Shadows in the Smoke

The shadow in the fire light was unmoving at first. It was standing perfectly still, staring at us. My heart felt like it was beating my ribcage open, I could practically feel it beating in my throat

Renn stood like a statue, his spear pointed at the dark. "Show yourself," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Now.

Kira's dagger was already out, its blade flashing in the dying fires. Renn stood with his spear raised up, his muscles tensed and narrowed eyes fixed on the shadows.

Gage was still grumbling as he awoke, clearly unaware of our situation. Lena, jolted awake and fumbled for her small bag of herbs. Marcus, took his fighting standing of course with a dagger in his hands.

Lena held the kids and moved back as Kira gave them a sign to hide and stay quiet.

"Who's there?" Renn growled, his voice low and gravelly. "Show yourself, come on out or we'll do it ourselves." But he was answered with silence.

Then the shadow at the edge of the fire light stepped out and gradually started approaching us. As those manly shadows moved closer, our little pack began to slowly rise to our feet and started moving towards those shadows.

They moved forward until they came into our view, a scout for the Shadow Pack stood before us which I thought was the leader. He was lean and scared, with a pair of yellow eyes that I had seen before. He wasn't alone, few more stood behind him with their lips pulled back in snarls, fur rippling along their bodies.

"Rogue," the lead wolf snarled, his gaze fixed on Finn in my arms. "We could smell the power. That pup. Hand him over and we'll let the rest of you walk free."

My blood ran cold and I held Finn tight as I slowly stepped back, my legs trembling beneath me but refusing to betray me. "You're not laying a hand on him." I said cutting him off immediately

Kira stood beside me, her dagger held steady. "You heard the wolf, now turn around and walk away. Now!!"

The scout let out a wet, raspy laugh. "You really think a handful of cripples and strays could stop the Shadow Pack from what's rightfully ours?"

Renn immediately rushed forward as the leader of the scouts tried reaching for Finn in my arms, his spear whistling through the air before sinking into the scout's shoulder. He howled, and even though he was already partially shifted, he continued his transformation to the fully formed wolf and then charged straight for Renn.

A fight immediately broke out .

Gage threw himself at the next wolf, his knife piercing and tearing through the wolf's stomach while he was distracted.

Kira attacked the other one, her dagger which was made of silver did great damage to him. I barely saw the entire event, I was a bit scared, maybe because I have a new life with me and was out here in the woods facing a group of Shadow Pack scouts.

Lena grabbed Finn from me and stumbled backward with him clutched to her chest, whispering soothing sounds to him.

Marcus swung one of the logs used to make fire towards another wolf who was sneaking towards Lena and the kids, cracking it across a wolf's ribs.

I lunged at a nearby scout, piercing my dagger onto one of his limbs at first. He kicked me off as he winced in pain but I wasn't done with him, not when he was a visible threat to me. I lunged forward again, this time aiming for his chest and that did it. The dagger went directly through his chest, my guess was it damaged his heart because he was numb almost immediately.

The battle was fast and brutal, blood splattering all over, mixed with the wet sand as a result of the rain from earlier.

Renn got a deep injury on his arm, but continued to fight with renewed fury. Kira who obviously was an experienced fighter made sure to finish off any Shadow wolf she came in close contact with. Gage used his limp to his advantage, drawing one wolf in close before driving his knife into its side.

Instructing Lena to take Finn and the children back again, I grabbed the burning log with both hands and swung it at the nearest wolf, the flames igniting its fur. It yelped and scrambled back but it was no use; the other two were already closing in.

One of them broke free from Renn and launched himself directly at me. I spun around, ready to accept the bite…

A massive body collided with the wolf, slamming it to the ground. Renn and the beast rolled on the wet floor till Renn successfully pinned him down now snarling fangs to finish him off. For a second I could see his eyes flicker with something dark, a flicker of memory, the day he killed the alpha's son. His hand was shaking vigorously and he froze for some seconds.

"Renn!" I cried.

The wolf lunged for Renns’ throat.

I swung my dagger making sure it did real damage to it's hands. And Renn immediately let go of it. It howled and stumbled back, giving Renn just enough time to bury his spear deep in its chest.

The fight ended as quickly as it began. The bodies of some scouts lay scattered on the wet ground, bleeding into the rain. Our little camp was a disaster: the camp nest was torn, our meager fire was scattered and its flames licked at the surrounding undergrowth, and the ground was slick with blood and rain.

We stood there, breathing heavily, coated in sweat, dirt, and the blood of our enemies.

Gage wiped his knife on his pants, breathing hard. "They knew, they were looking for the pup."

Kira was already by Renn's side, pressing a cloth to his bleeding arm. "Are you okay?"

Renn nodded, but his gaze was unfocused. "I froze for a moment. I saw… him again. The one I killed."

Kira's voice softened. "You didn't freeze when it counted, Renn. You saved them."

I looked down at Finn. He was crying now, his tiny fists waving and his green eyes wide with terror. Lena rocked him, humming a soft lullaby as if he were still small and helpless. "There, there, little one. You're safe now. We've got you."

Gage walked over and stared at the fallen wolves. "This was no accident. They could smell the power on the pup. Word's spreading faster than we anticipated."

Theo stood next to Mia, both of them pale and trembling. "Will they keep coming?"

Kira's gaze met mine over the scattered coals of our campfire. She gave a small, grim nod.

"Yes," I whispered. "They will."

We spent the rest of the night cleaning up. Renn hauled the bodies away after Lena stitched his arm and used some herbs on it. Gage grumbled about moving camp at first light, Marcus moved the heavier dead/injured wolves. His scarred arms straining with the effort.

I sat with Finn once he'd finally settled, feeding him when he began to fuss, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The vision from the night before had been true. They were watching us, and now they knew exactly what Finn was.

As dawn began to break Kira sat beside me. "You did well today. You kept him safe."

"I almost didn't," I whispered. "If Renn hadn't..."

"But he did," she said, her gaze flicking to Finn, then back to me. "And you stepped in when he needed you the most. That's what brave people do."

I swallowed hard. "I don't think I know how to be brave."

"You're learning," she said simply. "And we're learning with you."

Renn returned, his arm bandaged and his face etched with weariness, but his eyes were steady. "The bodies are gone. No more scouts. But we need to move, and we have to do so fast."

Gage nodded. "East. Further into the wilds. Away from the Voss border, too."

I looked at my pack, each of them scarred in one way or another, and my heart swelled with something close to pride. Kira with her hidden scars, Renn with his internal guilt, Gage with his limp, Lena with her soft touch, and Marcus with his silent strength. They were mine. My responsibility, my pack.

"Then we move," I said, my voice firm and clear. "Together."

We packed what little we owned as the rain finally subsided. Finn slept against me, his breath a soft, steady sound. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the howls we had heard last night were only the beginning.

As we began to walk Kira fell into step beside me. "Are you okay?"

I looked at Finn, and then at the path stretching out before us. "I have to be."

I knew the Shadow Pack was out there. They were hunting a power they didn't understand, and they were coming for my son. But as I felt Finn’s steady heartbeat against mine, I knew one thing for sure.

They would have to go through me first.