Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Chapter 0: The Thrall Curse

I had ignored my father's direct orders to stay home with the other non-combatants.

Normally, I would have obeyed him as he was both my father and my leader, but I had a terrible feeling that I could not shake no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.

I was afraid for my father, for my brother, for Matthias, and for the rest of the fighters of our pack. I snuck away from where I was meant to be, transformed into my wolf form, and began my swift flight through the forest.

Although I was far from the strongest wolf in our pack, I was fast.  Rushing through the forest, the scent of pine was in my nose and the feel of the still largely snow covered ground was under my toes.  I dodged tree trunks, leapt over fallen trees, and ducked under the lowest hanging branches as I ran.

Snarls and howls sounded somewhere ahead of and below me.  As I crested a ridge of lichen covered rock, through the trees I saw the terrifying sight of those I love fighting the intruders in our territories.  Wolves from the other two packs of our trifecta fought beside them.

I felt a surge of hatred for these eastern wolves who would not leave us alone to live freely as we would.

Amongst the combatants, I spotted a few human bodies lying prone on the ground. I looked desperately to find those for whom I cared the most, hoping beyond hope that they were still fighting.

I felt relief when I saw my brother.  Sean was locked in a battle with a wolf who seemed to almost match him in size, but he was holding his own and would persevere.

Matthias was also doing well; his strong wolf body was ripping through one of the eastern wolves.

Matthias was a true warrior and he had always been my protector since we were small.  Though I knew he would never go down without a fight, I still worried.  He was my best friend and I loved him dearly.

I did not find my father as I searched the battlefield with my eyes.  I fearfully recalled how he had been injured a year ago; I felt terrible fear that I would lose him.  He was not in as good health as he once was.

My heart was in my throat as I scanned the pandemonium below me again and again.

Finally, I spotted his greying brown fur.  He was locked in battle with a younger combatant.

Before my horrified eyes, I saw a second wolf join the fray and leap onto my father's back.  My father dipped under the weight of the dishonorable wolf. The one he had already been fighting went for his throat.

Without stopping to consider the possible consequences of my actions, I leapt down the snowy rocks in quick bounds and out into the chaos below.  I darted towards my father's fierce struggle.

We had already lost our mother. Sean and I were not ready to lose him, too.  Neither was our pack ready to lose his steady leadership.

If I could just make my way through the violent throng; I could even the odds.  These eastern wolves knew no honour, but I could save my father.

I skirted around a pair of wolves who were locked in a pitched battle, my eyes locked on my father and his fight with the two young wolves.  He had managed to knock his second attacker off, but still I wanted to protect him from being injured again.

There was only one more pair of combatants between me and my goal as I rushed forward.

A weight slammed me from my right side and knocked me off course.

I felt ripping pain at the scruff of my neck as canines bit down through my fur and into my flesh.  It hurt, but even worse was the icy cold magical fear that spread through my form from the spot where the teeth sunk into me.

The bite wound swam with wolfish magic and grave import.

I still wanted to save my father but I was utterly defeated.  My body refused to obey me; every cell could do nothing but submit to the magic that was now swimming inside me, pumping through my blood stream, invading every cell of my form.

The only thing I could still do was scamper away from my attacker, away from the chaos of the battle.  I wanted to run forever, but before I got far the overwhelming chills of the magic stopped my escape as if I were leashed to him.

Finally, I truly comprehended what had happened.

It was the worst possible thing I could imagine; everyone knew this was the punishment worse than even death.

I had been reduced to a pitiful thrall in a pack not even my own.