Marauders - Always - Part One

Blood

The black wolf with the grey ridged back leaped through the air, flying at the smaller half-turned werewolf at his feet with his elongated fangs bared. All around him, men and women and children shuddered through various states of transformation, but none of those mattered. All that mattered was the threatening scent that rose to his nostrils from the ragged creature before him. Feral anger coursed through the wolf's body, his instincts sharp with hatred and the desire to destroy - to kill. 

If a wolf could smile... this one was smiling as he leaped forward, hungry for blood.

The grey wolf on the floor rolled and lashed out his legs at just the moment before the jaws of the larger clamped onto his throat.

The accommodations that Greyback had supplied had, mercifully, included small vials of wolfsbane potion - just enough for Remus to be aware within his wolf, but to be out of control, like a drunkard stumbling home from the bar, as though he were watching his wolf form move from far off, with very little control over the actions that his body made. At least Greyback had spared him that small justice - a farce of keeping the fight "fair".

Remus snapped back, his jaw clacking as his teeth closed on air just  to the side of Greyback's face. A growl emitted from Greyback, and a strange hush filled the room as the other werewolves in the room completed their transformations, orienting themselves, getting their bearings, their attentions captured by the scent and sight of the two Alpha males facing one another with bared teeth. Barks of encouragement and excitement echoed as they realized what was happening, whimpers and growls as the wolves divided between support for their current Alpha and support for the challenger.

Carl's silvery-grey wolf watched on with determined, steady eyes that followed every move from one side, his fur standing up right all along his spine, teeth bared and muscles ready to attack the moment he was able to. Greyback's rules echoed in his head, and he stayed back, stepping further away than he'd already been just to avoid accidental involvement. He felt helpless as he watched.

The Alpha wolves collided, Greyback yapping in surprise as Remus's teeth caught onto his shoulder as his massive claws tore through Remus's flesh, leaving gashes of red across his chest on the right side. He cried out and Greyback's teeth caught onto Remus's ear, tearing, and blood sprayed. Remus flung out his claws, catching Greyback like a slap across the face, and blood dripped from the wolf's mouth onto the ground at his feet. His lips were drawn back, quivering with the growl that emanated from deep in his chest, teeth long and glinting.

The lunge was lightening-quick.

Blood sprayed again, spattering across the walls, over the flagstone floor, great slashes of it, the bodies of the wolves reddening with gashes and the blood that clung to their fur each time the powerful frames were slammed to the ground beneath one another, rolling in it, turning grey and black fur into bloody matted messes. There were whimpers and shrieks of pain, barks of mirth and determination, growls, yowls, and howls...

The world was a chaotic, uncontrollable blur all around Remus and he couldn't hold onto his senses, couldn't hold on because to pause long enough to think meant relinquishing a moment for Greyback to seize his flesh or bone and the jaws clamped strong and urgent. Greyback was desperate to keep control of his pack, knew the consequences of losing this fight, and he was holding nothing of the brutal, predator instinct back. Every move was a strike to kill and Remus was struggling just to keep up, his wolf's instinct the only thing saving him from death over and over again.

Terror simmered under his skin, and the feeling that he'd made a horrible, awful mistake that could not be undone now.

He would never see his family again, he thought as Greyback slammed him into the wall and his bones made horrific crunching sounds.