Mysterious Wolves of the Forest

Tessa

BANG! I threw my opponent into a tree. He got up slowly, most likely tiring from being tossed around like a rag doll. Bloodhounds, I thought, so easy. Their packs will all be under my control in no time. I stood there with only some small scratches. I watched the bloodhound struggle to gain his bearings. He deep gashes all over his body, most of his fur was soaking in blood. When he finally got his bearings I waited for him to submit to me. I stood there calmly with my head high, glaring at him with icy cold eyes, making it clear I was the Alpha. He whimpered and submitted, I smirked. Another victory, and hopefully these bloodhounds were better than the last ones as I had been promised. Though that chance was rather slim.

"Call the pack," I said in a chilling voice, "I'd like to make it known that they have a new leader." He hesitated and I hardened my glare, then a low resonate filled the air followed by a cacophony of bloodhounds baying. I stood there waiting with my back to the noise. It took a few minutes longer for them all to gather about. I couldn't see what they were doing, but I didn't need to, it's always the same. They glance back and forth between their formal leader and me. Some look at me like a monster, others shake with fear. It goes on like this for a while, giving the slow minded time to realize, and to let fear sink in.

A voice shattered the atmosphere of fear and confusion, "If you think you're going to be our leader now, then you're a fool," he was confident and like most bloodhounds, had deep, rich voice, "We are the Ajēẏa pack." I stood there not moving, strategizing my next move, I was easily outnumbered. This was going to be the hardest pack to get, especially by myself. "I'll make this easy for your small incapable brain to understand," he continued, thinking I was an idiot, "Ajēẏa, is Bengali for unconquerable, and I don't think that you've noticed yet, but it's forty-seven to one. We will easily kill you." He growled the last words.

The bloodhound was okay with words, but his growl was definitely threatening, even to me, but only a little. Others had failed before me, but I will never fail, otherwise I would have to face an extreme consequence. I turned towards him keeping a stern and leader like posture.

"Oh, I know what pack this is, and that many have tried to conquer it but failed. I am not small minded you mutt," My voice was icy, even the one who had seemed so confident wavered, but he held his ground, "I've heard that whenever a dog of some sort defeats your Alpha, another, that was already chosen, steps up and usually has the whole pack drive that dog out of your territory, or if they refuse, they die." They all exchanged contempt looks while the one that was speaking simply nodded as something flashed in his eye. "Well, then I challenge you to a brawl," laughter rose in the crowd of hounds. Dogs shouted out insults trying to shake me.

"You think you can take him!"

"You're an idiot!"

"Who the heck do you think you are?"

"Go back to where you came from!"

"Quiet!" The 'new Alpha' commanded, and the noise died down. He looked at me like I was a joke, "I accept your challenge." His words came out a laugh, "If I win, you are to leave my territory and never return."

"If I win, your pack and territory are mine."

He smirked, obviously thinking that this was an easy game to be won. Well he obviously didn't know what he was up against, though neither did I. The bloodhounds circles around both of us, and we got into a fighting stance. We studied each other very carefully and slowly walked around the edges of the ring growling. I watched him carefully, then suddenly he lunged I quickly jumped out of the way, turned back clamped my jaws around his neck and clawed at whatever I could reach. His warm blood dripped into my mouth and began to drench my paws. He twisted and got out my grip. His eyes were on fire now, his left shoulder covered in gashes and covered with scarlet red, his neck dripping the precious drops of life.

I charged at him and instead of trying to get my death grip on him I rammed his side. He wasn't as stupid as the other hounds that I've fought, he grabbed my by my scruff and jerked his head side to side. I felt my skin tear and warm liquid spill and soak my coat. I twisted my head clamped on his throat again, and began violently jerking my head. He let go of me, but I didn't stop. Then with most of my strength I tossed him across the makeshift ring. By now the crowd had wide eyes with fear. Some had their tails between their legs. I walked over to him as he struggled to his feet. I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw him into tree. The was a loud crack as he hit it, then fell to the ground. His muscles shook as he tried to get up. Now he practically covered in the sticky scarlet liquid of life, dirt also covered him. He looked so pathetic. I walked towards him leisurely, and when I was next to him I spoke with a voice of ice in his ear.

"Your pack it mine, Mutt. If you don't want to accepts that then," I chuckled evilly, "I'll kill you." His eyes shone with fear, what was left of his pride, determination, and confidence, well that had all been crushed in a matter of minutes. Though he looked miserable and weak, he stood. "Of course, you and your pack like to do things the hard way." My voice was scarily calm. Then I went from a calm dog, to a vicious growling wolf, in a split second. I bared my fangs and lunged at the Mutt's throat. I felt his warm sticky blood poor into my mouth and my fangs sank into lifeline. I let go to say one last thing before he died. "Your pack, is no longer the unconquerable," I whispered into his ear. I bit down firmly on his neck and heard a small series of loud cracks. Then wailing of the surrounding bloodhounds. They all were skittish, not one shone with the smallest ray of confidence. I gazed at all of them with icy eyes challengingly, as blood dripped from my mouth. They all submitted willingly. I chuckled to myself.
"As you all know," I straightened my posture and raised my voice for everyone to hear, "I am your new Alpha, and as of right now, you will take me to your camp. You will all need your rest, tomorrow we will all be traveling." A bloodhound shyly stepped out, probably a deputy, and submitted.

"What do you have to say."

"I... well..."

"Well spit it out already!"

"Where is it that we will be traveling?" His voice was shaky and quiet. I walked toward him and quietly growled in his ear.

"That is for me to know, and you to find out."

"Y-yes, Alpha," his tail between his legs, he started walking, "this way towards the camp." I noded and followed with the rest of the pack following. The scents of the forest were like any other, all the same. After walking for about half an hour we came to a clearing. There were lots of plato's with dens on them and beneath was a muddy field. The "deputy" kept walking, and walked to the largest den then stepped aside and submitted himself to me. "Your den."

I walked in, my paws were caked in mud, but I didn't care. I looked around. Moss grew in a corner of a cave and the rest was packed hard dirt with some bones scattered over the ground. I walked over to the moss, did a circle and laid down. It was so soft and bouncy and cool... I laid my head down, closed my eyes and inhaled deeply... the scent... I... I recognized it... from when I was younger... I pushed the thought aside thinking it wasn't important I listened to the bloodhounds whispering to each other as they settled into their dens. I slowly drifted off, and after hours I fell into a world as unpredictable as the most twisted of minds.