A Wolf's Life

Chapter 26- Ringing Ears

When the gun shot fired I thought I was dead. Everyone stood frozen. Unblinking, we all stared at each other. Until one of us, it had to be Leo. Turned and snarled at the newcomer. I weakly turned and stumbled. The 'speech' had taken almost all of my remaining energy. Although North took the advantage and lunged at Leo but a gunshot sounded once more. I closed my eyes as I heard him fall into the floor. Dead silence met the fall. I took a shuddering breath in. I whined and slowly opened my eyes.

No blood.

North had fallen short of his attack due to the shock of the bullet that had landed inches away from his face. He was frozen still, eyes wide. His fur was sticking up in surprise and he was shaking in anger and fear. I swallowed nervously, still barely able to stand. I knew, for a fact that if the hunter fired on me, I wouldn't be able to dodge.

"Run, everyone run..." I whispered, though I meant it to be a yell. My voice had failed me. Another shot rang out, ringing in my ears. I'm pretty sure I was almost deafened. I was scared. Not scared for me, either. If North died... If Lily died... If any of my friends died... I would fall apart. I couldn't have that. Not again.

We were all still stuck there, frozen on the spot. I forced my feet to move leaning on North. "Run..." I tried again. My voice was cracked and dry. I closed my eye. "Go..." I whispered. My eye cracked open. And even in my weakened state, I saw Lily behind my eyelids, nodding. I looked down into Northern's eyes.

"I'm sorry" I whispered. I turned to look at the gun. And I leaped.

Storm's Pov-

I burst out of the bushes that I was hiding in. My silver eyes blazing and paws outstretched, I knocked Mystic down to the ground. I landed on top of her, accidentally shoving the air out of her. She gasped and tried to knock me off of her.

"Get out of here you monster! To me, your an ever greater threat to me and my pack then the hunter!" She snarled angrily and finally managed to throw me off. But I landed on my paws lightly and turned to her again.

"I'm not here for you! You look half dead already I'm surprised you could even throw me off. But no wolf deserves to di-" I started then another loud bang sounded. At first nothing happened but then....

Immense pain flared on my right ear, burning white hot pained filled my mind and my ear... I couldn't hear anything.

Your shot, great job..my father growled in my mind

You know, you could've dodged...Ethan added angrily but I shook my head.

It's an ear. I'm alright. Now, help me with the hunter.. I replied slyly and turned. My right ear ringing like bells that would never stop. I couldn't think. I glanced at Mystic and her blue eyes where full of hate and anger. This is what I've made her think of me.

Good.

I turned and I was the one that went head first into the hunter. I knocked him to the ground, baring my teeth, growling fiercely. He aimed the gun. But Flame was instantly in front of me, batting the gun out of his grasp. But we weren't safe yet.

Ahead, a figure dropped from the trees. Another emerged from a cave to our left. And just one more appeared behind us.

We were all surrounded. Each person with a weapon. The right path was the only unblocked way. But as I looked closely, I could barely see a trap pressed tightly into the ground. There where now five wolves trapped in the middle of the four hunters that had surrounded us. I turned and growled at the nearest one, with our werewolf size at our full height we could reach up to the men"s chin with our muzzles. It was five against four this should be easy.

"I'll say this once more, shift you overgrown wolves! We know what you are!" One of the men, the leader, I suppose, yelled. But the mangy she wolf spoke up. Not caring that they couldn't understand us.

"We aren't going to shift in front of them! We are going to fight to keep our secret!"

"Shut up, Alisa!" I snarled and turned on her. She flinched but kept her steady glare burning in her eyes. She didn't understand the situation did she? Just then the brown and black loner from before walked up to me and his green eyes flared with hatred.

He's one to mess with, careful kid. My father warned me but I didn't understand. Why would a runt like this cause such a ruckus that even my father feared? But the wolf stood his ground when I rose to my full height which he lifted his own head to match mine. The hunters, I could see from the corner of my eye, were watching curiously with their guns lowered. Mystic looked injured, not that I cared. But Flame looked downright ready to kill anyone who would touch her. Her amber eyes shown fiercely in the sunlight.

"Just let it go, we have bigger problems to worry about, Storm" she growled and I instantly turned normal and padded to her side

"Of course" I murmured and she turned and bit my ear. I gritted my teeth but didn't call out. At least she was a dominate female...

Mystic's Pov-

I growled at them and glared at Storm's back. Didn't he know he was getting himself into nothing but trouble in the future? I was just about to slap him across his face when North whispered in my ear.

"Let it go, Luna. We have other things to worry about now" he growled softly and I became aware of the hunters coming out of their daze from our little 'show' and where beginning to glare at us since we weren't obeying what they where asking of us. But there was now way in the Lupin wolves would we obey and shift in front of humans.... And plus, I kinda didn't know how. I moved my fluffy white tail anxiously. My ears twitched with the tension hanging in the air.

"You know what!! Screw it!" Leo yelled.

I hadn't been paying any attention to him and I had completely forgotten that he was even here but when he yelled, I whirled around and so did the others to see what was going on. There, the grey wolf was wide-eyed and shaking in fear.

"I'm getting out of here! See ya!" He snarled and I noticed a hint of fear in a voice. Yeah, I'm being to nice. I heard a whole lot of fear in his voice that anyone could have detected. Storm glared at the Red Peak Wolf and opened his mouth.

"No, you can't-" but he was cut off when Leo turned and ran to the path that seemed like the only way out and he was a blur of grey on the brown forest floor. The hunters where quick to react and aimed their guns at him.

And fired.

I closed my eyes and listened as yelps of pain filled the air and the hunters start running over to him. I gritted my teeth in anger and frustration. That stupid furball... I could tell he was still alive by the sound of thrashing and growls and the yells of the men when his attacks struck true.

"Come on! This is our chance!" Flame snarled and raced away with Storm at her heels. The hunters to busy with Leo to notice. I opened my eyes and looked at North. My eyes told him everything and he nodded slowly.

"Let's go, Mystic, it's our turn to run" he said softly and sprinted towards the Mine. I growled in agreement and turned once more to see one of the men raise an axe. I quickly turned my head and ran as fast as I could away from it. But I couldn't block out the sound as the axe went down hard onto a soft wolf's pelt.

Our enemy, one of the Red Peak Pack's wolf, and pack mate to Storm and Flame which they had abandoned when he needed them the most, was dead.