Therian Dreaming II - New Begininings - Chapter 18 - Part Two -
Story by Cederwyn Whitefurr on SoFurry
Their battle was hard fought - but won - now the two Therians face the hardest battle of in their lives...
Therian Dreaming II
Chapter Eighteen – Part II
© Cederwyn Whitefurr
6th May 2023
All Rights Reserved.
Patrick swore, lifting his rifle too slow, and letting off a shot that was more from the hip than aimed. With a yelp, the Werewolf vanished back into the forest, stalking its prey.
“Gods damn it - “ Patrick sighed. “I've hurt it – not mortally, but maybe – slow it down a bit..."
*
Fawnie cried, the huge tears sliding down her furred cheeks, as she cowered under the bed, shaking helplessly. Feelings, primal, instinctual – terrifying, filled her young mind and threatened to drive her mad at best – or stop her young, fragile heart in her chest. As she heard the heavy, but quiet, footsteps enter the room, Fawnie curled up tighter, her whimpers barely audible...until a human hand, gloved in a tactical glove, reached under and grabbed her by the tail, then cruelly pulled her out from under her hiding spot...
*
Fawnie... Kelsie stumbled and then went head over tail, landing heavily as the air rushed from her lungs. She felt Fawnie's terror, the agony in Kelsie's own tail; like something had grabbed her. Dragging her screaming from her hiding place...then strong, powerful fingers around her throat, squeezing, cutting off her precious oxygen...
Kelsie's eyes went wide, her muzzle falling open as she started to strangle – barely able to get a tiny breath into her burning, aching lungs...
*
Operative two held the strangling, wildly struggling Fawnie, as he grinned and tightened his fingers around her throat.
“I've half a mind to do something to you little one – something so sick and vile... Yet I won't, I need you as bait, cry for me little one, cry loud and long – I need your fucking parents to know I got you... You go ahead, scream your little heart out...
*
Fawnie unhappily did just that...did a lot of that...
*
One leg almost useless, the Werewolf snarled and slavered, its blood-lust driving it back towards the clearing where that thing had hurt it... it wasn't rational, or thinking – it acted – and acted upon whatever had hurt it, was back there..it wasn't going to be back there for long...
*
Kelsie, tears streaking down her muzzle, ran for her life, back towards the house – sharp branches and thorns tore and ripped at her fur and flesh, but she was oblivious to their sting.
As she ran towards the fence at the edge of the forest, powerful muscles tensing, Kelsie's presence forced the Therian's cloven hooves to lock and it skidded, almost colliding with the fence.
Not now! Her inner voice snarled.
Listen to me! Kelsie snarled right back. We go out there, we'll be dead before we're halfway across that damn field! What happens then? I love my fawn, my Fawnie, more than you'll ever know... - could – ever know. We don't have time to argue this...
Through Kelsie's eyes, the Therian looked around, exposed and open, as it rolled her shoulders and raised an eyebrow sarcastically.
Trust me...
Why should I?
Just do it – this once...
*
Kelsie screamed, her loud, piercing bleat torn from deep within her – and Pete's ears snapped forwards in alarm.
Go...now... His own Therian's thoughts filled his mind. Our mate needs us...
Pete ran...
*
Pete burst out of the forest, leaping at least six feet over the wooden railed fence, landing with a thud as he streaked towards the house at an opposite angle to where he sensed Kelsie was. He couldn't explain it – something in him; showed Kelsie's ghost-like shape in his mind; like Therian was tied to Therian in some strange, almost psychic way. Each hoof-beat was felt in his mind, as she circled from the opposite side, slowing herself, her senses alert and ears flicking to and fro...
*
“What the fuck was that - “ Snarled Operator One, snapping his assault rifle up and scanning the treeline through the scope. He turned away, one hand still on his rifle, as he looked towards where he perceived that ear-piercing scream had come from. He reached up and touched his radio, which was up near his shoulder...
It was his last mistake...
*
Pete's Therian growled silently, lowering his antlered head; before he charged from ten feet out... Impact of antlers against body armor barely slowed the enraged Therian down, as he lifted the human up – then slammed his face first into the brick wall. With a sickening snap of breaking ribs, Pete drove forwards – the sharp tines of the antlers punching through the vest and into the human's back.
Blood exploded from his lungs, spattering the wall, as Pete pulled back and slammed forwards again, then again, hearing the sounds of snapping bones and feeling his razor-tipped antlers finally punch through into weak, squishy flesh beneath the body armor...
“Gck - “ Come a strangled gurgle from Operator One.
Pete snapped his head to the right, throwing the Hunter to the ground, who rolled twice and landed on his back, blood streaming from his ears, nose, and mouth, as he stared wide-eyed up at the Stag that quickly stood over him.
“Spare..." Come the blood-clotted voice. “Me..."
