In the Blade's Hilt |A tale from Triterra|

Chapter 39 - Lycanthropes

It started slowly, and then grew quicker.  The group of people began to violently convulse.  Their forearms grew longer and their faces grew into pointed snouts.  Thick hair began to grow over their skin.  Furry tails protruded from their bodies.  Their clothes shredded and lay uselessly by their sides.  The transformations were complete.

"C-c-can they s-still reason with us?" asked Ty timidly, his teeth chattering with both fear and the cold.

"I don't know.  Why don't you ask them?" replied Blue, attempting to sound brave.  The pack of werewolves began to slowly advance.

"Okay, I have an idea.  Jenna, you and Ty get up that tree" he said, not taking his eyes off of the beasts, "You can shoot them down if things get out of hand"

"What about you?"

"I'll, uh, improvise"

Without another word, Jenna and Ty began to climb up the tree's trunk.  The creature kept their hungry yellow eyes fixed on Blue.  Suddenly, an over-excited wolf leapt at the tree and sunk it's teeth into Ty's shin.  His scream resonated throughout the forest.

"NO!" cried Blue.  As quick as a flash, he unsheathed his blade and thrust it into the creature's heart.  It's jaws relaxed and it's eyes rolled backwards in their sockets as it fell to the ground and landed in a heap.  The pack's leader, now the alpha, growled furiously at the death of it's pack member.  Ty whimpered as he clamberer up to safety.

Blue began to sweat.  He was outnumbered seven-to-one, and just one of these beasts could rip him to shreds within minutes.  Something sparked in his memory.  Something he read about werewolves.  Taking care not to make any sudden movements, Blue reached his hand down into his pocket and located his coin purse.  He grabbed a small handful and pulled them out slowly.  He opened his hand and found the coin he was after.  He moved to his other hand and replaced the other coins.  With a flourish he threw it into the pack of werewolves.  They  quickly retreated backwards and yelped in fear at the sight of the silver coin.

Bending down, Blue picked up a branch and held it behind him.  While it was hidden from the beasts, he created a ball of fire in his other hand and set the end of the stick alight.  He slowly walked towards the pack's alpha.  He swung with all his might.  The burning twig hit it squarely in the face and sent it sprawling backwards, straight into the burning fire.  The forest was full once again with howls of pain.  With it's black fur still burning, the terrible creature bolted to treeline and disappeared.  The rest of the pack followed. 

With a sigh of relief, Blue threw the still-burning stick into the fire and climbed up the large tree to check on his friends.  What he saw, worried him immensely.