by Cloe Cullen
Both Amara and the wolf glared at each other from either side of the tree. Amara growled at the wolf, making her stance known. The wolf, panting, yapped at her.
Amara paced, trying to decide where to strike next, but before she could make a decision, the wolf hopped over the downed tree and rushed her. Amara scrambled, but ultimately failed to roll out of the way. The wolf caught her neck in its jaws and slammed her down to the ground. Amara fought desperately to get the wolf to release her, and he did, letting go with his mouth but pushing down on her chest with its paws, keeping her from moving. The wolf's weight was crushing, and Amara struggled to breathe. The fear of death overrode her mind, and Amara thrashed around more so than she ever had in her entire life. She howled, she screamed, she tried to bash the wolf's face in.
But the wolf was having none of it. He reared back and let out a howl at point blank range, scaring Amara so badly that she lost her will to fight. All she could focus on was the wolf on top of her.
Fear...is this what her father felt when he fought against the Pack all those years ago? Were there wolves as strong as this one so long ago? Amara was so concentrated on the wolf that she accidentally slipped back into her human form, shrinking under the wolf and forgetting to cover her naked body.
Silence filled the air. Amara waited with bated breath for the wolf to take her life, to win this duel she so foolishly thought she could win. But the wolf didn't make a move. Instead, it stared at her, silently. The silence persisted to the point where the wolf even drooled slightly, the big globs falling to Amara's chest.
In a move Amara could never have predicted, the wolf backed off, letting her wriggle to her knees. She half expected it to lunge back towards her, so she took a defensive stance, but when Amara realized the wolf wasn't planning to attack again, she stared in wonder at the great beast before her. As she watched the beast, it began to shift back to its human form.
Amara caught her breath for the thousandth time upon seeing the wolf shifter in all his glory.
Naked, like her, the wolf shifter stood tall, his rippling abs and biceps flexing as he stood straight. Short, wispy gray hair covered his handsome head, and a chiseled face and the same dark green eyes greeted her with the same curiosity she wore. A number of scratches and bite marks she placed along his body began to heal; slowly but surely they all closed. The shifter looked down at his body, raising both his arms to make sure he saw the power of his natural healing. He looked back up again at Amara and smiled.
Amara, growing self-conscious, covered her chest and bottom as she crouched, staring back. She didn't think she'd find her voice working, but it did, and she broke the silence first. "Who the hell are you?"
The wolf-shifter gazed at her, shaking his head. "Not an enemy, if that's what you're asking."
"Liar!"
The wolf shifter stepped forward, his body contorting in a single beautiful motion that caused Amara's face to flush the color of blood. "My name is Darius. I'm not here to harm you, or anyone else. Please, believe me."
Amara recoiled as he took another step, so the shifter sighed and plopped down cross-legged on the ground, placing his hand on his legs. "What's your name?"
Amara knew she shouldn't trust the shifter before her. Ever since her first days, her parents and every other cat shifter had installed in her head the depravity of the Pack. They were savages, mean and living in squalor. But the perfect visage before her eyes told her that, at the very least, this one wasn't like the stories she's heard throughout the years. "Amara…"
"Amara. That's a pretty name." Darius observed her closely.
"Your's isn't too bad either…"
Darius remained silent. Amara tried not to get lost in his eyes. She shook her head. "What do you want, wolf?"
Darius raised a brow. "It should be obvious."
"Oh yeah? Spit it out then, because I don't know."
"It's simple. I just want to talk."
Chapter Seven: Darius
“Talk about what, exactly?" Amara said.
Darius eyed the cat girl. This was the first time he ever met a shifter from another clan, and yet the encounter didn't feel as strange as he thought it would. After he crossed the river, Darius was sure he would run into a member from the Pride; Darius had come up with a plan for when that situation came to pass. He would try to talk to whoever he met, explain the situation. Surely, they would understand, right? The war between the clans was like ancient history. The hate couldn't be that strong, could it?
