I sat back trying to pay attention to the battle as best as I could. I couldn't see much from this distance but I could hear the clangs of metal hitting rock, hear the sounds of their heavy footsteps sinking into the ground below them and see the slight sparks flying off the blade. If I hadn't entered the battlefield with her I could have watched it from the monitor but I knew she would need my help. The fighting was going on between my sister Andrea and her sister Gemma. Two of the princesses of our kingdom on our homeworld.

 I heard the sound of twigs snapping and could hear a faint growling the distance. Beasts were watching Andrea anxiously awaiting their chance to strike. I had to intervene and protect my sister. I let out a loud sustained howl to let Andrea know she could be surrounded at any second. I hoped that would cause a few of the beasts to break off from her and focus on finding me but I wasn't so lucky: she had their undivided attention. I moved as quickly and quietly as my legs would take me to sneak up behind one of the beasts. It looked like a wolf in shape but that visual faded upon closer look at it. It not only wasn't a real wolf, it didn't even have flesh. It was a wolf shaped monster in made of Earth; it appeared as if the very dirt from the ground had taken form with claws and teeth made of jagged rocks and eyes of amber that shone brilliantly in the moonlight.

Their eyes would have been beautiful if they weren't so terrifying. From what I could sense , there were at least 8 of them but no more than 12.  If I was going to be of any use it was going to take considerable magic energy. Maybe more than I had. I cursed being stuck in this form. My father, the great warrior Calius, was a member of the glorious lion's head beastman clan, but my mother was of a lower clan filled with mix breeds. They weren't even allowed to marry as it was taboo for a noble clan to mix with a mutt. My mother herself was a mix of Bengal cat and wolf. How had that mix resulted in me being brought to this world trapped in the form of a dog? The only saving grace I had was my beastman magic that allowed me to transform; although, usually just into a larger more ferocious dog.

I collected my magic power and began to transform from my usual German Shepard form into my mutated form that had a large body standing at 9 ft while on all fours, with midnight black fur and a giant furry mane that made me resemble a lion. My teeth grew sharper as did my claws which thanks to my mother's cat genes became retractile. As soon as my transformation completed I moved behind an Earth Wolf as silent as I could with my size, their gaze still focused on Andrea, and positioned myself over it; before they could register what was happening I stepped on one, destroying it under my paw. As if they were connected, it registered to them all that one of their own was destroyed and they all moved to come for me.  I swiped one sending it flying into a tree before it exploded on impact; another one attempted to jump at me but I put my paw up to stop it in the air, stepping on and crushing it.  

One had jumped to attack my neck line and I let out a yowl in pain; it hurt but it didn't draw blood. I managed to shake it enough to grab it with my maw and crush it in my teeth. The taste was revolting; I had all the natural urges of a dog so having dirt in my mouth wasn't new but the magic that gave them life had tainted the Earth as it created an entire circulatory system. This magic was elaborate, black sludge coated my mouth that tasted like metallic like blood but ancient and rancid. The distracting taste gave one a chance to chomp on my tail while two more nipped at the back of my left front leg. Both of the nipped at the same exact spot which caused it to draw blood. In reflex I pulled my leg up to my body which from my unstable position caused me to fall on crushing them under my body.

I gave my leg a quick few licks while I listened for the other wolves. It was difficult, they aren't alive so they don't need to breathe. The only way I could find them is to listen for the exact moment they went to attack and listen for their steps.  Their glares were oppressive and it felt like they were coming from everywhere but I knew there were only about 6 more. IT sounded like Gemma was too busy to produce more. From my vantage point I could see that Andrea was pushing Gemma back, Gemma was encompassed in a collection of boulders molded together like a suit of armor. She was big but slow and heavy.  Andrea was fast and strong but her blade could only do so much. The best she could hope for to win was a death of a thousand cuts; slowly chipping away at Gemma's armored body.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

I was brought back to focus on my own fight when I heard three sudden footsteps shooting through the trees. I ran forward quickly juking out of the way of trees as they moved in line behind me then I jumped forward and slid a good distance turning around in the process before pushing off of my back feet and shooting forward back toward them. My size is a disadvantage in this confined space of the forest but I can use my weight to knock down a few trees boxing the three wolves in. I'm on them in a blink, my fangs ripping through one while I crush a second under my claw. I swipe the third with my back paw sending it flying into a tree hard enough to explode on impact causing the tree to splinter.

The one under my claw bites into the space in between my nails distracting me just long enough for another two to jump and bite into my belly drawing blood again. I go falling onto my opposite side in a traumatic pile. They continue to bite into me ripping at my fur to get better access to my skin. I look over to notice the cot on the back of my leg is still open and bleeding. They must have some kind of anticoagulant in their saliva that is causing me to continue bleeding unless their bites are cursed. More clangs go on in the distance reminding me that I'm not the only one fighting. I go to stand up again, finally destroying the one under my claw while jumping to the left to beat the wolves off of me against a tree. They fall off but quickly recover as they give chase.

I'm losing blood and my adrenaline is only going to get me so far. I can't attempt to use any healing magic as long as I'm transformed and the longer I stay transformed the less magic I'll have to heal with. I'm in trouble if I don't end this quickly. Luckily the two on my tail should be the only ones left. I summon as much strength as I can and take off in a brisk run. I stop trying to avoid the trees and just barrel through them in order to keep my momentum.  I can hear that the Earth Wolves have to jump and dodge debris slowing them down. If  I can get a good enough distance I can possibly win this fight. The only problem is if I stop running my legs might not start up again. I try to push off even harder and pick up speed, my injured leg throbbing in protest. I manage to loop around and stampede back toward them.

I just managed to get one of them into my mouth crushing it when it happens, I slip on a pool of my own blood. My body flung end over end as I barrel roll into the last of the wolves crushing it under my weight. I lay there under the moonlight as I listen to the clangs that seem to be becoming more sparse in frequency.  I let out an extended exhale as I slowly shrunk back to a more manageable size.  The cuts are proportional to the size I am so I transform into something tiny, something that doesn't need as much blood to manage until my body can replenish. That will cause the cuts to be of a smaller size so I need less magic to heal them.

 I turn into a Jack Russell and my bite wounds become the size of mosquito bites. I can manage that I think. I gather my magic, thankfully it was just an anticoagulant and not a cursed wound. Healing is the only holy magic I can use and I can barely use it on anyone else but myself. Like my teacher taught me, I imagine a needle and thread tying my wounds closed. My method of healing is slower and requires focus. I have very little affinity for holy magic. After a few minutes my wounds are closed, a few more sessions of healing and I might not even have a scar. I'm too drained to worry about that now though. I can only just manage to move enough to aim my body at the battlefield and watch the clash. I watch Andrea as she almost disappears from sight into the darkness only to return bringing her blade down in an arc over Gemma's rock helmet. Her blade splinters but Gemma's helmet also slices down the middle too falling off of her like a cracked egg shell. With the better look I can see multiple parts of her armor had been shattered. Andrea looks nearly exhausted; I contemplate trying to stand and help. I move my legs some to see if I can stand but I suddenly hear a growl behind me. I look back to see red eyes staring back at me.