The Lycanthrope Tails. Chapter Seven.
The Lycanthrope Tails
Chapter Seven
By Roofles
Jared cut his hand on the lock, cursing loudly as he looked at the blood. "Damnit all!" He practically shouted as he slammed his hand against the bars of the cage they were trapped in. He rested his head against them the next second, cursing and trying to figure out how he even got into this situation to begin with. The pain in his hand only fueled his anger on the matter.
Not even a week ago he was an ordinary, average college student just trying to get by, pay the bills and make sure there was food on the table. He had friends, family and was just "living the dream." And now? Now he was locked up in a cage with a dying wolf, another wolf was coming for his head he was sure. Then there were these crazy fanatics that would burn down a whole forest! Just in hopes of getting these beasts.
It was hard for Jared to see who was the real monster here. So he took the safe route and assume both were.
The lock was busted, it had teeth marks all over it and Jared manage to get a finger inside the contraption. Still it remained firmly lock despite all this. Be it the other prisoner behind the man that had done the damage or something else, it hadn't been able to finish the job. And Jared was still just a human in the end. It was about to fall apart in his very hands but needed another push that he wasn't sure he could offer.
"Give up," Jared heard a voice behind him and saw Frostbite, the silver fur wolf, looking at him with large sullen eyes. His very face looked sunk in and large bags hung under each one of those dimly lit amber eyes. The wolf coughed some more, blood trickling down it's chin. It only reaffirmed Jared's resolve on the matter.
"No." And he turned towards the wolf. "I will not just sit here and...and wait for death to come! We," and he slapped a hand to his chest looking at the wolf. "Are getting out of here!" Jared was shaking a bit and Frostbite could see the fear in his eyes, hidden under that layer of determination.
"It's pointless." The wolf just groaned turning it's head to rest on one side, those amber eyes turned away. "We're already dead."
"Not yet!" Jared pressed taking a step forward. He was breathing heavily, looking at the injured animal. "Please," Jared whispered now and Frostbite ignored him. "Please, I need your help. I don't think I can do this alone." His face fell for a second. He didn't get a reply, so he turned away. It took him far greater effort than it should have to take another slow steady breath and, strengthening his resolve on the matter, clenched his hands into fist walked back over to lock. Jared would beat it open with bloody knuckles if that's what it needed to take.
Jared looked at the lock trying to make heads or tail of it. To see if it was actually broken or just damaged. A simple padlock was the only thing stopping him from getting out of here and to his freedom. He turned it over a few times before giving it another tug, frowning at the key shaped hole underneath it.
"There's a key on the table." Frostbite said from behind him once more, in no more than a bored whisper. "That female liked to taunt me by keeping it close and yet out of reach." Frostbite just grumbled looking off and all but ignoring the man after.
"Perfect!" Jared nearly shouted turning around. "I could kiss you." Frostbite gave him a look at that. "I won't," Jared raised both hands and laughed. "But this is perfect!" And he spun back around looking around until spying the table the wolf had mentioned. It was more of a wooden crate than a table but Jared spied the key in question. "Now just how to reach it." He muttered under his breath and adjusted the belt around his waist.
Outside another explosion rang as a tripwire was sprung.
Dakota danced around each one, using only the very tip of his tail to set them off as he weaved through the forest. A shot rang out and the ground beneath his feet jumped as a bullet lodged into it. Dakota was already moving between the trees once more as another two shots sounded from one of the upper windows of the steel mill. Each missing by no more than a hair's breath.
"Reload." Mary just said spinning the hunting rifle around and over to Benjamin before taking the one he handed to her. Benjamin was already loading the first gun as Mary set her sights on the russet red fur wolf. "Something that large shouldn't be that quick." Mary grumbled but couldn't contain the smile on her face.
Dakota flowed between the trees like raging stream of red fur, rushing fast and faster as his heavy paws pounded against the earth and his breaths filled the air. Bounding onto the side of a tilted tree the large wolf leap over the chain link fence surrounding the mill and into the yard. He soared into the air as another shot rang out, whizzing past his cheek.
