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12 - Beast

Snow

She covered her face in the thick folds of her hood and tunic until she couldn't hear the wolf yelp any longer. Cautiously she extended her legs locking her knees to keep her feet from wobbling. Snow coughed against the reeking scent of gasoline and waved her hand with the hopes of driving the fumes away. Her lungs rejected the gas and as they pushed air out her throat, two more men came running out the base.

Her fingers found the fletchings of the arrow and pulled out two night-locks in between her fingers. She loaded her bow. Her breathe made the bowstring vibrate as it clung against her chin.

Her lips painted a smile. Snow longed for this, the pull of the draw string, the sound of the arrow as it lands on the target and the brief moment of uncertainty when the arrow leaves her fingers.

"May I have a word please." Snow said, "Sir, are there any other traps I need to be worried about?"

Snow didn't need an answer, she strung the arrow and in seconds, the man's body fell on the ground. The other wolf retreated to the base as Snow nocked the other arrow in her fingers. She kept on walking feeling the weight strain her shoulders.

Snow took close attention to where the retreating wolf landed his steps.

She was almost at the entry way to base when something shot up the sky. Whatever it was trailed a line of smoke up the trees and a distant explosion marked a gray haze above them.

Reinforcements.

She was about to enter the base when another man landed a fist on her stomach. Her back arched to his blow and the next thing she knew it she was on her knees. Strong hands clenched her hair as the wolf pulled her up from the ground. Her lips began to taste bitter.

Hungry hands found its way to the leather straps, as the man began to unhook her weights.

"A carrier," the man hissed against her hear, "wandering around alone."

Snow smirked. With one night-lock still in between her fingers, she dug the arrow deep into the man's neck. Then, in seconds his body made a loud thud before her.

Her lungs burnt. She held one hand against her stomach and felt where the fist marked her skin.

This is going to bruise, she thought.

The sound of feet made Snow forget about the pain - at least temporarily. With her bow loaded again she drew her arrow and surveyed the base with both eyes open.

"Carrier," A girl spoke beyond the woods, "What do you think you're doing?"

The four wolves surrounding her laughed as they shook their head. They were far bigger than her, probably ahead of her in wolf year. The she wolf was with three others. Two were in wolf form. The girl had crossbow in her hand. Snow watched as she loaded metal arrows on it. The man with her aimed a rifle.

Two shooters. Two wolves. Think, Snow.

With the night-lock causing temporary sedation, she breathed hard as she grew weary. She did not have time for games. She needed to clear the traps so her sisters can deal with the carrier inside the base.

Snow had one arrow aimed at the woman as she spoke, "Where's your carrier?"

"Inside." The man smirked, "behind sheets and sheets of metal where amateurs like you can't-

Before the man could finish, Snow shifted her aim sending two arrows inside the darkened entry way to the square metal base. She heard the arrows clang against metal walls, her eyes locked on them