Life and death
60 soldiers killed later.
Darius’s breath came out in ragged gasp as he coughed violently. He was sustaining multiple small, but damaging wounds that were wearing him down. Eberwolf were no better. He threw another dog over his shoulder as Eberwolf went down, one mongrel pinning him down onto his stomach and sinking his teeth into the mix's shoulders. He made a valiant attempt to rush forwards to help his comrade, but he was stopped as one spotted mutt bit into his rib. The bite was harsh, and he choked as the wound was made deeper.
He couldn't be beaten by belos’s underlings! He ripped himself free, but did not react in time to dodge the cream colored dog that pushed him onto the ground. He turned onto his side, and realized that Eberwolf still lay on his side.were breathing shallowly, blood dripping out from their wounds.
"Darius ... we were honored to fight with you.” Eberwolf whispered. "I am happily knowing we were able to serve you as your comrades... even if it was for such a brief time...” his voice hoarse.
Darius dug one paw into the snow. "The hell are you saying? Don't tell me you're giving up now!"
Eberwolf’s eyes slowly closed. "I'm sorry..."
Darius tried to pushed upwards to gain a little ground.
A large paw smacked down on eberwolf’s head, ending his life in one blow.
Darius’s eyes widened.
"Haha, that was quite beautiful. Ah, but so foolish of them. After all, if they had the energy to make those lovely speeches, they could have used it to bite the enemy!" Belos sat down, scratching one ear with his hind leg. His one blue eye narrowed in displeasure when he realized that the only wolf remaining was Darius .
"Oh, the old fart again? Where's the blight brats?"
Darius growled. "As if, I made a promise, you fucking pig!" He made one last effort, and shoved off his captor, terra and rushed straight forwards at belos . He didn't put any effort into planning or thinking, all he could do now was go on headfirst with fangs bared. That was who he was at core, a fighter who needed nothing more than his brawn and might to get through the battle!
Belos merely chuckled at this and jumped over his head, turning to face the purple werewolf..
"Why don't you just die already, old man?"
"Come face me yourself if you're in such a hurry!"
He flicked one ear, and dozens of his soldiers attacked darius, beating him into the ground again. He laughed quietly.
He fell to the ground one last time, feeling his life fading away. Blood seeped into the snow, turning it from white to a deep pink color. Slowly his eyes rolled upward, to gaze up at the sky.
I'm sorry Oswald... looks like I won't be around for much longer... His vision blurred and shook.
But I can guarantee you, that I won't rest until this bastard goes down.
______
Hunter’s vision blurred and faded, then slowly cleared as he took in his surroundings. He was in a room that was completely white, and nearly devoid of all life. However, a cough caught his attention and he shifted ever so slightly to view a dog... a German Shepherd...
Hunter tried moving, it had alerted the other dog, who rolled over to face him.
"Ah, you're awake already. Glad to see you alive."
Hunter stifled a gasp as he looked into the Shepherd's brown eyes, “why is there a pink reindeer in the room.” his vision blurring.
The dog flicked one ear and swished his tail impatiently.
"Listen young man, I don't know what they put ya on, but my name's Jim. J-I-m"
Hunter’s eyes narrowed in confusion his head back down, he sighed. "What is this place?"
"A vet's place. You're in the Intensive Care Unit by a witch girl named willow park, cause of the damage you've taken falling down a mountain."
Hunter then noticed the bandages wrapped around his body, fresh and clean. However, underneath his wounds still ached terribly. 'Jim' scratched one ear with his front leg, muttering curses under his breath. He caught hunter’s eye and grunted.
"Case you're wondering, I'm here cause of this."
'Jim' groaned and flipped onto his other side, showing the large claw mark that was steadily healing. Hunter’s eyes softened in sympathy as he nodded.
"I've been here awhile, almost 6 months now... goddamn hunter abandoned me... now my lungs ain't so good. And I’m on death row .. damn him..."
