The Wolves and the White Bird

03. The Hunted

Cora felt so nice and warm. It was a change from the constant cold that seeped deep into her bones. As the fog across her brain lifted, voices floated in the air and she felt the slight jostling of her body. Up and down. Up and down.

"What happened?" said the voice of a man she didn't recognise.

"She... healed me," came a smooth deep voice that would have had her legs feeling like jelly if she was standing on them. However, she wasn't standing. Instead, a set of powerful arms wrapped around her like a cocoon and she felt the heat radiate off them as their chest evenly breathed in and out. She was struggling to open her eyes as the voices continued along with the dying sounds of battle.

"What I want to know is how you even got hurt in the first place? It's not like you to get hurt, Draven. Especially to some lowly wolf half your size."

Draven grunted. "I let my guard down."

The sound of a clash jolted her eyes open just in time for Alpha Draven, who was carrying her to place her gently on the floor before turning around to face an incoming barrage of wolves who were intent on taking him down.

Cora found herself propped up against the trunk of a tree. Her body, still weak from healing the alpha, found itself slouching to the side as she braced her hand on the floor to steady herself. Blinking her eyes from the haze, her first sight was of the Alpha, who quickly shifted into his wolf form, baring his teeth as he let out a loud, intimidating roar. His clothes shifted with him into an impressive skin like armour that camouflaged into his wolf form.

Alpha Draven kept his eyes on the four wolves in front of him, never letting his attention wander as two other men beside him also shifted into his wolf form. The wolves were almost as impressive as the alpha. One had a light brown fur coat that had hints of red through his coat that shimmered in the sun filtering through the forest trees. The other had a darker grey fur coat, larger than normal paws and long fangs that snapped and growled at the incoming intruders. Alpha Draven remained the largest of them all, towering over the four wolves in front of them.

One of the opposing wolves made the first move, pouncing at the alpha, jaws wide open. The alpha dodged to the side and bit down hard on his flank, causing the wounded wolf to whimper before being tossed to the side. The other three wolves tried to take advantage of the situation, but the alpha was too quick. He lunged forward, biting and clawing at them, which caused his companions to step in and attack. Their speed and dexterity seemed almost unnatural to Cora as she watched from the sidelines, still unable to move much in her weakened state.

She didn't find it daunting, watching the wolves fight. She had seen many battles before as the wolf packs literally went to war over her. Terms like Caladrius and The White Bird were thrown around carelessly, so she knew she wasn't completely human, but she never had much insight into her past or that of her species. She had spent most of her childhood with supernatural creatures like werewolves, warlocks and even spent time with the sirens on the small islands of Sirenum. Though the wolves seemed to have more use for her than any other species. Their need to war over other packs was brutish and savage compared to other species, always leading to injury and death.

Nevertheless, she went along with it, simply sitting there, staring at the fighting in front of her while she wondered who would be taking her as their prize today. It was clearly going to be Alpha Draven and his companion. The way they fought was precise and lethal, and she watched as yet another wolf's neck snapped in front of her.

When the last wolf had fallen, Alpha Draven and his companion shifted back into their human forms, their armour shifting back with them, reforming into a pair of khaki green pants, leaving their shoulders and chest bare to the wind. The wolves walked back over to her.