Great Relief

Like earlier the wolves eyes opened quickly, and it ears pricked up. Something was moving in the forest around it. From behind the treeline the wolf could head the rustling of the leaves as what ever was there stepped on them. As quietly as it could the wolf crawled out of the tree root and slowly stood up on its hind legs, a slight groan as it felt the tug of the crossbow bolt that was still in bedded in its abdomen. Other than the slight sound of movement from behind the trees the forest was silent, there was no rustling from the trees or sounds from the birds, just silence.

The wolf began to move carefully towards the edge of the treeline that was farthest from the noise that it had woken it. However try as it might, it could not move silently and the silence of the forest amplified the sound of the crushed leaves under its feet. 

Out of the treeline on the opposite side came a full grown wild wolf, it had piercing blue eyes and bright white fur. As soon as it entered the clearing the wild wolf launched itself at the Wolf. It was fast and crossed the clearing in little time, however it lacked the reach of the wolf, who used its arms to strike out at the charging wild wolf. The strike missed, the wild wolf saw the attack coming and managed to move itself backwards ever so slightly. The miss caused the wolf to become slightly unbalanced and the Wild wolf took the opportunity to dig its razor sharp teeth into the wolf's outstretched arm. The wold howled as the pain short through its arm, and without thinking it lashed out with the other arm, but it was too late the Wild wolf had already detached itself and moved out of reach.

Both wolves then fell still, and the only sound that could be heard was the injured wolf's panting. Silently both of them exchanged glares, the blue eyes of the wild wolf staring directly into the pungent yellow eyes of the much taller injured wolf. Time seemed to slow, as both wolves did nothing but continue to stare silently at each other. A gentle breeze picked up and started to blow through the trees.

The wild wolf at that moment thrust off the ground using its powerful hind lends and launched itself right towards the injured wolf. There was no response this time, the wolf had no strength left to defend itself. From behind the wolf came a snarl, and a massive oil black wolf jumped over the injured wolf colliding with the white wolf in mid air. The white wolf was through straight into the shallow pond in the center of the clearing. It was mere seconds until it managed to drag itself out of the water and stood to face the new arrival. The new arrival turned its head slightly, looking back at the injured wolf, as though it was examining it, however it quickly turned back to the White wolf. The black wolf raised its top lip to show its menacing fangs to the white wolf who seemed to back off slightly obviously not wanting to anger the other wolf any further.

There was a loud thud as the injured wolf fell from its full height and landed on its side, no longer able to stand with the injuries that it had sustained. Quietly and elegantly the black wolf turned to face the now fallen injured wolf.

"Rest now, you are safe." A deep voice said within the injured wolf's head, it let out a gentle howl in response, knowing that there was little more it could do. As its sight faded, it saw three more wolves emerge from behind the treeline.

*****

Viola opened her eyes to find herself tucked up in a large bed, covered with a warm blanket.Carefully she looked around the lightly lit room, it was bare but gave out a nice warm and homely feel. In the center of the room was an open fire, along with an old iron pot that seemed as though it was boiling. Sitting next to the pot was what looked like a woman, she was old with a well worn face, and stingy grey hair that fell down past her shoulders. The old woman was wearing tatty old rags that looked as though they had been ripped apart and mended many times. Spread over the old woman's knees was some sort of earth brown fabric that she was quitly sewing at.

Viola went to move the blanket off her and sit up before whining at the stabbing pain that ran through her abdomen and falling back on the blanket, gasping for breath. From beside the fire the old woman looked up, a small and tender smile appearing on her face.

"I see you are awake," Her voice was soft, but it also had somewhat highly quality to it. "I had feared that the moon had reclaimed you."

Slowly the old woman lifted the fabric that she had been working on off her knee and placed it down on the floor beside her, then she for the her feet and walked towards one of the door-less wooden cupboards that lined the wall behind her and removed a wooden bowl. She moved over towards the put on top of the fire and lifted off the top using her longer sleeve to protect her hand from the hot metal. She dipped the bowl into the creamy liquid that Viola could see within th pot before replacing the lid and making her way over to Viola.

"Do not bother trying to sit up child, that injury will keep you bed ridden for a while," The woman warned, as Viola tried to push herself up. 

"I will be fine, I heal quickly." Viola responded, she had no intention of remaining in a bed whist Krais was still out there, and most likely still hunting her. "I must leave this place, or you will be in danger."

"Of the wolf?" Viola eyes widened in surprise as the old woman gave a slight chuckle. "Have you never meet another before?"

"You mean you are..." The woman cut her off with a nod.

"It has been a long time since I have seen another of our kind as well, even longer since I have seen once so young and foolish." The womans tone took a slightly harsh tone as she said the last bit.

"And how exactly am I foolish?" 

"You believed that you could live amongst the humans. Humans who fear our kind." The old womans voice seemed to lose its power as she spoke, "Still you can you blame them, to them we are monsters."

Viola opened her mouth as though to argue the point further, but quickly closed it when she saw the look of sorrow within the old womans eyes. Seizing the opportunity the old woman brought the bowl up to Viola's lips and tipped it slightly, allowing some of the creamy liquid to flow into her mouth and down her throat. It was at that moment, Viola realised just how hungry she actually was. After a small drink the woman removed the bowl and placed it one the small scruffy table next to the bed and removed the covers to examine Viola's wound.

"My name is Viola," Viola said as the old Woman started to remove the bandages that were tightly wrapped around her lower abdomen. "Thank you for everything you have done, and for saving me."

"I am Morgana, and it was not I that saved you," Viola was about to ask, when the door to the small cabin opened and in strolled the Black wolf that had saved her Wolf the previous night.

"I see she is awake." It was the same voice that her wold had heard before it had lost consciousness. 

"Yes she is, and I believe she would like to thank you, Odrin." Morgana smiled and turned to the wolf as she spoke, before turning her head back to speak to Viola. "Viola, it was Odrin that saved you."

"Thank you Odrin." Viola said automatically, still trying to process the fact that this wolf was speaking to her.