His eyes shifted back to the golden werewolf , who was listening quietly. "So, dare I ask what happened to you?"
Hunter’s gaze shifted to the clean white tiles of the floor.
"It's a long story."
Jim gave him a look, then replied,
"You think either of us is going anywhere anytime soon?"
_______________
Moments after.
Belos walked over to Darius and stood above him. He sneered. "Are you ready to beg for your life?"
Darius opened one eye and snarled. "Like I'd ever beg to a snot-faced faker like you."
"Cheh, looks like you need another beat down. C'mon you lot, get him!"
He was being ripped apart, but he could barely feel a thing anymore. This was a bad sign. Blood poured out of his body, and one of his eyes became bloodied and mangled.
Belos shouted encouragement at his soldiers as they tore at him. His vision was blurring again, and he could feel even more of his life slipping away. Then, belos called them off, and he was on the ground again.
"So, have you changed your mind, you stubborn old man?"
Darius grinned. "No good soldier would ever beg or plead for his life." He turned his head slightly, his single eye closing gradually.
"Especially not to a shit-head like you."
Belos gritted his teeth and roared angrily. He sunk his teeth into the scruff of Darius’s neck, hurling him into the air, his body fell heavily into the ground, and his head bashed against the earth. One fang dislodged from his mouth and landed in a heap of snow.
"When will you get tired of coming up with speeches like this? It's annoying!"
"Let me... tell you something else..." He turned his head around and laughed, "You will regret killing me, sooner or later!"
"GRAAAGH!"
Belos yelled angrily, taking a hold of darius’s side and bit down.
Darius cried out in agony, but still did not give into belos.
"If you think... that everyone will give up in the end... you're wrong."
Belos quivered.
Darius sank to the ground, at his end.
"My spirit will live on, no matter how badly you destroy my body. Remember that..."
He allowed his body to collapse.
Belos shocked, raced over to Darius and began shaking his body. "Oi, it's too soon for you to die, you bastard! Get up, get up! RARRGH!"
He gave up and allowed the corpse to fall and quickly tacked terra to the ground.
“What’s the meaning of this!” She worriedly spoke.
“You failed capturing a hostage!” He placed his paw over the snout of terra, pressing it deeper into the snow.
"Suffocate and die!"
"Please, I'm sorry! Forgive me, I’ll find the blight brats!”
"How? In the middle of a snowstorm! Shut up! No one gave you any right to speak!" Belos barked, fangs bared.
Belos’s 50 soldiers watched in horror as belos began drooling and his lips curled back, exposing his fangs. He picked up terra by her throat, growling and snarling. Blood splattered onto the snow as he shook terra again and again, shouting things incoherent to her. Some turned away as he dropped Terra’s unmoving body onto the ground and walked off deeper into the woods.
________________
Few days later.
They hid out in that little cave for a long time. They didn't dare stray out of the cave for longer than a few minutes—and only a couple of them would leave to hunt. The pups were growing fast and soon, there was just no more room for all of them in the cave.
Outside.
Oswald’s bloodshot eyes paused to catch his breath and take in his surroundings. He had reached the spot where he had last seen the blight children , and could hear the waterfall's dull roar in the background. He sniffed the ground, picking up the their scent, and wordlessly, began to follow its trail. He came to a clearing that he had not come across with his pack... yet there were three fresh pawprints in the snow that belonged to belos’s soldiers.
__________________
In the cave
Edric looked up at them all. He had been recovering nicely since the fight, and was now able to walk short distances… but even walking across the den took a lot of energy for him.
'How are you feeling?' Viney asked as she came over to check on him.
'Better now that you are here,' he told her, batting his eyes. She rolled her own as she flicked her tail in his face in retaliation.
Luz looked around, 'Where's amity?' she asked.
'She said something about taking another look around,' edric answered, not looking away from viney. 'She said that it's too quiet.'
