Have you read Snow Shifters Part Five - The Meeting?
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His claws dug into wood as he shifted in the blink of an eye and launched himself over the table at the wolf aiming for Elsa. Purple light filled his vision as his jaw snapped shut on thin air. He slammed into the opposite wall. Shaking himself off he looked at Elsa. She stood glaring at him, palms smoking. A confusing mixture of icy anger and fiery desire flooded him.
He stumbled sideways as a solid mass barrelled into him. Another wolf had leapt through the window, jaws snapping at Iys’ legs. Dancing out the way, he swiped at the wolf. He felt his claws slice through fur and skin. The wolf smashed into the table with a yelp. Blood quickly stained its white coat. It made a feeble attempt to get up as Iys stalked toward it. Placing a huge paw on its chest, he fastened his jaws on the wolf’s throat. He ripped his head back with a growl.
As he spit out the blood, a roar ripped from his throat as a set of sharp teeth latched onto his back. He whipped around, nose pulled back in a snarl. The wolf let go, pulling back into a fighting stance, legs wide and teeth bared. Two more wolves leapt through the windows, flanking the first. The battle raged around them. Flashes of white and purple light filled the room along with snarls, shouts, and the sound of furniture being smashed. He tensed as the ground shuddered, but he didn’t take his eyes off the wolves in front of him.
They moved at the same time. Two went for his legs, the other for his throat. He forced himself to clamp onto the jaw of the wolf aiming for his throat as teeth once again sunk into him. He swallowed the roar of pain and channelled it into destroying the wolf he had hold of. Flicking his head with as much force as he could muster, he heard the snap of bone. The wolf in his jaw went limp.
Dropping it, he snapped at one of the wolves clamped to his leg. It danced away, but quickly shot back at him, biting further down his back. He roared and twisted furiously, but the other wolf was still clamped onto his other leg. He swivelled back to it, grabbing it by the scruff of its neck. Its teeth pulled at his skin as he tried to get it off him.
White light erupted behind him, startling the wolf. He ripped it from his leg. Realising the other wolf was gone too, he scanned the room. Uller was giving him the thumbs up, the familiar manic grin spread across his face. Iys watched as he flicked off a spell from a long wand and a dagger at the same time. One slammed a wolf into a chair, the other buried itself hilt deep into the head of another.
Another couple of wolves appeared in front of him. Drool hung from their jaws as they growled at him. He feinted, lunging for the one on the left, causing it the yelp as it leapt back. The other wolf went for his throat, but that’s exactly what he’d expected. He spun, kicking out with his hind legs. The wolf flew across the room, but he continued to spin until he faced back to the other wolf. He latched on to the exposed side of its throat as it watched its companion soar through the air. Biting down hard, he dropped the wolf as it went limp.
Purple light burst from a corner of the room. His eyes snapped to Elsa. Her teeth were bared in a snarl as three wolves leapt over the table at her. Icy fear sliced through him as he bound toward her, but he wasn’t fast enough. The wolves pounced on her. He forced himself to move faster. A blast of purple light blew him backwards, slamming him into the table. The smell of singed hair filled his nostrils. Shaking his head, he got up stiffly. He froze as his eyes landed on Elsa.
She was flying. Huge purple wings made of light stretched out from her back. They held her hovering above the wolves as she rained down balls of searing purple light on them. Both her eyes shone bright with light, the same deep purple as her good eye. Her face was set in a glare so furious it made her unrecognisable. Skadi and Uller were also staring at her dumbfounded as all the nearby wolves turned to face the new threat, snapping and snarling.
Holy shit, he’d had no idea she could do that. His chest hollowed as he finally realised, he really didn’t know her at all. He knew she was capable, and had recently learnt how fierce she was, but this? This was powerful. Really powerful. He could feel the raw light energy radiating from her in a way he never thought possible. Vuur was right, he was an idiot. He let the self-loathing and frustration rip through him as he roared, fire erupting from his jaws.
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She launched herself at the wolf from behind the chair, swinging herself onto its back and wrapped her arm around its throat. Wedging her hand in the crook of her elbow, she could barely reach around its neck. The wolf thrashed wildly, but she gripped tighter, squeezing her knees into the wolfs shoulders. Slowly the wolf tired. She held on as it stilled. She held on as it fell. She held on until it wouldn’t get up again.
