Dark Valley - Chapter Seventeen -
Story by Cederwyn Whitefurr on SoFurry
Having consumed the very essense of Constable Selene, the Were completely controls her now - and its come down to this, the Enclave Therian's are either dead or scattered, less than a dozen left after the slaughter of their kind - and the township of Curlew Creek is burning and in ruins. Now, the Were faces off agains tthe Alpha Male of the Enclave - but its not going to be as easy as it thinks the fight will be...
Dark Valley
Chapter Seventeen
© Cederwyn Whitefurr
4th March, 2020
All Rights Reserved.
With a feral snarl, the Therian backhanded the human woman, knocking her to the ground where her head hit with a loud thud. As he turned to face the Were, he suddenly screamed as it had covered the distance in a second and to his shock and surprise, it just stood before him, then a smile curled its dewlaps as it laughed with a cruel chuckle.
“Bow down little Joey...submit and I'll make your suffering quick and painless. Or fight...but know you won't win this battle. You are nothing to me – less than nothing – you are a prey species, and I am the ultimate predator..you and yours? You're a mockery of my kind! Oh, hunt a human for pleasure and food? Pah...pathetic..you don't know the first thing...”
As she gloated, he reared back and his hind feet smashed out, connecting solidly on her chin. His sharp talons tore flesh and fur alike, making her howl in pain as she was slammed onto her back by the unexpected kick, her head aching and eyes glazed for a moment, until she shook her head and crept back to her feet.
“Oh, isn't that...adorable...” Snickered the Were, wiping away the blood from her chin. “You think you got what it takes, do you? Come on then Joey...show me...”
She had gone in, expecting a quick, easy fight - having fought many of these Therian's in her years, she knew their strengths and weaknesses...she was wrong, oh so very wrong...
His ears twitched, as he rose up on his toes, paws out and claws curled. Each movement, he countered and kept his eyes glued to hers as they both sought an advantage over the other. Dropping to all fours, she feinted left then right, jaws opening as she slashed at his flank - but found nothing but air, before he twisted and a powerful kick from his hind legs sent her head over tail.
Shaking her head, she crouched out of range and sized up her opponent all over again. His kick had rattled her self-confidence and made her angry and resentful. Knowing this was a weakness, she was a moment too slow as he leapt at her and struggled to grip her with his dark leathery paws.
If he'd managed it, she knew this fight was over - so she slashed out with claw and fang, her teeth tearing at his left forearm and sharp claws tearing across his furred chest - four rivulets of blood oozing through the thick fur. he retreated, giving them both a moment to catch their breath and re-evaluate each others strength and agility.
His wounds were superficial, she knew that and silently respected his strength and resolve. Most prey species couldn't or wouldn't fight for long, but his guttural growls and posture as he crouched before her made her reassess all she had known.
whilst her mind fought itself, demanding a bloody and resolute ending, he moved faster than she expected. Powerful tendons launched him at her, then she yelped in pain as he gripped her neck and squeezed. As she fought to shake him off, he kicked her again, this time a lot harder and the sharp talons tore her open from shoulder to rump before he was finally thrown off her again.
Staggered by his violent and savage attack, she felt warm blood down her back and now, oh now, it was serious. He crouched and glared at her with malevolence and a cunning she had completely missed in her own arrogance. Dropping back to all fours, she began to circle him, watching as he bounced on his toes, body tight and muscles beneath the fur twitching and rippling.
She had his measure now, she was certain of it - but the kick to the head still left her slightly dazed and unfocused. he merely watched, before crouching and flexing those iron-like forearm and upper arm muscles - almost as if trying to intimidate her. It wasn't those muscles she was worried about and...
Again, he leapt, then to her surprise as she twisted, his teeth sank into her shoulder and bit down deep. Sharp canines pierced her muscle and sent shooting agony into her already aching head. He snapped his head back and she shrieked in genuine fear and pain as her left arm went completely limp and lifeless.
He watched her warily, his nostrils flaring as he saw her try to step on that paw, only to snatch it up and a whine escaped her throat. Angrily she stood on her hind legs, which he did as well – revealing they were almost the same height after all. He growled at her and she growled right back, before dashing to the left then in a blur, spun right, her fangs flashing and gripping him on the back of the right leg. Her teeth sunk to the bone and he screamed before doing something she never expected – he kicked backwards...
