The Moon Wolf

Chapter 23 (1st Draft)

Penn advanced on the boys and ignored their low growls, tense stances and the hackles rising on their backs. They weren't much of a threat to her, even in their furs. So, she waited and watched for her moment. When they both decided to strike at each other, going for each other's throats, Penn did the inadvisable.

She dove in between them, wrapped her hands around their gaping lower jaws and with some force drove their muzzles down to the floor. Grabbing their lower jaw afforded her much more control over them despite the fact that she had to sacrifice her fingers to get that control.

Reflexively the boys clamped down on her fingers. Penn gave a little hiss of pain as her lip curled up a bit on the left side of her face. She couldn't be sure but she thought perhaps Ace had broken one or two of her fingers when he clamped down on her left hand. But, even so, Penn did not release them - not even when the boys immediately let up the pressure on her fingers.

Instead, she pushed their jaws down harder to the floor and held the boys both down in this awkward way until they submitted. Both boys stopped growling and let their bodies fully relax. Moments later they transformed back into their skins and Penn's fingers were freed from their sharp fangs entirely. She remained crouched between them blood dripping from her punctured flesh.

She did not need to scold or lecture them. The two boys remained huddled on the floor and quaking with shock and shame. Penn might have petted them on the heads to let them know all was well but her hands were a bloody mess. So, she opted simply to ask instead in a calm and quiet voice, "Could someone get the boys blankets to cover up?"

She wasn't angry. She knew exactly what would happen the moment she reached for them. It was her decision. And besides, she knew it was better for them to draw her blood than each other's. Though she hoped the shock of hurting her unintentionally would set them right again and help them to restrain themselves in the future from such unnecessary violence. 

Cassidy appeared and gently placed throw blankets from the couches on both boys.

Penn looked up at Cassidy and said, "I'll need a towel and get Fancy to call the good doctor."

Cassidy looked down at Penn's hands and saw the pool of blood forming on the floor. The sight of so much blood startled her.

"By the moon Penn," she exclaimed with alarm, "You're bleeding!"

Penn gave her a half smile and said, "It's alright. You always bleed more from your hands, feet and head."

Penn looked down at the mess she was making and then back up at Cassidy with that same half smile. "It looks worse then it is. I promise," she said with amusement. "But, better call Fancy and get her to contact the doctor. I think some of my fingers are broken."

At the mention of broken fingers both boys let out mournful whines. Cassidy spared them a quick look and her heart swelled for the both of them. She could only imagine how ashamed they felt now that the heat of the moment had passed. She looked back at Penn's unruffled face and thought at the same time how lucky the boys were that she was not given to mood swings or a flaring temper. Otherwise, there would surly be hell to pay for what they did.