Just as his large front paws hit the ground, Dakota spun his body around with the impact and with the same movement pushed himself back, jumping several feet away. The ground where he had stood began to beep softly before the earth detonated and the mine exploded in a field of shrapnel. Dakota moved just in time behind several wooden slabs as it soon became skewered with tiny bits of metal nails, each one tipped with a silver head.
Another shot rang out, clipping him on the shoulder. It tore through his thick hide and out the other end, taking a large chunk of fur with it. Dakota barely flinched, snarling from the pain and kept moving. He knew the open yard of the steel mill would be the most challenging. Out in the forest he was at home, able to use the trees as cover. It was his domain. Now he only had a few things left to hide behind out here in the open. After the mill had closed everything not bolted down was stripped clean, leaving only a few bundles of wood, crates and cement blocks haphazardly scattered about. Dakota had little to keep himself from being turned into Swiss cheese. His size now was working against him as he dropped to his belly as another shot rang out just above him.
The bullets weren't civilian issued and had a lot more impact than a normal hunting rifle would. They were something, like the rifle itself, that had been modified into an illegal weapon that only the military had access too. You took an elephant gun to hunt elephants. So you would need something even bigger for hunting a werewolf.
The wolf waited, laying down behind what little cover he could, ears up and listening for that one sound. Dakota droned everything else out as he listened. Another shot rang out, his ear not even flinching as a bullet whizzed past.
"Four." The large wolf muttered just as the cinder block next to his head burst from another shot. "Five." And with a final twin shot the wolf counted. "Six. Seven."
And on the Seventh Dakota spun his head around as he bolted towards the side, not heading for the central entrance he was sure was booby trapped as the rest of the yard and forest had been. He surveyed the whole yard, mapping everything out in his mind as he zig zagged back and forth, taking everything in within a fraction of a second. Using every single piece of cover he could with erratic movements that were unpredictable even to his own mind.
Mary could only curse as the second she tried to exchange guns the wolf had moved. In her panic to get another shot, the wolf had taken cover once more. She blindly fired at him in a fit of rage, showing her pearly white teeth. Rattling shots after shots as the wolf wormed his way out of her sights.
It was a large, crude, run down building this steel mill. It had a central warehouse next to the factory itself. Chimney pipes stuck up along the factory, next to the foundry. The whole building had been shut down for ages and still the place stunk of the machines as if they were still running. It made things hard to pin point the location of the man, Dakota found as he circled around the building out of the line of sight from Mary's rifle. It didn't stop her from firing until the gun was empty.
The rifle clicked several times as Mary kept trying to fire the empty weapon. She cursed loudly, shrieking like a banshee as she flung herself along the rafters, whipping the knife out from her side. With a crossbow in her other hand she jumped from the upper rafter to the top of several stacked crates, then down onto the floor of the warehouse. Ben lagged behind trying to keep up and carry the weapons with him at the same time.
The windows didn't have glass Dakota found as he trotted along the side of the building still sniffing the air; most of them didn't even have wood or other forms of protection from the elements or looters. In his case, Dakota was the second as he tried to worm his fat ass into the window.
"Got to be fucking kidding me." Dakota grunted, pushing against the inner wall with both front paws as he wiggled his hips and rear that had gotten stuck in the window. He grunted again, trying to pull himself through. His fat ass was stuck however.
Clenching the wall with his fingers, his shoulders snapped, bending and reforming from the wolf shape into something far more humanoid. With long clawed fingers and a mangy tail. His chest was just as large as it had been before, yet his body was elongated and his legs were far more human even if his feet were that of an animal. As if someone had indeed attempted to smash a human and wolf together. Dakota stood up inside the warehouse on his hind legs, hunched slightly as he tilted his nose upwards and sniffed at the air.
Sniffing at the air, he wrinkled his nose from the smell of the steel mill. It was going to be hard to pin point the location within this place. His ears jumped to attention, swiveling up towards the rafters. He could hear the two hunters coming his way. The silence around him only amplifying the sound of their hastened footsteps. First thing first, he needed to find the man. To make sure he was alright before he sunk his claws into those responsible.
