Wolf Stray (On Hold)

Run Little Wolf

Branches and shrubs tore at his arms and legs as he ran. His booted feet riped grass out of the ground as he ran.
He stumbled and fell over a root.
He rolled over his shoulder and back to his feet and kept on running.
"Better run faster little wolf."
The young wolf pumped his arms and legs as fast as he could but he was growing tired. His chest was heaving with exertion and he was stumbling more and more often.
He tripped and fell to his knees.
He scrambled to regain his feet but they were already upon him.
A small pack of Sicut Anguis.
Like most monsters Anguis are humanoid but they have scale like skin and fangs like a snake. They're bite is venomous. Just like a Snake. They're not all that much stronger than a human but this wolf was young so they were strong enough.
He was pulled up by his collar and they slammed his back into a tree.
He gasped and coughed for a moment as they held him there.
One of them, presumably the leader, gripped his hair and pulled his head up.
"My my my! Aren't you a small one."
The wolf growled at him through gritted fangs only to be rewarded with a knee to the side. He yelped in pain.
"Hey. They do sound like puppies!"
The small gang of Anguis chuckled.
In actuality the wolf was probably around 14 years of age. Old enough that he wasn't considered a pup but still not fully developed as a wolf. He was a wolfling.
When he was older it was quite possible he would be an alpha but at the moment he didn't have the strength of an omega.
So you see, werewolf or not, he was quite helpless.
The Anguis towered over him and he couldn't help but cower.
Anguis and Wolves have been feuding for as long as he could remember. It was instinct for a dog to hate a snake. Usually the Wolves won all confrontations.
They were bigger, stronger, and they ran in bigger packs.
But this small wolf was very much alone.

"What should we do with him?" One of the snake like monsters asked.
The leader chuckled. Then, pulling the boys head to the side, sunk fangs into his neck.
"GAAH!" The wolf stiffened as the venom entered his system.
It burned!
"How about we leave him for his pack to find as a reminder to keep small puppies home with there mother's."

They tied his wrists behind him to the tree he had been pinned to.
The venom was already taking affect and his head lulled to the side as he fought for consciousness.
"Don't die too quickly little wolf."
He barely heard the words.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he suddenly realized he was alone.
Even sitting he was dizzy.
The bite on his neck burned terribly, his head pounded, he was beginning to feel nauseous, and his whole body was shaking.
He felt himself beginning to black out.
Darkness crept into his vision and the world was suddenly only visible through small pin holes. He pitched sideways.
Then, like an instinct he couldn't fight if he'd wanted to, he howled.
The long mournful sound carried easily on the wind, pricked the ears and turned the head of many wolves.
He didn't hear the answering howls.
He was consumed by darkness.

∆∆∆∆

The search party found him not 30 minutes later.
"It's a wolfing!"
"Oh my gosh! He's bitten!"
"That's the Swift boy."
The wolfling sat on the ground with his arms pulled to sharp angles as they were tied to the tree and his body was leaning to the side. His head hung limp on his shoulders. His small body trembled and he was hot with fever.
The gathered wolves growled and snarled with anger.
To attack a hunting party was one thing.
Even a lone wolf that was grown.
But a wolfling?
It was a cowardly act and a call for war.

"Untie him! He's dying!"
Claws sliced the rope and the boys arms fell limp.
An alpha named Batraz scooped the wolfling's body into his arms.
Asher was panting heavily as the venom made it difficult for him to breath.
"I'll carry him."
Without another word spoken they ran as fast as they could back to the den. (Witch is actually just what they call their villages)

Reaching the den Batraz carried him to the healers house where he was put down on a cot.
By now Asher was thrashing wildly, terrorized by fever dreams.
"No! St-stop! Please! P-please!"
The Healer rummaged through shelves of herbs and began throwing things into a bowl and mixing them.
"Hold him down before he hurts himself!"
Batraz pinned the boys arms to the cot.
This only served the further the wolfing's panic.
He pulled with all his might and threw his head from side to side.
"Stop! Let me- let me go! Let me go!"
"Hush Asher. It's alright. You're alright. It's just me. It's Batraz."
Batraz didn't actually know the boy personally but the alpha was well known and well respected by the pack. He knew of Asher and Asher certainly knew of him.
But it wasn't enough.
"GRAAH!" The wolfling cried as he thrashed desperately for just a moment longer before his strength failed him and he fell limp.
Seeing this the Healer curse and worked faster.
Asher continued to mumble incoherently. Then a terrified "Bran! Bran help me! Please!"
Batraz frowned.
"Who's Bran?"
"His twin brother." The Healer said sitting on the edge of the cot to inject a murky looking liquid straight into the boys heart. "Bran died three winters ago. Treated him myself."
Batraz watched as Asher's spasming slowly subsided.
"Is it working?"
"Maybe. Or maybe the venoms parilized him. Won't know for a few hours at the very least."
"Healer where is his family? Surly his mother or father should be here."
The Healer regarded him sadly.
"They should be. And they would be but his mother is passes away shortly after his brother and his father lives in a bottle. The man probably didn't even hear his son's howl."
Batraz's heart filled with pity for the wolfling.
"So he's a stray?"
"Well his father is alive."
"But of no help to the boy! Worthless to the world at this point! Leaving the boy to fend for himself? To raise himself? In every practical respect he's an orphan. For pete's sakes the boy asked his dead brother for help when he has a living father!"
The Healer sighed heavily.
"I don't disagree with you. But I know what you're thinking. You can't claim a stray that isn't a stray."
Batraz crossed his arms over his broad chest.
"We'll see about that."