The wolf girl

24 days to go

I ran down the school yard after the rest of my juner pack member. I hadn't been able to find any of them yesterday and I was desprate to spill the secret of Brandons non-wolfyness.

"Wow cub, wheres the fire?" Mathew joked,

"Brandon's still a cub!" I said in a rush,

"What? Didn't catch that" Chloe asked,

"Brandon, the Irish wolf in my year" I panted "he's not a wolf, hes a cub like me" I did a little dance on the tip of my toes. It wasn't often I got to diliver news, even of my own finding or just news in jenral. And by 'not often' I mean never. My family arn't exactly high up the pack leader scale. "Oh my god" Mathew gasped,

"He isn't such a big shot now is he C" Josh smiled.

I skipped into form and took my place next to Abi, doing a little dance in the process. Abi laughed at me.

Brandon came in and slumped down besides me. "Top of the morning to ye" i mocked in my best irish accent (which wasn't very good). He sent me a glair before turning to the supply, and seemed to actually be listening to what he was saying. Suddenly i felt me cheshire cat like grin slip down my face. Josh was right, he was no longer mr big shot. In fact he was far from it. He reminded me more of a hung over alcoholic after a night out with the boos. "Pleas don't tell anyone, my pack will kill me if they knew you found out" he begged. I felt the happiness die inside me and replaced itself with sadness and guilt. I felt rotten and cruel.

I turned back to Abi and attempted a smile. "Whats up C?" She asked,

"Nothing, just feel a bit ill, thats all" i lied.

******

I wondered down the forest on my way home when i heard whispered voices coming from behind the trees. I knelt down and peered through the bushes. All i could see was the back of Brandon's head edging towards me and facing me was two other wolves that i didn't recognise. "How could you be so stupid?!" The first wolf snapped,

"Im sorry we were just talking and it slipped out" Brandon cried, tripping over his feet, until he couldn't back away any farther,

"You idiot!" Yelled the second as she took another step forward, glaring with hells eyes. He raised his fist at Brandon getting ready to stike. "No pleas i can fix this" Brandon begged,

"You've done enough" the first said as the second threw the first punch. The other kicked hard in the gut causing him to fall heavily into the bushes.

The continued to punch and kick him for a wail. I turned away for what felt like hours, but was probably only a matter of seconds, as i couldn't bear to watch. This is all my fault, i thought. My mind scanned for a solution, i had to stop this!

Then it hit me. The only thing i could do, but the most stupidest aswell. Millions of voices screamed at me to stand my ground, in the safety of the bushes. It was just one of those moments when you know your next actions are stupid, dangerous and reckless...but you do it anyway.

I arose to my feet, preparing myself for my next action. I stood strait, with my shoulders back and my hands held into fists, to show i wasn't afraid (which was a complete and utter bull since i was completely terifyed). The world went blurry with the rush, as i considered turning back. But before i could a strong voice ripped out of me like a blade i could no longer control. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I rored.

The two wolves looked jumped and paniked, but laughed then they saw me. "Oh why it was just a little girly" one of them laughed pacing towards me "do you want me to teach you too little girl?" He mocked,

"Leave him alone" i repeated

"Lets go, she's just and idiot kid" the other glared "she's not worth out time". The threatening one pulled back and the disappeared into the trees.

"Brandon are you ok?!" I gasped falling too my knees,

"Never better babe, jus' chilling you know" he said sarcastically "Clara that was the most...stupidest thing i have ever seen anyone dumb enough to do...but thanks." Brandon tried to pick himself up but I pushed him down. He struggled against my grip as i pinned him to the muddy ground. "No Brandon! Stay!" I snapped before slowly letting go "I'm going to get sone stuff you stay put." I turned away from him only to hear the rustle of leaves. "Staay...lie down" I ordered before turning once again and walking off. I could hear his laughed from behind me but no sign of movement.

I ran back to the house and burst through the door. My music obsessed sister was draped lazily across the sopha with her head phones on. "Whats up with you twerp?" She frowned removing her defining noise makers (she always had them on way too loud). I began scurrying around the house as I said "I need plasters, bandages, aspirin, disinfectant...and lots of it"

"Theres a medical kit in the kitchen nock your self out...litrely" she said placing her headphones back in. Oh aren't you just lovely, I thought running to the kitchen and back out the house.

I found Brandon exactly where I left him, with his back rested against a tree. His bruises had began to show. His eye was swollen to almost twice its original size and I was almost sure his shoulder was out of place. Just the sight of him caused guilt to rush through me like a wave. Carefully, I knelt down beside him and began to work with the bandages. "Why did you tell?" He asked, shooting me face which had an odd resemblance of a lost puppy. His pupils dilated (or the one I could see did anyway), causing him to appear fragile and weak, something I was sure was not aloud in his territory.

"I tolled my cozen before you asked me not to," I sighed, "and besides I didn't expect something like this to happen"

"You're pack doesn't punish you?" he asked, frowning a little, causing one of his cuts to bleed,

"Never like this. We looks after each, your never suppose to attack another pack member, ever, If someone does something really bad, I think banishment is the worst that can happen really" I explained. Saying it like this made banishment sound like a light punishment, which of course it wasn't. Once banished you could no longer step on that packs territory, or anyone else's for that matter, leaving you alone to fend for yourself. Which is bad of course, but nothing in comparison to the possible of being beaten half to death for the slightest mistake.

"You're burses should heal by morning, as for that eye, might take a little longer" I noted, distracting myself from the darker thoughts. Brandon nodded turning to look forward. Possibly because it was too painful to look anywhere else. Which only made me feel worse about what I was about to next.

All at once, I gapped hold of his good arm and pulled him onto his feet. Brandon cried out, stumbling slightly, finally finding balance on a near by tree. For a moment we just stood awkwardly silence. The only sound was the birds up ahead and Brandon's heavy breathing. "Thank you, for everything" he said. I took a moment to look at him curiously, touching his face with the back of my hand. "What?" he asked,

"I'm checking to see if you have a concoction, you're not being a dush-bag for once" I joked, cracking a small smile in the corner of his mouth,

"I was only being polite, it was basically your fault" he replied,

"Oh never mind you're fine" I said, letting go of his face. He pushed himself off the tree and limped down one of the paths which led to the outside of the woods. "But really, Clara, Thank you a lot. For everything" he smiled. I watch for a moment as he turned his back to me and made his way back to his pack.