Howl! "Distract but do not engage! Keep it busy long enough for the elf to escape. She is our only hope of spreading the truth of this beast."
Elwin looked up at the dark clouds rolling in before he rallied his pack as they engaged the creature. Vanima, who had led the initial charge joined her mate. Both alphas barked orders while guiding the darkness away from the elf.
"Virion, you’re getting too close."
"Rhistel, keep moving."
"Ryo, stop! Let her go."
Snarling, their foe pounced on Saria before she could dash away. Ryo howled in rage before leaping into the moving shadows. A yelp followed by bone snapping hushed the pack.
Ryo's body flew out of the blackness and crumpled next to Saria.
Howl! "Keep moving and never surrender!"
Vanima's order brought the pack in line and renewed their vigor. Elwin smiled in admiration at his mate's strength.
Elwin took charge and barked out another directive, " Rotate out, Samblar. You're hurt. Zaos, guard his retreat."
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Tisha, the pack's strongest contender for a female alpha, yelped in pain when the beast bit into her hind leg and tossed her into a tree.
"No!" yelled Darshee, Tisha's best friend.
She stood between the darkness and the wounded wolf. Darshee never wavered.
He could do nothing but watch the two females face the end. Vanima brushed against him and whispered, "We have lost enough, my love."
The sky opened up and Elwin nodded in agreement.
"Retreat and don't look back."
Out of the thirteen brave souls who followed Vanima into hell, nine raced behind her. All wet and struggling for survival against the encroaching darkness.
Helpless, he could do little but encourage those who fell behind. "Esta! I beg of you, don't give up. My heart can't bear to lose another."
"I can't." Esta fought to keep up. Blood flowed freely from the wound on her side. Wincing in pain, she pleaded, "Please forgive me. Tell my sister, Rina, that I died bravely for the pack."
With one last act of bravery, Esta held her ground and howled in defiance until the shadows surrounding the darkness consumed her.
Boom!
The entire pack was knocked to the ground. Dazed by the bright flash, they all looked up in time to see a flaming tree collapse behind them.
Not wasting any time, Elwin shouted, "Run!"
When everyone had reached the entrance to their den, the eight remaining wolves collapsed from exhaustion. Vanima lay panting among them.
Elwin noticed a blood trail and found Tasar crumpled on the ground outside the den. He nudged the wolf, but it was too late.
The pain he felt reminded him of how his heart had shattered the last day he had been an elf.
His family joined him in mourning for the fallen.
Vanima managed to pull him away from Tasar before curling up beside him inside their den. Elwin let her warmth and beating heart soothe him into a deep slumber.