The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 16

The moment she turned her eyes towards the clearing, the wolf lunged forward. Her leg was gone before the beast got there, but the large wolf continued its assault, its head lashing out at every exposed limb that Sara left as she dodged each attack. Its speed was staggering for its size, and even though Sara had anticipated its agility, the sight of the wolf dashing and moving forward at an unrelenting pace was nothing short of terrifying.

By instinct, Sara dodged a bite, and as she reeled back she lashed out with her claw, the wolf's face was gone before her strike arrived, and her limb was almost caught in its mouth the moment she set it down. Her reflexes could rival that of the wolf, but the fight was unlike anything Sara had ever experienced. All of her training had been in hand to hand combat, and while she thought that the positioning she had learned from Andrew's father was helping her tremendously, she felt helpless as she tried to find a way to attack the wall of muscle and jagged teeth that stormed towards her.

Wildfang had suspected that the cat would be just as helpless as the rabbit, and her feeble attacks proved him right. But as those initial moments turned into minutes, and the cat gave up trying to attack and instead focused on dodging and evading his assault, he grew annoyed. Not enough to start making mistakes, he was too close to victory for that, but enough that he began to consider what the cat-woman was doing.

The forest guardian had been a difficult opponent for him at first, her strange body and methods for attack tricking his instincts and forcing him to adjust how he approached their combat. His assault on the cat was fierce and unwavering as he tried to make sense of her strategy, and again he thought of the guardian he had defeated just moments before.

He had beaten her because he took the time to learn her patterns, angering her to the point where all reason had left the woman, and he could then capitalize on her distraction. His eyes narrowed and his breath escaped in a huff as he realized that the cat was attempting to do the same thing to him. She was more agile than he was, her lithe body maneuvering over the terrain with ease, and she used that to her advantage.

Sara studied the wolf, trying to learn what she could, but most of all, she was trying to keep herself safe. They were almost there, the air picking up a humid chill that told her that a pond or stream was nearby. The wolf was relentless, every series of attacks trying to force her into a more vulnerable position, or tricking her into making a mistake. The beast had charged at her a few times, but thanks to her agility she had dodged and avoided its numerous bites, running the wolf into a tree or through a shrub, thwarting its attempt at overwhelming her.

Unlike much of the forest they had fought their way through, the brush was growing thick, reinforcing Sara's suspicion that the clearing was near, and giving her the advantage she had hoped for. She could sense a nervous excitement from Andrew, his emotions an unwelcome distraction to her fight, but a pleasant reminder that she would not be alone for long. Worry seeped through the cracks of her focus, the thought of Andrew trying to fight that monstrous wolf a terrible and foreboding inevitability.

That brief gap in her focus gave the wolf what it had hoped for, but as it tried to capitalize on her distraction, the cat turned and darted between two thick shrubs. The wolf was hot on her tail, every bush, every low hanging branch that the massive creature decimated in its chase of the cat gave the feline a bit more distance.

It didn't take long for the wolf to emerge into the clearing with a loud clatter as leaves and small branches fell from its body. The clearing was empty, and the cat was standing in the center, looking around, confusion written across her entire body. The wolf was uncertain what the cat had expected to find, but appreciated the setting for their final confrontation — after all, that was where he had almost killed the forest guardian, and now he would be able to conclude what he had begun those nights before.

Sara growled, her high pitched warning ignored by the wolf as it approached. The clouds had broke some time back, bathing the small clearing in a sea of silvery light that made the expression on Sara's face unmistakable; she was done running.

The wolf lunged in, a feint towards her front paw that Sara recognized for what it was, a distraction. Her entire body moved aside, just as the wolf charged forward, and while the large beast tried to catch her in its open mouth she was too far away. Her claw lashed out as they passed, opening a series of shallow wounds across the wolf's bicep, their relative positions not allowing her to anchor her hooked blades in properly.

There was frustration and anger in the wolf's hazel gaze, but unlike what Sara had hoped for, she could tell that those emotions were anything but a distraction to the massive creature. It seemed to feed off of its annoyance, and before she could study the beast any further it was back at her, lunging and darting, an unyielding avalanche of jagged teeth, saliva and fury. They danced like that for minutes, their supernatural strength and deadly claws tearing apart the terrain as they fought for supremacy.

