First Encounters

Chapter one

The moon cast threatening shadows on the woods around us. I looked toward my friend, but hardly tell where the trees stopped and he began. “Chris? Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Ya, I’ve camped here before, why are you scared?” he mocked.

“Not at all, this doesn’t look like a camp site; it’s kind of creepy actually.”

“Baby!” He moved slowly, putting down his bags and pulling out a flash light. As he stood up, I heard a noise, the soft sound of paws hitting the hard packed earth, the rustle of the bushes around us.

“W-what was that?” I stuttered peering through the bushes.

“Probably a fox or something.” He flicked on the light, and at once I wished he hadn’t.

Dozens of eyes shone back at us, white teeth glistened behind curled lips. Wolves. I turned around to find more of them, prepared for attack. We were surrounded.

            Their eyes shone fiercely with a hungry look. As they edged closed I realized how hopeless the situation really was. “Chris?”

“Y-Ya?” he stuttered.

“What do we do?” I backed up slowly until we where back to back. I prayed they wouldn’t attack, but common sense told me they would. I’d need to fight for my life, but how?

As I looked for something to fight with, I saw a large wolf step forward. The wolf’s red fur stretched tightly over his large muscles. Is he the Alpha, I wondered. I knew the Alpha would always signal for an attack.

The wolf looked first at us, then at his pack before barking what was unmistakably a command to fight, and before I knew it, they were on us.

We had never stood a chance. They swarmed around us in seconds, forcing us to separate from each other. Together, Chris and I posed a threat, but alone, they could take us easily.

I looked over and watched in horror as Chris fell under the weight of a large black wolf. They tore at his throat like savages. I looked away as blood stained the grass around him. His agonized screams pierced my ears and suddenly I felt sick. Chris was dead and I was next.

My knees gave out and I fell forward onto the grass. A light brown wolf stood above me, its green eyes showing something other than blood-lust. “Please, let me go. We never meant any harm, we never wanted to hurt you.” I pleaded to her. She was the only thing standing in between my life and a bitter ending.  

Her eyes glistened with what looked like tears and after a moment, she lowered her head. “You can understand me?” I said softly to her. The wolf nodded slowly and I reached out slowly and placed my hand on her head.

A snarl sounded behind me and I turned to see a wolf running. Teeth barred, eyes furious, he charged into me. The brown wolf jumped in front of, and I watched in shock as the wolf pinned her down, jaw at her throat.

“No!” I screamed. Before I knew it, I had tackled the gray wolf. “Get off of her!” He spun to face me and pushed me back. His growl deafening in my ear, I felt his claws on my neck. I smiled at him, and then at the light brown girl, “Are you going to let him kill me, baby girl?”

Her eyes narrowed at the gray wolf, before snarling at him and charging again. Taken by surprise, he fell off of me. Slowly I moved from my spot on the ground until I was clear of the fight.

All I saw was the flashing of teeth and claws. Blood spattered on the wolves’ fur, but I couldn’t tell whose blood it was. I heard the snarls and whines of pain as the wolves struggled against each other. In the end, the gray wolf was on top, his blood stained snout lowered towards her, prepared to kill. 

“Stop it! You can’t hurt her! She’s one of your own!” I stood shakily and stepped toward the wolves.

“The boy is right.” A deep voice echoed through the clearing as a boy, no older than me, stepped in. One by one the wolves bowed their heads in respect. “It seems Ariadne has taken a liking to this boy.”  He laughed and the wolves howled with him.

“Ariadne,” I whispered, “That’s a beautiful name.” she had her back turned to the others, her head held high, even as they mocked her.

“So what to do with you? You know too much, but one life was already lost.” He said looking to where Chris’s mangled corpse lay, still bleeding steadily. “Sam?”

A beautiful wolf stepped forward. Her golden eyes sweeping the clearing, her chestnut fur blowing in the slight wind, I knew she had to be important.

“What do you think? Should we kill him?” The chestnut wolf padded gracefully to me, eyes on the boy. As she turned to look at me, I felt an icy cold spread down my spine. I tried to turn away, but my body felt heavy. The wolf circled me, holding my gaze, as though she was evaluating me.

“So?” she turned toward him and suddenly, I could move again. I jumped to my feet to face the strange boy.

“What the hell?” I walked toward him shakily, ignoring the growls around me. “What the hell?” I shouted again.

“Sam,” he began, ignoring my advance, “You think he would do well with us?” she nodded her slim head before backing into the ranks of waiting wolves. “And Dylan?”

This time the red wolf nodded, his yellow eyes still narrowed toward me. “Well then, it is settled.”

“What’s settled?” I screamed, throwing a fit. I ran at him, prepared to hit him, but before I could reach him, I received a blow to my back and staggered forward.

“Ariadne, why don’t you do it?” the wolf turned, anger in her eyes. “Well go on!” Shaking her head softly she walked toward me and sat by my head. Her clear blue eyes stared down at me.

I’m sorry.

She bent her head slowly and closed her jaw around my neck.

Reviews

[Margarette]

I had really thought that the protagonist is a girl until I read the half of the story. You have a good sense of fantasy here. Fascinating piece!