Jessie

The she-wolf came racing along the river bank, sending a spray of muddied water with every step. "HELP!" He cries rose louder but shorter as her breath drew ragged. Every now and then, she'd glance behind to see if the hounds were close or not. She knew she could never fight them off; even one of them was more than a match for her. Her only hope was to get them off her trail, or get them distracted. Out in this open landscape, it would be nearly impossible to loose them though.

*Humans & Hounds*

The hounds gained speed over the flat ground, pumping their long limbs as fast as physically possible to catch their quarry. Giant jaws gaped open, sucking in great drafts of air while their sharp eyes honed in on Jessie's form. Closer and closer they drew. Behind, the encouraging cries of the humans could be heard, as well as the rhythmic beat of the horses' hooves pounding against the terrain. Closer and closer.

Then one hound pulled away from the group, but only slightly. Her frame was a bit smaller than the others and more wiry. She was the 'Tagger Hound' as the humans called them. The swiftess king hound in the hunting bunch, and the one that was meant to make first contact with the wolf. Nearer she drew, until she took an extra long leap, trying to close the gap between her and the wolf, jaws hankering for a hold on her tail or hind limb...

Nightcrawler

Jessie's previous cries hadn't gone unheard. Bolting from the nearby Eskers where he had just been speaking with a friend, Night had caught sound of his packmate's frantic howlings. If the ebony wolf was good at anything, it was definitely in the realm of speed and agility.

Flying like a shadow across the ground, Night stole through what cover he could find until he came upon the beach of the river. He whisped across and sprung without hesitation for the lead king hound; the one that had set her sites first on Jessie's flesh. "Jessie, run! For the main lands!" Night yelled just before he made his lunge. If he hit her, he meant to give her a good slice across the shoulder or side, then spring away as soon as he could get his swift paws beneath him. He understood clearly what would happen if he got caught by these hounds. Size was certainly not on the small, lithe wolf's side. He only meant to by Jessie time to escape, if escape were possible.

*Humans & Hounds*

The target hound had been too focused on Jessie to initially spot Nightcrawler come from the side. But that did not matter; that was not her job. A hound in the back of the group had the responsibility to watch for ambush, for he was slightly slower than the others but had the best awareness of the surroundings. "Wolf, to the right!" He barked deeply, and everyone knew of Night's presence before he drew near.

The lead hound turned quick, altering her course to face the offending wolf. She took a glancing blow across her upper front leg, where a small line of crimson swelled up. No sooner had Night made contact than the wolfhound struck back, her trained fangs going low, seeking a hind leg where the muscles were thick.

Since she had not pulled far ahead of her comrades, the other four hounds were within leaping distance. The first two rushed upon Night. One went for his neck, while the other went for his lower chest. A third aimed a bite at his shoulder, while the fifth was still running to catch up.

Nightcrawler

At first, he felt something like thrill run through him as he managed to score a hit on the massive beast of a hound. And better yet, he had succeeded in drawing her attention away from Jessie, giving the she-wolf time to run. Yet Night had misjudged these unfathomably large hounds, wrongly assuming their large size meant they were slower. Although he was sure he was more agile than him, he now wasn't so sure about being able to outrun the lot. Their legs were very long indeed, and that was a hefty advantage over him, even though his own limbs were surprisingly lengthy for his smaller frame. All this came down to one thing; he had miscalculated, and now a horrible pain hit his hind limb. But Nightcrawler jumped hard, tearing his limb free before those powerful jaws could take a more permanent grip. As he turned to run the other way and out of their deadly misdts, a second agonizing bolt of pain shot down his side. This was not from the fangs of the hounds, but from the broken ribs he had recieved during his hunt.

This is what got him into trouble. The pain was enough to make him flinch and misstep, putting him in the clutches of the second and third hounds, teeth falling about his lower chest and shoulder. "Jessie, run!" He cried out, his voice sharp and high with the renting pain. Being less than half their weight, Night felt his life could be drawing to a quick and violent end. Yet he didn't despair completely; a defiant snarl was thrown out as he swung his keen fangs at the hound who had his shoulder, trying to tear a bone-deep gouge across the face...

Jessie

Feeling the hot breath at her flying heels, Jessie wasn't about to stop running. When it seemed she would be overtaken, Jessie gasped and prepared for the worst. Then a familiar voice rang out, though the wolfess didn't dare look back, in fear of tripping over something or slowing down. By the time Jessie realized that the hounds weren't after her anymore, mainly because she couldn't hear or feel their breaths behind her, she stole a glance back. A dark figure was being swarmed with hounds.

On she went, running fast and hard, her heart beating like a hammer in her chest, her lungs screaming for reprieve from the strenuous run. Fear had overtaken her like nothing she had ever felt before. As she watched Nightcrawler being overtaken by the pack, Jessie had to will herself to keep running, not to go back. His efforts would be in vain; that's what she consoled herself with. But as she ran, one word kept flashing through her mind, dragging her heart down... coward...