'Good point,' viney answered as she sniffed around the den. Edric continued to watch her. 'Ah, my dear,' he said lovingly. 'I don't think I could've made it this far in my recovery without you here. And since that special time of the year is almost upon us, I was thinking…?'
'Don't even ask,' Ava said in annoyance. Owen nodded in agreement.
'What time of the year?' Luz asked in confusion. They both looked up at her in surprise before viney said, 'You're kidding right?'
'No, I'm serious,' she asked, once again, feeling stupid. 'What's happening?'
Viney pushed herself against her, taking her out the den. 'Follow me,' she said. 'That way the boys won't hear us.'
Completely bewildered, she climbed back out into the bright light and kept close to her as viney and Ava led her across the river. The ice had melted, and the river was back, though with all the melting snow it was still icy cold. The branches were free of all traces of winter, and small traces of leaves were starting to pop up. Spring was here… and this was where Luz got a big shock. Ava and viney had led her far enough away from the den to explain it to her, without the men able to hear. It was mating season for the wolves.
'Mating season?' she repeated blankly.
'Yep,' viney said. 'Mating season is almost here. Luz, do you know how soon mating season is?' She asked her.
'Kinda,' luz said softly, knowing what was coming….her parents tried to avoid the subject when she was younger.
'Mating season is when wolves, who are full grown, try to make mates with other wolves,' ava answered simply.
'So you get together and have pups?' she asked carefully.
'Yes, but it's more than that,' viney answered, lying down. 'When we mate, we mate for life. Last mating season, Owen and Ava chose each other. And they will be together until they die.'
So it's like a marriage. Marriage? Her marry a wolf?
'Do-I mean, do you have to chose a partner?' Luz asked anxiously.
'Oh, no,' viney answered, shaking her head, and luz felt as if a weight had come up from off her shoulders. 'You see, this union is sacred. The one you choose must be from someone you will love for now and ever. True love…'
Luz sighed in relief. 'What about you?' she asked.
Viney laughed. 'Well, flapjack too young for me, and honey is an adopted sister. That leaves only hunter and edric, and I'm not eager for either of them.'
But Luz didn't believe that. Viney had refused to make eye contact with her. 'Viney…' she asked her knowingly.
'What?' she asked defensively.
'You're thinking of someone aren't you?' Luz asked, suddenly feeling defensive herself. 'Who is it?'
Viney hesitated for a moment before she answered bitterly, 'Ok, I care a lot for edric, but that's it! But that's only because he's still recovering. If he hadn't, I wouldn't bother.'
Luz couldn't explain why she suddenly felt so relieved. Instead, she remembered how close the two of them had been getting as viney started to nurse him back to health. She also happened to remember what edric once said… about how he cared for viney.
'I think that you should,' she told her.
'Should what?' she asked.
'I think that it would be sweet if you chose him for your mate,' Luz laughed. 'I think that he really does love you.'
Viney’s ears perked up at those words, but she still wouldn't look at her. 'Look, it's nothing. What about you and hunter?'
At those words, luz actually stepped backwards. 'Why are you asking that?!' she barked almost panicky.
Viney finally looked up. 'Because I can see. I see how much you care for each other. Why not get together with him. You both can start a family right away.'
Luz shook her head forcefully. 'Oh, no it's nothing like that! Hunter and I are just…like a big brother and little sister relationship'
But whatever they were, she never had a chance to say, for at that moment she heard pounding footsteps behind her and viney bushed past her, knocking her clear to the ground. Dazed and confused, luz rolled back up onto her feet, and stared around her.
Viney was fighting with another wolf, a big and ugly one—most likely one of belos’s .
Luz charged forward to help her, when something big rammed into her. She was, once again, knocked off her feet as another large wolf had her pinned. She stared up into his fierce eyes.
'Hello beautiful,' he growled down at her. 'I've been looking forward to seeing you again.'
Luz struggled underneath him, trying to get away. 'I was starting to think that you didn't want to see me again,' he hissed, teeth inches away from her throat.
