WolfBound Act V

Towards them the giant bear lumbered to the trio of wolves. Vincentfelt himself growl, his shoulders shaking as behind him Ember and Mistlowered their ears and started to turn away.
"What are you two doing?" Vincent snarled at them, his fur bristling.
Ember replied, "We leave. We cannot fight bears. Wolves never fight bears."
"Theyare too strong. They will kill us. Come dear brother, let us leave thiscarcass and find another meal," Mist implored, his ears flattened inworry against his head.
"But it's our food. We worked hardfor this. I will not let us surrender so easily." Vincent stood hisground padding in front of the fallen deer, lowering his head andgrowling at the oncoming bear.
"Please," pleaded Ember, a mournfulwhine escaping her throat. "Please let us leave.He'll kill us for sure.He's going to sleep for the rest of winter. Please Vincent."
Thelarge brown wolf raised his head towards his sister, ears pricked inher direction. There was a fire of determination in his eyes that madethe she-wolf's heart melt, it made her spine turn into a flimsymaterial she wasn't familiar of. Although she knew nothing could everamount to being more than a companion to the large male, Ember wantedto make Vincent happy no matter what it took--even if it meant riskingher life.
She glanced across to her brother Mist, his yellow eyeswere hard and a plate of ice covered them but they lost that coldnessquickly as he took his place by Vincent's side.
"No wolf is ever left behind," Mist declared.
Emberpadded to the other side of Vincent, nudging her head against his neck.Vincent licked her muzzle as Mist had in the past. She wagged hertail--this was enough, this was all she asked for.

Before thewolves, only a couple yards away the huge figure of the bear stopped inhis tracks. His head was lowered, his muscles rippling beneath hisdense layer of fur.
"Wolves...back away from the meal...I am so hungry..." the bear rumbled with his deep throat.
"It'sours. We worked too hard for someone like you to take it away!" barkedVincent across the way, guarding the corpse with his siblings.
Thebear grew frustrated. "I am to leave into my den for the rest ofwinter. Back away wolves! Let me feast and I will leave in peace."
Vincentpulled back his lips, snarling and facing only to the bear, relishingthe newfound power of being a wolf. Beside him his siblings began theirgrumblings, all against the bear.
"Foolish," the bear growled. "No wolf ever stand up to our kind."
"Technically, I'm not a wolf--and I'm not afraid of you." Vincent snapped his teeth, but staying in his place.
Thebear finally became corrupted with rage. He let out a battle roar andcharged to the wolves, instantly sending them into action. Mist roundedthe bear, his feet quick and sure below him as his distracted thebear's line of vision. Vincent leapt up into the air, propelling hislong and strong legs, landing on the bear's back. He dug his claws intothe bear's flesh and tore at his mass amounts of loose scruff, tryingto rip is away.
Meanwhile Ember was weaving in front of the bear,ducking beneath his massive paws and nipping at them. She was nimbleand dodged every one of his descending paws. She finally escaped frombeneath him and went to attack his face, biting onto his muzzle andscratching his eyes.
The bear was so overcome with the anxiety ofbeing attacked by wolves for the first time, he wanted to leave. Themeal wasn't worth it. To escape the swift wolves he reared onto hishind legs, trying to swing the brown wolf off. Vincent landed on hispaws without the slightest sound and pounded away from the bear'sbackside. Mist ceased his circles around the bear and merely barked andsnapped at the great animal. Vincent took hs place beside Mist andjoined him in the barking and nipping.
However, the quick Emberraced beneath the bear's hind legs, trying to get him to fall onto hisback after losing his balance. She succeeded, the bear falling flat onhis back. She took a moment to revel in her accomplishment, her veryfirst battle of standing up to a bear.
Except, she was close to thebear and she saw his eyes jerk open full of a blazing fire that senther soul into a series of shivers. His sight was on her and with aswipe of his great paws he clapped one down on her, forcing her to fallto the ground, breaking her hip. Ember let out a cry and the malewolves responded, bounding to the bear attacking him with the thoughtof death on their fangs.
The bear simply brushed them off, pullingEmber to him as he took her in his large jaws and tore out her spine,blood and flesh flying.
Mist felt his heart break, his other halffly away. His head snapped and he went for the bear's face, pulling offskin, fur, and finally the bear's eyes.
The bear let out a powerful wail.
Vincent stood in astonishment.
He was frozen, everything registering slowly.
Finally,Mist was so overcome with the grief of the pain inflicted on Ember hewent for the bear's throat, jaws locked and fangs in place. With acertain swing of his head he pulled out the jugular, the bear dyingbeneath Mist's rage.
Standing in blood and drenched in it, Mist turned his head to the lifeless body of a white wolf.
No..no it can't be..it can't happen.
This can't be real.
Thegray wolf walked slowly over to his sister, hoping to find herbreathing and her promises that she will be alright in a couple days.He found no comfort. All he saw were cold eyes staring blankly ahead,half of her body;s contents spilled on the forest floor. Her chest ofstill, the life gone from her heart.
Ember, his dearest sister, was dead.
Mist lied by her head, nuzzling her snout and licking her nose telling himself she was asleep and that she'll wake up soon.
Vincentbegan to understand what took place. He slunk over to Mist and theempty shell that had once been Ember. His eyes were wide and eyes pale.Ember was dead.
"Mist..is she really...?" Vincent gasped out.
Thegray wolf whined, "She's only playing. She used to do this all the timewhen we were cubs. C'mon Ember. My dear, beautiful Ember. Awaken." Heshot up into a sitting position and barked, "Wake up!"
Vincent brushed himself against Mist. "I'm sorry brother--she's gone."
A hollow shadow fell into Mist's eyes as he suddenly looked at Vincent, resentment filling the gray wolf faster than breathing.
"Youpiece of rotten meat. What have you done?" Mist demanded, whirling onVincent, his tail lifted straight. His eyes were ready to kill. "You had to defend our food. You made Ember want to stay and aide you. YOU killed my sister!"
Vincent took a step back. "No..Mist..I never thought it would end this way..."
"What do you expect?!" Mist seethed. "There are reasons why wolves have laws. We run from bears because they'll kill us. And look what happened to Ember. You heartless bitch! Get away from me!"
"But.."
"GO!"Mist lunged at the brown wolf, luckily Vincent anticipated this andhopped back. "GET AWAY FROM ME! I never want smell you within a fivemile radius of me. NOW GO!"
Vincent obeyed, fear fueling his legs athow terrifying Mist had become. He had cared for Ember too, whycouldn't he mourn with his brother? Vincent vanished into the forest,running far and fast, stretching as far as his legs allowed him to.Behind him he heard Mist's depressed howl, telling the story of hisdeceased sister. Vincent longed to accompany him but maybe he had doneenough.

