Wolves of the Wing

Chapter 5

                                                                         CHAPTER 5

                                                                 WOODS OF DOOM

            Raven stood still as Flora instructed them, her purple eyes serious. Swift and Reba sat to the side of Raven. They were in a perfect line, sitting up straight and not daring to move a muscle, while Flora paced in front of them. Behind her, there was dense trees. Fog surrounded them. Lets get this over with already. She growled in her head. I want my mission, not more stupid tests. She twitched her ear, realizing too late that she had to sit still. Flora was in front of her, snarling, in a heart beat.

           "Are you not paying attention? Do you realize how dangerous this mission will be? You have to stay STILL", she barked out the last word.

           "Yes, madam", Raven said slowly struggling with her anger. Shut up! Before I slice your throat open, you mangy piece of rabbit scat! She thought angrily, but she knew better than to say it.

            "Well, then do it", she sighed. "You have to survive in those trees over there for two days and beat me to the other side of the woods. If you are caught by a trap, you will be killed or seriously injured by the trap. If you are attacked, you fight to the death. There is no running away unless you're fighting a wolf. You are allowed to attack each other. And under no circumstance can you help your opponent. Is that clear?"

             "Yes, ma'am", Raven said with the others.

            "There are bears and other creatures out there. Do not let them catch you. Some of them you have never encountered before, and you probably will never encounter them again. You have a head start", she said in her beautiful voice.

           Reba and Swift stayed still, so Raven did too.

          "So move it!", she snarled getting impatient.

          They all took off into the trees except for Flora. Swift was easily gaining speed and disappearing behind the trees. Reba fell behind as he ran on unsteady feet. Raven brushed by the first tree and the next and the next. She could hear Flora's beautiful voice singing to urge her students onward. Raven looked up and howled reassurance back, not slowing her pace. She finished her howl and searched for the sky. She realized with a jolt she couldn't see anything. The darkness was too black even for her keen eyesight. What is this place? She breathed out and saw her breath. It's so cold. And my breath is the only thing I can see. Slowly she realized she could only see the outlines of the trees. Ha! It must be way worse for the others. They don't have my ability.

                A screech sounded high above her, and she could hear it as it prepared to swoop at her. Wait... Wait... As it neared her she leaped to the side, spinning on her front paws. She snarled and tore its wing as the thing swooped at her. It hit the ground in front of a bush with a loud thud and dust swirled around it. It stood and chittered from the front of a bush, it's back to her. Suddenly, it turned and rushed at her. Its appearance startled her. It looked like a lemur with a monkey's face and bat-like wings. Its eyes were gold and the pupil's were tinged red. It had fangs like a bear and it was the size of a pup. Its fur was striped and its paws had needle like claws. She took a step back and it landed on her back and started clawing out her fur with its front paws, gripping her skin with its back claws. Pain seared through her back and she howled in pain and tried to shake it off. When her fur was off her shoulders where it had dug, it bit down hard on her bare skin. Blood gushed from the wound and a green liquid seeped from its mouth into her. The venom burned and she screamed in agony.