His chest thundered as his rage weld inside him like a furnace about to explode, jaws clenching so tightly his gums began to bleed a bit. It was his fault that Jared was caught. Instead of going to the pack meeting he should have stayed, watched out for the hunters. Dakota knew they were around and yet still he abandoned the man, leaving Jared behind and alone. Never once did Dakota think that he was the one responsible for bringing Jared into this mess. Such thoughts were void from him now as he dropped to all fours, hunched over and began tracing the scent into the very back corner of the mill.
Jared was on the other side of the building, still attempting to drag the key over towards him. Using his belt and one of his shoes he tossed it over towards the key that had been knocked onto the floor with his last attempt. The opening of the shoe landed on top of the key and he dragged it a couple of inches closer before the shoe tipped to the side and released the key underneath.
"Slow and steady wins the race." Jared muttered to himself in an attempt from screaming in frustration. He still found himself hitting his head against the bars despite his best efforts to control himself. "This. Is. Not. Working. As. Planned." He huffed pulling his shoe back in before attempting once more. He shuddered at the cold air around them and shivered, wondering how much time he had left.
Frostbite continued to watch the man struggle. Time and time again failing. Cursing loudly, hitting the cage before going back to attempting the feat.
"It's hopeless." The wolf finally said after Jared failed once more. The man had gotten onto his knees, stretching out his arms between the bars and was desperately trying to grab the key just out of reach. The bars pinched at his bicep and hurt his shoulder as the man tried to stretch his fingers beyond their normal limits. Jared's finger brushed just the edge of the key, before he managed to get the very tip of his nail into the opening and pulling it closer. Jared was glad he had forgotten to cut his nails the other day.
"Hah!" Jared laughed picking up the key and moving over to the lock. He forced it in and began jiggling it around. "See! Nothing's hopeless. I totally got this." And he fussed with the key. Twisting it one way. Then the other. Then turning it around and trying again. "The hell..." Jared muttered, his face falling even if he still breathed heavily. He looked at the key trying to figure out what the hell was wrong.
"I figured." Frostbite sighed heavily, with a groan. "It was a fake this whole time. This whole time." Frostbite muttered just slumping over and finally giving up. "There is no hope."
Jared looked at the wolf, eye twitching. "Holy fuck! You pessimistic...canine!" Jared took a step closer before bumping his foot into something on the ground, stubbing his toe on it. A metal tin that was in fact a dog bowl or something crude enough to resemble one lay right next to the wolf's head. Jared eye twitched once more as he looked down at the thing. With a frustrated cry he picked it up with both hands, spun around and ran back over and began bashing it against the lock.
"Why. Won't. You. Open!" And with a snap the lock popped open. Jared looked down in disbelief as the metal bar cracked and fell apart from one of the large teeth marks embedded into it's side. Then he giggled in a high voice just staring at it for several seconds. "Hah," he spun back around. "In your stupid face! I got it open!" Jared was smiling, beaming happily. The wolf didn't even look at him. The man lowered his voice looking at the wolf that had fallen deathly silent. "Frostbite? Come on now, it's not funny." He pulled the lock off and kicked the door open before heading back over towards the wolf. "See. It's open. Come on, we can get out of here."
The wolf didn't budge.
"Frost," Jared looked over his shoulder towards the exit. His feet ached, begging him to run. To escape this place. To forget this animal and get out of here while he had the chance too.
"Go on, pup." The old silver fur wolf opened it's eyes slowly, looking up at him. "It's over for me. Get out of here before they come back. Before the Fang can get you." Frostbite's voice faded as he spoke, dying down until it was nothing more than a breath of air. "It's too late for me."
"Like hell," Jared just marched his butt over and reached through the bars, trying to grab a non-bloody part of his fur and gave it a tug as if attempting to pull him through the bars themselves. "We can get out of here, together. And then... then... we can get you a nice bath. Make your fur all nice and fluffy again!" Jared laughed softly, looking at the wolf and pleading with his eyes. "Get you all fixed up, find you a nice lady friend maybe? A-and some warm food in your belly. Yeah, that first. And beer! Beer makes everything better!" Jared said frantically trying to think of anything that might bring back the life to those fogged over eyes.
