Barron's Prey

Barron

Chapter 8

Tearing through the woods, he ignored the startled rabbit that crossed his path.  He ignored the loud snapping beneath his paws; he ignored everything except for the anger that pounded against his mind. It spurred every step he took, fueled his stride.  He tried to get it under control, did whatever he could to tame it, but he knew without a doubt that if he were to see himself in the mirror, the leopard staring back wouldn't have the clear blue eyes he was known for.

A growl vibrated in his throat, and with no one near, he let it echo through the woods, sending birds flying from the trees above him.  His claws dug into the earth beneath him as he skidded to a stop.  The air around him pulsed with magic that was waiting to be released, but just like his anger, he fought to keep it down.  He couldn't afford to let it loose with his mind and emotions so clouded.  He couldn't allow himself to make that mistake again.

Digging his claws deeper into the ground beneath him, he forced his breathing to slow down, forced his body to calm where his mind could not.  Her face flashed in his mind, the pain that was etched around her mouth, the tears that had clouded her eyes, and the anger threatened to return in full force.  He didn't let it though. Instead, he remembered what could have happened if he hadn't have been stopped. 

He let another face flash through his mind, and knew that his anger wasn't directed at anyone other than himself.  He could have ruined what everyone had been fighting so hard for from the very beginning.  He could have ended their chances at finally having a true leader after almost two decades of chaos.  He could have hurt one of the only people who knew him, knew what he was and would still fight for him.

A shiver tore through his body, and with it, the last of his anger fell away.  He couldn't dwell on his actions.  Hell, he didn't want to think of why he had gone after Ally, because the feelings that had ruled him moments earlier were a part of the past, a past that existed long before the darkness surrounded his mind.

Sitting back on his hind legs, he stared up at the darkening sky above him and did something that he hadn't done in years, he welcomed the images that flashed through his mind, the images that reminded him of who he once was.  Sara was among those memories, as she always was, with her wide blue eyes and crazy hair.  He shook his head in amusement at the memory of those days where life for them had been easy, and their biggest worry was where the next job would bring them.  It was a time when he was young and stupid, when he had thought he was invincible, when the problems of the world weren't his to shoulder.

He knew better now.  Now that he had lived through the worse days of his life, had lived through the fear in Sara's eyes when she looked at him, had lived through his father's death, he knew better.  The weight of the world was on all of their shoulders, and the more power it gave you, the more weight it added.  He just hoped that he could hold it.  He prayed that he'd be strong enough for whatever was to come, because as much as he hated to admit it, the doubts were there.  If he couldn't control his anger now, how could he control himself when the time came for him to truly fight the biggest battle of his life?

"You're too hard on yourself."

Barron snapped his head around.  Crouching down, he growled at the newcomer.

Owen tilted his head to the side, a gesture that was more wolf than leopard.  "Growl all you want, big cat, but you don't scare me." Barron hissed, causing Owen to chuckle.  "Hell if I know why, but you don't."

Tensing his back legs, Barron waited for Owen to take a step forward before he pounced. The younger man stepped out of the way, but wasn't quite quick enough as he took a paw to one shoulder. Owen spun when the weight hit him, but by the time Barron turned back towards the man, a wolf was in Owen's place.  It stared at him for a moment before tilting its head up.  A mournful howl flew through the woods, and Barron echoed the noise with his own yowl.