HOWLER

Chapter 17: Survive

The deep forest surrounds as I look down to the branches and dead grass.

"Austry, we're going to play a game called prey", Curler the executioner said rather amused.

He was a pale 37 year old man with icy blue eyes. The sunlight reflected off his bald head like mirror, almost blinding.

"I'm Gabes Henry Curler" he introduced himself with a firm handshake that left pain in my hand, "I'm the executioner of Dusk Hunt and I have been assigned to train you".

His voice was deep and husky, pretty fitting to his personality and outward appearance. One word that can describe is biker dude, well two words actually. He had a black leather jacket on his back and tattoos on his naked chest. But he was muscular and emotionless.

But what caught my attention the most was the blonde mustache and the small curl of hair on his forehead, so he wasn't completely bald.

"Our training begins now", he said removing his leather jacket, left only wearing  jeans.

"Wait why are you removing your clothes!", I suddenly panicked.

"I must assess your skills before I even try to teach you any moves so primary the only thing you need to do is dodge, ok?", he said half smiling.

"Wait w-what!", I shouted shaking my head. 'I'm so confused', I thought. Why does any training need someone to remove their clothes? Then I remembered, oh yeah, werewolves.

"Look", he patted my shoulders as I quickly stepped away as he lifted his eyebrow.

"Just look at it as a survival test" he said as he walked to a nearby tree.

"But!", I was said until I heard cracking. The cracking was muffled as I heard a growl and liquid oddly moving.

I felt a sudden pain my back as it began to burn down my spine.

Bushes rustled to my left as my head snapped it that direction.

My breathing trembled as my shoulders hunched.

A growl suddenly resonated through the brushes as teeth sank into my right wrist.

The speed made me stumble back as I saw in the air a blonde wolf with icy blue eyes. It's teeth were large but nothing compared to Alice's canines I saw when she shifted.

Blood coursed through my veins as it leaked onto my shirt and arm. I fell on the ground as I clenched my teeth to prevent screaming. The blood oozed out from the two puncture wounds.

I heard the running footsteps and I quickly rolled away from where I was. The wolf ran pass me.

My breathing was heavy as I jumped to my feet.

'I need to survive', I thought trying to encourage myself. But in less than a second, I felt a huge grip on my leg.

My leg pulsed hard as the blood oozed out with staggering pain. I clenched my fist and teeth to stop my urge to scream.

'Dusk Hunt trains through experience if you don't want to go through more pain, you learn', I hear Curler say. The wolf rushed into the bushes as I look around. 'Where did that come from?', I asked myself then I realized , 'Oh mind link'.

'Lesson one. Listen to your surroundings and dodge', Curler instructed. The bushes rustled again. I was on my back but then I push my body out of the way with my injured leg. My mouth clenched tightly as the pain exploded through my leg.

I began to dig my nails into my head as I heard the heavy pace.

'Dodge!', Curler yelled in my mind. He growled in disapproval when I didn't move.