Barely, she released him and went for the other leg, once again biting deep and feeling him stagger – but not fall. He twisted, his thick tail bludgeoning her and sending her rolling again, but she leapt back to her feet and charged him again. He was slower – much slower – she sensed she'd done more harm than she first thought and this gave her an advantage she could potentially exploit.
Her own reflexes ailed her, as he slashed at her with his sharp claws, slicing through the thin fur on her muzzle and to the bone. With a loud yelp, she snapped at his arm and missed – her jaws gnashing with the power to shatter bone. Quickly, she leapt away and shook her head, her vision momentarily blurring before her golden eyes narrowed into slits behind her lids and a low, menacing growl emanated from deep in her chest.
She was through playing games with this overgrown joey...
He twitched, a momentary motion her sharpened senses didn't miss. He favoured the leg she had first bitten, so she targeted it again, dashing around and behind him as he grunted and twisted, only to find her behind him again and again. Frustrated, he kept twisting about, until she broke the hypnotic pattern and darted the other way...
He fell for it...
Her teeth sank through fur, flesh and finally to bone about three-quarters the way up his thick muscular tail and she bit down with everything she had. Unable to reach her, he screamed and fought until she felt the satisfying crack of splintering bones and she danced away again. Racing around to his front, she feinted at him, causing him to slash at her again with his claws.
He should have realised this was a fight he could not win, but his own arrogance and rage fuelled him and gave him strength, just as it did her. Just out of range, she gave him a wolfish grin, her bloodied tongue lolling from the corner of her muzzle.
"I'm...finished playing with you..." She panted, exhausted, hurting and feeling the blood from her numerous wounds wreaking her strength and resolve.
He stood upright, the visible flinch from him unmistakable, before he crouched slightly and quivered expectantly. He wasn't done – sure, she'd taken her licks, but he too was weak and near exhaustion.
He did the unexpected...
It was his last mistake...
Leaping at her, he telegraphed the movement and she stepped away, before he landed awkwardly and his legs buckled and he fell to the ground. Seizing her opportunity, she leapt on his back and wrapped her arm around his chest, using it to hold on before she titled her head to the side and her jaws clamped around his neck.
He lay like a deer who know the end was upon them, his body broken, bloodied and beaten, he twitched and coughed once – before she bit down hard. Blood gushed as her teeth sheared through both carotid and jugular, spurting the hot salty liquid down her throat. Revelling in the taste of the adrenaline laden blood she bit down harder and felt his vertebrae crack under the merciless pressure. With a sharp snap of her head, she felt two of them pop and his death convulsions seized him as life fled.
*
After the battle and its wounds had mostly healed; it returned to its former home one last time. Beast that it had become, it no longer felt any attachment or even sentimentality for the worldly possessions of its once human self.
It was not completely oblivious, as it pondered the ramifications that would befall this town.
Ramifications and consequences it understood well. These were human thoughts - human problems - they existed only as cattle, they were beneath the Were's contempt.
Yet one more piece remained to truly satiate its victory. As it prowled on all fours through the house, it smiled as it found the bedroom. Tearing the cupboard door from its hinges, it stared at the clean, crisp uniform and its smile grew wider.
Perfect...
For how better to hide, than in plain sight?
*
Selene crouched, her trousers getting dirt and debris on them, as she lifted up the unconscious human in her arms and carried her over, then sat her in the back of the Police Cruiser. Carefully, she drove out of Curlew Creek, then paused on the hill just outside of town and got out.
Looking back over the still burning township, it literally looked like a war zone. Buildings had either exploded or collapsed in on themselves, Selene didn't need to imagine the carnage that had all but wiped the town off the face of the earth – she had seen it for herself...
Black robed bodies twisted and broken, humans – innocents and Hunters alike, blood running down gutters like rain water, viscera that made it look like a slaughter house...
A weak moan from the rear of the cruiser snapped her out of her melancholic thoughts and she got back behind the wheel and drove out of town, vowing to never return to this place. As she passed down the road then around the winding curve that had started all this, the woman in the back seat shuddered and glanced over her shoulder at the receding town.
“Its over...the nightmare is finally over...”
Selene glanced in the rear view mirror, her eyes taking on a golden tinge, before a cruel, predatory gaze glance back at her and she whispered too soft for the woman to hear...
“No...it's only just begun...”
END