Red Wolf of Blue Moon [3]

Instructions

Mestagen bent down, and his fangs slashed at the vine, slicing it in half with ease. Laghk rose to her paws, and murmuring a quick “thanks” to Mestagen, lifted her paw, and used it to push off the vine around her muzzle. She stretched her jaws wide, enjoying the feeling of having nothing to bind her. At last, she lowered her head, and asked, “So, now what? Do we just leave? Because, there’s no way I’m abandoning my best friend to be held hostage by them.” Mestagen shook his head. “Of course not, we’ll sneak up on them, and then, we’ll attack.” Laghk crept through the underbrush. After forming a secure plan, she and Mestagen had started off at a quick pace. Likely, by now, Spirk would have started to get suspicious, and they needed to catch up to them and be in position before she thought to turn around. Mestagen’s pale gray pelt flashed into view for a moment, as he darted around a thorn thicket a few paces over. They were almost there, Spirk’s scent was fresh on the air, as though she had just passed through here. Mestagen signaled with his tail, and Laghk ducked down, slowing her pace so she padded slowly through the underbrush. At last, they came into view. The second wolf was struggling to pull Spice over a root, and though Spirk flicked her tail impatiently to keep going, she made no inclination to help her companion. Laghk glanced over at Mestagen, who had begun to circle around behind the second wolf. Laghk took that as her cue to get into position as well, and crept slowly around until she was behind Spirk. A twig cracked beneath Laghk’s paw, and she froze. Spirk swung her head around to where Laghk stood, hidden by a scarce amount of ferns, her attention no longer focused on the second wolf. Spirk sniffed the air, looking wary, but suddenly, Laghk caught movement from the opposing bramble bush, a set of pale gray ears flicked, and Laghk knew instantly that that was the signal. Simultaneously, Laghk and Mestagen burst from the underbrush, claws outreached for their targets. Mestagen struck first, his claws digging into the unsuspecting back of his pack mate who dropped the vine holding Spice, and the two disappeared in a snarling mass of fur and claws into the underbrush. Next, Laghk’s claws raked Spirk’s pelt, the cinnamon furred she-wolf spun around and lashed out at Laghk, snarling fiercely. Laghk felt claws meet her throat, and instinctively ducked away before they had time to sink in. A snarl sounded from the tree root, and Laghk saw, out of the corner of her eye, Spice fighting off the vines that kept her bound, a hungry glint for battle in her eyes. She had been faking sleep! Laghk realized with a jolt of surprise, as her friend hurled herself at the second wolf interlocked with Mestagen, joining the growling and barking tangle of fur. Spirk suddenly pushed off of Laghk’s stomach, her claws tearing the fur as she shot herself away from Laghk. Laghk skidded backwards, too, and collapsed to the ground, winded. Spirk’s claws had grazed her underbelly, letting a faint trickle of blood seep through her battle-matted fur. Laghk forced herself, trembling, to her paws, and faced the snarling Spirk. Laghk looked straight into the she-wolf’s amber eyes. This wolf was the leader of the Red Moon pack, she was dangerous beyond belief. She needed to be stopped. Laghk kicked off the ground, and launched herself at the wolf, pinning her down with her claws at her throat. To her surprise, Spirk stopped struggling. Her eyes glinted with pained amusement, a a small trickle of blood coming from a cut on her cheek. She panted in exhaustion, but seemed to show that she didn’t care what Laghk did to her. “What are you doing, have you given up?” Laghk asked, feeling both weary and confused. Spirk’s eyes glinted with a mixture of malice and…. Could it be…. A little bit of… pride? “I don’t care what you do with me…” Spirk rasped. “…But Laghk…. Would you really dare…. To kill your own mother?”