Sabina sighed in relief as she finally reached the beginning of the ravine. This had taken the better part of the day to reach this point, and to be honest she was the only one taking the effort to stay awake. Suddenly there was a snore and Sabina's ear flicked in irritance. The vampire had fallen asleep not too long after they had reached the outcrop, they had stopped for her to look at her surroundings and to be honest it wasn't such a bad thing the vampire fell asleep.
After all sleeping was a much better option as the vampire seemed to mumble itself like it was mentally ill but Sabina just thought that the vampire might have suffered a head wound and hoped it would eventually become sane again. But the silence wasn't the only thing she appreciated about the vampire falling asleep, it was also the lack of movement on her back.
As they got closer to the ravine the small underbrush was alive with small critters and due to the noise they made as they moved in the underbrush, the vampire had a tendency to flinch and jump.
Sabina looked over the side of the crack to see the cliff ledge was quite far from the bottom of the ravine. She looked farther down the ravine and began to see that it was going to be a long walk before she found the ground was close enough to the cliff edge to jump down. She sighed This is such a long day.
She continued forward along the ravine watching as the sun got higher and higher in the sky, looking down below for the ground to get close enough to jump down. Yet to her amazement it never seemed to get closer. She felt her heart drop. Had enough time passed to completely change the geography?
Sabina sighed again only to stop short as a voice erupted from the ravine "Pippin I'm hungry."
"Shut up rodent!" growled another voice.
"Don't be afraid of Fin, little sister. He's just a prick by nature." Said a steely voice and Sabina felt the sudden drop of her gut as a group of wolves came into view.
The pack numbered six. Three gray wolves similar in size led the way as two red wolves and a sand colored wolf followed behind. Sabina sighed.
The three gray wolves were about the same as far as height and color, as to which Sabina could confidently say that based on their size alone, they were mountain wolves. The red wolves were smaller than the gray wolves but as she looked at them, she could see they were just too malnourished to be placed in a specific wolf species.
A breeze blew through the ravine and she could clearly smell that there was only one female in the pack. She watched them for a moment trying to determine who the female was, when she noticed the smallest red wolf wasn't the lowest member of the pack.
Sabina could clearly see the sand colored wolf was the lowest ranking wolf, from it's tail always quick to be between it's legs and it's gnawed on ears laying on it's head as the leader nipped at it.
Sabina sighed she would just have to wait till they passed by before she could jump down. She turned away when suddenly she felt the weight on her back slide off like water and she stopped short.
After the weight slid off she heard a dull thud in the ravine and she winced. Of course the vampire had to slide off her back into the ravine, after she happened to see a group of rogues within it.
Sabina groaned as she slowly turned to the edge of the ravine only to feel anger and frustration. There in the ravine the vampire laid trying to get up stiffly as the wolves below blinked in surprise. She felt like laughing in frustration maybe she just leave him to die.
Yet as she watched the leading gray wolf snap out of its shock and snap its jaws in the vampire's face, she sighed. No, she saved him from the Vanir, gave him medicine, even carried him over mountains and sharp grass. It was too soon to be thinking such things, besides it was only six rogues.
The vampire looked up at her fearfully only to laugh, to which she once again it was not right in the head. It slowly began to get to its feet and begin saying something to the rogues, as they began to enclose around him. Sabina sighed.
When she had assumed it would be a long day she didn't think it would seem this long.
She took in a deep breath and jumped from the cliff edge and rapidly dropped towards the black dirt beneath. Instantly she felt the hard ground beneath her and she groaned inwardly as she heard her knees pop in protest, she was too old for this.
She had landed facing the vampire where she could see he was looking at her in awe and fear. She sighed he seemed fine and she turned around till her gaze was upon the six wolves who stared at her dumbly.
"This vampire is not food." stated Sabina.
The leading gray wolf had a large scar across its right green eye but as she expected the wolf looked past her as he said "It looks like food."
Sabina cocked her head as she said "It is not. Go on your way before I loose my patience."
The next tallest gray wolf stepped forward and growled "You sure talk big for a wolf all alone."
Sabina could see that this wolf was the one who told the young wolf earlier to be quiet, and is was clear as day he was next in the chain of command. She smiled "You talk big thinking six starved wolves can defeat me."
The gray wolf growled when suddenly the smaller of the red wolves said "Why would a wolf be protecting a vampire?"
"Shut up!" snapped the second in command.
"Don't be a prick, Fin!" Growled the other red wolf which Sabina could see was around the age of sixteen.
"It's okay Pippin!" Cried the little red wolf as she hobbled between the two wolves who were ready tear at each other's throats.
