The Familiar || ONC 2022

Chapter 5

Blood matted the fur surrounding the gashes on his side, but Mordecai wasn't the only one sporting wounds. The twins' bodies were covered in marks, some healed and others fresh. They circled and provoked endlessly, taunting one another into trading blows and attacks. The afternoon sun quickly gave way to evening as the long nights of the north were still in season.

It was hard to say who had more to lose. Mordecai's freedom was at stake but so was Maximilian's standing. In terms of strength and viciousness they were both matched.

Mordecai sensed his brother from behind and crouched before whirling with a snapping jaw. Claws shredded the skin along his spine. The last maneuver cost them both; Maximilian was missing a chunk of his hind leg. They circled each other once again, exhausted but neither willing to give in.

Had enough brother? Max taunted as he limped to the side.

I could ask you the same. Mordecai answered with confidence. Without an equal to train with for four years and no wilderness to keep Maximilian sharp, it was clear who would have the upper hand if they prolonged the fight.

Maximilian was staggering after another twenty minutes, and Mordecai saw his chance when his elder brother stumbled on the red stained snow. He pounced as a shrill scream pierced the frigid air.

The scream belonged to a woman.

The sound made the younger twin pause mid-strike, every fiber of his being attuned to the noise. His body body filled with dread and paralyzing electricity at the same time.

The beast inside of him instantly turned tail with a desperation Mordecai had never sensed before. The dark grey wolf hurtled toward the sound, leaving his back open.

Max took his chance, tackling his twin's wolf into the ground with fanged jaws above his neck. Yield, brother.

Mordecai snarled in frustration as he tried to wriggle out from under the weight of his twin. Damnit Max, I yield. Get off me. Do you not hear that scream?

It was human. It is better to let nature take its course than expose ourselves by interfereing.

Every cell in Mordecai's body disagreed. The moment Max released his weight the younger twin took off like a comet. He couldn't explain why, but his soul was in torture after hearing that sound.

Humans rarely, if ever came this far out into the wilds. The land and weather were too treacherous for most to endure without reason. The possible harrowing causes of the scream sent Mordecai's imagination into overdrive.

He burst from the tree line onto the banks of the river. He snarled as the faint smell of decay burned his nose. Vampires. He told Max, though neither of them had ever crossed a bloodsucker in person before.

Something was definitely off with this encounter. Vampires would certainly never travel this far away from their main food source without a reason.

There were three of them, two men and one woman, all standing around a much smaller figure crumpled on the ground. Another body lay face down next to an overturned snow mobile, rations and equipment scattered behind.

Wait! Mordecai barely heard his brother as the blood roared in his ears.

The pale creatures had no time to react as he hurtled himself in the middle of their group. Had he been thinking rationally, Mordecai would have known better than to take on three creatures of the night while injured.

Controlled by a protective instinct he didn't even understand, Mordecai landed squarely over the human. His claws scraped on the exposed shale. A low growl erupted from his chest as the vampires surrounded him.