Howls came from deep in the night. My heart pounded as I squeezed my eyes shut, only for a second. I could feel my body pulsing to the beat, every three beats came another howl. I knew they were after me. The monsters, the Scavengers. They hunted us. And I was chosen tonight. I didn't have long. Something shuffled in the darkness behind me as I crouched, thinking I could hide before they found me. A scraping, a creaking of something sharp as I pressed my back into the tree behind me. The hair on the back of my neck rose. RUN, YOU HAVE TO, WILLOW. YOU NEED TO WARN HIM. Another shuffle, creaking and scraping. A growl ripped through the night, I tensed, then LAUNCHED. I hoped I had the upper hand. The scavengers that were itching - for a taste of my blood or a bite of my body- they ranged from HUGE to miniscule. The smaller ones couldn't be underestimated, even if the larger ones were far more dangerous. I could only PRAY that the creature stalking me wasn't one of the huge beasts.
The deafening growl behind me answered my prayer - but not the message I wanted to hear. I could sense it ripping through the trees, crashing, growling, knocking them over as they got underpaw. I raced, and between ragged gasps for air I glanced back - a mistake. HUGE jaws gaping, black teeth glistening in the soft moonlight - a chilling juxtaposition. My ears rang with the growling, echoing the screams trapped in my own throat. I couldn't waste that breath. I couldn't shake the image of the pitch black beast behind me, causing my limbs and lungs to burn. If my heart burst now, it would be a kinder death than being torn apart bit by bit by the Scavengers.
I reached the crest of the hill, just before his house. He'd chosen it carefully. Skull hill. It was shaped like a werebeast's bones, the entire skeleton laid out by the jagged rocks cutting through the earth. It was a chilling and constant reminder. My legs trembled - I let myself half run, half tumble down the slope, scraping my skin and bruising my own bones. I leapt straight to my feet before I hit the bottom and bolted, nearly falling, to the door. The growling grew louder, echoing from multiple directions. They'd brought a PACK with them. I cursed myself - I should have known better than to lead them right to him. Especially with what I knew. Tears poured from my eyes as I pounded on the wood.
"OPEN UP, OPEN UP!" My voice broke as I cried, finally cracking under the harsh weight of what I knew was to come. I had to warn him. The forest grew suddenly and eerily silent - aside from my labored, rasping gasps and heart pounding so loud it would wake the deepest sleeping Scavengers.
Click.
My heart leaped into my chest - bones trembling. That had to be a Scavenger behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking it was over for sure. But the wooden door I was clawing so desperately into gave ever so slightly. I opened my eyes, seeing the shadow for a weary face peering out from behind the door to meet me.
"Atla we don't have much time-" I gasped out raggedly, knowing I probably wouldn't catch my breath before I died. "You need to come with-"
"No." I was so startled, I nearly stopped gasping.
"What do you mean NO."
"It's a full moon. I can't risk it."
"I don't care, Atla, it's already too dangerous. They followed me, they're hunting me, and you're next!" The stricken look on his face broke my heart. "It's already too late to stay inside." A soft growling purr started up in the woods surrounding us. A snap as one of the beasts shoved another tree aside. They were advancing, slowly.
"We have to leave." I reached inside, clawing for his arm, my hand landed on the familiar but strange soft and furless flesh.
"What- how-" He stammered, being lost for words was so strange for him, and I could feel it.
"No time to explain! Come ON." I yanked him out the door.
Click. Click. Click.
Those were the Scavenger weapons. I didn't have to turn my head to know. They were strange - I couldn't see their eyes glow in the night. Atla grimaced, bristling in the moonlight. He would be faster now.
"Not another move." Came a shout from the forest. I saw the claws of their weapons glistening as they crouched by the black paws of their beasts. The small Scavengers who rode on the big ones. Not as large or fast, but their strange weapons could cut holes right into you without even touching you.
"Put your dirty paws where we can see em!" Another shouted, more gruffly. I slowly stood to my back legs, lifting up my front ones.
"Run Atla. I'll stall them. They won't come for you for another month - it's no fun to them if they don't have another target set up."
"I'm not leaving you."
"You have to." I pushed him, causing the small Scavengers to shout. One gave a warning shot - I felt it whisk past my ear. "GO!" I didn't look to see if he followed my instructions - I leapt at the nearest Scavenger, who shrieked ear piercingly. I had my own teeth, my own gaping jaws and tearing paws to use if I had to. I felt the sharp, hole boring bullets fly past me, scathing my skin, one hit my shoulder, stinging and burying near into my bone. I cried out, lashing further. The small Scavengers fought, still trying to kill me. I caught a glimpse of Atla's silver speckled form running deep into the trees. It was his turn to be braver than I. It was his turn to keep the others safe. I knew he could do it.
I yelped as a claw on their weapon dug into my arm, pinning me down. I struggled, but my body was aching to give up, to just lay down and surrender. It was all over now. But I knew I had to keep up the fight, if enough of them were distracted by me, Atla would have the chance to get away.
"What do ya keep struggling for, you monster." One of them growled, jabbing another claw into my other arm. I cried out again.
"Yeah, that's right!" Said another.
"You don't have anything to live for," said the growling voice again, "No families. No feelings. No honor." His voice was breaking, just like mine. "Give up werebeast!" He shouted with a final shove at me. I could feel a snapping in my arm that was certainly not right.
"Do you think they turn back when they die?"
"I hope not. I'd hate to see one of those creatures trying to masquerade as one of us. Even if they do, we know. They can't disguise what monsters they are. Even in death." He sighed. He sounded so sad for a moment, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it. "But let's find out the answer - right NOW."