Sabina blinked several times, she might not even have to do anything to these wolves. They might just tear each other apart before then.
Sabina smiled at the little red wolf as she said kindly "Who is asking, little one?"
The little wolf's blue eyes glistened and it took a step towards Sabina when her brother blocked her path, just as she had assumed this young wolf was still easily influenced. Pippin glared at Sabina who turned her cold gaze back to the leader.
"Besides does it matter why I am protecting this…" Sabina glanced at the vampire who was glancing between the wolves rather confused and she turned her gaze back upon the leader as she growled "..thing?"
The leading wolf shrugged as he smirked "No."
Sabina sighed as she looked in the greedy leader's eyes, this was going to turn gruesome. She glanced at the two red wolves who looked at the other wolves for guidance and she shook her head. The youngest red wolf was only probably thirteen while the older red wolf was around sixteen, she could easily assume they were blood siblings from the similarities in their fur color.
She felt a pang of guilt as she looked into their eyes, the eldest was cold and hard from the things they had seen while the younger one was on the brink of collapsing. When she had been young, they would have been taken in if they were found, in fact the clans nearby would have raced to take them in. Young rogue wolves were not only seen as new blood in the pack but also seen as a prize or a chance to give homage to the Alpha King.
That was not to be said the young rogue pups would be given to the Alpha King as a sacrifice, but if the young pup should decide to be a part of the Alpha Clan then the pup could. The Alpha clan was one who harbored orphans and loyal servants of the Alpha King and were the most respected and feared clan in Sabina's youth. No clan challenged the Alpha Clan or the Alpha King for their power over the clans and though there were small skirmishes between the clans no war ever broke out between the Alpha Clan and the other Clans.
However after the Purging all belief in saving young rogues was in the past, and the new belief of the clans was that any rogues were vermin.
"Pippin." Growled the leader.
The older red wolf walked forward and the leader smirked "You wanted to join our rag tag group, yes?"
"Yes." Said the young wolf nervously as he looked at Sabina.
"Then prove it." smirked Fin as his slimy gaze fell upon the little red wolf and Pippin glared nervously at Fin.
Sabina's gaze never left the leader as she growled "Are you so cowardly that you would send pups after me?"
The leader growled as he shoved the young red wolf towards Sabina "Get on with it."
Sabina sighed as she took a few steps towards the young wolf who seemed to have a hard time not looking up at her. Sabina cocked her head as she said "Do you wish to live?"
The young wolf glanced at his sister before he turned back to her and nervously growled "You talk too much!"
Sabina watched as the young wolf jumped at her trying to catch her off guard but seeing what Pippin had been thinking she knocked the wolf to the side with her paw. The wolf fell to the ground and Sabina pinned his shoulder with her paw as she looked down upon him with her green eyes.
The young wolf nipped at the air with his teeth bared at her attempting to get a hold of her leg between his jaws but Sabina growled "Enough."
"I'll kill you!" Pippin protested as he tried scratching her with his claws.
"Brother!" cried the little red wolf and Pippin's head quickly whipped over so he could see his sister attempting to race towards him.
"No! Get back Emy!" cried Pippin.
It was then that Fin took a hold of Emy's scruff and dragged her back till she was back with the other wolves. The leader smirked as he said "Don't worry, we'll take good care of your sister."
Pippin's eyes teared up as he looked at Sabina "Get off me!"
Sabina looked at the group before she turned her gaze back to Pippin "Did you mean it?"
"What are you talking about?! Don't you see what is about to happen to my sister?!" Shouted Pippin as he struggled under Sabina's paws.
"You said You'll kill me, yes?" Sabina said this and Pippin stopped struggling.
"What?" asked Pippin dumbfounded.
Sabina cocked her head "Must I repeat myself?"
Pippin waited a long moment when he said "Yes."
"Then in trade for my death I will save your sister's life." said Sabina with a smile. Maybe this wolf would be willing to end it all for her.
It was a little too cruel putting her death in this young wolf's paws, but perhaps he will be able to succeed where even a vampire's blade failed.
"How can you save my sister's life?" said the young wolf skeptically.
Sabina smile faltered as she looked into the wolf's innocent eyes. No she could not place her death in this wolf's paws. She sighed "By killing all of the other wolves, yes?"
Pippin stared at her for a moment as though he wasn't sure whether to believe her or not when Sabina said "Remain by the vampire and be sure it is not harmed."
She took her paw off his shoulder as she walked towards the other wolves letting the rage she had held within herself begin to pour out into the air. The other wolves cowered in fear as the leader of the pack stammered "W- what are you?!"
