"Ignited" Book One of the Autumn Trilogy

Chapter Seven

Autumn was on him within seconds. They tumbled over one another, Autumn delivering fatal blows; thrashing, clawing, tearing skin and ripping out fur, biting down with canines the size of kitchen knives. She lacked coordination-her attacks were random, but unavoidable. The only hope Arcus had was to push her away, try to pull himself out from underneath her. He hot close, but everytime his feet got put under him Autumn hit him a force powerful enough to knock him down again. Around them, the Bone-Breakers had gained momentum in their fight against Vicks men. It was obvious now that the only reason they had managed to tear down the foundations of the massive pack was because of Arcus and his strength. Without him, the men were powerless.
    The clearing no longer had people on two legs, but beasts on all fours. Roars ripped through the silent night, bones breaking in harmony with the cracking of the fire. A mass of fur and muscle, twisting and turning in a bloody fight. Cries shot through the air like the sound of a firing gun, those of Vick's men who managed to make it out of the clearing escaped into the woods. Only less than half of them would make it out.
    Arcus lay defeated under Autumn, covered in blood leaking from his torn skin. She was almost completely unscathed. They stood in silence for a moment, Autumn looking down upon her older brother. The rage seemed to have almost left her, as if she had used it all up her fight against him. Now all that was left was pity, sadness, and disappointment. Arcus saw this moment as an opportunity. He wined in pain. Autumn only growled. Suddenly he moved, trying to stand on his feet again. If he could just get up. Autumn let him, but as he began to rise to his full height, she came down on his neck, locking it in her jaw and spinning hard. Arcus flew through the air, a tree being the only reason he stopped. He fell to the ground, motionless.
    Arcus faded into a cloud of dust once more, resuming his original form. One of his men emerged quickly through the bushes, grabbing him as to escape. But he looked up at Autumn, who stood stalk still, with eyes as if to begging her for permission. Arcus groaned as the man picked him up. They both faced her, halting their movements as if to see what she was going to do next. All movement in the clearing had stopped now, Vicks men either dead or gone, and the Bone-Breakers watching Autumn.
    Her and Arcus had locked eyes, his red iris blending in with his stained skin. The only thing Autumn could think of was how he was gone from her forever, the Disease taking control of his mind. No...Vick had taken control of his mind. Autumn remembered what Vick had said to her the night that he attacked their family; that he could control the disease. It was evident in all of his men that the Disease ran ramped in their system, leaving their eyes red.
    Autumn let out a growl. She spoke, but her voice didnt sound normal-it was throaty and deep, "Tell Vick that I am coming for him."
    Then they ran, disappearing into the woods. A wolf approached her, bigger than the others, but still nothing compared to her. "Why let them go?" It's fur was light brown and shimmering with hints of gold, the same as Nash's hair.
    "If you want them, then go get them."
    A few others behind Nash moved immediately, heading in the direction of Arcus. Autumn hoped that they would get away, but part of her didn't either. Autumn turned away, facing the fire. The realization of what had just happened began to hit her; the fight had only lasted minutes. She had shifted for the first time. Was she really powerful enough that fire didnt even burn her? She had never heard of a shifter so strong, to heal so fast that flames would have no effect. This thought drew her attention to her small wounds, minor, but itching as they began to heal already. Not to mention her size, her claws and teeth, and the power she had over even Arcus. Even then, she had always thought that in order to shift it required intense focus and thought until shifting got easier, but it felt like she had done it without even thinking.
Autumn felt the presence of someone next to her. Expecting Nash, she turned with a growl, but instead saw a person. Oliver. She looked up at Autumn with awe.
"You were able to do it." She said, lightly touching Autumns side, "And it looks like you have complete control. It's amazing." Autumn said nothing, only turned away and looked back into the fire. "Do you think you can turn back?" Oliver pressed.
The image of Arcus was stamped in her mind. How could Vick do that to him? Is that what he was planing on doing with the rest of her family? If he could find them...Autumn realized what she had to do. With a deep breath, she felt herself begin to sink back into herself. She felt her body become tingly, the dust clouding her vision, and when she could see again she was back to normal, on two feet. SHe was naked, her clothes had been burned off in the fire. It was becoming a usual thing for her now.
Autumn looked back at Oliver, who had a bewildered but pleased look on her face. "It's amazing," Oliver said silently. Autumn said nothing, brushing past her and heading for the direction of Olivers underground home.
"Autumn?" Oliver called after her, following close behind.
"I'm going to find my family." She responded.
