My feet skidded in dead stop when I saw movements a couple of hundred yards away. The tress cracked and the ground quaked. There was a loud pounding of my heartbeats on my ears as my eyes zeroed at the clearing where fallen trees surrounded. Some were uprooted while the others had the ugly patterns of claws on their barks.
No wonder the small animals left the area except for Hiji which has little kits to look after. It might really be difficult for relocation with eminent danger just around the corner.
My eyes caught ten of large-bodied beasts. The horns on their snouts were a dead giveaway that they belonged to the Orc tribe.
Hunter was right.
The breachers were berserkers.
They were all over the place, ransacking trees along their way. I stalked carefully a little distance behind them which was trailed with the blood of poor animals. I fought the urge to grimace upon seeing headless animals on my way. Refusing myself to recognize those animals, I channeled all of my attention towards the beasts.
Those might have some of my friends in the forest but now wasn't the time to mourn for them. I got to put my mind on the hunt before anything else.
Certain enough of the things that I must report to the Alpha in charge, I inconspicuously traced back my footsteps without alerting the beasts on their ransacking and destroying everything on their ways. The poor trees. The bushes. The natural deposits of hard rocks. I padded away from there, having to concentrate my mind on Maia.
'I found them. There are a total of ten.' I conveyed when Maia caught up my connection.
'Oh my gosh. Get away from there now!' Maia screamed inside the back of my mind.
'Yeah. It's what I'm doing right now. How about you?' I asked.
'All clear here. I haven't heard from others. We should go back.'
'Yeah. I'm in the southeast area. They are wreaking havoc here. Too much died from the animals around.' I said, unable to hide the anger in my trembling voice. 'I think they even got Odessa.'
Maia gasped at such news and I felt how heavy she felt right now. That was the beauty of connections within the pack. We feel each other's emotions most especially in wolf form.
Odessa was Maia's favorite squirrel since its the sweetest towards her.
'Let's...let's just gather back to the meeting point.' Maia conveyed.
'On it.' I agreed.
Before padding further away from the location, I threw a last glance towards the beasts who swung their weapons on those poor tresses which were home of some birds in there and in the thick bushes
I gasped in horror when two gray bunnies ran in scattered as the bushes they hid in were cleared by one of the orc's huge ax.
'What is it?' I heard Maia reach out to me mentally, sensing my panic. 'Layla! What is it?!'
I can't answer her when my full concentration was poured towards the orcs and the rabbits.
I recognized those two bunnies!
Simon and Rolex!
'Layla!' Maia screamed which made me wince. 'No matter what happens, do not engage! I swear I will maul you if you dare-'
I cut off our connection when I observed the chaos that was about to unfold before me.
I knew that those rabbits were clever for their own good and weren't stupid enough to expose themselves to approaching danger. They ran in circles as if distracting those giants from going forward. Their little stunt turned out effective as the orcs became invested in hunting them down.
One orc swung its ax forcefully in the hope to kill the little bunny with one hit. Simon was able to dodge a few seconds before it will hit him and jumped to one of the orc's head. Pissed over Simon's agility, an orc mindlessly swung its rusty blade to it.
Simon hopped away and the blade broke the orc's head. A loud and ugly scream resounded the area before a thud followed.
I was amazed how Simon managed to kill an orc with his tricks. The orcs were enraged with the little beast that they began to hunt the rabbits with great ardor.
Once again, another orc fell down the ground, unmoving. This time Rolex was the one which pulled the stunt.
The anger in the atmosphere turned vile as the orc berserkers' frustration increased. Orcs might be strong but they were rather slow compared to the bunnies. If Simon and Rolex's stunt continued to be successful, they might overthrow the berserkers themselves without the wolves' help at all.
I was impressed myself.
How these two little animals braved themselves to stand before those beasts much larger than their sizes.
Then a loud growl vibrated the place coming from one orc in poorly stitched leather on its shoulder and with the largest tusks on its lower jaw. The remaining orcs turned their heads to him as if he was their leader. They stopped in their attempt to hunt the rabbits.
Then the seeming leader of them all, breath deeply with closed eyes.
My breath caught up in my throat when it happen so fast. I didn't even catch that with my eyes.
One second, the orc leader was standing still, and then next moment, Simon and Rolex were both wriggling at the deathly grip. He lifted both of them to its eye level, seemingly challenging them to do their tricks again.
Simon and Rolex convulsed when their little bodies were mercilessly squished with the orcs rough hand.
I felt my heart in fast beats that I found it hard to breathe normally. My eyes were both intent towards the rabbits and my paws dug deep on the soil.
It was stupid. Yes.
I might die. Yes.
Hunter will probably kill me if I even survive.
Or Maia will skin me alive if I even make it unscathed by these gigantic berserkers.
Probably.
But I can't let them die.
Not under my freaking watch.
If those two small rabbits can face those ten monsters bigger than them, then I, a wolf, can too.
Screw order!
Screw being safe!
I only had seconds to save my little friends and there was no time to hesitate at all.