It was clear to Sara that the wolf was unfamiliar with her claws, and had started the evening less concerned about her reach than it should have been, but as their battle raged on, she could tell that the wolf was no longer trying for her neck, and was focused on her paws. Each of her strikes were beginning to be met by teeth, and it was getting to be harder for her to withdraw her attack before the wolf could catch her limbs in its deadly embrace.

She had been making a lot of glancing hits before that point, opening small wounds which she knew were taking their toll, but with the wolf's strength and deadly capability she resisted the urge to push her perceived advantage, suspecting that the beast was playing yet another game. Sara remembered her fights with Andrew's father, and the cunning brilliance of the large man as they had dueled, seeing in the wolf many of the same brief openings that told her she was correct — the wolf wanted her to anchor her claws, to try and do serious damage, and that more than anything frightened her.

What kind of monster wants you to hurt it?

They were both growing exhausted as the moments of their battle turned to minutes. The clearing had been turned to mud, their legs and bellies coated in brown as they leapt and dashed around each other. It was becoming difficult for Sara to maintain her footing, but she managed thanks to her prodigious skill, and emphasis on defense. The wolf slipped from time to time, opening avenues for attack that Sara let pass, doubting their validity, and fearful of the cost that would come once she was locked into the wolf's embrace.

For a moment they backed off from each other, their breath coming in ragged gasps as steam rose from their bodies. Small wounds littered their flesh, cuts and gouges declaring numerous places where contact had been made. For Sara, each furrow of missing skin was a reminder of a time when the wolf had almost won, where she had barely avoided having one of her limbs wrent from her body.

Their growls filled the air as they padded back and forth, their narrowed eyes scanning each other as they each tried to decide what they needed to do. Sara's eyes went wide as she felt Andrew's excitement spike, and felt him begin using his magic at a surprising rate.

"Get away from her, you bitch!" his voice declared from the edge of the clearing.

They turned towards the sound of his voice, both stopping their growls as they saw him about ten feet out in the forest, where he struck a road flare and dropped it, the bright red light and acrid smelling smoke punctuating his arrival. Any attempt at movement was delayed, as Andrew rose into the air, floating into the clearing until he was hovering five feet off the ground, his feet pressed togethers with the toes of his shoes pointing down. His arms were out to his side, and for a moment, Sara could not help but be reminded of Jesus on the cross.

Movement just above Andrew drew their attention, and their keen vision made the impossibility of what they saw clear — there was an axe suspended above him, rotating as if it had been thrown, but unmoving despite its appearance.

Andrew scowled and pointed towards the wolf, the axe launching forward at a tremendous speed. The wolf dodged the flying weapon, and sprinted towards the small man. Sara was stood there for a second, stunned by the sudden change in events, before realizing the danger that was closing in on Andrew.

The axe bounced off the ground, its hilt slamming into the mud and rocks before its flight was brought back under control, where Andrew could take it in a wide arc heading back towards the wolf. Sara took chase, and watched as Andrew began to rise further into the air, but she knew that he would not gain enough height before the wolf arrived.

There were small glowing wards all over Andrew's clothes, each piece giving off faint, mystical green light. He had risen almost fifteen feet off the ground before the wolf got to him, but the mighty creature was still strong, and managed leap up, capturing the small man's ankle in his deadly bite. Sara roared out as she felt the drain on Andrew's magic increase by leaps and bounds.

Wildfang was not surprised when the boy's clothes resisted his gnawing grip, and had accounted for it in the force of his bite. His already fractured teeth strained and ached against the forceful contact, but his thoughtfulness was rewarded as he dropped back down to earth, whatever strange gift had kept the boy in the air suddenly ending.

Andrew landed with a loud thud, and screamed out in pain as several sharp rocks pressed into his body. Just as the wolf released its bite, pinning Andrew to the ground with a massive paw, the axe slammed into the wolf's side, shattering its hip with the force of the impact. It was in that moment that Sara careened into the wolf's side, lifting it off of Andrew and slamming it into the ground.

