[OLD] Flight By Firelight

Chapter 17- The Pack

The once bright sky was cloaked by a wicked blanket of dark clouds heavy with lightning storms and thunder. It didn't take long for the rain to pour down like a waterfall and streaks of electrical light to cut through the sky.

Zeng changed into his wild form as he ran into the woods following the trail in the dirt I had made, and his nose tracking my 'scent'.

Meanwhile with me and the wolves.

"We should just kill her now. If Zeng has a connection to her, maybe stumbling upon her corpse will teach him that running away will cost the lives of many" One of the wolves suggested

"That's fine with me. I was peckish for a snack anyways" said another.

With the speed of a lightning strike a Blue and brown furred wolf dashed in and threw it's jaws around the throat of the wolf holding me and bit straight through without hesitation. She was dead in seconds. I dropped to the ground, grasping my throat and finally swallowing a huge breath of air. Finally. I was so relieved. I looked up and saw Zeng, he was in his wild form, standing defensively in front of me like a guard dog. Snarling and growling. All his razor-sharp teeth bared. His eyes burning with fury. He held his head high but kept his body in a position ready to fight.

He was outnumbered.

The wolves all stood their ground. Not sparing a thought of their dead Conrad's body on the ground swiftly soaking the dirt in blood.

They showed just as much determination to fight to the death as Zeng, and this was made obvious by the way they responded to his growls, with equally terrifying snarls and barks. They had thirst for blood. Drool dripped from their sabre teeth. Their collective growls sounded like a rusty chainsaw.

It wasn't long before they had surrounded us both. Removing any possible chance for escape. Zeng looked around frantically for a way out. He knew he wouldn't have much chance to kill them all- they fought as a pack. He was a lone wolf.

He had no other option but to fight. He lunged forward towards the throat of one of the wolves, but instantly the other wolves lunged on top of him and a bloody fight of wolves followed...

I wanted to help

I could easily help. If I changed. If I could turn to my true form I could help!

But my body refused to transform. My fears had locked the gate of my transformation shut and it roared at me in absolute rage for even considering it. I screamed at myself to get over this stupid fear and change. I would die if I didn't.

But still nothing.

Losing my arm was an eternal scar to remind me that conflict nearly cost me my life. And it was because of my transformation into a dragon that caused me to lose my arm, and nearly my life.

I eventually moved back away from the fight till I was backed up against a tree, huddled on the ground like a helpless child. I couldn't move. Even if I tried to join in the fight to help Zeng, I wouldn't have a clear opening/opportunity to- the commotion was like a spinning spiked ball, no way I could jump in at a vantage point.

Zeng was losing. And he was losing bad. Most of the blood soaking into the dirt was his own. His arms and chest were covered in and cuts, but he still continued to fight even though his strength was beginning to leave him. His movements were swift, he knew the right parts to attack. A bite on the neck is the best and quickest part to kill- however the hardest. The legs take away mobility, the calf is the recommended spot, breaking the bone causes the pain to add on as a distraction. Taking out the eyes is a risky target, as if you mess up it could lead to getting bitten.

I just stared in horror as Zeng, again and again, lunged for a throat or a leg of one of the wolves, however he was stopped, again and again, by another and tackled to the ground as their teeth and claws pieced and sank into his flesh until he threw them off again. But I couldn't figure out why they hadn't killed him already. They weren't lunging at him to kill, they waited for him to make a move, then they'd retaliate in groups. His body got lower to the ground, his knees were bent beyond 90 degrees, he panted hard with exhaustion. For a good hour and a half, they fought. 

Till Zeng fell to all fours. His breath was rough and swift, blood dripped from his face and body, staining his fur. His body trembled as it was told to keep fighting, but it had no strength to provide anymore.

When they realised he was beat they stood high. Even they were hurt, Zeng may have been Lone but he knew how to fight, and he fought well. Zeng had killed two of the five that had come for him, the remaining three boasting inch deep wounds across their shoulders, chests, legs and faces.

One of the wolves walked up beside him and watched him, struggling in pain.

And kicked him hard in the gut, slamming into the ground, and standing on top of him with one leg over his neck. He coughed up a sludge of blood and it dripped from his mouth.

This is when I finally stepped in. Tackling the wolf standing on Zeng, and we both tumbled on the ground. I wish I had a plan of action beyond that point cause no sooner than I slammed into the ground. The Wolf jumped on top of me. Slashed me across the gut with his claws, picked me up by the neck and thrown me into a tree. After that I could barely move

The wolves then continued to drag the limp Zeng by his tail, into the think foliage of the forest. Just before he disappeared into the bush, Zeng looked at me with lifeless, desperate eyes.

"Help..."