'Well, you were right,' she hissed back, her jaws unable to bite him.
He laughed. 'Too bad,' he growled. Suddenly he opened his mouth and lunged for her throat, she shut her eyes, expecting to have her throat ripped out any second…
'GET YOUR FILTHY CLAWS OFF HER!' screamed a familiar voice, filled with fury, and with a roar of rage, something knocked into them both.
The wolf was off her, and she spun around to get back to her feet and stared around. Amity had come, this time she was attacking the wolf that tried to kill her. 'Hey mutt!' She howled.
And it was a horrible site, the two wolves were at each other's throats, ripping—clawing at each other. Luz charged ahead but she yelled, 'Stay back, luz!'
'What are you thinking?!' she howled.
'Like hell, I'm gonna let him hurt you!' She called back. 'Help viney and Ava!'
Luz turned to see that viney was now pinned and the large wolf was now trying to bit her. Luz attacked, using an ice spell on his leg hard enough that he was distracted and viney attacked. Owen came and dealt with the third wolf. The battle ended with the large wolf running for the hills, and the second one, bleeding to death.
Viney?' Luz asked her anxiously, her friend panting hard, and having a cut muzzle.
'I'm fine,' she assured her. 'I'm fine. It's not that bad.'
'Thank god,' she sighed, she looked up, 'Amity? Me and viney are—amity!'
Her voice got caught in her throat as Amity staggered where she stood and fell. 'AMITY!' she screamed and sprinted to her side. Once again, her green, purple beautiful fur was stained with blood. 'Amity,' she cried, staring at her side… a deep wound—part of a tooth still imbedded in her fur. She gazed up at her through hazy eyes before they shut and she became still.
'NO!' she screamed, licking her wound, trying to get him to wake up. She stared back to viney and Ava , who was running back to the den—obviously getting help.
She turned back to amity and felt tears burning her eyes. 'Please don't die amity … I love you, don't leave me. I love you, and if you heard me I want to be with you, please don't go,' she told her, making tears well up in her eyes, a tear fell on her face.
'Luz!' called edric’s voice, she looked up to see him limping his way over to them, panting long and hard, the effort of running was quickly draining him of energy. After that, they were able to drag amity back to the den, and edric gave up his bed of soft leaves, claiming that his little sister needed it more.
A few healing spells later.
Luz sat with amity the whole time, tending to her wounds as best she could. She licked her terrible healing injury and spoke comforting words to her , hoping that she could hear her. She wasn't aware if the others were there or not, but it no longer matter. The only thing that she cared about was if Amity would be alright… as she cared for her … she came to an understanding… what she knew she had to do…
________
*The next day*
'We'll leave you alone with amity. While the pups are sleeping, We'll go hunt… she'll need food when she wakes up,' Ava said to her.
'But…' Luz began but Emira gave her a gentle look. 'We'll be back soon. Don't worry, she won't die on us… we know that you'll take care of her.'
Luz nodded as the rest of the pack left, leaving her alone to care for amity. She turned back to her … she had slept soundly through the night, but she didn't leave her side. All night, she stayed by her side and shared her warmth with her, talking to her … but then… all of a sudden… she had opened her golden eyes at long last.
'Amity!' she gasped, happiness coursing through her whole body. 'You're awake!'
Her glassy eyes looked up at her. 'Luz?'
'Don't talk yet,' luz interrupted her gently, licking blood away from her fur. 'You're in bad shape, you don't want to push yourself.'
'I don't care, luz,' amity said, looking up at her, 'I need to know… what you said before… did you mean it?'
'Mean what?' she asked, not sure she understand.
She panted and coughed for a few moments before she croaked out, 'You said… you said that you… you love me…'
She blinked. So she had heard her? She stopped licking her cuts and looked at amity, 'I wasn't sure how I felt about you at first. You see… viney had only just told me that mating season was coming… and she was wondering what I felt for hunter…'
'And what did you say?' She asked, raising her head up a little.