Frostbite just looked at him.
"And then you can go and sire a bunch of little puppies and just... just... I don't know! You can't just die here. Not yet. Not here. Not like this." Jared shook now, looking down unable to meet those dull amber eyes.
"Why would you even care..." Frostbite spoke and it sounded like his throat had become sandpaper.
"I-I...." Jared stopped at that. Frowning, bowing his head a bit more until his chin rested on his chest and clenching his hands into fist still holding the thick coat of silver fur. "I don't know. I just can't stand this. To see you, anyone in such a condition. And I can't leave you like this." He shook his head.
Frostbite stared at the man, this human, weeping over him. It was almost amusing, if it wasn't so sad. "Look at me." The wolf croaked. "My time has come. I will only slow you down." And Frostbite tried to sit up a bit. "And whose to say I won't just bite off your head the second I get out of here." And he did chuckle at that.
"That's true." Jared laughed as he let go, standing up. He looked the cage over trying to figure out how to open it. "But I'd taste like shit." And he shrugged. "I'm sure a wolf like you has far better taste than that.
That got a throaty chuckle from Frostbite.
"Here." Jared said finding the water dish and offering it to him. "Get a drink before I figure out how to open this fucking thing." The man reached up through the top bars and blindly searched until he found the latch. Thankfully this time only a metal stake kept it in place and he just had to pull it out. He kept it as he opened the dividing section. A part of him hesitated, it was as if he were walking into a wild animal cage at the zoo. He swallowed his fear and shook his head, knowing already Frostbite wasn't in any real position to threaten him as it was. Still an injured animal was always more dangerous. "There the cage is open. Let's get out of here."
Frostbite slowly opened his eyes once more to look over at him. "You won't leave this be, will you?" And the wolf slowly forced itself up onto it's feet. "How annoying." And he wavered, Jared moving over to help the best he could. "Bothersome. How bothersome." Frostbite just muttered as Jared did his best to help him out. "Such an annoying human you are."
The wolf lumbered forward, resting most his weight on the struggle man who was attempting to help him out. They didn't even get two feet out of the cage before Frostbite front right leg buckled and he fell face first onto the ground.
"Frostbite," Jared said dropping down with and trying to see if he was ok. Half the silver fur of the wolf's face was missing it's fur, bloody and bruised and the eye couldn't even open fully. "We made it out of the cage!" He said hopefully crouching down next to the canine. "They must have come in something, a vehicle. If we can find it, get you in it, I can drive us out of here. I know a place where we can get you all better. S-So, come on." Jared said shaking the wolf who had closed his eyes.
Frostbite struggled a bit more but only ended up falling back down.
"Come on!" Jared begged trying to lift up his head now with both hands.
"It's fine, now." Frostbite whispered looking back at the cage. "I got out." And Frostbite rested his head at that, resting his massive head against the man's chest and in his arms. "I'm finally out." And for a second Jared thought he saw a tear run down the silver wolf's face.
Jared hugged his head, still shaking.
Dakota wasn't far away and he could hear the noise, commotion coming from the corner the cage had been stashed in. Even before he could round the corner his body stopped on pure instinct and he found himself darting to the side. Just in time as several metal bolts stuck into the ground.
Mary loaded another bundle into the crossbow and pointed it forward.
"It ends here, mutt." She scowled at first before her frown twisted into a smile and she laughed. "I was worried that once the hunt was over it would lose it's fun. It only got better though."
Dakota stopped, moving his head over towards her to just stare at the woman. His ears jumped up, moving around and detected her partner still lagging far behind. In close quarters like this, he was the one with the advantage. The machines around them, with the crates and assembly lines were all in his favor. The narrow walk ways and dark shadows would work for Dakota. The wolf could make sure she didn't have a good shot on her and once he closed the distance between them...
