Ella & Vlad at the end

#19 - ditch and run

After fifteen minutes of hard running Ella slows up feeling a throbbing in pain. What's up with my tail?

Twisting back to inspect the tail Ella whines realizing a portion has been shot off. Damn that smarts. How many times have I lost part of my tail? Able to regenerate a full tail on the next change she'll be sore until returning to human form.

Surveying the surroundings she doesn't detect any pursuers.

Needing to calm and cool down Ella steps into the creek.

Taking a moment she laps up some water to quell thirst and tend to the wounded tail. Giving the wound a few comforting licks she faintly hears an oddly familiar mechanical clicking.

Smelling the air flowing downriver she perceives males are approaching. Training her ears on their direction identifies the mechanical sound as bicycles on the creek-bed.

Knowing the surroundings Ella has a plan to slow up and lose them. Having passed a perfect spot for part of the plan she doubles back through the overgrowth of creek-bed.

Ridding up a rough steep section of the creek trail Larry changes gears on the mountain bike, "that wolf is sure leaving some good tracks. We should catch sight of it within the hour I bet."

Able to get up and over without changing gears Dave scans the tracks ahead, "maybe. We might be making too much noise on these bikes. It might keep running." With the constant turning of the creek he can only see so far ahead. Out of the farm fields they've entered light woods and tall overgrown brush and weeds.

Several yards behind Larry, Dave figures the moving creek water should conceal their sounds. "If we lose sight of any tracks, we should definitely start hiking it."

Around the next bend the trail narrows as the creek passes through a rocky section. The ground around rises as high as their waists. Still spying paw prints the men keep to the lower creek-bed trail.

Nearing the narrowest section Larry has to ride the creek's pebbly edge. Ahead where it widens again he spots several of Ella's tracks. "looks like that wolf is still moving down river."

No she's not. Ella hides in the overgrowth next to Larry watching him. His words make her task easier. Ready to pounce she waits for Dave to reach the narrow section.

Unable to see the tracks ahead Dave slows up looking down to navigate his bike through the creek.

Seizing the moment Ella lunges from the foliage.

Hearing the rustling from beside, Dave's able to glimpse the wolf charging him, "shit!" Caught in an awkward position Dave can't possibly use the gun slung over the shoulder, and attempts to speed up.

The vegetative disturbance causes Larry to slow up and glance back. The large size of the wolf bearing down on Dave widens both their eyes. Stopping the bike Larry scrambles to get his rifle off the shoulder.

Tucking his head in Dave endeavors to keep moving. Landing all four paws on Dave's back Ella pushes off him to complete her jump to the other side of the creek.

Her desired effect achieved Dave is knocked from the bike. His right arm lands badly in the rocky creek, dislocating the shoulder. As Dave splashes into the creek his right leg slips between the bike's frame, minoraly entangling himself.

Glimpsing Dave flail about in the creek Larry gets the rifle to the ready scanning the brush for the wolf.

Hoping to have disabled rider and bike Ella keeps moving. They'll hang out there for a while waiting for me for sure. Ahead she knows of a park with paved paths to lead the men to, then lose them.