Second Fate

16

The grey wolf up front was fletching his fangs and growled lowly as he noticed what I'd picked up. Vine didn't notice my preparations; he was completely focused on the wolves in front of him. Instead of being provoked to a thoughtless attack, he made a sidestep and nudged my shoulder.

Now, he meant to say, run to Neal and Victor.

What I understood, however, was something entirely different.

I lifted the branch with a little combat shout and jumped forward, between Vine and the grey wolf. Neither of the men had expected me to lead the attack, so I could use their surprise to my advantage. With my heart beating violently against my ribcage, I let the branch drop onto the stranger's head.

He lifted his head to look up to where the piece of wood was closing in on his face, closer and closer – until the wolf opened his mouth to bite the branch in two with a single motion.

My stomach sank.

There was no time to work through what had gone wrong; the grey wolf had already pushed himself off the soft forest floor and was storming towards me. After my attack, his target had shifted.

Twigs and leaves broke under his feet, while Vine and I had little more than a second left to react. Without a thought for the if or how, Vine threw himself into the stranger's path.

In the next second, the impact of the two large wolves brought me to the ground. Cold, wet earth pressed against my back, pushing all the air out of my lungs. My shoulder was stinging and the open skin on my palms was burning as I hastily scrambled to my feet.

I wasn't clear on who'd pushed me down, but Vine had taken my place now. Seemingly fearless he jumped the stranger as he was moving to attack again. Long fangs gleamed on both sides, before they sunk deep into the enemy's fur.

While the forest around me filled with the sounds of tearing skin and bone-chilling howls, I began to understand Vine's request, to go get Victor. Not because he thought too little of me, but because he knew that there was no chance for me if I got involved. I understood the difference in our strength; the impossibility of affecting those creatures more than the pebbles under their paws.

Now I was running, the rushing of my blood too loud to hear anything else. Vine needed real help; from Neal, from Cara or from anyone else who could hold their own against power like that.

The fastest way back lead over the narrow footpath which was covered by roots and screened by thin branches. My feet barely made a sound on the thick moss beneath them, while I ran towards the clearing with burning lungs.

Luckily, we hadn't gotten too far; after just a few minutes, the forest was becoming lighter, and a mild breeze replaced the smell of resin and pine needles.

There was a stabbing sensation underneath my ribs, but I didn't allow myself to slow down. I also didn't notice the confused looks of the early arrivers sitting at the campfire.

Only when the scraped palms of my hands hit the wooden door of Victor's shack, I acknowledged the full extent of the pain hammering in my lungs and legs.

Inside, Victor and Neal were sitting close together, submerged in a serious conversation. At my explosive entry, the two heads flew up.

The panic must've been visible in my face because Neal jumped up as if someone had screamed Fire.

"Nina – what happened?"

"What brings you back?", the old man asked at nearly the same time, while I was trying to catch my breath.

"Attack ... in the forest ..."

"What?"

Get it together, I told myself. Breath in and out. Slowly. In and out ... and in–