Hunters, Hunted (Wolfblood Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Maddy

The sea sloshes around Bryn’s waist, almost pulling him over. He whimpers through his gritted teeth in an effort to stop the violent shivering that racks his shoulders, tragic in his failure, and stares at me with eyes the size of tractor wheels. Once again, he grabs at my arm, but I shake him off. How many times have I been told that struggling in quick sand only makes it worse? I am shaking as hard as he is in the freezing water, but I’m still the adult with him here and so I’m remarkably calm, resigned to my fate. The water’s rising too fast to do anything – it’s reached my chest. This is how it ends. I can’t bring Bryn down with me.

            I take his arm, firmly so he can’t shrug me off, and say,

            “Bryn, for the last time, there is nothing you can do. You have to go before the tide gets too high.” He shakes his head stubbornly, like he’s sure, yet the panic in his eyes says that he’s too frightened to be sure of anything. Use it. “Bryn, if you stay here, you’re going to die,” I tell him, hating how much I’m scaring the kid, “and for all we know, we’re the last ones left in the pack. If neither of us survives this then who’s going to get everyone else back?” His eyes find the horizon, unable to meet mine, and that costs me power. “Look at me.” He does so. “You have to go, now, and find my friends. Tell them what happened and then you can get everyone away from Dr Whitewood. You can get your mum back.” That finally gets to him. For a moment I think he might say something; then he turns and bounds through the water towards shore. It’s not before I see the tears in his eyes, though, and I’m grateful for them. He can tell Rhydian what happened.

            Salt laps across my tongue now, the water swirling around my throat, terrifyingly powerful. I was never the strongest of swimmers and there would be no hope of just paddling away with a swell this fierce. I close my eyes against it as it batters my body, tipping back my head so that I have air for as long as possible, and think of my friends, and my family, and Rhydian. Every bright day we ever spent together, every time we laughed and ran, the one time Rhydian kissed me. My heart pounds with fear and adrenaline, my body in panic mode whilst my mind is still calm.

            It’s only when my leg starts to come loose a bit that I realise that instinct has made me wolf out. As the sea wrenches on my furry body the sand shifts and loosens around the leg that is now at least half as wide. I paddle with my forelegs, hope surging through me again. Maybe, just maybe, the power of the sea can be my friend – if it’s more powerful than the quicksand then it could pull me free. And then, in wolf form, who knows? You should never stop fighting.

            I strain harder and the ocean strains harder with me, both of us fervent now as I determine to get back to Rhydian. I promised him I would, and now I’m promising myself that I will. Come on, Maddy. Only my ankle is still surrounded by sand now and adrenaline is making me fierce enough that I really think I can do it. With a glance behind I make out a massive wave coming towards me; I stretch out my neck and kick my legs in anticipation, just waiting for this final propellant that will save me. I’m coming, Rhydian.

            The wave hits and sweeps me from the sand. An intense joy bursts inside of me at the freedom, the knowledge that I can get out of this. Then I realise just how formidable the water actually is, pressing in on me from all angles. No air reaches me in the middle of this wave and no light either so that I think my lungs might explode and I have no idea which way is up. Heart hammering, I am chucked out for a second, only just long enough to gasp for air and realise that I have been carried far out along the cliffs, and then I am pulled back and under, as helpless as a blind cub with the sea swinging me in dizzying circles. I do my best to fight against her, this all powerful beast, but she won’t let me go now that she has me to play with. She presses on my skull until black spots dart across my vision, and then behind them I see Rhydian. He somehow stands upright in the water, calm and still and smiling, school uniform dry and hair still lightly gelled. My nose extends towards his hand before I realise that he’s just the sea playing tricks. She swings me up again towards a dark thing, my resistance in vain, and then my world fades. I can’t hold on to my consciousness anymore. The fight is over, and I lost hands down.

             I’m sorry, Rhydian. I broke my promise.

             I wish he could hear me.