Ella's Wild Beasts

CHAPTER 22

Ella huddled on the sandy beach with the child close to her chest as they charged past her into the forest. Their savage snarling faces parted to show their long sharp canines. After they thundered into the underbrush the sounds of battle intensified. Howls and shrieks rang through the air mixed with muffled sobs from the child.

   The battle carried on for nearly half and hour. Twice another beast broke to the beach only to be dragged back by one of hers, snarling and ripping claw and mouthfuls of fur and flesh. Both of the enemy beast were wolves, one black and the other a timber gray. After the fighting had quited and ended a naked women covered in cuts and bruises came sobbing out of the brush. She walked between two great stags. Their horns covered in blood and gore, bodies mamed and limping. Crying she hugged herself and walked with unsteady feet. When she saw the child in Ella's arms she sobbed louder and came sprinting over. The stags followed shortly behind. The child saw the woman and nearly lept out of her grasp, running towards her screaming. "MAAAAMAAAA!"

   The two collapsed in a sobbing mess as the stags turned into men and hugged the two between them. Finally Caius and Ravi exited the brush still in there battle tattered beast form. Behind them another large stag limped head low. As they neared the two naked men stiffened but didn't move from the girls sides, they watched warily as they walked around them to Ella. Seeing the state of them she started to cry harder and ran into them, hugging their giant forms close. The third stag gently lowered itself to the ground and rested off to the side.

   "Thank you." A man's voice broke the sound of sobbing women and the child. All eyes turned to the tall man before them. "Our herd was attacked by a wolf pack. We were the only ones to survive. Mainly I think because they were trying to capture our mate Arya and daughter Asha. They would have gotten them to if you two hadn't shown up and helped.us when you did. There were too many and we were losing." He bowed low, so did the two girls and other stags. "We thank you, we have an unplayable debt." Quitly Ella peeked out between Caius and Ravi. They all startled as if just now noticing her. She saw the women and child huddled together shivering against the cold ocean winds.

   Cautiously she came out from between them, everyones eyes on her. She walked towards the two females slowly making sure she didn't look threatening, stopping about two meters away when the men looked to be at their limit. She reached into her pack and pulled out the coats she made her men and held them out to the Arya. "Hello my name is Ella. These will help you and your daughter stay warm. See?" She motioned towards her own coat demonstrating how it worked. The male who hadn't spoke earlier carefully took the coats and after a brief inspection handed them to Arya. After some initial confusion she managed to get one on herself and Asha.

   They appeared more comfortable already. Nodding she turned and returned to her men's sides. She motioned for Caius and quickly climbed up. With a nod they started heading back to home. She didn't know if she could ask them to come so she looked at Ravi and cleared her throat. Ravi looked her and cocked his head. She leaned and whispered "They don't have anywhere to go. And the child is still just a baby, could they come?" Ravi seemed to think for a bit then looked at Caius and let out a few growls which he responded to with some of his own. After that Ravi turned to the tattered and tired foursome and let out a few chaffing sounds. All three males looked bewildered and the women looked so relieved she started crying again. Soon they were all traveling towards the burrow in tired silence.