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THE TAWNY WOLF

Finally. My human had kept me locked up for far too long.

She was mad. I was mad.

The wolf in his human skin had wronged us. Our pack was gone, was looking for us. And it was his fault.

I bared my teeth and rushed through the strange smelling building, crouching down to leap and latch onto his neck, but then he shifted, and I cleared the air above him.

I landed on his other side and whipped around, ready to launch at him again when the dark wolf growled.

Stop!

I winced for a moment at the order, but shook it off.

Not my alpha, I growled back. I won’t listen.

Alpha for all alphas. And your litter mate.

Litter mate?

I’d been asleep in my human for so many years. Was I born to a litter? I sniffed the air around him.

He smelled familiar. He smelled like home. But not the home I knew now. Not the home with my pack.

Not. My. Alpha!

I went for his neck, but he jumped out of the way quickly, snarling as he turned back towards me.

Let meee out….

My ears twitched towards the strange sound.

Another creature, not a wolf. Slitted eyes blinked at me from behind bars.

I helllllp. I don’t like this wolf. I like youuuuu.

The creature was larger than me, and more powerful. Her smell was strange, but my human cooed inside. Well, if she trusted this thing.

Before I could open the strange wall, a smelly human yelled at me. “Stop! You let that vryscral out, it’s going to tear your brother apart. You wanna fight? Fight fair outside, just you two.”

He pointed back towards the door.

You speak wolf? I asked.

“I speak all beast, that’s why I’m here. Now get out, both of ya.”

I snapped at the dark wolf’s heels as he growled to himself, and we found a large space outside.

This is foolish! said the dark wolf. You can’t win.

The fur on the back of my neck raised. Yes, he was bigger than me. Stronger than me. An alpha.

But I was angry.

I lunged towards him again, grazing his back leg with my teeth, and he yelped in surprise, his sidestep not fast enough this time. He underestimated me.

But he also didn’t retaliate.

Fight back! I barked.

His eyes were steady, pleading. Then he charged.

I was agile enough to shift away in time, spinning and slashing at his flank as he passed.

Stop, he said again. Please.

I snarled in response, and he moved again.

This time he was faster, pinning me to the ground, his teeth wrapped loosely around my throat, waiting for me to give up.

I froze, breathing heavy. Why must my human side and I be so small? But I wouldn’t submit, I wouldn’t give up. If he couldn’t kill me, that was his weakness, not mine.

The dark wolf was suddenly lifted off me by a great force.

“Like children, you two. Honestly.”