The Children Of Maddeline

Twenty-Eight

Jadzia

I shook my head and growled, my fluffy white fur blew in the breeze. I walked along the front of the army, snapping at two young male wolves who were mucking around. They hastily turned to attention, their armour clinking.

The armour we had was specially enchanted by Alazrelle and the water sprites she lived with. When we were in human form, we wore an intricately designed chest plate with a sort of chain-mail kilt, along with the clothes underneath our armour. While we were in wolf form, the chest plate would change shape to fit our chests and guard our stomachs, while ridges of metal went down out backs to look like deadly spikes. The chain mail kilt would slightly change, it would protect the top of our hind legs.

My armour was made of black Titanium, to show my rank as general. I had a swirling golden band atop my furry head, a large Lapis-Lazuli embedded in its centre. Every wolf in our army wore this crown, to symbolise the two werewolf sisters who had founded our pack over a thousand years ago.

"Freya, Beth, stop talking." I snarled.

The two she-wolves shut their mouths and looked down in fear, I must admit I was pretty scary. The part of the army that I commanded was jammed between two giant rocks, waiting patiently for the signal that we could move out onto the beach. Right now it was filled with mortals.

I heard it, a powerful howl. And that was when the storm rolled in.

That was Emma. Legend says that she was a demigod, daughter of Zeus. She could control the weather and radiated electricity.

Mortals on the beach shrieked and ran, laughing as they hurriedly collected their things. A group of them ran past us, I ducked and the wolves behind me followed suit. After a moment, I heard Gray's howl and I dashed forward, flinging sand up behind me as I charged head on into the cold waters.

Conny joined me, her pack following behind her. Then Emma bounded heavily across the ground, her teeth bared and her Magnesium armour shining in the faint light of the storm. She jumped over Conny and I's heads and splashed into the waves, Sam was close behind her with his pack.

Then came Mum riding on Gray's back, leading their half of the army. And then the other Alpha's and their packs. My mother wore a sleek white maxi dress, with Titanium armour over the top of it, her feet were bare and her long hair flew out behind her along with her coat. Sea foam sprayed everywhere, the water got in my eyes but I took no notice of the stinging sensation.

I could no longer feel the need ground beneath my paws, I kicked through the water ferociously. The other wolves surged forward behind me, a wave crashed over us and we were encased in salt water.

I ran through the water though, moving as if I was still on dry land. A mermaid with pink hair swam past me, producing a giant air bubble around my head and moving on to the other wolves. More mermaids came out of the shadows, they gave everyone an air bubble and then swam alongside us.

Conny had told us that they wouldn't need to be alerted of our presence before hand, they would sense it and come to help. I noticed Maria falling behind, because she was so small everyone sort of trampled over her. A mermaid with a long green tail and blonde hair swam under her and pushed the small wolf up. She stayed by Maria's side and helped her through the water until the russet brown wolf put Maria on his back.

I don't know if time passed quicker underwater, but in no time at all our paws we're sinking in the sand's of Geraldton beach, Western Australia. I guess I was right, time had moved quickly for us but slowly for the outside world. It was nighttime in Australia, the streets were dark and the beach was quiet. If we left America during the day, it would of taken us 24 hours to reach Australia with the use of magic, but it had taken less time than I had expected.

We kept moving until daylight poured down on us. Out tongues flopped out of our mouths as we walked across the burning red ground of the Northern Territory, resting in the shade of Uluru. We hunted hares, and gnawed on the dead bodies of kangaroos.

And then it was night again; the rocky ground shook as we thundered across the countryside, I snapped my jaw at a young wolf who tried to outrun me, he whimpered and fell back with his squad. We passed into Queensland, slowing our strides as we trampled young saplings and scared off a wallaby.

"Rest here for the night, we'll head to Delton at first light." Emma snarled, stopping completely.

Conny collapsed in an exhausted heap and went to sleep, her pack curled up in little balls and huddled together. Mum yawned and snuggled into Gray's side, covering her small body with her long jacket. Emma and Sam slept together under a gum tree, their pack scattered throughout the trees.

I sighed and looked down at my paws, sticky with sweat and clogged with red dirt and seaweed. I thought of my moonstone necklace, I'd given it to Miracle before we left, and my engagement ring was strung onto the chain as well. I shook my fur, rattling my armour. I turned in a circle and flopped onto the cool ground.

I fell asleep with Tyler occupying my thoughts, and the building doubt that I would survive the war.