Florence
The small, red droplets slid down over my muzzle and dropped to the floor. My vision was slightly crimson from the blood running into my eyes, but I had no time to worry about the smaller details. Details like the wet grass underneath my paws, the red splatters on the trees around us, the aching pains in my legs and ribs. I knew enough to recognize that I had a fractured rib and an alarmingly large gash on my flank, which threatened to render me unconscious from loss of blood.
Erik circled me, in a similar shape. I’d managed to tear up one of his back legs pretty well, and I could see a chunk of fur missing, as well as some flesh. His muzzle was torn up also, and he had an uncountable number of scratches along his hide from my sharp claws.
He struck with speed, his bared teeth inching closer to my throat. I snarled in response and ducked down, biting at his chest until he jumped back. He had me backed up against a tree, and I could feel the rough bark irritating some minor wounds on my back.
This time, I attacked before he had the chance. I ran at him and butted my head into his chest, knocking him back a few steps. While he was still dazed, I swiped a clawed paw at his muzzle and caught him just below the eyes. More blood was flowing now, and I felt an adrenaline rush kick in at the small victory. My last attack was to lunge for his jugular, and I met my target. My teeth clamped down through skin and flesh, and I could feel his carotid artery vibrating with the action of pumping blood to the brain. One bite was all it would take to end his life, and I held it in my jaws.
Erik had stilled, accepting that I’d won the fight, but I wouldn’t let go. I was enjoying the feel of having complete power over him. He’d trained me for weeks on end, constantly criticizing me, teaching me with a condescending air, and I had finally beaten him. The pupil was equal with the teacher.
It took a few more seconds for the adrenaline to fade, and for my wolf instincts to fade away. When I had a clear head, I let go gingerly, and sat back on my haunches. Erik threw me a wolfish glare with his creepy yellow eyes.
“There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere for you two!” Steven sounded like a mother hen, anxiously clucking over us. We’d walked quite far into the woods near his house, just to make sure that no one would stumble upon our fight. Steven must have heard us to track us this far in.
“You look terrible, both of you.” He pushed his crimson hair back, and adjusted his glasses to get a better look at our openly flowing wounds. I was feeling a little lightheaded myself. “Put these on,” he chucked a dress at me, and some pants to Erik.
When he turned around, we both shifted and donned the supplied clothes.
“What’s the problem, chief?” I teased, clapping Steven on the back. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. I couldn’t blame him though; Erik and I would be close to death if we weren’t healing at the rate that we were.
“I thought we could go out to dinner,” he eyed the cloth of my dress, which was quickly turning red. We began walking back to the house. “You know, like normal people.”
I scoffed. “Normal doesn’t describe us anymore Steven. You’ve resorted to stealing supplies from you veterinary job, and Erik and I regularly spar as overgrown wolves in your back yard. You should get used to being abnormal.”
Steven shrugged, muttering: “A man can try.”
When we were growing closer to the house, Steven began to sound like a parent once more. “You should both have showers, and then come downstairs to get your wounds tended to. You’re lucky that I have three first aid kits in the house, and Florence, that wound will probably need stitches.”