Yet Darius didn't expect to find a cougar pouncing on him without even asking why he was in foreign lands...nor did he expect the first cat shifter he met to be so beautiful.
The young woman before him was undeniably the prettiest creature he'd ever lay eyes upon. Light blonde with fair skin and striking hazel eyes, physically she was perfection; he couldn't stop staring. But the more he watched her, the more she recoiled into a fetal-like position, and Darius needed her to open up to him.
"Talk about why I'm here, and why you attacked me."
Amara scoffed. "You're on Pride land without the permission of the clan or the Alpha, of course I would attack you! You're clearly here with the intent of harming my people."
Darius cocked his head whimsically, a small grin forming on his face. "Clearly, huh? What's so clear about my intentions?"
Amara began to spit her words at him, but faltered, stuttering when she realized there was no evidence. Her cheeks blushed, and Darius chuckled at the sight. She growled at him, opening her body slightly. "What's so funny, mutt?"
"This whole situation really. This morning I had no idea I would be on the other side of the border, and yet here I am not only on the other side of the border but also talking to a cougar! This is the most fun I've had in a long time."
Amara's expression softened, but she shook her head quickly as if she just couldn't believe what she was seeing. "So it's fun to you to invade another's territory without reason?"
"I think it's fun to watch a cat shifter stumble over her words and make an adorable fool of herself as she tries to paint a wolf shifter a criminal without even trying to talk things out first."
Amara snorted. "Please, I'm doing what any good member of the Pride would do."
"Are you?"
Amara flinched at his quick question, and Darius knew she didn't know the answer to that. "I'm the first wolf shifter you've ever met, right? What's makes you so sure all those stories about evil wolves are true?"
"How do you know we tell evil stories about your people?"
"Because my people do the same."
Finally, Amara turned her body to face Darius, pulling her legs to her chest and attentively hiding her private parts. She peered out at him from behind her the tops of her knees. "You still haven't said why you're here."
"Oh, so now you're interested to hear my story?"
"Spit it out already! I can't just sit here naked talking with a naked wolf forever."
Darius chuckled. "Fine." He settled himself, and wiped away his smile, to let Amara know he was serious. "The reason I'm here is so that I can search for two missing wolf shifters."
Amara frowned. "Why the hell would you search here? It'd be better to go back to your side, wouldn't it?"
"We found tracks that led to Pride territory."
"We?"
Darius waved the detail off. "I was with a pack, but I'm the only one who crossed. You have my word."
Amara grunted. "Impossible. No wolves would be stupid enough to cross territories." It was Darius' turn to frown. "No offense, mutt."
"None taken, kitten. But they didn't just wander over here because they were curious. Something chased them this way." Amara scowled but cocked her head, waiting for Darius to continue. "There was a strange scent by the tracks, one that smelled familiar, yet somehow very different. Almost...corrupted, I guess."
Amara finally let a laugh go. Her laugh was so pretty a pair of butterflies began to dance in his stomach. "Please, stop this farce rig
ht there. You're going to tell me there's some sort of monster here in the Oldwood, stalking your little pups?"
Darius leveled a look at her. "A Changeling, maybe. We're not sure."
"Changelings are Vampire pets, they wouldn't randomly come north from the Blackwood like that," Amara said.
"Unless they were ordered to."
"Do you have any other proof besides a scent?"
"Not yet."
"Hah, not yet, he says…"
"It's either that, or the Pride took our people. Which would you rather have?"
Amara shivered. Clearly, the idea that her people could be blamed irked her. "You forget the possibility that it could be your people."
Darius sighed. "The scent was like nothing I've smelled before, and, not to brag here, but I'm one of the best trackers in my clan. It couldn't have been one of ours."
Amara brooded over what Darius was saying. While she did, he continued to watch her, wiping a drop of drool that rolled down his cheek.
"It couldn't be my people. We're not stupid enough to start a war by capturing your shifters," Amara announced.