He moved, darting around one of the large machines even before Mary could say another word, looping around on heavy but silent footsteps. Instead of just circling around he ducked down and pushed himself between the track and up and over it. Dakota lifted up one hand, claws extending as he brought it down where he sensed she was able to smell her scent and hear the pounding of her heart.
Mary was ready and instead of trying to find a clean shot, she unleashed a shot gun round of bolts that exploded in a field of shrapnel in front of her. Dakota was forced back using both arms to shield himself, it cut up each one badly. And she laughed.
Tossing the empty crossbow to the side, Mary snagged something inside her jacket. Pulling out the grenade, she pulled the pin out with her teeth and with a kiss tossed the grenade after the retreating wolf. She moved back the second she let go of it, seeking cover just in time as the explosion detonated.
Dakota cursed, growling as he moved away. The explosion had clipped his shoulder, searing both fur and flesh alike. The smell hit his nostrils like a punch in the face. Forcing himself to ignore the pain, he looped around on all fours. His shoulder already beginning to heal itself. Fire however was one of those lethal things, even to a werewolf.
And Mary knew that as Dakota rounded the corner to face her once more.
The woman had moved into a large opening within the factory away from the left over crates and machines. Standing in the open Dakota had no choice but to move out into the open to meet her. He couldn't sneak around or attack from the shadows. Instead he would meet her face on. His golden bronze eyes were already looking her over and he found himself smirking.
"You seem to be out of toys." He chuckled darkly, still he kept his distance as he walked in a slow circle around her.
"We don't exactly have the largest of budgets." Mary replied with a shrug. She spun the knife around in her hand and crouched down a bit. "All I need, is something to cut you up with." And to Dakota surprise the much smaller woman charged him in a full sprint.
He was quicker than she was and yet some part of him hesitated as his fur stood on end and eyes widen. A primal fear taking hold of him right before that jagged knife swung around and nicked his side. Dakota managed to pull back just in time from having it sunk into his side. She was planning on taking his attack in order to plunge that dagger into his side.
She's crazy, Dakota realized only too late as he found himself stumbling backwards, holding his side with one hand. That strange dagger had only cut the very edge of his thick hide and yet it burned, stinging so badly that it felt as if she had just taken a hatchet to his side. He coughed a bit, eyes widening as his vision became blurry.
"Tsk, tsk." Mary wagged a finger at him. "And here I was hoping we could play a little longer." She looked away from him and down at the dagger. "This is a funny thing. A single cut is all it takes." And she looked up at him. "I was hoping you wouldn't be so easy after the long hunt. Maybe it took it's toll on you." She teased, mocking him and pointing the dagger at his still wounded thigh.
Dakota snarled at her moving quickly and swiping out at her. His fingers dug into her face before slipping through and her very body seeming to vanish in a poof of smoke. The wolf found himself nearly falling over as his legs began to shake, bracing himself with a hand he breathed heavier and heavier holding the side of his face with his other hand.
"Hallucinations are the first thing to happen." He could hear her voice. She was out of reach, hiding now within the fog that had fallen around him. It was as if the very shadows were growing larger. The air itself was stifling. "Numbness of the limbs comes next."
Dakota whipped his head towards the sound, his ears moving with him and pin point the rough location she was in. He could barely see a thing and panic was gripping him like an anaconda, slowly tightening its hold over him, crushing him as the wound on his side burned.
Grabbing whatever he could, Dakota chucked the item at the location he heard her voice. A quick shuffle of footsteps told him he had at least some sense of where she was. Even if his eyes were failing him his other senses could still pick her out.
"Impressive." That voice began to echo around him. "Even a bull elephant would have succumb to the poison of this blade by now."
"The hell is that thing." Dakota growled, baring his teeth. He wasn't actually wondering what it was. The russet red fur wolf was baiting her. She seemed to love to talk and with his vision failing him, he could use her very voice to find her. After all, she was only human. A single swipe or bite and it would be the end of her.
