Vermillion & Silver

Chapter Twenty-Five || The Hunted

The echo of hurried footsteps had faded but the smell of fresh blood lingered in the air. She lifted her nose and followed the scent down the hall and towards the back of the castle. Her heart pumped wildly as she ran in pursuit of her prey. The whole world had ceased to exist, all the mattered were the footprints in the snow and the stench of wolf and blood that contaminated the crisp winter air.

The prey made no sound, all that could be heard were the whistles of the wind and the distant howls of a pack. It was trying to hide, but it would not be successful. She lowered one of her claws to the ground, coaxing the earth to give away the secrets of the hunted, she focused on the faint vibrations that traveled up her arm and deciphered her prey's direction.

The moon empowered her body as she ran through the forest, vigilant of any change in the air or any disturbance to the eerily silent night. Her mouth watered at the thought of sinking her teeth in her prey. She yearned for the taste of flesh and the feeling of warm blood running down her face. The prey had tried to challenge her and now it would pay with its life.

She caught its scent before she saw it. The unmistakable smell of wet dog. It had shifted, shedding its skin in favor of an auburn coat of fur. She stalked towards it, expecting it to continue the chase, but it turned to face her and snarled. She lunged towards it, completely unconcerned by the prey's warning. It dodged the vice of her claws but it didn't completely escape, she managed to sink her teeth on its right flank.

The prey whimpered, a high pitched sound that pierced the night, but it did not back down. As soon as it got back on its feet it charged her, but it was not fast enough to catch her off guard. She moved aside and extended her claw to grab it by the neck. It twisted its head and bit her forearm, making her release it.

She growled. Anger filled her veins, exalting the power the moon was bestowing upon her. She went after the creature. It had taken up running again but she could still see it, scampering through the woods trying to lose itself among the trees, but she could follow the scent of its fear.

It ran into the densest part of the forest, where the trees grew into a maze and their roots made the terrain dangerously uneven. She focused solely on the scent trail and followed it, letting the bloodlust lead her through the intricate path her prey was trying to weave. Low branches clashed against her as she moved but she could not feel any pain, nothing could hurt her in this state.

Her prey made a mistake. It ran into a clearing. She spotted it the moment it stepped into the moon filled circle. She pushed her body to run faster and tackled the prey to the ground. It trashed, trying unsuccessfully to get free but she covered it with her weight and closed her arms firmly around her. The prey was a big wolf but she sank her claws in its flesh and tightened her arms hoping to squeeze the fight out of it. It worked, after a few minutes it stopped struggling and its body went limp in her arms.

She leaned back, leaving the preys unconscious form laying on the snow-covered ground. She was disappointed in how easy it'd been to subdue it. A big part of her wanted to continue the chase and the fight. But it was done now. It was time for the kill.

She bared her teeth and attacked the prey's neck but just before she could sink her teeth in, it moved. Her prey slipped out from under her and lunged. She managed to step back but the prey still sank its fangs on her shoulder. She gripped it by its fur and tossed it aside but the prey was not done, it growled and attacked her once more this time aiming for her flank. Its bite grazed her and the sting made her growl back at the prey.

They circled each other, trying to find an opening for an attack. The prey was doing its best to protect itself, moving carefully and snarling in warning, but she would not be defeated by such a creature. She studied its posture, the way it tried to hide its injured side, and found a way to strike. She took a step back before jumping up, leaping the air towards her prey and clashing against it. The momentum took them tumbling back and crashing against a tree. The prey kicked her with its hind legs and she stumbled back.