'I said I saw him as a brother.,' she answered. 'That was when we were attacked. But then… when I saw you fighting to protect me… and when I saw you hurt… I—I just realized that I was afraid to lose you… I couldn't face the idea of you dying on me. I never felt so scared my whole life. When I saw you again fighting for me… I realized that I…' Her words trailed off.
'You what?' Amity asked, raising herself up so that they were eye level.
'Amity,' she whispered. 'I guess that after being here for so long and then after what happened with you fighting for me I guess that I… I-amity I love you. I really do.' She said then leaned down and touched her nose with hers—as if she was giving her a kiss.
Luz broke away and stared at her eyes longingly.
'Luz…' she whispered.
Luz looked away, unable to face her eyes when she leaned in and nuzzled her head with hers. 'Me too…'
She turned back to her head and stared at her.
Amity was still breathing hard, but she was speaking firmly, 'Luz … I… love you too. I have for a long time. And I've been wanting nothing more than for you to agree to be my mate. I want you…'
Luz had always dreamt about getting married and having a big wedding. But after she became a wolf, she had given up all hope of that happiness. But here, she realized that it wasn't taken away from her, she had been given it. While her partner wasn't a human, she was still the one person she loved more than anyone else. She loved her … and she loved her…
She rubbed her head against her and whispered, 'Yes… I will be your mate. I want to, I really do. I want you to be happy and not be alone anymore. I love you with all my heart.”
Amity was staring at her, happiness in both their eyes and she touched her nose with hers she blushed. To her surprise, amity wrapped her tail around hers then placed her paw on hers and licked her muzzle. 'I love you, so much.'
She smiled then said, 'Well if you don't get healed up fast you won't be ready by the time mating season arrives. I'll help.' After awhile she laid down next her, lying side by side—and their tails were wrapped around one another. Then they smiled at each other and went to sleep.
_______
By nightfall.
Out of sight, the two Doberman sized wolves remained, watching intently at the hideout luz and the gang were hiding.
"Brother... we've lost our chance."
"Yeah... the blight brat got in the way."
"We coulda had her."
"We should start over. Let's go."
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"
Wolf #1 opened his eyes. They nearly bugged out of his head when he saw Oswald racing towards them.
"The hell are you guys doing here? Who the hell are you?"
Wolf #2 pulled back his lips to reveal his fangs.
"We're assassins. Now get outta here before I make you."
"Shut your mouth! You brats don't even know shit, do you?" Oswald bared his teeth, making the two belos’s followers flinch.
Oswald stood to his full height and spoke.
"I remember, that war I fought against the demon bears, clear as day. I fought besides my brethren , friends, and alongside many others to create and expand this paradise. A paradise that is owned by no one and where any righteous dog or wolf is allowed to live in peace."
Wolf #1 licked his lips. An old wolf reliving his glory days. That was all. Silently he gave the signal for the other wolf to move forward. Snickering, wolf #1 faced the Oswald.
"We'll take you down just as easy. Even though we got here first, we'll claim these lives for belos."
Oswald snorted. "Weaklings? Pups, like you, take down someone like me?" Throwing his head back.
"You couldn't kill me if you tried!"
Wolf #2 yelled in fury and rushed Oswald blindly.
Oswald saw the opening clearly, and slashed two diagonal lines down wolf #2 stomach. The wolf crashed onto the ground, and didn't get up.
Moments later.
Out of fear Wolf #1 could no longer outrun oswald. The Doberman sized wolf panicked causing him to tip over into the snow. He caught himself and spread his feet on the ground, balancing at the last moment, but it wasn't quick enough. Oswald caught his neck in his jaws, and he was slowly choking. He was sinking into the snow, unable to hold up his body when his oxygen was being cut off
"Never should have set your filthy paws on my friends or my daughter! No running now... die."