I stared up at my grandmother as she pushed me back down to the ground. “How do I find her? How do I find your cabin from here? Are we even close?” My questions flew out of my mouth and she smiled as she settled next to me.
She grabbed my hands. “Calm my girl. Focus on me.” She breathed through her nose and out of her mouth. “Follow my lead. Match me, and once you’re settled, we can find your girl.” My girl. The words seemed so foreign, but as I thought about it again, it settled in my soul, and she was right. She was mine, almost as much as she was Carls. I focused on her eyes, matching my breathing with hers. She nodded. “Good. Now close your eyes and picture that little girl.”
Once again I closed my eyes and remembered the bright giggling little girl I first met at Carl’s store. So little, yet so bright. Her blonde curls danced in the light. Carl’s protectiveness, herinnocence, all came rushing back. And so did the panic I felt as I found her on the ground, white wide eyes and cold skin.
I remembered how she felt in my arms, her tiny body as I lifted her from the ground. The worry when she started to shake in my arms. I was so new to children, having just lost my own pup and being reborn. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I was going to protect her from Vince and Brandon.
“Good.” Her voice was soft, soothing. “Now remember her face.” Her bright blonde pigtails and soft chocolate brown eyes, face smeared with peanut butter as she came bouncing out of the back room, came to mind. “There she is.” Somehow, my grandmother was seeing what was in my mind. “Look at her. She is gorgeous, our girl, isn’t she?” I smiled because again, she was right. Our girl is beautiful. And I was going to protect her with my life. “There, my girl. Focus on her face, and the need to protect her. She is in danger, and she won’t make it if we don’t get there in time.”
Panic bubbled in my chest, but I pushed it down. Carly wasn’t safe. Focus. I took a few more calming breaths, and I pulled her face back to me. “What do I do next?”
“What do you think?” She questioned me. “What do you feel?”
I focused on Carly, on her voice, the pain, the fear. And I slipped my hand from my grandmother’s and I buried it in the soil of my magic. Over the years, I have learned to use my magic without having to touch the pot, but right now? This felt right. I dug my fingers into my power well; I stretched deep into my magic and then, like an arrow, I shot it out towards Carly.
I watched in my mind as it flew straight and disappeared behind the trees that Nix was still dodging, but then I felt it. The turn, the shift, the arrow changed direction. I snapped my eyes open to find my grandmother gone, and Megan panting.
“Megan?”
“We are exhausted.” She panted back to me. I stood, pushing forward, taking control, and letting Nix and Megan rest.
“Direct the magic. I will get us to Carly.” I dug my claws in deeper, pushing myself to the limits, and I flew after the arrow.
“Nix?” Toya called, taking over for her wolf.
“Amy.” I called back. “I know you’re tired. But we have to push. We are almost there.” My friends dug deeper and followed me. Erubus, ever my shadow, was still on my tail. Silent as ever.
The arrow shifted again and I veered off to the right, everyone following me. I could hear their labored breathing and I felt guilty. But then the air shifted. It was subtle at first, then after a few more minutes of running, it was stronger.
“Salt? Are we close to the ocean?” Wendy called to me and I nearly cried in relief.
“Yes.” Erubus called back, and then looked at me, but I ignored his pained look. I didn’t have the time for this right now. He pushed harder and came up next to me, running with me, and veered closer. I growled lightly, and he backed off. “Once we save the child, can we speak?”
I cut him a look. “Seriously, we are running to save a little girl and you want to chat?” I shook my head. I was going to say something else, but a bellow ripped through the air.
A second bellow followed the first, and dread filled my belly. “Amy.” Someone called, but I pushed harder. I lept through the final outcropping of trees and rushed towards a stunning cabin on a familiar hill. Blood scented the air.
“No!” I screamed as I saw ten rogues circling a giant. A giant that was barely holding on. Carl was on his knees with blood pouring from his shoulder.
“Amy.” His voice was soft, but there was nothing but relief when his eyes met mine.
Chapter Five
Iheaded straight for the man on his knees with a vicious growl. As soon as I got close, I dove for the closest rogue I could reach. Everyone else joined the fight, I knew, but I was focused on saving Carl. It was too soon. I wasn’t ready. And I knew Carly wasn’t ready either.
The rogues were pretty big, and as soon as we breached the trees, they all squared up with us. We were the incoming threat. But what we hadn’t planned on, were there being so many. Even with Erubus, we were outnumbered five to one.
The rouge was quick; he dove away from every attack and countered. Toya and the girls were fighting tooth and claw as well, but from the corner of my eye, I could see Carl trying to get up. Trying to help. “Stay down Carl.” I called to him and could see the thought in his mind. “We were fine. Stay alive. Youhave more important things to worry about.” I called again while nearly avoiding a second rogue diving for my back.
That got through to him and he sagged onto his hands, the pain becoming too much. Then he gave the tiniest nod. I refocused on the fight, and caught the first rogue by surprise by jumping into the air and using a leaping rogue to change my direction, my front paw catching the wolf around its neck as I went.
It dropped to the ground, bleeding out while I soared over the one attacking me and landing on his back. My teeth dug into its neck, and I thrashed until he stilled. I dropped him to the ground and moved on to the next. And the next.
Toya and the girls were holding their own and the pile of bodies was steadily growing bigger, one by one. But the pile of bodies under Erubus’s feet was impressive. He was keeping pace with me. Anytime I dropped one, he did. Just then, Toya's pained yelp pierced through the air, distracting me as a rogue sank their fangs into my shoulder.
I roared as I turned. It released me in surprise, and I used its stupidity to kill it. I whirled to the next one, again glancing over at everyone and I felt Nix and Megan freeze.
Erubus was fighting two wolves, while another two crept up from behind him. He wouldn’t be able to fight off four.
