Shadow Claw: The Life Story - The Fifth Chapter

Ch. 21 - Blade Through Flesh

Over the next few days, Hawthorne returned to Nova at certain times, but never paid any attention to Olive, who was constantly out in the snow and almost froze to death multiple times. Shade and I kept visiting her, and taking care of Tobias and Snowy somehow got easier. On the second morning, James and Otto arrived at the Clan, claiming that they had fallen out with Millie, the twins and Lupin. I had also received a letter from Jenny, stating that she was trying to change back to the old Jenny, and she was sorry for acting as she did. I knew something had changed, and I planned to find out what it was.

"Tobias, eat up." Shade scolded our son, who giggled and pranced around, having enough cheek to wiggle his haunches at his father. I held back a laugh, which made Shade scowl harder and lift Tobias up. "You're a very naughty boy, and if you don't eat, I might have to forget to give you that chocolate later." He threatened. Tobias fell silent instantaneously, then began to cry for his mother. I chuckled, cuddling my son lovingly. "Daddy doesn't mean it. He loves you and will give you all the chocolate you want." I assured him, which made him feel much better and he ate his squirrel contently, even cleaning his muzzle.

I put Tobias down and told him to go and play with his sister outside, but to come straight back if they got too cold. He bounded away, disappearing rapidly with high-pitched giggles.

I turned a hard glare to Shade, who recoiled and grimaced, "What... did I do... now?" He winced, cringing when I shuffled closer to him and straddled his lap with a big pout. "Where's my chocolate?!"

Shade let out a deep breath of relief, then fished in his bag to pull out a large toblerone. I gaped at it, then hugged it with all my might, kissing his face in rapid succession and snuggling into him with all my love. "I love you." I sighed, pressing my lips to the chocolate triangle bar and unwrapping it with excited fingers. My mate glowered at the chocolate, "I am never giving you chocolate again." He grumbled, but then I slipped my first piece into his mouth and kissed it shut. His eyebrows raised, a smirk forming on his expression, "On the other hand..." He gripped my hips and we had a cosy morning of chocolate eating, chocolate flavoured kisses and heated finger licking after the last triangle melted because one of our kisses lasted a lot longer than I thought it would.

A knock came from the rock outside. "Alpha, Alpha Female, a scout patrol thinks it has seen Salem." My grip tightened on Shade and my jaw clenched so hard that it ached for a while afterwards. "Show us." I swept the ivy away, storming through the snow after the Warrior.

Shade followed up behind me, and if memory served, he was busy looking at my ass instead of concentrating on the Salem situation. "We spotted him opposite the lake but he's disappeared presently. We think he's stalking the territory, looking for well..." The scout paused, glancing out over the lake with concerned eyes.

"You." Shade ended the sentence, looking at me with swirling eyes. I turned away from him, not baring to see the betrayal in his eyes.

There was a flash of grey fur and then a loud shout. I was shoved under a bush as a thin, sharp arrow brushed past my cheek, opening up a shallow laceration. I gasped, clutching onto myself as I watched the battle going on outside; Shade was tumbling with Salem as the scouts were pelted by a... Light Claw. It was Estos.

"Shadow run!" Shade snarled as he rolled by, latching his teeth to the Stone Claw's neck. I skittered back, crouching under the leaves with twigs scraping across my skin and rustling animals fleeing the area. I was yanked out from the bush suddenly and I screamed, shifting in a puff of black haze and raking my claws down Estos' face. He stumbled back, shaking his head from side to side. His ears and muzzle were bleeding profusely, and I hadn't washed my claws for a while - he'd get an infection, for sure. The scouts had scattered, no doubt returning soon with back-up. I silently hoped they would be quick, for I didn't think we had much longer.

Everything froze as I turned to see Salem with a blade against Shade's neck. He struggled and snapped at him, but he was pinned and there was absolutely nothing he could do. I kept a straight face, "Let him go." I hissed, my expression contorting rapidly. I leapt at the Claw, only to be restrained by Estos, who had shifted back. He leaned into my neck and started kissing with his disgusting, bloodied lips; I shuddered and begged for him to stop, but he continued his assault on my body, right in front of Shade, who had almost given up by that point.

"What do you want?" I rasped to Salem, still struggling vainly against Estos' attempts at getting into my pants. The Stone Claw made a few 'tsk' noises and waggled one finger at me, "You already know what I want, Shadow. The Clan allegiances against the wizards - don't you realise how close we came to war last year?!" He snapped out sharply, like a blade through flesh.

I winced and whimpered as Estos groped one of my breasts, "That was a mistake, Salem- stop your petulant lust! Get off of me you shit laced bastard!" I lost my patience with Estos and bit down on his arm. He cried out and stumbled back, falling to the ground.

I charged at Salem, who was taken off-guard. In a rapid move of instinct, he shoved Shade out of the way, but as I reached out for my mate, a knife swung down to slit his throat. I moved in front of Shade at that last, critical moment, and was struck below the chest. The blade sliced through me, protruding from my back with a dangerous glare.

Salem's eyes widened as he realised what he'd done. Shade called out, but I didn't hear it.

"I-I had so m-much to s-say..." I croaked.