Howl In The Night (DNF)

Chapter 66: Attacked

Karl POV.

The two of us were backing away, terrified about the wolf that was approaching us. A low growl fell from its lips, as it bared its teeth I could see a fury in its grey eyes. I jumped out of fear as I backed into a tree, with George glancing over at me momentarily as I did. I took a moment to take a deep breath before noticing something else.

From between a large tree I saw another wolf joining the first one. This one was a lot smaller than the original wolf with grey fur and green eyes. “George…” I muttered quietly, alerting him to the second wolf as it moved beside the original. His gaze moved alongside mine to see the creature as we continued moving.

But then he stopped. I got only a few steps further back before I realised and stopped also. “Karl,” he spoke slowly, “you go back to the house and get Dream and Sapnap. I’ll stay here and slow them down.”
“George… what?” I responded, looking at him as though he was crazy. “I can’t leave you here!”

“Karl go.” He repeated. “They’ll probably kill us both, that’s less likely to happen if you go and get Dream and Sapnap and I stay here to keep them distracted.”
“But…” I attempted to protest, not wanting to leave my best friend behind.
“Go.” George repeated again, and I finally did as he asked.

I turned and began to sprint, not daring to slow down or look back for even a second. Even when I heard a scream of pain coming from my best friend I continued running, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to help at all unless I got Dream and Sapnap.

My best friend screaming made me want to stop and collapse into the ground and cry. I felt my lungs burning as I pushed forward, the house finally appearing just several dozen feet in front of me. “Sapnap!” I screamed out, hoping that I could get his attention without needing to run into the house completely. “Dream! Help!”

Tears were rolling down my face and I tripped over a root, falling to the ground. I ignored the sting of my hands as I continued calling out to them. “Please! Dream! Sapnap! Anybody!” When nobody came out immediately I worried they hadn’t heard me, so I pushed myself up and began walking again.

Nobody was coming outside, not even one of the neighbours who might have heard me screaming and wanted me to shut up. My breathing was ragged as I continued, finally seeing two figures come sprinting out of the house.

"Karl what's going on?" Sapnap asked, running to me and pulling me into a hug. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" He took my hand and examined the scrape marks. "What happened to your hands? Are you alright?"

Dream however had a much different expression, one that was filled with anxiousness and paranoia. "Karl, where is George?" He asked.
"He was attacked." I responded. "Over that way in the woods by two wolves." I pointed in the direction I came in.

Without a word to either of us he turned and began running in the direction I had come in. It was only now that I realised that I had been shaking and I basically collapsed into Sapnap. "He was being attacked." I sobbed into his shoulder. "He was being attacked and he told me to leave and I did. If I hadn't then he wouldn't have-"

I cut myself off with a sob and Sapnap pulled me into a hug. "This isn't your fault." He tried to reassure me. "If you hadn't come back then both of you would have been hurt."
"B-but perhaps I should have-have s-stayed and George would b-b-be alright." I sobbed loudly. "He's my best friend and I just left him there."

"Calm down honey." He hushed me. "You did exactly what you should have done. Now do you recognise who those wolves were? Are they people from our pack?"
"I'm not sure," I cried. "I'm so sorry Sapnap. I am just so pathetic. I couldn’t help him!"

"You aren't pathetic Karl, and you never will be." He told me, cupping my face gently and wiping my tears away lovingly. "I am sure that Dream will find both of them and deal with them, George will be fine." Then he slowly inhaled my scent, a way of keeping himself calm and focused. "Let's get you inside and bandage your injuries, okay?"

After a few moments of reluctance I nodded, allowing him to lift me up and carry me back to the house with my head resting on his shoulder. While he carried me inside I stared into the forest, feeling worry for my best friend.

Dream POV.

I saw the two wolves outlines as they attacked what I knew must have been my soulmate. It caused a fury to burn through me as I shifted into a wolf and bit into the shoulder of one of the wolves. It let out a yelp and backed off, it's head lowered. Blood was dripping down the creature's jaw which caused me to get more angry.

George was curled on the ground, covered in both blood and dirt, making me angrier still. I looked over at the two wolves and growled when I recognised both of them. But it didn't matter who they were, since they decided to hurt the love of my life. Without a moment to think I launched myself at them once again.

The two wolves were hesitant to attack now that I was here. I stood in between them and George and let out a warning growl. When neither of them backed away I jumped forwards and scratched the bigger of the two right down the side of the face. She let out a gasp of shock and glowered at me, but before she spoke up I cut her off.

"Leave!" I said firmly. "If either of you dare to show your face again, or even to think about George, then I will rip you both to shreds without any remorse, understood?” Neither of them responded. Their ears were both lowered and their gazes shifted between myself and George, then after a moment they turned and left.

I watched as they went until they were out of sight before sniffing at the air cautiously, a way of trying to find if there was anybody else anywhere close to me who could be a threat. Thankfully the forest had fallen silent.

After making sure nobody was here I shifted back into a human and ran over to George. He was curled up, crying weakly, shaking, with bruises and cuts everywhere, and his eyes screwed shut. “George-” I whispered softly, wanting him to even simply look at me, to give me some sign that he was somewhat alright. "George, are you okay?"

There was no response besides a couple desperate gasps for air. I pulled his body closer, letting out a desperate whine. "George… please… give me some sign you're alright." He was really badly beaten up as I lifted his body up. "Are you alright? Please say you are alright."

I knew that this wasn't good. I hugged him closely and began carrying his body back to the house. There had to be a way to help him. Every instinct which I had made me feel anxious. I wasn’t able to protect George or even avenge George, even though I wanted to. Now he was badly injured and it was all my fault. With a pitying whine I stood up and carried him back to the house.
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1291 words