Battle of the Elements

A blonde wolf lay in the shelter of a burrow, hidden in a pile of leaves. Next to her lay her two cubs, one was asleep and the other was staring at his mother, his name was Jake, and he was me.

Thunder and lightning sounded outside. The cub whipped around to face the threat and protect his little sister from the terrors of the noise. The younger cub stirred, but didn’t wake. A howl sounded, followed by another from another wolf, before long the entire woods was a battle of the long, proud howls of the wolves on their hunt, and the loud, powerful rage of the thunder and lightning. The cub felt his chest flutter at the pride he felt, his father was leading a battle against the forces of nature itself.

He felt the ground shake slightly as the pack came thundering through the trees, making a beeline for their homes. He felt a need to be a part of that pack. So he ran out of the burrow, barely dodging his mother’s paw as she tried to stop him. He almost made it when he ran into his father. His father was huge, bigger than his mother. He was the same shade of brown that Jake was, his eyes were a dark brown instead of Jake’s yellow eyes. His father stared down at the mischievous pup with loving eyes before lightly pushing him back into the burrow. ’The hunters are out tonight Jake, his father said to him – mind speech was useful for wolf form, only werewolves could do it – They can’t know where we are, you need to stay in the burrow. Jake went back to the burrow obediently, he didn’t want the hunters to find him – they were the one thing he was afraid of.

(Three years later)

Jake woke up and changed back into his human form. His family had already woken up and left the tiny burrow to pack up their things. He climbed out of the hole under the tree and stretched. Jake saw his mother by the campfire with Mona – his little sister was barely six years old – and ran to meet them.

“Hey Mum.” he said.

His mother turned to him with that big grin of hers and pushed her brown hair behind her ears, “Good morning Jakey, happy tenth birthday my love.” She said as she embraced him.

“Thanks mum.” He looked around the campsite. People were already packing up their bags and getting ready to head out – they never stayed in one place, the hunters would catch them if they did. “Where’s dad?” he asked.

His mother’s face turned gentle, “He’s gone to get the hunters off our trail so we can leave. They came too close last night.”

Something dropped in Jake’s stomach at the thought of his Dad being chased by hunters. Then it went away, his father was the leader of the pack, the alpha was the alpha for a reason. His father would be ok because he was always ok.

“Jake!” Mona called as she ran to him with a flower crown in her hands. She reached him and hugged him. Jake crouched to be at her level and she placed the flower crown on his head. He laughed and promised her he wouldn’t take it off until they went to bed. He loved his little sister.

A howl came from the hillside. Jakes mother grabbed the bags in one hand, “Time to go.” She said as she took Jakes spare hand with hers. They started walking to their new camp.

They had walked for a full day before they came to a spot in the woods, sheltered by trees, they sat on the autumn leaves and ate some fruit they picked on their journey. Mona sat on Mother’s lap as she ate her berries. There was a rustle in the trees and each member of the pack tensed, ready to take whatever was coming at them. Jake’s father emerged from the trees with three other members of the pack.

I felt the tension leave me as my father sat down next to us, kissing my mother on the cheek and giving me and hug before doing the same to Mona.

He looked at me – he looked almost exactly like me, tanned, brown hair and dark eyes – “Hey Bud. Up to a bit of hunting practise today?”

Mother shook her head with a smile, “You two, it’s almost dark. We have to find shelter.” She said. My mother was Alpha female, it was her job to take care of the women and children of the pack while my dad took the males out to hunt and distract the hunters. I wasn’t allowed to go with them yet, but I knew how to hunt.

She was right though, the sun was already going down and the hunters would be back on our trail soon at tonight. Some of the pack members were already scouting the area for a place to stay for the night. I nodded sadly, but understood where my mother was coming from.

My father slapped me lightly on the back, “Tomorrow then.”

I nodded, telling myself to look forward to tomorrow.

Night came quickly and soon, the calls of the hunters were filling the forest. The pack changed and we headed to our shelters. My mother, Mona and I hid in a big bush in-between two trees. As soon as we had settled down, my father turned back into his wolf form, ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’ He said.

I smiled at him, ’We’ll go hunting?’

’For sure.’

And that was all he said before he disappeared into the woods.

I woke in the middle of the night to footsteps thumping around the underbrush. My stomach dropped. Hunters. Two feet marched in front of our shelter. I felt my mother tense. I shrivelled back, away from the outside of the bush. The shelter was small, barely big enough for the three of us. I felt Mona’s nose on my back.

There was a yelp of a wolf. It was cut off quickly. Shrieks of triumph sounded from the hunters before one called out with a husky, rough voice, “We know you’re here. Come out, come out wherever you are.” I shivered at the coldness in his voice.

A hand reached into the bush and grabbed at Mona, pulling her out from under the bush. It all happened so fast. Mum lunged at the hunter, growling and snapping. Another hunter reached for me, pulling me out of the bush with brute strength as I snapped and fought. I rolled on the ground, pulling the hunter’s arm under me. I heard the crack of his bones breaking under my weight and leapt up on my feet. I ducked as another hunter reached for me. There were at least twenty in our camp now. I heard the wails of other wolves and as the hunters shed my pack’s blood.

Two giant hands grabbed me from behind, I felt a dagger against my throat and braced for death when I heard a howl.

My father and the other male wolves lunged out of the trees. My father took down the man who held me and I ran for my mother and sister. We fled to the trees with the other pack members. Before I disappeared into the dark forest, I turned around. A hunter was running at me with his crossbow. I felt the air leave my chest as he pulled the trigger. Everything went into slow motion. I saw a flash of brown fur – my father –, a cry of a hunter and finally, the sound of an arrow piercing flesh.

I felt something in me break as I saw my father roll off the dead man. There was blood on his coat. An arrow was buried in his chest. I heard his voice in my head, ’Jake, run.’

’Dad?’ I asked, ’Dad you have to get up. Mum can help you. Come on.’

‘Jake, do as I say!’ I stayed put for a moment. Then, I felt my mother pull me into the forest. I screamed inside my head for her to stop, ’We have to save him!’

I saw him lay there, blood oozing from his wound. He looked me in the eyes, ’Jake,’ he said, his voice was weak in my head, ’I love you.’ The light left his eyes and that was the last time I ever saw my father, as I was dragged away from him by my mother.