Sara's claws dug deep into the wolf's neck and back as she wrapped her arms around its body, her fangs biting deep into muscle as she began to try and rip the beast's throat out. With a single mighty pull the sounds of tearing flesh vibrated through her body, and the wolf's blood saturated her mouth with a delightful and savory tang she would not soon forget as she came away with a mouthful of furry, muscular meat.

Spitting out her prize, she could see Andrew struggling to rise to his feet, confusion written across his face as he gazed towards her. Looking down, she expected to see fear and terror in the beast's eyes as the reality of its loss settled in, but instead all she saw was exhilaration and joy. Before she could react, the wolf was on her, it's once mangled teeth fusing and straightening into place, the gaping wound on its neck weaving itself back together as new tissues grew from the edges and closed up the hole.

The axe was still lodged in its hip when the wolf slammed into Sara from below, its teeth digging into her chest as it came up from the ground. Her tail swooshed to the side and the wolf could feel as she shifted and shook trying to dislodge herself from its unrelenting grip. Each forceful tug caused massive damage as her muscles were torn and lacerations were widened. The air was forced from her lungs as she was smashed onto the ground, her raking claws going limp with the force of the impact.

Any serious wounds she had made to the wolf were mended almost immediately, and as Sara looked up with tear filled eyes, she realized that the wolf had been holding onto a reserve of energy, waiting for a moment just like that one. Before her breath could return, the wolf bit down on her forearm, her supernatural physique resisting the force of the impact for an instant before her bones broke and her limb was severed, thrown aside like garbage by the beast.

The pain seemed somehow hollow, hidden behind a wall of shock as her body went numb.

"Nooo!"

Andrew's voice sounded distant, and as her body began to feel cold, Sara thought that again her mind was protecting her, making everything seem muted and far away. Looking to the side she could see that Andrew was still reeling from his impact with the ground, unable to focus on her. It was not until she saw the wolf looking off further into the forest, that she realized her senses had not played tricks on her, Andrew's voice had called out from far away.

A series of shots rang out, and bullets began to pepper the area, none of them connecting with the wolf. The muzzle flash gave away his position, and they could see him out there, crouching behind a bush, an M16 at his shoulder and panic in his eyes as he fired shot after shot.

The wolf glanced down at the boy struggling on the ground, confusion crossing its expression as it sniffed the air. The acrid smoke made it difficult to know, but there was something fake about the way that Andrew smelled, and as realization washed across the wolf's eyes, it took off. Sara was not sure how, but as the wolf vanished into the forest, the Andrew at her side went still, and suddenly the illusion dropped; resting beside her was a broom wearing Andrew's clothing.

Sara felt broken, her will almost crushed, but knowing that Andrew was out there, his position revealed to a wolf she could not protect him from, revitalized her fight. Her head went dizzy as she tried to stand, before she fell to the side after trying to plant her missing limb. She growled and hissed in frustration as she flailed on the ground, before a warm hand rested on her side.

"Shhhh, be still," Andrew whispered.

Her purr was almost as loud as her roar, happiness pouring out in a thunderous rhythm as she looked upon her man. For a moment she could see only his face, the rest of his body shrouded by a shifting and muted tapestry of grays, browns and greens. The drain on his power was great, and she could see fatigue in his eyes, though it did little to obscure his adoration and concern as he looked upon her. Then, as he reached over and pulled the scarecrow into his lap, she could see the colors fade and realized he was wrapped in a red tinged sheet.

He was wearing almost entirely black, and she thought he looked sexy in the tactical gear.

There was a loud noise out in the forest, and Sara could feel Andrew struggling to maintain some spell while gunfire continued to sound off in the forest, before he dropped it and everything went silent. A moment later, the wolf released a loud and ferocious howl.

Andrew shook his head and smiled at Sara, "This would have been a lot easier if you hadn't come to my rescue."

She was still processing his words when he pulled a grenade from inside the scarecrow version of himself, and in that moment, his previous plan made total sense. They both turned their gaze towards the forest, the sound of the wolf charging towards them was ruckus and unmistakable. There was fury in its growl, and malice in its every step — it was coming to end them, and Sara was no longer certain how they could stop it.

