Among The Wolves

Reunion

Darkness, dull pain, labored breathing, yelling in the distance, and the like. At first I could not figure out what was going on. After a couple seconds passed of slow recollection I realized that the wolfblood I shot somehow on my face. My hands were also pinned underneath him. Although I could move one leg, that was promising.

The fact that I felt no acute pain and also that this mammoth animal was as still as stone related to me that my shot had been successful. I turned my head for more breathing room and placed my free foot flat on the ground for support.
Then lifting my bottom from the ground I tried to shift the deadweight off me.
I think I managed a couple inches. I was not entirely sure but now I was winded. Unable to get a full breath of air, I struggled to recuperate.

I made another attempt. Wiggling my other leg free, I let myself down again, more breathless than before.

“Intefunis!” I yelled with a mouthful of smelly wet-dog fur.

I heard no responding sound.

Having no choice but to lay still until I recovered I relaxed both legs.

By all things merciful, the burdensome rogue on me shifted. In a second, all the weight was off, there was bright light, and free air to breathe. I quickly breathed in, hungry for my lungs to be full again.  As quickly as I could, I sat up and looked for Intefunis. He was easily spotted not that far off, an Eta had him by both his shoulders. It looked like he was previously struggling with the wolfblood. Now, he was favoring his arm and trying to catch his own breath.

I looked back to see who had removed the rogue off of me. The Eta stood a mere meter away. My eyes lit up, Eta Woo'Min.

Yes!

My head fell in relief.  As strange as it was that I had never seen the fence we had made it over to Wos’Theon. It was over, the anxiety and the chase.

“Return our people to us.”

The unfamiliar command had me looking up again. There was a line of Vakusian men standing still where I had seen them last.

Eta Woo'Min grabbed my bicep and somewhat crudely lifted me to my feet. He wrapped an arm around my neck in a threatening manner. “Your people have shot our kind, and trespassed; they are now our jurisdiction.”

Eta Woo'Min whistled and motioned for a couple Etas to stand guard. After they were positioned before us, Eta Woo'Min turned and pulled me along. I went willingly.

“Miss Kejyta!” Intefunis’ despair could be heard clearly in his voice.

“It's okay,” I looked at him calmly, hoping that my hidden message could be understood. “We'll be fine.”

Still,  my throat felt tight and my fingers quivered.

Making it a little further from the Vakusian's view, Eta Woo'Min slightly relaxed his grip on me. “It's good to see you Nu Vae'Lee.” He murmured.

I looked at him, his face was still set forward and his features still determined.

I nodded trying to rub the anxiety from my hands to my pants, “It's good to be back.”

Another breath of shocked relief left me. “The wolfblood on me… he was a rogue right?”

“Yes.”

I took a shuddered breath. “He's dead?”

“Yes.”

My throat went dry and I fixed my eyes to the ground. This was my second time too- what... what did that make me?

We walked on a little ways before I saw another group of Etas coming to meet us. The mottled grey one in the front swiftly and smoothly shifted, revealing someone I dearly knew. I broke away from Eta Woo'Min.  “Hem’Lar!”