Hunt

Chapter 45: Asserting Dominance

"My name is Kyle Parker," I call out to the crowd, trying to buy myself enough time to gather my thoughts from the jumbled mess they had fallen into. Murmurs spring up through the group again, similar whispers reaching my ears. I pose a question to the crowd, hoping to get them talking so I wouldn't have to: "Who here can tell me what the biggest threat is that we are facing right now?"

Confusion pops up on the face of those closest to me. A tentative hand goes up. A vaguely familiar girl near the back who couldn't be older than Julie. Was she one of the wolves at the peace meeting? "The Rogues?" She asks.

"No. While they are a threat, the rogues aren't our biggest worry at the moment." I say. "Anyone else have an idea?"

A frustrated grumble rises from a small group to my right. A group of three or four seemed to be rapidly losing their patience. "The hell you mean they aren't the biggest threat?!" One of them shouts out at me.

A man around my age, maybe a couple years older steps forward, another familiar face. I recognized him from the alliance meeting. I believe his name was Walker. "We're not here for a test. We can get rid of those traitors ourselves! We don't need you here!"

Reyna steps up to silence him, but I put a hand out. Stopping her in her tracks. A smile tugs at my lips as I respond to the sudden outburst. Maybe I'd be able to demonstrate what the answer to my question actually is. "Fine! You don't want me here? Then make me leave. If you can do that we hunters will leave this mess to the Silverlock Pack."

"Kyle. What are you doing?" Reyna whispers at me frantically, once again trying to intervene.

"I'm doing my job. Testing their abilities," I say back to her. Giving her a sideways glance as I take a step towards the man. I raise my voice for everyone to hear. "Prove to me you can handle this yourself. If you're confident you can beat me I'm sure you can handle this mess all by yourself."

As I step forward the crowd quickly forms a circle. surrounding the man and I. He spits into the ground in front of him, growling at me. Teeth bared.

He's gonna wolf out, that's his plan... I realize as I put my fists up. I doubt he's fought much with his fists, so I'll have to deal with him quick... before he can turn this fight against me.

I call out to the man, trying to sound more full of myself than I actually was, trying to lull him into a false sense of security. "I'll even let you throw the first punch. Give me your best shot."

He cracks a toothy grin. "Fine. It's your funeral kid." I prep myself for a standard right haymaker. That's the typical move of someone who hasn't had any training on how to fight.

He throws his punch. A left haymaker that nearly catches me clean in the ear. I wasn't expecting him to be a leftie. Managing to duck back at the last second I don't have time to think about a counterattack as he rapidly closes the distance, sending his knee upward quickly that threatens to crush my face. Swinging my head to the right I throw a jab upwards towards his core, aiming to knock the wind out of him.

With a whole lot of luck I hit his stomach and not ribs. The telltale sound of air being expelled from him lungs gives me enough of an opening to back up. To get some quick spacing between us as he doubles over wheezing. A collective groan from the crowd reaches my ears over the sound of my racing heart. They seem to be more receptive to action over a lecture. Noted.

"You... you punch like a girl..." The man coughs, steadying himself. An unnatural flash of color in his eyes accompanies a low growl in his voice. I was already on the clock, but now was really running out of time.

Gritting my teeth I lunge forward, feigning to the right before planting my foot, spinning with a wide kick aimed for his head. But my foot never connects with anything but the air. A sudden lurching feeling erupts in my stomach as the man counters me with unnatural speed. Grabbing me by the midsection and throwing me to the ground. Dust fills the air as I'm slammed into the dirt. The world begins to spin. Stars dancing in my eyes.