Pete reared up, his powerful right cloven hoof coming down and crushing the human's skull beneath it...
“No..." Pete growled.
*
Fawnie screamed and struggled, choking desperately to breathe, before the Operator grinned and squeezed tighter, as Pete stalked around the side of the house, his antlers, muzzle, and forelegs streaked with blood and gore. With a swift move, the Operator flicked his wrist and a concealed silver blade slid into his palm, which he then held close to Fawnie's chin.
“One twitch... beast... and I'll drive this up into her skull..."
Pete stopped a dozen paces away, his antlered head bowed, his baleful glare piercing the Hunter.
“Let my daughter go - “ Pete growled, low and threateningly. “I'll kill you quickly..."
“Think I'm stupid? I got you and that..."
Something struck him like a missile from the right, blindsiding him.
Fawnie fell to the ground, tumbling head over tail, the razor-sharp knife sinking point first into the ground right before her leathery nose.
There was a sickening, choked-off scream; before Kelsie snapped her head to the side – tearing open the Hunter's throat – blood spurting over her face and the ground as he gurgled and started to drown in his own blood.
Pete walked over, glaring down at the dying human, his lips curling back in a feral, predatory snarl; before he spoke the last words the Operative would ever hear.
“It's not the one in front of you...you should fear..."
*
Pete turned away, his bloodied muzzle suddenly turning as he sensed someone approaching them. Instinctively, he placed himself between Kelsie and Fawnie, tossing his antlered head and roaring a dominant, masculine challenge.
“It's...me - “ Come the voice, one the Therian refused to listen to. “It's...dead..."
Pete took another hoof step, then another, his bloodied lips curling back as the Therian within him, awake and enraged, suppressed his humanity beneath its merciless grasp.
“I know you can hear me – Kelsie, if you truly love your mate, please, listen to me..."
Kelsie, lathering her daughter in licks and nuzzles, lifted her head up and shuddered. Again, Pete roared, his body tense and quivering with rage and blood lust.
“I'm armed Kelsie, you know this! He makes a single move towards me – I'll shoot... I don't want to hurt any of you – but I can not allow what he's become..."
“My love," Kelsie stammered, then shuddered and stood up, protectively placing herself in front of Fawnie. “Hear me, my sweet, gentle mate..."
Pete's fur, from tail tip to nape, stood upright as he froze and trembled, glaring towards where he could smell the scent of human...
Human...weak, pathetic, mortal...their flesh and blood will sustain us, provide for our mate and in turn, our fawn... Come the dark thoughts in Pete's trapped mind.
Kelsie shuddered, summoning all her own strength as she walked up – then stood before him, gazing into his ink-black eyes, her own filled with sadness and love, swirling back to their usual brown.
“My love, please, come back to me – I need you... Fawnie needs you..."
Pete's dewlaps curled back, exposing the razor-like teeth, saliva dripping from his fangs and gums as he snarled at her, not seeing his mate anymore – but looking at her like she was meat, warm, blood-filled, and delicious...
“This isn't whom I love more than life itself," Kelsie wept, the tears streaking down her cheeks, washing away the blood in streaks. “Please, my mate, come back to me..."
Pete fought – he struggled, screamed, and railed against the possession that trapped him within his own mind - trapped in a light-less black void, his screams unheard, unfelt, by the Dark Therian who had imprisoned him. He visualized it standing before him, laughing and mocking him; before it seemed to look away - as if bored and uncaring about the human anymore. It was more interested _now _in the prey that cowered before it...
Kelsie swallowed, her ears flat, as she stared at Pete, or what had been Pete...
“Goddess, mother, I beg of you," Kelsie whispered, not taking her eyes off him, holding his gaze by sheer will, Kelsie knew, instinctively, if she faltered for even a second, its fangs would and his fangs would be lodged in her throat. “I never believed, truly, __believed, in you... Spare my beloved, please – I would sacrifice anything to have him back, to feel his warmth, his love, love that I myself, hold in my heart and soul for my one true mate! Grant me this, I beg of you, I will do anything to save the one I love..."
Pete took a single step towards, her, his eyes black, soulless, like those of a shark - then another step - another - closer...
Kelsie stood her ground, her own eyes locked on his – she could smell his breath, feel it on her leathery nose, the rotten, fetid stench of death, blood and abject, heart-stopping cruelty - that wafted from his with each exhalation of his breath.
Kelsie sniffled, then turned her head away, lifting it up and offering her vulnerable throat.
“If you're going to do it – then get it over with - “ Kelsie wailed, her resolve shattering, as she squeezed her eyes tightly closed.
Pete's fangs closed around her neck, the teeth pricking the fur and flesh – the first taste of blood rich with adrenaline...
“Papa...no..." Come a terrified squeal. “No...hurt...mumma..."
TO BE CONTINUED