Lycans Of The Woods

Chapter 3

Snowflakes kissed and melted against my cheeks throughout my slow travel, the shaking of my body strengthening as the relatively cold temperature continued to drop.

I had been lucky enough to stumble across a pile of clothes whilst treading through the snow, in the opposite direction of the Klawmoon pack and had swiftly slipped on a coat, which perhaps belonged to a lycan who had thought to take if off before racing into the battle.

I was thankful for the little warmth it provided, knowing that there was a strong chance that I would have not survived without it.

I walked for what felt like an hour, until I eventually staggered to a halt, exhaustion prompting me to fall to my knees. My breathing was ragged and cracked lips numb. Thin fingers clawed at the snow, frustration mounting as the desire to create more distance between myself and the Klawmoon pack became stronger.

But the trees were becoming a blur, the wind was stinging my ears and face, somehow escalating my already disoriented state of mind.

A small whimper of irritation fell from my mouth as I slowly stood, using the support of a tree to assist me. The rough bark tore into my fingers pads when I stumbled, drawing blood that dripped down fingers and stained the beautiful white snow.

I stared down at it for several seconds, inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly in an attempt to quell the nervous fast pace of my heartbeat.

My body was so weak from walking as long as I had and my energy was very low. Panic surged forward at the realization that I had no idea of how to leave these woods, or where I would go even if I did leave these woods.

I thought back to my younger years and recalled the many lycans who were so eager to capture humans and use them for their own sickening, twisted entertainment.

Homes in the small town where I lived in had been destroyed and burnt to the ground after the lycans discovered that many of the townsfolk, including my parents, had plotted a protest regarding the destructive actions of the beasts. The lycans had shown no mercy throughout the slaughtering of many and imprisoning others.

I rested my back against the tree, head tilting upwards towards the darkening grey sky. Evening was approaching and I needed to find some form of shelter and protection.

So, after a few mental prompts, I jerked forward, grunting as my feet sunk into ankle-deep cold snow, unsure of where I was heading but moving along nonetheless.

After what felt like twenty minutes of stumbling through snow, I came to an abrupt halt, body stiffening in disbelief as I stared through narrowed eyes at the trees which still, surrounded me. I walked in a slow circle, jaw slack with bewilderment, feeling a familiar sting behind my eyes.

My fingers long ago had become numb and I lifted them to press against my cheeks, branches rattling above me, as if laughing at my exasperation.

A low moan came from my throat as I made to step forward, but paused at the sharp sensation which suddenly surrounded my ankle. I knelt slowly to the ground, pushing away handfuls of snow until I discovered some form of an animal trap encircling my right ankle.

The pain was not what bothered me however; the fast blood flow from the wound caught my attention and I sighed, examining the trap, seeking a way to release my ankle from it.

My fingers cautiously worked at the metal, pulling but stopped when I noticed the trap tightening around my ankle, breaking skin further whenever I shifted.

It was then that the pain became more pronounced and my eyes fluttered closed momentarily as I had no choice but to completely lower myself to the ground, sit at an awkward, uncomfortable angle so as to not hurt my ankle further.