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The Blood War

Chapter Eight

A flash of darkness, a painted smudge of death against the green shrubery that stood as purity. That smudge that had haunted Outlander every second her eyes were shut, and now it loomed over her, its jaws inches from her face. Saliva from a non-existent throat dripped down into her eyes, blurring everything around her. It was all happening so fast, and yet so slow.

Clarity. Was this what it took to have a little peace of mind; the image of death closing its jaws around her throat? The howl of her dreams returned; a cry in the dark, a cry for help. She recognized it.

The death-wolf's jaws opened, speeding down towards her.

Shrill and helpless. She knew that cry, from when she was younger. The call that had sent her running to protect. Where? Where had she heard it?

Peircing blue flames burned from above, angry and sad and tired, all at once. Sharp pain shot through her neck, galloping down her spine. She shut her eyes, trying to force the pain out of her mind and focus. If this was it, she had to know. She had to solve the mystery.

She was young. It was long ago. The danger of wolves. The need to protect her family. Her mother? The wise wolf needed no protection. Not family then; not real family anyway. But it was real to her, it had to be.

The howl sounded again.

Outlander's eyes shot open, met with the icy flames. The howl of desperation, the prints of a victim, the smell of death. "Scavenger..." Something within her flipped suddenly. Something in her was unwilling to die. Something with a new, bloody purpose.

An unspeakable fire filled her veins, burning through every inch of her body. With the strength of an unholy rage, she kicked and twisted, breaking free of death's hold. Streams of blood tickled the gruesome gash in her neck as searing pain attacked from all sides, but she ignored it all. The bodies, the blood, the pain, the pack, they were all non-existent, just for this moment.

It was only her, and death.

~CL1

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