"Once upon a time there was a man named Jack." Mary song softly walking around, staying a good ten feet away and keeping an eye on the wolf. "Jack loved women. Women didn't love Jack. So Jack cut them up, real good." And she licked the back of the knife, tasting the cold steel on her lips. "Some say the knife is what made Jack go crazy. Others say it was Jack... who made the knife go crazy."
"Cute." Dakota gave a crude laugh. And with that snatched a metal pipe from the ground and flung it at where she was.
There was a shriek as Mary dove to the side, the metal pipe smashing against the pillar she had been hiding behind. She fell hard to the ground, and barely got enough time to look up as Dakota reared over her, lifting up one arm high, claws menacing in the lights of windows, before they came slashing down.
A shot sounded and Dakota's arm jerked as a bullet went in one side and out the other. He snarled quickly spinning around to face Benjamin who had finally caught up. Using one arm the large man kept the gun up trained at him.
Dakota's vision still wavered, drifting in and out of focus. Instead he listened, using his ears and sense of smell to lock onto his position. Focusing on the strong smell of gunpowder to track the man.
It gave Mary enough time to scramble to her feet and move away. So Dakota let her, walking over towards the man who was backing away, in slow powerful steps as he rocked his neck back and forth.
"Funny," Dakota said his eyes glazed over. He just closed them as he stood up fully, towering even over the Six Five German man. "It's hard to reload a hunting rifle with only one arm." And a crude grin spread over the wolf's face as he lunged forward, ducking down underneath the gun Benjamin swung at him (the end of which was bladed), and using his full body Dakota tackled the man into the wall of the building. Pushing him hard into it until he heard the satisfying sound of his ribs breaking.
Dakota didn't leave it with that and gave him a good fist slap to the man's face, using his other hand to punch him to the ground, just in time to bring his knee up into his stomach. Benjamin could only gasp as his whole body gave out and he fell over onto Dakota's arm.
The werewolf picked him up with one hand and flung him to the side like a rag doll, turning around the face the major threat here. The bone and flesh of his arm already healing back to normal.
Dakota could make out shapes as he opened his eyes, his body already healing the strange drug that had taken hold of his mind. The room still appeared far too dark for morning. The air itself seemed to be foggy and even though there was only one other hunter his mind kept showing him things moving in every corner, in every shadow as it feared the touch of that blade once more.
Dakota lifted his hand up and opening his muzzle wide, snapped his jaws over his arm. He could taste the iron of his blood, the very taste of it making his pupils dilate as a blood lust began to take him. His muzzle parted once more and his teeth were stain in blood that dripped down his muzzle like saliva. He grinned widely at the high.
"I won't go down so easily!" Mary shouted at him her eyes darting to her fallen partner before back to the werewolf. "A monster like you can't win! W-we're the good guys here." She stammered now. "Your nothing more than a killer, a mindless beast." And Mary reached up with her free hand to touch the wound on her face. It ached and the pain only made her madder.
"I can smell your fear." Was all Dakota said as he dropped down and rushed forward, claws tearing at the very cement ground under them.
Dakota swiped his hands through the visions that plagued his mind, that swarmed him from all angles; letting his rage take over and guide him into a frenzy. Slashing and clawing at everything until he found the right one.
Mary barely managed to move away as his claws lashed out. She spun the knife in hand and gave a swipe herself with the jagged blade. Dakota moved out of the way, unsure why he could focus so clearly on the weapon even if he couldn't on the woman holding it. It was as if she were standing behind stained glass and yet that knife was out in the open.
The two danced around the room each taking shots at each other, and each dodging them by only a few inches. It was the fact both were weary of the other that they didn't just sink tooth and nail into one another. That strange cursed knife made Dakota feel sick to his stomach and he never took his eyes off it.
Each time Mary swung it, the knife itself seemed to guide her strikes seeking out his very flesh it hungered for. It weaved and song through the air as Dakota was forced back as Mary gave a series of long arm attacks. The blade itself seemed to have grown in length as a madness filled her eyes.
And she laughed.
