Feral

11

Heat radiated from her wound, and when she moved it tugged at what Damien had called stitches. It had been two nightfalls since he'd been here with Jerod, who she'd deducted was his second in command as Irik was to her.

The wound constantly leaked blood which dried and cracked repeatedly. It was painful to the touch and sensitive to her movements, but not moving wasn't an option.

After her wound had been attended to, her pack was able to grieve for their fallen properly. She dug the holes in which they were buried, and sat vigil with her wolves.

There had been three wolves they lost. All died quick deaths, but two had mates and one had pups to care for. Howls of grief sounded long into that night.

She couldn't move her pack again, not with five pregnant wolves but she needed the oneshapes to leave them alone, she was only protecting what was hers.

It was her turn today to guard the perimeter, after what had occurred two days prior, the borders to her territory stayed clear, but she knew it wouldn't be long till they were back. She had killed too many of their own to go unnoticed.

Today she went beyond her borders, catching new scents in her territory. They were pungent, oneshape scents.

They were back...

If it came down to it, she would go down fighting for her wolves, but she feared it. She made a quick plan of execution before racing back to the den.

Shifting to her twoleg body, she immediately began to shout orders,"They're back! Shirak, take the pregnant and young wolves beyond our borders. Take four fighters with you, and make another trail in the other direction. I'll howl if the oneshapes follow you! Go!" The female wolf gathered the mothers and young to her before leaving the area, heading north further into the mountains.

"Irik! To me. Baldir, take ten wolves and circle this area, alert me when the oneshapes are close," he did as she asked. Now all she and the remaining wolves could do was wait.

It didn't take long before Baldir sounded a warning howl. Irik responded, letting him know to stay where they were so they couldn't lead them back here, she refused to risk more of her wolves that way. They could find their own way using scents already in the area

She shifted into her wolf shape, enjoying the twinge of pain felt from the wound stretching and pulling at the stitches, letting it fuel her rage. 

She took her place in front of her wolves as the noisy dogs, as she was told they were called, rounded the river bend with their oneshapes close behind.

They had more weapons like the ones that had killed her wolves, and ones that carried arrowheads. They halted at the river, their dogs whinging and barking. They were afraid to cross the water. Their oneshapes weren't.

She snarled menacingly at them, but their advance was strong. Mashik was the first to attack them, her mate had been the young wolf to die from their last attack. A sharp yip came from her as she was hit with a weapon. No she wouldn't let anymore wolves die.

She grabbed the downed wolf, dragging her back to the giant circle of wolves before confronting oneshapes herself. She could see the terror in their eyes as she came forth, and smell the rotten stench of fear as it coated their bodies.

Water glistened on their faces, fingers were shaking, but they held firm. A weapon shot, grazing  her muzzle enough for there to be a deep mark, and blood pooling into it.

A snarl ripped through her throat as she grabbed the weapon from the frightened oneshape and tossed it into the river. More weapons went off, but she was already racing away. One hit her back thigh, but she kept going, holding the rear leg up and running on her other three.

"Run," she yipped to her wolves. They took off away from the den, sne brought up the rear, "lead them away from the pups!" She called to them, thankful when they veared to the left instead of the right.

The oneshapes ran after them, firing weapons blindly, and missing.

The pesky dogs had finally crossed the river and were charging after them. Of they were to continue their pursuit, she'd succumb to their biting and snapping, but if they could get to a clearing where she could take them on, she would prove the victor. They were in unfamiliar territory at this point, having headed too far north, and other packs could easily take them for trespassing. It was their luck though, she could see a small clearing, about the size of their den area right up ahead.

They took it, her wolves surrounded the perimeter on the northern edge to keep the dogs in place. She easily killed the first two, the last one was larger than its companions, built similarly to her wolves, but smaller. It went for her throat, latching onto the skin there before she was able to defend herself.

She clawed at its belly easily throwing it from her before crushing and ripping its throat out. It hurt to stand now, her leg wasn't bleeding terribly, but the thing in the wound dug deep. The bite on her throat was nothing, she had received worse from the pups in her pack whilst teaching them.

Foreign wolves entered the area, they weren't wild wolves, they were like her. There were 7, leading was one giant male, it was one she'd never met, it didn't smell like Damien or Jerod, his undertones were sweet and sickly.

He was challenging her. She could tell by his stance. She wasn't accepting or declining his challenge, and just stood her ground. The oneshapes har finally caught up, the brown wolf snarled and squinted his eyes at her as if blaming their intrusion on her.

She growled back with equal ferocity.

A weapon fired, startling her and the wolf before her. There were four oneshapes, who by now had realized how outnumbered they were and began retreating ever so carefully. One of the new two shapes, this one too was male, followed them from the territory.

The large male advanced towards her, teeth bared, her wolves came to her side, Irik, and Baldir took her flanks snapping and snarling at the male before them.

A sharp bark behind the new wolves drew everyone's attention to the two newcomers. She recognized them immediately, so did her wolves who showed instant recognition by wagging their tails at them.

It was Damien and Jerod.

Perhaps they'd know what to do about this male. 

"There better be a damn good explanation for this, Damien" this male had a rough voice. All shifted in response.

"There is, but this isn't the place to speak," Damien responded. She had shifted to her twoleg body, hobbling on her good leg. Everything hurt, her wound from two days ago bled angrily, and her throat ached.

"Very well, come shewolf, you have some explaining to do," she cocked her head to the side, she knew he was addressing her, but did not know what he was saying.

"She is feral, Alpha Raymond," whatever Damien had said earned her a glance from every twoshape. Things were not going well she deducted.

"I don't care how it's done, but she will be brought back to your lands and we will discuss the matter further,"