Feral

Renat sniffed at the air more heavily now. His wife's life might depend on him tracking her faint scent. The brown wolf realized Zan's cloak must be pushed back at least slightly, or he shouldn't be able to smell Mairwen at all.

It would only be pushed back if she were no longer hiding. If she were...fighting!

"Follow me!" Renat dropped on all fours, bounding away from the other two with a distinct purpose. He shut his eyes for a moment, sensing the trees and following the scent.

Through the woods he moved instinctively, the pull of the woman he loved keeping him from giving in to the fire raging in his belly. Renat could not lose control while Mairwen was in danger. He could not give into the darkness.

His heart threatened to give out from the ferocious fight going on in his chest, but the chocolate wolf ignored its complaints as he pressed further into his speed. 'She's close. I know it.'

Using his keen eyesight, Renat was able to hone in on movement even before he could truly make out what he was seeing. But when he processed the scene, it nearly sent him over the edge.

Mairwen had managed to scramble up a tree, but Eira was still on the ground with her back up against the trunk. The personal guard's sword was slashing viciously in every direction. There was blood on her sword, but so far she did not seem to be hurt.

Around the tree more than twenty abominations were pawing at the ground and the tree to try and strike down the two beautiful women. It did not matter that some of them had been struck down and lay littered on the ground.

The others merely trampled on their bodies, stomping on the many arrows protruding from the fallens' skin. They cared far more about the hail of arrows, which were steadily falling from the Princess's bow.

Mairwen's aim was good, but the creatures took far too many arrows to take down. It was a losing battle. The quivers in her cloak would not outlast the creatures which were edging up the knotty trunk.

The picture invading Renat's vision was a gruesome sight, but he had no time to process it. All he knew was that his wife was in danger and he needed to act.

The fire overtook his body and he realeased control to it at last. His human strength would not be enough, especially without a proper weapon. Renat needed more power.

The elixir's power.

With a snarl, his pupils overtook his eyes. His vision went red.

——-

Eira used the armor on her arm to ward off yet another stoke from the razor sharp claws of the abomination to her left. The soldier was very glad she had decided to keep her armor when the Guardian had left that morning or things would be going very differently.

As it was, Eira was having to protect her unhelmeted head while keeping the monsters back from the tree. Keeping the large trunk to her back, the soldier made sure that the abominations could only come at her in twos and threes. If more than that attacked her, they would risk friendly fire.

With a thrust, Eira's sword cut deep into a lizard's soft belly. Putrid blood poured from the wound as the monster hissed in pain. Quickly adjusting her grip, the soldier pulled out her blade and lopped off the abomination's head.

The monster's face froze in a stunned expression as it joined the pile of victims at the woman's feet. The monsters were strong and mindlessly bent on destruction, but Eira was fighting for her life. For now, the will to live and protect Mairwen to the end was keeping her going.

But her strength was quickly running dry. Two, three, four more automatic strokes were driven at her enemy. Claws and teeth slashed and snipped at her in return. It was an endless cycle.

"I'm down to my last quiver!" The princess called from above. "After that, I'm coming down to help you!"

"No, My Lady!" Eira called, unwilling to use the Princess's formal title for the enemy's ears to hear.

The soldier ducked under an overhand swipe. Shards of bark rained down on her head.

"Flee through the trees while you can. I will hold them off!" Eira's face hardened in a determined line. She might not survive, but she would not let the wicked creatures being harm to the woman she had sworn to protect.

"I'm not leaving you!" Mairwen shot a wolf, her arrow lodging deep in the creature's shoulder.

"You must! I cannot—" Eira's voice was cut off as one of the monsters punched her in the chest, the hit reverberated through her armor and knocked the air from her lungs.

Falling to one knee, the soldier pressed her back up against the tree, hoping to be able to stand before another blow came. She gripped her sword with both hands, determined not to let it slip through her fingers.

Eira roared at the monsters, her voice echoing across the forest. Yet when she stopped to take a gasp of air, the roar continued.

The monsters turned their heads just in time to see a brown blur rushing towards them. He barreled into the lizard towering over Eira, tackling it to the ground.

Blood poured like a river. The brown wolf did not stop to survey the damage. There was no time. Another abomination had already taken their place to end the life of the armored soldier.

With a predatory snarl, the brown wolf turned and shot out his claws to grab his enemy by the back of the skull. The monster had no time to react as his furry head was jerked backward with such force that his neck was instantly broken.

Eira rose to her feet, emboldened by the new arrival. His courage renewed her strength, and she slashed and struck out at any creature within the reach of her sword. With the arrival of the brown wolf, the arrows at last ceased. Mairwen's quiver had run dry.

But it was just as well. The princess might have mistook this new ally for an enemy, which would have been a dire mistake.

Seeing two of their comrades fall with barely a whimper, the abominations felt the tide beginning to turn. They moved away from the tree and surrounded the brown wolf, ready to finish him all at once.

The circle began to close, but the wolf seemed unbothered. If anything, he was excited that they had finally left the women alone. Taking a few steps backwards, the brown wolf drew the others farther from the humans before striking out again.

Like a sprung trap, the brown wolf dove without care for his safety at the largest of his foes. This time the beast was ready for him, swiping a vicious arc across the brown wolf's chest. Blood seeped through the chocolate fur, enraging the brown abomination with a vengeful fury.

In reaction to the gashes, the wolf pummeled his foe with closed fists. Bones cracked and broke, though whether they belonged to the attacker or his prey was unknown. Unable to defend against the brutal assault, the large monster turned his back to receive the next crushing blow.

The others pounced on the brown wolf, but he did not heed them, kicking and elbowing those who struck and cut him. When the large abomination felt his back ribs break from a punch, his senses finally cleared. He would die if he kept up this fight. There was only one thing to do: flee!

His pupils returned to their normal size, and the monster fled in a hobbled run. With their most powerful member scurrying away with his tail between his legs, the others one by one followed suit. At last the field of opponents lay empty of challengers. The brown wolf had won.

He looked at the soldier leaning on the tree. Eira eyed him warily, searching for recognition in the wolf's face. His black pupils seethed with untold anger as he took a step toward her.

Eria weakly lifted her sword. Her arms were on fire. "Stay up there!" she called to the princess. "He's still feral!"

Ignoring her warning, Mairwen dropped down in front of her personal guard.

"Renat!" she called, trying to bring the brown wolf back to his right mind.

"That's Prince Renat?" Eira was stunned. The wolf was far more muscular and powerful than she had ever seen the lanky brown wolf be. The change was startling.

"Renat," Mairwen repeated even more gently. "It's me. I'm safe."

The brown wolf took another step forward. His brow furrowed. There was something about this woman. He needed to remember. Then out of the darkness, a memory formed. His wedding day.

He tried to grasp it, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. The furry creature roared in agony.

Eira pushed the princess backward against the tree, her sword reluctantly at the ready.

But the brown wolf was no longer in the mood to fight. His strength was spent. His wounds were many. So rather than take on the stalwart soldier.

He collapsed.