Desire To Love (#2 in The Hybrid Wars series)

Chapter 4 ~ News

© 2015 by Authorninja. All rights reserved.

Chapter 4 ~ News

   Charlotte and Harry were on my side in seconds, and we sprinted into the trees.

I felt myself panting, and I could feel my body aching to shift into it's panther shape. But I waited, knowing that this yelp didn't sound too far. We needed to keep running.

Shifters could hear things from miles away if they concentrated, but I knew we were minutes away from the source.

"Keep your eyes out," I bellowed to the troop. "Listen closely."

Charlotte's eyes were smaller, now dark pearls which contrasted with the sight of her grey eyes seconds before. Some patches of polar bear fur grew around her face, but I could tell they were holding back. Harry was the same, his eyes paling even brighter then before as he held back from his wolf-form.

"Stop," Harry said. We all listened instantly, stopping in our tracks. I sensed Josias following not far behind, but I centred my focus on our surroundings.

Charlotte's eyes were now dark and doll-like, her heightened eyes rolling over the trees. "Someone's here."

Josias caught up and stood behind us, seeming oddly quieter then usual as he noticed our concentration. There was a pause, and I held my breath.

"What are you doing?" The three of us flinched slightly as Peter jumped out of nowhere, and happened to be too close to me. My hand flung out and struck him, but not hard enough to catch him off balance. 

I backed away, "We heard a scream."

I thought I saw his eyes flash to Josias quickly, but he returned it to me with a smile. "It was only Margret, there's no need to worry."

But there was. I felt Harry's fingers graze on my wrist slightly, he was ready to pull me away from Peter. I glanced at Charlotte to see she was the same as I saw her familiar stance that looked calm on the outside, but I could tell she was ready to run. 

I almost forgot about Josias before he cleared his throat, "Just tell them."

Harry didn't bother being discreet now, as his hand circled around my wrist and he began tugging me back slightly. "Tell us what?"

The sound of snapping twigs came from the trees, and Margret swooped in with a nervous smile on her face. Ron soon followed her, but his face wasn't hidden with a smile. He sadly looked at the other leeches, his face shadowed with doubt.

"We've been, feeling slightly-" Ron began mumbling, "Sick."

Charlotte spun her head to look at them all one by one, "All of you?"

I heard Peter let out a deep sigh, as if he was holding back.

"Yeah," Margret chimed. "All of us. I'm guessing you noticed we've been a little off?"

I shrugged, I guessed I had. But, it wasn't exactly in my nature to worry about them. "What's wrong?"

Harry rolled his eyes, "I noticed. They're hungry, and they didn't want us shifters knowing that they've been leaving the cabin to feed on some defenceless humans."

The air was left with a tense hum, and I saw Charlotte flinch.

"We should get going," I mumbled. "Let's go, Harry."

He didn't need to see any of this.

"Wait," Josias said his hand almost reaching for me but quickly snapping at his side. "We didn't hurt anyone, there's plenty of people that volunteer their blood. And animals too. We're not complete monsters, you know."