*Humans & Hounds*

The tagger hound dove in for some fun, forgetting about Jessie for the moment. She went for his other side, aiming for the soft stomach. The other two hounds, having their hold, began to shake savagely, pulling Nightcrawler off balance with their superior size and strength. They tried to shake him around like he was no more than a little whelp, while doing all they could to render flesh from bone.

The other two joined in, one going for the other front leg, while the other went for the muzzle. A sharp yelp rung out when the shoulder-holding hound got a nasty slash across his face, running down his forehead to the side of his muzzle. Blood bloomed across his face, running into one of his eyes and forcing him to let go for a moment to paw away the stinging liquid.

The humans began to catch up now, howling with delight and crying out words of encouragement to their hounds. They took a few shots at Jessie as she ran, but they missed. There was too much cover along the banks to get a good shot anyway.

Nightcrawler

He would have been glad to see Jessie leave, if only he could have. As it was, the hounds were blocking his view now, and his focus had turned soley on them and trying to survive. No sooner had his shoulder been freed from agony when several new points were made. His stomach, front leg, and muzzle. Being thrashed about as he was, he simply couldn't do much to evade these hits. Yelping in sheer agony, Night fought back with unbridled ferocity, his fangs cutting left and right, striking out where ever his eyes saw hound flesh; which, of course, was everywhere. A dull crunch told him that his front leg had been broken, and it felt as though his hind leg were on fire as the hound continued to tear and shred his muscle and flesh.

On he fought though, desperately trying to do damage to his tormentors and only vaguely aware of the cheering of the two leggers as they drew closer. Although escape, much less survival, seemed but a miracle, Night struggled for all he was worth, ready to battle until his body could no longer obey his willful commands.

As the pain began to overtake him, a sudden thought peirced his soul like a human's bullet. What had happened to Kali? A grim realization entered his mind, making his efforts weaken at the thought. She had never made it to Oak Prairie for the hunt; had these hounds intercepted her? Was her mangled body laying on the plains somewhere, torn and shredded by the teeth of the dogs which now held him prisoner? The idea was too much to bear...

Kanan & Keilo

Kanan had wondered away from the terra again, once more to be with his father. They were far away when Jessie's initial cries reached their ears. The scent of humans, and then their strange voices, told the two all they needed to know about what was wrong.

Although it wasn't his terra, Keilo entered with his son, prepared to leave once it was certain that his son was safe. The two came up along the side of the river, catching and following Nightcrawler's trail. "Night! Jessie!" Kanan cried out, seeing a pile of hounds tearing away at something. The two threw caution to the wind as they left cover, heading straight for the hounds. Keilo was a massive wolf, although he wasn't nearly so large as the King Hounds. Kanan was slightly smaller than his father, and an even poorer fighter. But he was courageous when his friends were in need, and so did not hesitate to attack. While Kanan plunged for the first hound he saw, Keilo had different intentions.

He made for the nearest hound and snapped righ for the tail, hoping to send a shock of pain running up the target's spine. "Stupid pets! You'll have to go through me before you reach the pups!" He snarled, having a plan in mind.

*Humans & Hounds*

The humans were so busy watching the bloodshed that they failed to notice Kanan and Keilo, until it was too late to make a shot at either of them.

The sentry hound, who had just gotten his left eye slashed by one of Night's frantic bites, failed to notice the wolves either, until it was too late. A sharp shriek went out as the first victim felt teeth sink into his tail, sending a shiver of pain up his spine. "Why, you little...!" He snarled out, wheeling on Keilo to bring jaws down on his muzzle.

A second hound was caught along the flank by Kanan. Promptly, the hound swung her muzzle to take the wolf's neck...

Just like that, the hounds disengaged Nightcrawler and went for Keilo and Kanan, knowing that their first victim wouldn't be too much trouble right now. "Stupid wolf! We'll find those pups of yours, just as soon as we're finished with you!" The snarling dog paused a moment, glancing to the tagger hound, "Finish off that one, first." While four dogs ganged up on Keilo, two going for each wolf, the tagger houdn returned to Nightcrawler.

Smiling devilishly and baring a second mark across her cheek where his fangs had hit, she advanced. "Pathetic, really." She wanted to have a bit of fun with him first, make him suffer not only with physical pain, "That wolfess didn't seem to concerned with you; in fact, I thought I saw a look of relief when she saw them go after you instead of her. What a pity." She laughed, her teeth stained with his blood, "Before you die, let me tell you that your efforts are in vain, Night." His name she had heard from Kanan, and she used to to add emphasis, "...your efforts will be in vain. Once we are finished with you, it's only a matter of letting our noses track down the wolfess you tried to save. This territory will be free of wolves very shortly. So, good Night!" Now she plunged forward, jaws striking like a snake for his throat...

Keilo & Kanan

Keilo held back a grin when the dogs fell for his plan; well, he hoped they were anyway. "Kanan!" He barked sharply, pulling away from the hound just before fangs would have clipped across his flesh. Wheeling around, he began to run as fast as he could for the underbrush, "Pets, nothing but filthy, human-slaves!" He bantered, striving to rile them into a fury.