"Wait, what are you talking about-" They were both cut off sharply by the Alpha shoving himself in their path. He was bleeding heavily, a member of his now small family supporting him.
"You're not going anywhere." He breathed out weakly.
Autumn's face remained grave, but she felt pity for him, "It doesnt look like you can stop me."
"I don't care about who you are," His voice seemed to be growing weaker, but he managed to stand on his own, as if showing his authority one last time, "I don't care what you are, but all i know is that you're stronger than anyone I have ever seen." Gently, almost with respect, he put his bloodied hand on Autumn's shoulder. "You have to fight in this war, Autumn. You must." Nash grew weak once more, his buddy just barely managing to catch him. With no more strength to even speak another word, he was carried off.
"He fought harder than anyone else here," Oliver told her as they watched him being laid onto the ground.
"And I see that you didn't." Autumn shot back, turning and resuming her walk into the woods once more. The Alphas words echoed through her mind-You have to fight, you must. He said it to her as if he was begging her, like it was the last thing he would ever ask of another person. Without much thought, she turned to look past her shoulder. Oliver was again rushing after her, but behind her she saw the wounded Bone-Breakers, reduced to nearly nothing after being at the top. Arcis had doen this, but more importantly, Vick had done this. Her own brother. Autumn wanted to find her family, to stop Vick from hurting them too and maybe even fight against him. But the Alphas words resonated with her. Autumn, along with everyone else, now knew the kind of power she had, the kind to fight against Vick.
"Autumn, wait, please!" Oliver caught up to her once more, putting a hand on her shoulder. Autumn spun around, eyes wide with anger.
"Don't touch me!" She slapped Oliver hand away, the sound bouncing off the tree around them, "You have no right! You left me, and you didn't even come to fight for your own people!"
Oliver rubbed her hand, now a burning red. Her eyes began to water, "It's not like that-"
"Then where were you?! How could you leave them? How could you leave me." Autumn starred at her in silence, arms crossed to cover her bare chest, waiting for the sorry excuse that she had to give. Oliver didnt dare meet her gaze, and Autumn realized it was the first time she had seen Oliver let anyone look down on her.
"I'm too weak to fight."
"That's obvious, seeing that you didnt even try."
Oliver spoke with a quivering voice, "I can't shift."
Autumns heart sank to her stomach. Oliver continued talking to the ground, "I used to be strong, stronger than even Nash, maybe even as strong as you...but then I lost it."
"How is that possible?"
"Power, and magic, have their limit. No one knows how or why it happened, but everyone says that I pushed myself too hard after-" She stopped, like a stone had formed in her throat. Autumn had never heard of it, never even thought it to be possible. Losing your ability to shift? There was a difference between never getting it in the first place and this. Could Autumn lose her power? Could anyone? Autumn couldnt believe it-she had never even met someone who couldnt shift until Vick, the reason being that they were immediately exiled as weak. After meeting Oliver, Autumn's entire perspective on the world has changed, her views leaning to see even Bone-Breakers as equals, but this?
"I didn't mean to leave you behind Autumn, I swear. I was in my den before the fighting started, and by the time I realized, you were alreadly in the hands of that man," Autumn remembered suddenly-the scream she heard when she was engulfed by the flames. It was her. Oliver had never left her. The feelings seemed to evaporate from Autumns chest, the anger leaving in an instant. She looked down at Olivers hand, still red from her hit.
"I'm...I'm sorry," Autumn began, her voice quiet. The guilt was rising up from her stomach, the thoughts of Vick and Arcus swirling through her mind. Her anger towards them and Oliver was the only thing keeping her going, her determination leaving with it. Too much had happened in too little time, and it was ctahing up with her now. Autumn's breathe was heavy and fast.
"I...I don't...know-" Autumn managed to say. She felt like she could cry, burst into tears and cry so much that it would fill up the ocean. But nothing came. It was like her body wouldn't allow it.
"It's okay," Oliver reached out, gently rubbing Autumn's shoulder, "you just need some rest." Autumn looked behind her, at the roaring fire that burned down the homes of the Bone-Breakers, they're working bodies a blur in the small crowd tat was the last of them, how the Alpha seemed to be on his death bed on the ground while his loyal follows ignored their own injuries to help him.
A new sense seemed to give Autumn strength again, this time not anger, but determination. They had fought so hard, losing everything, and still they are putting in more effort than her. You're stronger than anyone I have ever seen. Nash had said to her. You have to fight in this war.
You must.