Laughed uncontrollably as she moved closer and closer to the wolf who backed away. Dakota wasn't watching her but that knife as it twisted in the air. It was as if it were the only light in the room and all Dakota could do was stay out of reach. It was the real opponent here, the real if only threat.
The werewolf easily got a few good shots on the woman, cutting up her arms and shoulders good. Even as the blood ran down her chest, Mary didn't hesitate for a second as she just kept up the assault. As if she couldn't even feel the pain and the look in her eyes told Dakota how much she had lost it.
Dakota moved back as she lunged once more at him. He skidded back on the tip of his toes, using one hand to slow himself down. He looked up at her and could finally make her out as the veil lifted from his eyes.
Mary was once a beautiful woman. Breathtakingly stunning with olive skin and golden white hair that cascaded down her shoulders. She wasn't anything what she had been before. Her face was sunken in like the dead and large bags hung under each eye. She seemed frail, nothing more than skin and bones now. Her hair was a mess. And the look in her eyes were something Dakota was used to seeing.
Hatred masking a pure primal fear that made her face look sheet white.
"It's only just beginning." Mary laughed, a dry hollow sound now like wind blowing through empty bones. She stuffed her hand between her breasts and pulled out a small metal device. She spun it around, flipping up the end of it and hovered her thumb above the red button. "London bridges, falling down. Falling down." And she pushed the button. "Falling down."
Dakota wasn't aware of what it was until she pushed the button and the whole building shook as dozens of plastic explosives went off. The ground quaked and one of the support beams caved in. Smoke already began to billow out of the windows as everything lit up as flames engulfed the building.
"Now the stage is set." And she tossed the detonator aside, stripping the heavy leather coat off her shoulders as well, letting it fall where it may. "And you can't escape me again."
"I didn't plan too." Dakota replied in a dry tone. He wasn't looking at her but staring off into the corner he had been heading too. His eyes drifted back to the woman as he finished. "Not without your head." And the wolf's threat made Mary attack him once more.
"You think your such hot stuff?" She laughed swinging the blade wildly, without control as she lashed out. Dakota side stepped the first attack and then the second. "I'm going to peel the flesh from your bones!"
Using his foot, Dakota kicked up dirt and small shavings of metal up off the ground and into Mary's face. She pulled back finally at that trying to wipe them off her face and swung blindly around her. Dakota shot out his hand, grabbing her wrist and with a simple twist broke it in his fingers. Mary cried out, dropping the dagger as Dakota looked down at her, tightening his grip on her wrist until she fell to her knees.
Dakota didn't even say a word as he lifted her up off the ground with his hand, not finding a need too. Get her talking, have her lose herself in it. That's how humans fight. In the end it was just another unneeded distraction during a life and death struggle.
Still holding her wrist, Dakota swung her body around and onto the ground, watching as it went limp. He snorted and let go, turning away from her and headed in the direction the cage was in.
"It doesn't end here." Mary coughed, trying to glare up at him. Dakota stopped but didn't turn around. "More will come. Dozens! They'll track you down, find you and burn you alive!" And she laughed at that as the wolf just walked away into the building smoke of the fire.
Jared had taken cover against Frostbite as the first explosion sounded and rubble was thrown over head, littering them both in debris. He hugged the wolf's side as everything around them shook and a thick, choking smoke filled the air blacker than night itself.
"Ok," Jared coughed covering his mouth with an arm. "Now we really have to get out of here." And he didn't care as he grabbed the back of the silver fur wolf's neck and gave it a strong tug.
Frostbite grunted but didn't budge.
"It's hopeless, no point." Frostbite managed to groan as he kept his eyes closed.
"I know that!" Jared just said forcefully in his face, lifting his head up until the wolf had to look at him. "I know." He said softer now looking into those amber eyes. "Years ago, I was in the same situation. There was a horrible car accident, me and my sister barely made it out alive. My parents didn't." And Jared went silent for a moment. "I broke my femur bad. Cracked it in two. They had to install a metal bar into it.