Darius nodded. "I don't think so either. So, unless the late Bear Clan is still around and kidnapping my people, it must be an outside force."
"A Changeling…"
Darius rose to his feet, stretching. "Well, now that we have that all figured out…"
Amara's gaze drifted over his body subconsciously, when she got far enough her eyes widened, and she swiveled to face away from him. "Where are you going?"
Darius cracked his neck. "To continue my search, obviously. My people are in your land, and the longer they're here, the longer they'll be in danger from both whatever is hunting them and from your people, who apparently attack-to-kill strangers on sight."
Amara rose uncertainly to her feet, still trying to cover herself. "You can't leave! I still don't trust you to walk around here."
"Then come with me." Darius motioned for her to follow. "Unless you don't like the idea of traveling with a dirty mutt like me."
Grinding her teeth, the debate in her head was written all over her face. "Alright, fine. We can go together, but if you try anything, I'll gut you immediately, you got that?"
"That's fine." Darius turned and began to walk away, he didn't bother to look if Amara was following. "Anyway, how's your arm?"
Amara clicked her tongue. "It's not bad, I can still use it-"
They both stopped instinctively, listening to the silent forest around them. Darius sniffed the air, the same strange scent from before filling his nostrils. Immediately his adrenaline began to pump, and his whole demeanor changed. "You smell that?"
"Yeah…" Amara said from behind him. "Is that the smell you were referring to?"
"It is."
To their right, a scream cut the air, and the hair on Darius' arms stood up straight as if electricity coursed through his body. Without hesitation, Darius shifted into his wolf form and bounded away. He heard Amara shift and follow.
The pair raced towards the scream.
Chapter Eight: Amara
Never in her wildest dreams did Amara think she'd brawl with a wolf shifter so early on in her life. Nor did she think she would converse with that very same wolf shifter, or be taken aback by how handsome he was, or learn that he was merely looking for members of his pack. Further still, she did not realize that within a matter of minutes, her very view on wolf shifters would be shaken to its very core.
All her life, Amara believed the stories passed down through her people about the Pack, and yet Darius was none of those things. Sure, he attacked her, but that was out of defense. Amara still couldn't say she completely trusted the guy, but after the strange smell filled her nose and the concurrent scream ripped the silence of the Oldwood she forgot about that.
Even now, Amara was half-expecting to wake up back in her bed in Red Rock as she full on sprinted to keep up with Darius. This was a dream, Amara was sure of it. She could barely make sense of all the things being thrown her way at the moment.
The screaming grew wilder by the second, and the closer they got, the more Amara was able to hear and see.
More than one low growl accompanied the screaming, and there was so much scrambling of feet she had to guess at least four different individuals were up ahead.
Darius mentioned he was looking for only two wolf shifters, then who else could be with them up ahead…? Only two scents were barely familiar to her, but the others were foreign to her senses.
Darius burst onto the scene, and Amara followed. Amara stopped beside Darius' gray wolf form to inspect the scene before them. They were in a clearing, with light shining down from the afternoon sun overhead. Amara immediately spotted two cougar cubs huddling together under one of the many trees that made up the Oldwood. They were shivering in fear, holding each other, and when they spotted Amara and Darius, they both shrieked.
Standing in front of the two cubs were three figures. Two of the characters were shaped like Darius, except they sported jet black fur, and crouched like goblins, their limbs bending in ways Amara couldn't comprehend. They both turned to look at the newcomers, their eyes bloodshot and mouths baring fangs, snarling and dripping globs of drool to the ground.
The third member was utterly different, though. Tall and lanky, with skin too pale to be called healthy, yet somehow sparkling in the sunlight, the creature stood facing the cubs but slowly turned to face Amara and Darius, its lips curling into an oddly disturbing smile. It wore clothes similar to what members of the Pride wore back home, except it covered the man from feet to neck, and held elaborate designs. Neck length, platinum blonde hair moved ever so gently as he turned completely.
"Oh dear, it looks like we have company. Now, who are you two?"
