The Wright (Friday Updates)

Chased

Electric panic zipped down my spine, my limbs numbing with fright. For a moment I thought I might not be able to move at all, until another low rattling snarl moved my feet purely out of instinct.

The creature barreled after us, smashing through the undergrowth, its breath like the snort of a charging horse as we fled. Our only saving grace was that we were smaller than it, able to maneuver between trunks with more ease. Toddy made no attempt to stand and fight, using her weak magic to create rough shields of debris behind us, though the beast's mass obliterated everything she threw its way. Neither of us had weapons or fighting training and we ran only because it was our only hope for survival.

The ground disappeared suddenly from beneath my feet, heart lurching upwards, and I tumbled headlong into a ditch, more wet mud and leaves clinging to my already soaked body. It was not enough that we were using the last reserves of our energy after hiking all day, but also carrying the weight and slick of the mud from earlier. Now another layer of the icy muck was added to my burden, fingers stinging with the bite.

I scrambled to my feet, slipping and nearly falling again, eyes straining to see. The monster bounded past, not ten feet away, clearing the ditch in a single leap. Its eyes were set on Toddy, the greater threat.

"Toddy!" My voice broke, hands clawing at freezing soil to drag myself from the trench. "Look out!"

The flash of terror streaking through my system was momentarily overridden by a hard and horrible choice. If this thing was out to kill us and it was aiming for Toddy, could I run and find help? Immediately, the answer was clear. If she went down, I would die too. Besides, if it had forgotten about me I might be able to catch it by surprise and buy her time to escape.

Gripping the first solid stick I could find, I sprinted after them. I didn't know what my plan was, only that I couldn't watch her die. We were both likely to be ripped apart gruesomely, but the panic of losing her pushed me to defend. My heart pumped blood into my stiffening arms and legs, lactic acid a deep ache that was settling around my bones. I pumped my uncooperative legs hard, racing after them and only just able to make out her fleeing the large, shadowed body.

Branches tore stinging lines across my face, while the beast rampaged through them, rotten limbs and logs exploding out of the way. Racing in its wake, I managed to catch back up, only because I could run in a straight line where Toddy was weaving and zigzagging, trying to lose it between obstacles.

The trees parted in a low-lying clearing only dotted by saplings due to the soggy soil. Weak moonlight was able to reach the ground there, coating bent grasses in silver. Toddy had nearly reached the other side, the beast struggling against the sucking mud.

I heard the barest hint of music in the distance, meaning we were close to the house and help.

"Help!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, still running, each boot pulled free with thunking splashes. "Somebody help!" My words were cut off as the creature took a great leap. Too far behind, I could only watch in horror as its form barreled into Toddy, a scream that I could never unhear leaving her mouth. They rolled, sludge flying.

Forced to take jumping strides and staggering, I finally reached where they stopped. Lifting my leadened arms up, I jumped forward and brought the stick down hard on its back. It snarled loudly, brushing me aside with a sweep of its huge arm as though I was no more than a flea. The blow sent me tumbling backward.

Hands sinking like quicksand, I fought against the ice and pain, rising at Toddy's whimper. When it stood up, rising on two legs to a towering height, I saw her hands reach out in a placating gesture.

It was a shifter and a big one at that. Was he after us or Kinnut? Or had he gone feral and made his way here by accident?

The wolf stared down at her, unnervingly still. The second's ticked by, only leaves scuttling across the grasses, the slight wind disturbing the longer fur around his neck. Was he warring with his beast about whether or not to kill an innocent woman? Was Toddy using her magic against him? If he was realizing that we were truly no threat, I would dare not interrupt.