Queen of the Living

Chapter 8

    Sparrows, Nawal thought.  Why not bats?  She began to descend as she caught sight of the large wolf.  It didn't seem to have a definite direction as it leapt through the streets, randomly turning in a new direction every so often.

    Being twelve birds at once was interesting to Nawal.  The first time she had transformed, she didn't feel in as much control, and was only heading to where her vision led her.  Now, she was directing the birds to follow an uncertain path, after a large and uncertain wolf.  She managed that she could control the birds individually, as she could see through all of their eyes, but noticed that it was easier to try and control them in groups.  Discovering this, Nawal sent four of the birds to fly ahead at a higher altitude so she could discern her general location and where the wolf may be headed.

    The wolf stopped and lifted its head in the air.  After a moment, it turned and continued running.  So that's it.  On the scent.  I bet I know what you're looking for.  Nawal brought her birds back together into one group.  She dove down right in front of wolf.  It barked and leapt at her, but otherwise continued running.  As they approached the park, Nawal thought of another idea.  She circled around and began following the wolf, lower and lower to the ground until four of the birds slammed together and formed a jackal.  It hit the ground running after the wolf.  Shortly after another group of four sparrows joined to make a second jackal, and finally the last four formed the third.

    The jackals that were Nawal entered the Carrollton Park on the heels of a very large wolf.  It spun around giving threatening growls to the jackals that had pursued it.  Nawal surrounded the wolf but gave it enough room to give her time in case it lashed out.  It was a ridiculous stand-off to Nawal -impossible in the telling, no one would believe her.  Three jackals, who were Nawal, surrounding a wolf the size of a Ford Explorer.  They growled at each other constantly, the wolf turning to keep to keep eyes on the jackals, who in turn circled the wolf.  It may have lasted forever, if something else hadn't intervened.

    A spear struck the earth between the wolf and one of the jackals.  It was large and ornate, made of mostly silver with a chain protruding from the end.  The point had dug deep in the ground leaving it erect as it shook from the impact.  The animals turned to face the new threat, but only found the chain leading off into the shadows.

    Nawal was confused as to which was a greater threat, or if they were working together.  Seeing the wolf turn and run, she turned her attention in the direction that the chain led, seeing it tighten, pulling the spear back to its owner.  From the shadow, she heard the sounds of hooves beating and saw the approach of a man on a horse.  As he came closer she saw that he and his horse were heavily armored.  He carried the spear in his hand, a sword at his side, and a shield on his back.  A crossbow was strapped to the side of his horse along with a quiver of bolts on the other side.  She had been scared of Didier, but this man was an absolute terror.  She began to back away slowly, unsure whether or not the wolf would use this new opportunity to attack.

    “The contract has been received and the payment decided,” he said, still approaching.  “Your head for gold.”

    Nawal was outmatched.  She had chased the wolf without thinking and was now staring down a born and bred, professional killer.   She knew he had missed on purpose, perhaps to scare away the wolf.  Nawal was his prize and a fight with him would mean her death.  There was no sense in sticking around for that, she was in over her head.  The jackals regrouped and Nawal turned into her flock of sparrows and fled.

    Just as Nawal took flight, the man on the horse reached for his crossbow and fired.  His aim was effortless and true as one of the sparrows dropped to the earth.  He dismounted from his horse and picked up the bolt which had the dead sparrow skewered on it, but the lifeless bird quickly dissolved into a pool of blood.  He removed a vial from a pouch on the saddle of his horse, uncorked it, and filled it with as much blood as he could get from the puddle on the ground.  He studied it for a moment, then looked to the sky in the direction Nawal had gone, then the man and his horse vanished.