Darius immediately growled, using his powerful lungs to make his position known, and Amara followed suit, readying herself to pounce.
But the two black-furred creatures...those were wolves, were they not? The two Darius was looking for?
Would Darius fight them off? Clearly, they were attacking the two cougar cubs, but Amara's trust in her new acquaintance still wasn't complete. Did he even care about the lives of another clan? She wouldn't blame him if he didn't. It wouldn't make sense for him to risk his life for two strangers. So, Amara did the only thing she knew how to do.
She leaped towards the cubs faster than the two black-furred wolves could react and placed herself between the cubs and the trio of strangers. She kept her eyes on the two wolves as they snarled and stalked to either side of her. Amara prepared herself to fight at least the three before her, and possibly Darius too if he chose to side with the two wolves. She growled a message towards Darius...what will you do? She asked.
But she didn't have time to focus on his answer, because the other wolves began to step closer to her, ready to rush forward at any second.
"You're not even going to introduce yourselves?" The pale man asked. "Please, at least let me know who's so gallantly coming to these poor cub's rescue? All I need are your names. Please?"
The two black-furred wolves growled low, and when neither Amara nor Darius answered, the pale man sighed and hung his head as if the whole situation were nothing more than an inconvenient nuisance. "Ah, whatever. Get them, my minions. Leave none alive!"
The two black-furred wolves lunged at Amara, and she braced herself for the impact, the same fear from earlier taking hold.
But the two wolves didn't smash into her. They howled, but their howls were ones of pain, not triumph. To her surprise, Darius barreled into them both, using his massive frame to send them flying into the forest on Amara's right. Darius landed on his feet and roared at two black-furred wolves as they untangled themselves and snapped at each other. They rose to their feet, and glared at Darius, trying to match his howl.
Darius glanced back at Amara giving her a slight nod, warming Amara's heart.
Amara smiled internally, purring a thank you, and turned her attention back to the pale man.
The pale man's face twitched in annoyance, his arms crossed and finger tapping impatiently along his arm. "What are you two doing? I didn't make you my minions for nothing! Kill them all!"
One wolf sprung at Darius, snapping his maw and slashing and kicking violently. Darius returned the favor, and the two brutally tore at each other. The second raced around Darius' scuffle and shot towards Amara and the cubs. Amara made a snap decision and picked up the two tiny cubs by their necks and quickly climbed the tree they were under. The wolf couldn't slow his sprint, and slammed face first into the tree, shaking it violently. Amara kept herself steady and placed the two startled cubs in a nook where they wouldn't fall out, and then turned and let herself fall onto the dazed wolf. This wolf was considerably smaller than Darius, so she had an easier time keeping the wolf pinned down while she searched for a fatal point. Whatever their deal was, Amara knew she couldn't risk the lives of the cubs any further, so she bared her fangs as the wolf struggled beneath her and clamped down on his neck. The wolf continued to struggle, but eventually, the fight faded from its eyes, and it slumped in her grasp. Amara let go moments later, stepping back to witness the results of her actions.
She panted as she glanced up from the dead wolf and glared at the pale man.
Before she could worry about Darius, he padded out from behind a thicket with the limp body of the other wolf squarely in his jaws. He dropped it at his feet, panting slightly, and bleeding, but standing tall. He took a quick glance at Amara before looking at the pale man.
"Ugh!" The pale man stomped his feet. "I can't believe this! Those two were so weak. What's the point in nabbing two hunting hounds if they can't even stand up to their brethren?" He bit his finger, deep in thought, glancing between Amara and Darius. "I suppose you two would do well under my thumb, despite the fact one of you isn't even a dog…"
Darius growled loudly at the suggestion, but the pale man ignored him. "You both have the energy and skills...and the strength to boot, it seems." The pale man grinned slowly. "Yes, I am a genius!" He looked up to speak directly to Darius and Amara. "How about it, you two? Want to join a little old Vampire like me-"
