Lycans Of The Woods

Chapter 8

The wind rattled the weak window panes of Helda's new home as our conversations paused at the sound of approaching feet, the snow blanketing the earth outside repeatedly crunching under heavy footsteps in a rough rhythm.

Helda's cup of tea trembled and Yanneek's eyes slowly lifted to my own.

My chair scraped against the wooden floor, leaving a nasty mark as I stood. Yanneek gripped my shoulder once I approached the front door, evidently concerned for what I intended to do, but my smile was one which I hoped to be reassuring and he released me.

I cracked open the door slightly, fingers grasping around the cold metal knob and leaned forward, both Helda and Yanneek by my shoulder as they too peered outside.

Male and female lycans walked, upper bodies bared of any clothing as they strode through the snow, unaffected by the cold. In their hands held partially covered animals, all of them appearing to be freshly killed. Blood trickled down the lycans' arms, coating their chest as they clutched these dead animals. The glimmer of hunger was clear in their eyes as they walked purposefully to the house which I had stayed in for the past several days.

I could hear Helda's shaky breath behind me as she inhaled, could hear Yanneek shifting on his feet behind me. A glance over my shoulder revealed the blush that had darkened his face as he surveyed the half-naked female lycans. He grunted, leaving my side as he turned and walked further into the house, the sound of paper shuffling revealing that he'd returned back to reading his newspaper.

The lycans eventually came to a pause outside of Hannes' house, and my body tensed at the sight of the grey-blue eyed female stepping out of the door.

My lip curled in displeasure as she strode forward, gathering a cardigan around her shoulders whilst a male lycan with locs, who I had seen many days ago after climbing off the roof, watched from a few feet away.

Helda sucked in a harsh breath as Lilith approached a man and lifted a blanket, revealing the body of a slain deer. Her bare hand trailed up and down it's bloodied neck as she spoke to the lycan who held it, her tongue trailing over her lips after she pressed it's mutilated head to her mouth.

The male and female lycans watched silently at the interaction, and I could hear Helda's fast footsteps as she retreated from the door but I remained a bit longer, confused.

It was only when the lycans broke away from the house and began to walk in various directions that I swung the door closed, shutting out the cold and rejoined Helda and Yanneek.

Helda's face was pale, her tea abandoned and I observed her curiously. We had all witnessed much more gruesome things in the Klawmoon prison, so her state of shock was surprising to me.

"I've been able to get into contact with some of my family." She finally spoke, breaking the thick silence. Her voice cracked, but she cleared her throat quickly, strength regaining. "They would like to visit this pack when they can, but travelling has become very difficult...for many obvious reasons."

Her eyes flickered to the window and then back to the counter top. Yanneek nor myself said anything for a long while.

Yanneek stared unseeing at his newspaper, I stood by his side in silence and Helda walked back and forth, moving to the stove and then back to the counters, almost as if she was captured in a bizarre trance.

I left the kitchen eventually and roamed around the house before finally making myself comfortable on a sofa facing a fireplace.

I stared blindly into the flames, inhaling the scent which emitted from it, knees pressed to chest and my fingers simply holding my bandaged ankle.