Rolling to her feet, she stayed low. Two more wolves came through the broken window, landing in front of her, teeth bared and long ropes of drool hanging from their jaws. She looked up at them, her lips pulled back in a snarl. One darted forward, snapping at her, but it was a feint. She stood her ground, she couldn’t react now. She had to wait until-
One of the wolves launched itself at her. She leapt, landing on its head and using the leverage to launch herself at the one behind it. The first one went crashing into the wall behind her as her heel connected perfectly with the second wolf’s nose. It scrambled out the way with a yelp.
Icy wind and swirling snow blasted her through the shattered window. She snatched up a large shard of glass, as a huge wolf-shaped shadow grew as it neared the window. A howl different from the storms’ echoed through the air. She stepped forward as the wolf leapt, bringing the glass above her head. She felt it catch, ignoring the pain as the edge sliced her own hand. Blood sprayed down over her. The wolf landing with a dull thud behind her.
“Duchess!”
Her eyes snapped to Skadi, who chucked her a pair of long daggers with an evil grin.
She returned the grin as she snatched them from the air. Springing up, she launched herself at the next two wolves that leapt through the window, quickly taking them out in a spray of fresh blood. But two more quickly appeared in their place. And another two joined them.
She glanced around at the others. They were quickly becoming out numbered. She watched as Skadi and Uller shot spell after spell at one window, barely stemming the flow of wolves. Varjo twirled with twin swords, cutting and hacking, but slowing with each blow. The ground moved with Aardé as bright yellow vines of winter jasmine crept through the cracks in the floor, trapping the wolves in a tangle of vines. Elsa hovered above the scene, blasting purple light around the room, the smell of singed fur following each flash. A blood-covered Iys was beside her, jaws glowing with fire.
The four wolves in front of her moved forward. Shit, she had to do something. She shoved her hand into her pocket. Her fingers curled around a cold glass bottle. She pulled the vile out, the glittering white liquid swirling like the snow outside. Flicking the top off, a frozen roar filled the air. Wind ripped at her hair, its icy kiss familiar. Glittering snow swirled in a tornado around her. The wolves backed up, but they weren’t quick enough. The storm picked them up, throwing the wolves in front of her, and a few extras, out the window.
She could barely see as the snow swirled, but there was no mistaking the shattering of glass that reached her through the storm. Her stomach dropped. No. Warm tingles spread through her body. She didn’t stop it this time, as she leapt toward the noise. Her paws were silent as she ran through the magical snowstorm, weaving between fighting shadows.
The smashed and empty glass case appeared out of the storm. Fire rolled through her as she picked up the scent of the cloak, the distinctive smell of fire on a frozen winter’s morning. She chased the scent, her lean body uncoiling and lengthening with each leap. She soared through the window, landing deeply in the fresh snow outside. The scent swung around to her left. She pushed herself through the snow toward it.
Another wolf appeared out of the storm, the wind pulling at its long white fur. She went for it without hesitation, feinting at the last second. Dropping below the huge wolf’s jaw, she continued forward and up, latching onto the wolf’s throat. Before it could howl in pain, she clamped down, the howl escaping with the thick metallic blood that dripped into her mouth. She ripped its throat out, spitting it to one side, and bounding over the body before it hit the snow.
Leaving a trail of blood behind her, she rushed through the snow. She didn’t hesitate to rip into the wolves that came at her, claws and teeth slashing through fur and flesh, but they all delayed her. The scent of the cloak grew fainter with every wolf she killed.
As she reached the edge of the forest, a wall of wolves appeared. The scent of the cloak went straight through them. She stopped. There were so many of them. Fear and anger flared through her. She couldn’t lose it. Fire seeped through her veins. Opening herself up, she welcomed the scorch of the anger. She bared her teeth as a deep growl rumbled in her chest. Steam curled out of her jaws as she felt the searing heat build in her chest and roll up her throat.
She opened her mouth. Blue and white flames erupted from her. The smell of singed hair and burnt pine filled the air. Yelps and howls erupted around her. The trees danced with blue flames that twisted and flashed in the howling storm, but they didn’t go out. Below them, the ground was bare of snow, wisps of pine scented smoke dancing in the wind.
She stared at the row of wolves who’d escaped her fire. Dammit, how were there so many of them? She opened herself up again, letting the fire flood her. But just as the fire was building in her chest, the wolves turned, disappearing into the trees. Holding the fire in her, she bounded after them. Ashy pine needles crumbled under her paws. Her stomach dropped as she realised she couldn’t smell the cloak any more. She raced after the wolves for another couple of miles, before slowing to a stop. She stared at the dark trunks crowding in front of her. Fear and frustration ripped through her as blue flames erupted from her jaws.
She can’t have lost it. Not after all this time.
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