RETH
The wolf-daughter, Lucine, was ruthless and committed. A machine. She'd been the first to take a kill which had the Lupines howling their pleasure and excitement. And she was making her way through the other opponents with efficient, deadly grace.
Lucan would be strutting for weeks.
Reth growled in his throat. He was distracted for a moment, watching her tear out the throat of the Avaline sacrifice—an unnecessary reminder of the merciless nature of the wolves. But he turned quickly, unable to stop himself looking for Elia, and in the same breath wishing he never had to see her here.
It was with a deep grief he realized she was already down. Gone.
For a moment his memories flickered to a tiny, human girl, so kind and un-self-conscious. A little girl who had ignored his strange behavior, and instead simply shared his love for animals. Had made herself his friend. Defended him to her peers—and to her parents, who were wisely wary of the neighbor boy who demonstrated such strange behavior.
Thank the Creator he'd never transformed in front of them. His control had been patchy at best back then.
Sadness settled into his bones as he realized that the only bright light in his childhood years in the human world had been extinguished. The only light his heart had ever recognized. He allowed himself one keen of mourning, knowing the gathered audience would assume he grieved all the sacrifices. But he resolved in that moment that he would make sure she had a proper burial. He knew the pure humans generally felt a body must be buried—or burned.
With stinging eyes he inhaled to scent her, intending to locate her body in the circle, so he could return later to bury her himself…but instead his senses tingled with the smell of hot blood, still pumping, her unique scent still impossibly alive.
But… where was she?
Turning his head left and right as if he were scanning the rite, he continued to scent until he'd identified her scent mixed with the disturbed bark of the tree on the northern end of the circle.
She'd hidden herself.
Reth blinked. His two natures argued about how he should feel: The Anima within him, the blood of his predator-ancestors, growled and shook itself. It had nothing but contempt for the prey-behavior. But his humanity… it applauded her resourcefulness—that she sought an answer other than bloodlust.
Both perked their ears as his heart beat faster because she was still alive. Then he blinked, and turned away from the tree before anyone else noticed his attention.
The Rite was almost finished. The clearing already littered with bodies. Lucine was in the dirt, far to his left, straddling the Equine sacrifice, strangling the life out of her. The girl had stopped fighting, only one of her legs still kicking—weakly.
It wouldn't be long.
But with no other battles at play, he would be forced to watch Lucine slay Elia.
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.
He had always enjoyed the human curses. They were very… visceral. And no doubt he'd utter a few more before this night was done.
The wolves began howling and clapping as Lucine pushed her to feet, obviously exhausted, but smiling that wolf-grin that she knew made the herds shiver.
She turned towards him and bowed, then started forward.
Reth realized she—and the wolf packs, apparently—weren't aware of Elia, still hidden in the tree.
Lucine was so confident, so sure, she'd used only her eyes, not scenting for her enemies. It was a fatal mistake and one he prayed she'd correct before she reached him for the offering. He wouldn't be able to accept it and she would be shamed.
Unfortunately, she was too busy accepting the cheers of her people, howling for the moon as she stumbled towards him, her body spent, to realize her error.
So, when she reached the dirt just feet in front of him and swept a bow, he was forced to speak before she made her offerings of devotion.
"There is still one left, Lucine," he growled.
She blinked, but to her credit, she didn't argue. Just dropped to a crouch and began scenting the clearing behind her. It took her only a few more seconds than it had taken Reth himself to locate Elia. Such a pity she was a wolf—and would be shamed by this moment. She would make a formidable Alpha one day.
With Reth watching, yearning for this to end any way other than what it must do, Lucine tracked the scent straight to the tree. Without hesitating she leaped and grabbed for Elia, who shrieked like a wounded rodent in the talons of an owl.
Reth was torn between contempt for her weakness, and grief for the girl she'd been to him as she was dragged from the heavy branch.
He was about to close his eyes, not wishing to see the moment when Lucine tore the life from her—but one of Elia's feet kicked out as she attempted to stop herself being pulled from the tree, and the wicked heel on it caught an overly confident Lucine right in the face.
The wolf-woman yowled like a cat, flinching and letting go with one hand.
For a moment Reth's heart rose—but only for a moment. because a second later, even as Lucine held her eye with one hand, Elia lost her grip on the tree and tumbled awkwardly to the ground on top of the wolf.
Reth braced himself for the bloodbath, forced his expression to an unfeeling mask, knowing even a tired Lucine would take pleasure in ending the Pure One.
But a murmur rose from the crowd on that end of the clearing, many of the Anima shifting uneasily. Reth's heart raced, but he forced himself to stillness as a Elia stumbled to her feet, staring open-mouthed at Lucine on the ground—who wasn't moving.
Elia took a step back, then jerked to look left and right at the people surrounding the clearing, around as if someone else might attack her.
Reth scented Lucine, but her scent did not have the pale chill of death. She was still alive, but apparently unconscious. Yet, Elia continued to back away. Then she turned to look at him, her eyes and mouth wide.
"She is not yet dead," Reth growled. "Finish her."
Elia's entire body pulled away from him. "I'm not killing her."
The clearing shook with the fierce reaction of the crowd—all the tribes in agreement on this point, at least. The Rite must be fulfilled.
Reth snarled and they quieted, but the wolves were pacing, all the herds stamped their feet, and the Avalines kept ruffling their cloaks.
Reth snorted the scent of her from his nose in disgust—the only counter to his rage was the awareness of how Lucine's father, Lucan, must be quivering with shame. His daughter was already humiliated by this loss—but to be declared too weak to be killed in good conscience—and by an untried human! Reth would have given his left testicle to hear Lucan's thoughts in that moment.
His enemy's discomfort aside, Reth growled his own anger. She would not force him to be the one to end this! He started toward her, the tribes chittering in response to the tension in him, their King lion on the prowl.
"She is a sacrifice," he snarled. "Just like you. Kill her."
But for the first time on this horrific night, Elia showed a spark of the strong and vibrant child she had been. She straightened and turned to face him fully, locked eyes with him, clenching her hands to fists, and yelled back, "No!"