This wolf of mine never ceases to surprise me. The moment she took control it was as if this was a training session for me and not a life and death fight.
Because somehow she didn't leave the blood rage behind. She surfaced with it appearing like a mad demon. She didn't shift either, she ran for the wolf who showed a little surprise but didn't retreat.
When the wolf was a few feet away, it leaped and Rieka got on her knees sliding on the floor beneath it and scalding our knee but also tearing open the wolf from its neck through its lower abdomen with her claws.
We turned around to watch the dead wolf fall to the ground with a thud. A satisfied smile blossomed on Rieka's face. She didn't even mind the blood that splattered all over our face and on my short hair.
"How did you...?" I asked with shock as I wondered what happened to the barrier that was around the wolf a moment ago.
"Remember when Rona said their powers were useless against an Austan wolf in blood rage?" Rieka asked and I nodded. I remember, I really did.
"Well, there you go." She finished and I gasped as I looked around to see if the others also saw what had happened and trust me when I tell you they did. There was fear in their eyes.
The kind that Rieka liked to see, but I also loved the sight of it.
"Let's kill them all then." I said to her happily.
"We could do that if we were fighting alone, but our people are weak. We have to retreat." She said and I was confused,
"We are running? We can't run. We have a chance." I argued but Rieka looked around and I also saw. I may be strong, but I was just one person and we were there as a pack.
We have to protect each other. I sighed with helplessness but Rieka knew what to do.
"Retreat!" She shouted to the others and they immediately ran for the forest as if the sound of the retreat was all they have been waiting for. Rieka and I stayed back long enough to let the last of us run for safety before we followed.
......
I sat down silently on the forest floor biting into my portion of the roasted rabbit continuously as I listened to the others argue on what we were to do next.
After the retreat the night before, the warriors I found and I made it our duty to search for the others all night, by morning everyone had gathered under the large oak tree where we had first appeared when we walked through the portal ring.
We then cleaned and treated the wounded in our midst, which was practically everyone, then the few people who could still walk went hunting for something for us to eat, that was how I ended up with the delicious lap of rabbit meat in my hands.
Even though I ignore their arguing and bickering, I deduced a few things. We were stranded. The portal ring was with Ramon and Ramon was captured, we didn't know the way home and even if we did, only the goddess knows how long it would take to get there.
There was only one option, go back and get Ramon but we didn't know where he was kept or how we would save him since we knew that the pack was strong or shall I say ready for us? It would also be best if we went back with our injured and got backup but obviously, there was no way to do that either.
So basically there were two factions, those who say we should go and bring back Ramon and those who wanted us to find another alternative, go home and come back strong enough to wipe out the whole pack then set Ramon free.
They both wanted the same thing but had different methods.
"If we stay hidden for a few days, the dark mistress would come for us. By now, I am sure she knows that something is wrong." One of the others continued to argue.
"What are we? little children, that need saving? We can't just wait around and do nothing. We have their masks. We could invade the whole pack and feed them more of their poisons, save Ramon and go home victorious!" Another argued back.
"That's not a bad idea!" I said suddenly not looking away from the roasted lap even though all the others were now staring at me.
"What do you mean?" someone from the 'wait around and do nothing' faction asked.
I looked up at the pair of eyes staring at me and smiled, "Don't you think it would be nice to see the helplessness in the eyes of those wolves when they see their family members choke to death." I asked and the others shuddered at my words.
I am sure that in their eyes, I was living up to the heartlessness they associated with Austan wolves, especially the one they knew, which was me but this wasn't what this was about, these people had clearly set a trap for us. They killed our brothers. They deserved to die.
"I am not leaving Ramon behind, I never planned to. I am not your leader and I don't care what you lot plan to do with your time, I just like that you gave me a better idea on how to deal with those foolish pack members who think they are so wise." I said looking at the one who had made the suggestion in the eye with a smile.
"So we are going back." someone said with a small voice. He was obviously relieving the attack of the previous night.
"Not you, me." I announced and turned back to finish off the sparse meat on the bone.
"Like we would let you go alone." Someone from the arguing team murmured and they all dispersed.
I smiled knowing that it was a settled argument then.
We were going back not just for Ramon, but also for revenge.
I liked the sound of that.