"It took months of hard physical labor before I could even walk on it again." Jared said breathing heavily, he coughed a few times as the room jumped in several degrees as the fires began to rage around them. He knew he should have kept low to the ground but he didn't, still trying to get Frostbite to move. "But it got better! Things. Do get better." Jared coughed some more, his eyes beginning to water from the stinging smoke. "Life does get better."
Jared coughed some more, letting go of the wolf and resting down on his knees. He fell to all fours, still covering his mouth as he coughed.
"Boy?" Frostbite sat up a bit, nudging Jared side with his nose. The man fell down and didn't move. "Boy!" The wolf snarled giving him another powerful nudge, shoving him onto his side. He could see Jared had passed out from the smoke, standing in it while trying to rouse the wolf. "Dumb fool!" Frostbite snarled, clenching his jaw tightly as he stood back up onto all four. "Stupid, stupid child." Frostbite bent down, planning on biting the edge of his shirt and drag him out if he had too.
Just then Dakota walked into view and Frostbite froze looking up at the Red Fang.
Dakota looked over the scene. Jared was on the ground, not moving and Frostbite had his muzzle open just above his head.
The silver fur wolf took a step back as Dakota took a step forward.
"Red Fang." Frostbite said, eyes widening. He clenched his jaw once more and took a step forward to meet the russet red fur werewolf. "I-I won't let you hurt him." The wolf stammered a bit, huffing heavily and moving his large body over the man. "I don't care what the alpha said! He doesn't deserve to die." Frostbite winced in pain as his wound continued to fester, his legs shaking but he remained his ground as Dakota closed the distance between them.
Dakota wasn't even looking at the wolf, just staring down at the man. Even before Frostbite could open his mouth once more a hand smacked the side of his face, knocking him to the side and off the man. Dakota crouched down to pick Jared up, ignoring the other wolf's whimpers of pain.
"Frostbite," Jared managed to choke out, still coughing with closed eyes. He grabbed at Dakota's chest, feeling the fur of it. "Please." He begged, coughing loudly.
Dakota stared down at him, into that face then over at the wolf. "What did you do to him?" And Dakota bared his teeth now, hackles rising up and eyes widening in fury.
"Nothing." Frostbite choked out, still resting on his side. He looked at the two and his ears fell back. He rested his head down. "Nothing at all." And the wolf went silent for a few seconds. "So long as he's safe, it doesn't matter."
Dakota could care less, just planning on leaving the wolf there to die within the flames. But at seeing Jared face once more, a thought occurred to him. If Frostbite had protected Jared then he didn't deserve to be burned alive.
"We can't leave him." Dakota ears jumped up as he looked at the man in his arms. His ears folded back and his fur rested back down.
Dakota didn't say a word as he grabbed one of Frostbite's hind legs and dragged him out of the building behind him as he went out one of the back exits, the truck loading bay. Dakota left Frostbite half way out the exit as he set Jared down on the ground, looking him over to make sure he wasn't injured more than smoke inhalation.
Jared turned over, coughing some more and Dakota rubbed his back silently.
"Will he..." Frostbite huffed. "Be ok?" The silver wolf asked not taking his eyes off the Red Fang.
Dakota didn't reply, at first. "He'll be fine." The wolf said standing up and looking over at the building. Smoke continued to churn from the top of it as the walls were devoured by flames. His ears jumped up as he heard the sound of a truck start up, and then a loud crash on the other side as the vehicle broke free of the building and out onto the open rode.
"What now?" Frostbite dared to ask hearing the same sound of the car. "Will you chase after them?" The silver wolf chuckled already knowing the answer.
"No." Dakota replied bending down next to Jared. "Never again." He muttered only to himself.
Frostbite looked over with wide eyes. "Impossible." Was all he could say as he fell back down. "The fang... can't not chase prey." He muttered watching the werewolf now. And at the man he was taking care of, never in his life had he known Dakota to be so gentle with anyone before.
"Tell anyone about any of this and I'll kill you myself." Dakota said looking over at Frostbite. "Not even the alpha." The wolf just finished with staring down at the man still in his arms.