Feral Bonds

Chapter 47

Fortunately, and unfortunately, the opportunity to do just that arrived a month later. Along with an even greater problem.

Natania was helping the humans unload the harvester when the first howl pierced the air. A loud, challenging bellow. Natania froze, dropped everything she was carrying, and raced to the front of the barn, so she could see the mountain.

Pawsteps thudded all around her as the rest of the wolves gathered after hearing the sound, shifting into their human forms and staring at Natania.

"Was that-" Damien started.

"I think so," Natania replied.

A second howl, louder, more demanding. "Yes," Natania growled, sure that time. "That is my father."

"What is he doing here?" Grace asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Come to kill me, I imagine," Natania said.

The humans shot confused glances at the wolves as they walked by carrying tools, but didn't stop their work, it was all hands on deck for the harvest.

"Nat?" Gretchen raced out of the barn, likely drawn by the speed at which her pack had gathered. "What's going on?"

"Alistair is here," Damien explained, but his gaze was focused on Natania.

Gretchen gave him a confused look. "Alistair?"

"My father," Natania answered, staring up into the forest, "has issued me a challenge."

Gretchen winced. "Should we run?"

Natania took a deep breath. "No. This is my territory. I will not run again." The demon stirred inside her and she gritted her teeth. Not now, she thought at it.

"We will destroy him."

Natania snorted. You can try.

"Nat?" Gretchen asked and Natania realized she had missed something.

"What?" she said.

"Are we going to meet him?" Grace repeated.

Natania thought about, glancing over her packmates, then decided. "No. Gretchen and I will go alone. He doesn't need to know how few of us there are."

"Just you two? You remember his pack-" Grace started, but Natania cut her off.

"Was half destroyed by Rigaldo," Natania snapped. "I will try to talk him down, but if he insists," she turned to Gretchen, "you take whatever you need from me to hit them as hard as you can. You'll likely only get one shot, so make it count."

"I won't hurt you," Gretchen protested, as she always did.

"You will," Natania said dryly, holding her gaze, "or we all die."

Gretchen gritted her teeth, but bowed her head in assent, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

"The rest of you, get back to work," Natania ordered. "If you feel me die, get in the barn and hide. The cows will cover your scent"

"Nat-" Bran tried to protest.

"I mean it," Natania growled. "None of you will die for me." Her tone left no room for argument and her small pack of wolves stared at her with grim faces.

A third howl pierced the air. Natania glared up the cliff. "Let's go."

She shifted and crouched, jerking her head at Gretchen to get on her back. Then she flew, paws barely touching the ground as she raced for the top of the mountain. Her father would be in the valley, where the trees thinned out. He'd be expecting a fight, and one didn't fight in unfamiliar undergrowth, if they could avoid it.