie, it has only just begun" he smiled. 

He stepped towards me, and I raised Katiana, taking up the defensive. "Has anyone ever told you how exceptionally annoying you are?" I asked.

"What can I say?" he smiled, "it's a gift"

Carlisle was edging back with Valancourte, but I stood my ground, trying to distract Snow. "Ah-Ah" he said, noticing there movement, "I don't think so"

Suddenly, more wolves flooded in behind him, and glared at us, they advanced slowly, taking on a defensive crouch, ready to spring into action. "Take one more step and I'll start cutting off heads" I warned. Snow laughed, clearly he did not believe me. One wolf pounced and as a warning I swung Katiana, missing the wolf by half an inch. Snow's eyes widened slightly, and some of the wolves backed off. "Now here is what is going to happen" I said quietly, my voice deadly, "we are going to leave, you will make no attempt to follow, anyone who tries will lose their life, and you will not bother us again"

Snow glared at me, the joking tone had vanished. I backed off, stepping lightly as my knuckles turned white around the hilt of the sword. "Do not make me lose my temper, Miss Everlyn" he said darkly, "you would not like me when I am angry"

"I do not like you regardless of your mood" I said dismissively, "In fact, I must confess I am beginning to find you rather tedious" 

He laughed, though there was no humor in it. "Forgive me, I shall make more of an effort to engage your attentions in future"

"How thoughtful of you" I smiled, "now if you will excuse us.."

The wolves growled, circling behind us, "I am growing tired of this game!" I spat. 

"As am I" said Snow, "shall we end it?"
Just as he finished speaking, the wolves pounced; and I was not merciful. 

My blade swung through the air, striking the on coming wolves with deadly blows. Some were just wounded, but I knew they would be too weak to fight, and would bleed out and die on their own soon enough. A large, light grey wolf lunged towards Valancourte from behind, but I was quick to intervene. "Go!" I shouted to Carlisle, who pulled Valancourte by his waist coat out of the chaos.

The fighting continued, and more and more wolves seemed to be coming. They just kept flooding in, only their numbers were beginning to swell. Snow had still not moved from the rear lines, and even as I hacked relentlessly at his pack, he made no move to stop me. I realised what many of these poor, unsuspecting wolves were; they were canon fodder. 

The experienced, more elite members of the pack were well protected, while the younger fighters rushed forward to die, they were waiting form me to tire, to weaken. Some had split off, presumably after Carlisle and Valancourte, I could only hope that they would be able to out run the wolves. 

The bodies continued to pile up, and my humanity lessened the more I killed. It was like I had become a machine, the process systematic and precise. Swing, strike, repeat. I had developed a rhythm, and I had become nothing more than an executioner. The wolves numbers lessened, and breathlessly I called out, "Face me yourself, Snow! Instead of sending children to die in your place!"