The Night Children

Chapter 36

They formed a line, spearing towards us with looks of fury. Saliva slithered from their open jaws as they galloped, each stride covering several metres. Their ears were pinned back in an expression of distaste, their eyes locked on either Miss Andersons or mine. Miss Anderson side stepped swiftly, clicking another dagger into her fingers. With one movement she had thrown it, striking a red coloured wolf in the shoulder. The red wolf staggered slightly but kept running, its eyes flashing with fresh hatred. I heard her curse sharply before she rolled to the side, propelling herself upwards with her knees to slide a few steps away from me. As she came to a stand, she yanked out another dagger. She twirled it in her fingers briefly, her eyes zoning in on the injured red wolf. The other wolves veered towards her, identifying her as a greater threat than I was. They weren't wrong.

A grey wolf neared me, its claws tearing into the snow as it ran. I had just enough time to see Miss Andersons dagger bury itself into the red wolfs skull before I rolled sideways, narrowly dodging the grey wolfs claws as it sped past me. I spun on my heel as I rose from my crouch, watching as the wolf whirled in its spot. It snapped its jaws, its eyes frenzied with hunger.

Another wolf burst out of nowhere, swiping me with one paw, knocking me to the ground in a matter of seconds. I rolled to the side from the impact, the breath escaping my lungs. I didn't have time to pause as both wolves bored down onto me, their breaths brushing mine as their teeth scraped my skin. I let out a small noise of pain but twisted my foot to put my weight onto it. I forced myself to stand and ducked a claw that only just missed me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Miss Anderson drive a longer, thicker dagger into the heart of a wolf, its growl changing from one of manic to one of agony before it collapsed. She yanked it free, admiring the blood that clung to the metal. The two grey wolves advanced on me, their movements equal in speed and ferocity. I braced myself to roll out of their way again, but I knew I was growing tired, my bones cracking in the effort to keep up with my body.

But then a gun shot went off, echoing around the forest so the wolves flinched from the sound. The grey wolf on my left staggered, its legs buckling underneath it so it swayed. With one yelp of pain it collapsed, its yellow eyes rolling to the back of its head as death settled into its heart. The following grey wolf paused at this to halt beside its partner, its tail bristling with hostility and shock. It spun to identify where the shot came off as did I. I felt my eyes widen in horror as I recognised Miss Anderson pointing a gun. It was identical to the one I had taken from the warehouse, with the logo 'Parade' inscribed on its handle. She was wearing a crazed smile, blood speckling her lips as she grinned.

"No one outbeats me." She said with a cackle. She angled the gun to the other grey wolf, without warning pressing the trigger so the wolf sagged to the ground. Distracted, I didn't see the figure loom up from behind me. A huge weight pressed my shoulders and I rolled forwards, coming to a halt in a daze. Claws sliced through my clothes and I let out a panicked scream. I turned to my side to see a brown wolf leer over me, its lips curled in a ferocious snarl. It pressed its ears down, snapping its jaws so flecks of blood and saliva dotted my face. Blood welled up from my scratches but I didn't have time to acknowledge this before I kicked out with my foot, driving my heel into the soft flesh of its paw. It let out a whine, its eyes igniting with anger. It twisted its head to close its jaws around the leg I had kicked it with. I felt myself scream as its teeth crushed bone, its canines sinking through layers of skin.

Gunshots continued to go off followed by Miss Andersons crazed laugh but none was aimed at the wolf on top of me. It shook its head roughly, snapping my bones with the movement. Tears stung my eyes as white pierced my vision. I blinked rapidly to rid of it, searching for anything to grab to stab it with. But then it released my leg, letting it fall loosely to the ground. Pain shot up it, sending my heart to hammer painfully in my chest. It whirled back to growl at me, the noise as loud as a thunderstorm. Its fur stood on end from the heat of the battle, dried blood clotting in its fur. I looked at it dead in the eye, trying to recognise the sense of anger and fury that it held. Its yellow gaze was almost distant, crazed in a trance of clouded judgement. It bent its head to snarl at me, the fur on its muzzle brushing my cheek. As I looked closer in fear, I noticed its yellow pupils held another colour. A slight blue was shining through its irises, almost like the black and yellow in its eyes was wrestling with the true sea blue it truly was. But then it blinked, unhitching its growl to wrap its teeth around my neck. I didn't have time to scream before the sound of the pounding of pawsteps erupted my thoughts. Snow sprayed in my eyes as the brown wolf released its grip, letting out a yelp of surprise just as a white shadow launched itself into its side. They both tumbled, a swirling mass of brown and white colour before they halted in the snow. I rose from the ground, my head pounding. Blood dribbled down my neck from where the wolfs teeth broke my skin.