Kanan hadn't had a plan when he rushed into the hounds. His only thoughts were to save Jessie and Night; although he now saw that Jessie wasn't here anymore. His only real idea had been to attack... just a blind fury to protect his friends and family. Teeth ripped across the back of his neck as he twisted away from the hounds, and a second pair of fangs ripped a chunk of fur and flesh from the side of his head. Suddenly realizing he couldn't possibly hope to take these two on, much less one alone, Kanan turned after his father. In all his years, the wolf had learned to trust his father. He ran as quickly as he could, starting to understand what Keilo was up too...

Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler picked himself up, his torn muscles quaking and flinching as they tried to hold up. Defiant, piercing yellow orbs stared at the large femme before him while his own bloodied fangs glistened with a shimmering coat of diluded crimson. As he listened to her words, his hindquarters sank helplessly to the ground, his muscles too damaged to hold his light weight up. Perched shakily on his good front limb, Nightcrawler watched her every movement. When she struck, Night let himself collapse upon the ground at the last moment, drawing his neck away from her reach. Knowing he only had one shot to do this right, the wolf sent his jaws for her throat, which loomed like a giant target above him...

*Humans & Hounds*

The only reply that came at first from the hounds were their growling breaths, coming quick and heavy as they chased the wolves across the ground and into the cover. They were a bit tired from their chase with Jessie, and two of them carried rather deep lacerations from Nightcrawler. But none of them were about to give up, and they ran as if they weren't winded in the least.

The tagger hound dropped her muzzle down to fall Night's descending neck. However, she wasn't prepared for the quickness of his strike, and hadn't anticipated such a move in his weakened state. Thus a startled yelp was released as fangs closed over her throat, eye teeth driving deep into her flesh, through the thick mantle of fur, that in winter time, would have made such bites very difficult indeed. The hound reared up, batting her paws at the black wolf, then thrashing her dial about, trying to disoldge his fangs.

The humans hesitated in their movement, then headed after Keilo and Kanan. They had learned from previous casualties, not to separate. They figured their tagger hound would be fine.

Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler snarled inbetween yelps as the blows befell his tattered body, but he refused to let go. He felt himself being shaken and lifted from the ground during the hound's struggles, but he let it play to his advantage. He didn't even try to lift himself up, and let his weight fall dead on his jaws, which he clutched tightly at the dog's throat. Harder and harder he bit, striving with every ounce of energy to constrict the airway of his foe, or pierce the vital bloodways that held the key to her life. He would not let go.

Keilo & Kanan

Keilo ran as fast as he could now, with Kanan at his side, being a swifter runner than his father was. When the two were near, Keilo whispered into his son's ear, "We will split; keep to heavy cover! Lead them away from here, and try to loose them if you can. I know you can do this." Keilo suddenly made a sharp turn from his son, heading southwest towards Galar's Marsh.

Kanan went more westward, heading for the Canyon.

*Humans & Hounds*

The hounds tore after the wolves, two going for Keilo while two went for Kanan. They had the taste of blood on their tongues, and they weren't going to give up easily. But the humans were at a disadvantage now. Finally, they decided to go after Kanan.

And then there was just one hound left, struggling with Nightcrawler. As his jaws closed tighter, she began to gasp for breath, her heart thumping with new panic. She could no longer snarl as the pressure grew, and her breath was gasping and haggard. Her fury was slowly replaced with terror and she fought all the harder, which only stole more precious oxygen from her writhing muscles. It was rare to catch a King Hound off guard, but it had happened, and now the hound was paying a grim price for it. She had made the same mistake Night had in the beginning; underestimating the enemy. The irony made her seeth, but anger didn't last long.

Her wild attempts to break free of the wolf's hold had done a lot to wear her down, and she soon found her vision distorted with bright, dazzling colors. A buzzing awoke in her skull, which traveled down her limbs and grew into a tingling that blocked out all other sensation. Before she knew it, she was kicking feebly on the ground, the world dulling around her, her lungs aching madly. Her gasping turned into a choked weeze, and then nothing at all. For a few moments, her bloodshot orbs rolled to mangled frame of the wolf that held her in his death grip. Then they saw no more.

Nightcrawler

For a long while, Nightcrawler lay there with his enemy, panting heavily and gazing out at nothing in particular. With agonizing slowness, he pulled himself up to a sitting position and gazed wearily around. He could see pawtracks stretching out into the underbrush, and knew that Keilo and Kanan had headed that way. So had the hounds. At first, Night pulled himself up and took a few staggering paces along the trail, but collapsed a short ways. As much as he wanted to help his friends, his body simply couldn't do it.

Nightcrawler stood slowly again, to tired and worn to yelp at the pain it brought. If he couldn't help Kanan and Keilo, he'd at least try to warn the rest of the pack. At a limping gait, Night began to head down the length of the river bank, heading for the pack's central lands.