Wolf at Heart

Chapter Fifty Five: A Mysterious Man

I knew where these wolves had come from. These were the very same that had attacked me in the Raven's Claw.

"You," I said in a dangerously low voice, "Ask me if I'm helping Dakota when you have these wolves who've been attacking people left and right?! Where do you think I got my wounds?!"

I held up my bandaged arm, extremely annoyed. If not for the fact that he'd saved my life before, I'd have tossed him off the pillar of rock we were standing on and taken my chances with the Predators.

"Alright, it's your turn to chill," he said, holding his hands up defensively. "I don't control or work with the Raven's Claw wolves. I just know the guy who does. He's helped me out before, and though he's done questionable things, I'm pretty sure the attack on you wasn't on his orders. I'll explain everything later, but we have to deal with this first."

At the word 'this', he gestured below, where the Predators were still seething and trying to claw their way up.

I was grudgingly agreeing when the pillar shook violently. I glanced at the snake.

"Was that supposed to happen?"

"No...You might want to brace yourself, because -- "

The pillar then proceeded to completely collapse, throwing him and me in the air. Straight into the air, a good ways off the ground. This was going to hurt.

" -- I still don't have complete control over my power!"

"I noticed!"

We slammed into the sand, rolling and cursing in a tangle of limbs. I disconnected myself and immediately readied my weapons, helping him up.

"Where's that friend of yours? Or the wolves? 'Cause we have a bit of a problem."

He turned and followed my line of sight where a few very pissed Predators were crawling towards us. They hadn't seen us yet, they were only following our scent. But once they came into view...

"I suggest we be very quiet," I said, backing away slowly.

"Very, very quiet," he agreed, paling.

We'd landed at the edge of the maze, right where one of the exits were. Sharing a look, we backed up onto the hill where the crowd had previously been sitting. Scraps littered the ground, and I could hear the sounds of a scuffle from where Sora was battling on the other end of the hill.

There was a growling noise behind us that made the Predators look up and notice us.

Busted.

I turned, leaving the serpent facing the Predators, and came face to face with a snarling wolf. The Alpha male to be in fact. I distinctly remember punching that one in the ribs.

Resisting the urge to scream, I muttered to the thief, "The wolves were the help you mentioned, correct?"

"Yeah."

"So this one won't claw my face off?"

"Hopefully not."

"Well then," I tried for a smile. "Let bygones be bygones? Can you please help us out, we're about to be killed."

And if you could not rip my heart out of my chest because you look like you want to right now, that'd be great too.

The Alpha didn't take his eyes off me. If anything he opened his mouth wider, saliva hanging from his bared fangs.

He pounced.

Past me.

Quickly turning, I saw the Alpha and a few other wolves tearing up the Predators. Literally ripping them apart before they disintegrated.