Sabina smiled "I have had many names. However as you will be upon the gray fields with no memory, it doesn't matter if you know my name or not."
Sabina leapt at the leading wolf who tried to jump back but Sabina's reach exceeded his attempts to evade her jaws, and Sabina's jaws enclosed around the wolf's neck. Within seconds the leader's throat was ripped away from the wolf's neck spraying the black liquid that ran through the wolf's veins onto the black dirt and wall. The other three wolves whimpered and gaped in horror as Sabina chewed on the wolfs neck for a moment, letting the meat squish between her teeth as the wolves around her watched the black blood drip from her jaws.
Sabina heard retching behind her and she glanced in the direction to see the vampire had begun to throw up the little water he had left in his stomach. Sabina sighed, this vampire had such poor constitution that it threw up after falling.
She heard the dirt spray as another wolf jumped at her hoping to catch her unawares but Sabina quickly jumped to the side. The gray wolf who had remained silent the whole encounter air born, he was fast but not fast enough.
Sabina smiled as she grabbed a hold of the wolf's back with her jaws and began biting into its flesh. The wolf yelped in pain as it whipped around and snapped its jaws at Sabina's face but just as the wolf's jaws came inches from Sabina's she let go of the wolf's back.
The wolf seemed relieved until she took a bigger bite into its neck and flung the wolf towards the ravine wall. The wolf collide with the solid wall and fell hard upon the ground, where a sickening crack could be heard as it's back landed on a large rock.
The Dune wolf coward under Sabina's gaze when suddenly Fin shouted "I'll kill her!"
Sabina's cold green gaze turned to Fin who she could see was no longer holding Emy's scruff but in fact held her throat between his jaws. Sabina cocked her head as she looked at the dune wolf and said "I will only spare one."
Fin cocked his head "What are you talking about? Doesn't this wolf mean something to you?"
Sabina sighed "Yes she does. But if she still lives I will consider sparing one of you. If she dies you both die with her."
Fin's eyes went wide as he turned to see the Dune Wolf air born and within seconds the Dune wolf took a hold of the gray wolfs leg and bit hard. Fin instantly dropped Emy and yowled in pain as he tried to grab a hold of the dune wolf but it was too quick and evaded the large wolf's jaws.
Sabina walked forwards and took a hold of Emy's scruff before she dragged Emy to her brother's side, who stared dumbly as the two wolves continued their fight.
Pippin could clearly see that Sabina had not in fact ran out of the fight. She had in fact had given the Dune Wolf a chance to fight for it's life, and fight it did. Within minutes Fin was bleeding from bite marks all over his body until the dune wolf got a hold of the gray wolf's throat and ripped it out.
The Dune wolf stood there panting as black blood seeped out of his wounds when Sabina said with a final tone "Then it is decided."
She looked in the direction she was heading and said "I shall be on my way now."
Sabina turned and looked back to the vampire who was still wiping the contents of his stomach from his mouth. He looked up suddenly feeling her gaze and went pale, Sabina sighed as she laid down and growled. The vampire quickly stood and climbed a top her back trying hard not to clutch her fur too hard as she began to walk away towards her destination.
But she stopped short as she looked at the Dune wolf "I will be coming back this way, so be sure to be out of the ravine when I come back. As I can't promise I will be as merciful when I return."
The Dune wolf quickly nodded and turned tail in the opposite direction of where she was going and disappeared into the shadows the ravine. Sabina looked up at the sun to see is was getting late as the sun was now casting shadows. Sabina sighed so much time had passed.
"Why did you save us?" asked Emy weakly.
Sabina turned her gaze to Emy and smiled "Because innocents should always be cherished."
Tears began to form in Emy's eyes, Sabina turned and began to walk away when she heard a shout from the young wolves direction.
"Do I still have to kill you?" shouted Pippin.
Sabina stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder to the young wolf who stood beside his sister, she smiled "No. Why would I put my death upon the shoulders of the young innocent wolves I saved?"
"Then why did you ask if I meant it?" asked Pippin as he looked at her confused.
Sabina thought for a moment when she said "Just a little bit of wishful thinking."
"Wishful thinking? Why…" Pippin was about to ask but Sabina shook her head "Just take care of your sister, young Pippin. Eat what you can after all, meat is meat."
Sabina turned away as she began to walk again when Pippin shouted "Where are you taking that vampire?"
Sabina sighed she didn't have time for this "To it's kind."
"Why?" asked Pippin.
But Sabina made no reply as she continued on her path slowly shrinking into the distance leaving the two wolves alone in the ravine.