"This is going to suck," Andrew stated, and before Sara could stop him, Andrew pulled the pin from the grenade, throwing it over his shoulder, the clasp releasing a clang as it shot off before the grenade landed a couple of feet away.

He draped himself on top of her, shrouding them both beneath the sheet, and Sara could feel a steady drain beginning to pull at Andrew's reserves as the sheet became firm, pressing in around them, sealing them to the ground.

"I love you," Andrew whispered, rubbing his face into her furry neck a moment before the wolf landed atop them.

The drain on Andrew's reserves was shocking, each scrape of the wolf's broad claws, and each bite of its unstoppable jaw taking its toll. But, Andrew was not like Tani'm, he was powerful in a way the woman would likely never know, containing a depth of magic that would take minutes for the wolf to whittle away.

For a moment the wolf clawed and scratched at the impenetrable fabric, hopping to the side with fury and rage when the blast consumed them. It was nothing like what Andrew had imagined. There was no fireball, just sudden and unyielding force that seemed to pull the very oxygen from their lungs.

Shrapnel tore through everything around them, throwing rocks, bushes and branches in all directions. Sara woke a minute later, the concussion from the blast having knocked her out. Moonlight trickled through a few small holes in the sheet, the reddish hue of the fabric casting the silver light into a somber tone that matched her fear. Andrew rested atop her, his breath coming to him with a labored and slow intensity that told her he had suffered greatly to try and shield them from the blast.

It only took a second for Sara to shift back to human form, and she was worried as she wrapped her arm around him, afraid of what horrors she might find. To her surprise, the sheet seemed to have protected Andrew from much of the blast, though she could feel a couple of pieces of metal that were stuck in his ribs, still clinging to the fabric of the sheet.

Pain filled her thoughts, and she swore into the night as she again tried to plant her missing hand, but only succeeded at dragging her stump along the soft and muddy terrain.

"Fucking wolf!" she cried out as she pulled the sheet away, revealing a scene more grotesque than she had expected. Large pieces of the beast were strewn about, organs and intestines creating a trail to where the monster had been thrown. The red of the sheet had been deepened by the wolf's blood, and helped to explain the eerie tinge she had seen when they were beneath it.

Andrew moaned and twisted against her, consciousness an unwelcome visitor as his eyes fluttered open. His entire body ached, and he could feel pain running all along his back.

"Hold still," Sara said, her voice a soothing ointment for Andrew's pain.

"No probl-" Andrew's statement was cut short by a high pitched yelp that escaped his lips as Sara pulled the first piece of shrapnel from his back.

"Stop being a little sissy, and hold still," Sara declared, her tone playful and endearing.

Andrew's voice became defensive as he began, "Hey, you have no ide-" before Sara raised her stump into his line of sight, the shredded flesh seeping blood that cut his argument short.

"Never mind," he said, gritting his teeth as she yanked the second shard of metal from his back.

A ward on Andrew's shoulder lit up, and Sara could feel the tissues on her arm begin to sooth and pull together.

"I don't have the strength to regrow your hand," he began, "but I know someone who will be more than happy to fix you up later."

Andrew used just enough magic to mend his aches and allow him to function, but the spell made him aware of how much damage had actually been done. Many of the bones across his body were cracked, two ribs were broken, and he gave up trying to count how many bruises he now wore.

Not long after, they both stood from the ground, Andrew rising off of Sara who looked stunning despite her missing hand and halo of blood and viscera that surrounded her. Her svelte body glistened with sweat, and the moon bathed her in the perfect light.

"Not now, you dirty little pervert," Sara stated, her tone making her reluctance to deny Andrew's desires easy to see.

His temptation was lost as his eyes scanned the carnage, and before he could process the massive wolf leg that rested off to one side, the smell hit him. It was like nothing he had ever experienced, like everything he imagined a sewer to be, but worse. Sara did not judge him for his reaction, and as he doubled over, emptying his stomach onto the ground, she walked away.