Residing by the shimmering pond, a woman who preferredto go by Fae played with the water's surface. She watched how it wentwith the current, the bunches of crests breaking at her touch. Shesmiled and jerked her head up when she heard bushes rustle near her.She hoped it wasn't her uncle.
Fae let out a sigh of relief when she saw two familiar blue eyes stare at her.
Sheswung her arms wide open and the brown wolf dove into them, adoring thewarmth sending throughout his body. He had grown to love the nurturingnature Fae carried.
"Oh Wolf, I am so happy to see you. I really needed you," she laughed into his fur.
Vincent could only whine softly into her ear, his human mind relieved to see her too.
Whenshe pulled back, Vincent caught a whiff of he stale smell of fear, itwas something that happened approximately an hour ago but the scentremained vaguely. He narrowed his blue eyes and saw her right eyedarkly shaded, discolored in the form of a bruise.
Vincent whine some more, gently nosing her eye with his cold nose, hoping to cool it.
Shelaughed tenderly in that song-like tone she had. "Oh no dear friend,don't do that. It still hurts. You can properly thank my uncle forthat." She shrugged. "It's no worry it'll heal in a week and by thenI'll have more bruises-maybe a broken wrist too."
Vincent growled, he didn't know her uncle but already he wanted to kill the man.
Todaywas a ride of emotions for the brown wolf, his sister's death and thathis Fae was being abused by a family member. Vincent was grateful hehad a merciful father--Fae would adore his father if she ever met him.
She patted his head and he leaned into her palm, eyes relaxed.
"Youare a strange one, Wolf. No wild animal would be this comfortable witha human." She giggled. "You listen, you understand, and you have nofear of me. I only wish I could listen to you."
Vincent's eyes pleaded at her, wishing the same.
"Wouldyou like to hear a song? My uncle may beat me into submission, buthe'll never beat the songs out of me," Fae said, carrying a brave smile.
Vincent wanted to be brave just like her.

Thickly grow the rushes
Where the river dances deep
While thou, my lover sleep
Thy tree its vigil keeps-
Gently sings the summer
Where the graceful willow weeps
Weeps, oh weeps for thee.

Winds blow me
Fire glow me
Close mine eyes and lay turf o'er me

Oh softly play the ripples
Where the water kisses peat
Where hearts of lovers beat
In company so mete
In dolour flows the water
For the breath of life retreats
Retreats, retreats for me.

Winds blow me
Streams flow me
Still my breath and lay night o'er me

Oh kindly fall the petals
Where the briar roses sweet
From winter slumber creep
Where thou, my lover, sleep
Oh, sorrow fly before me as
The gentle grass bequeath
Peace, oh peace to thee

Air breathe me
Mist wreathe me
Fold my hands and no more grieve me.
But yet the sun is rising
Where the shy and dappled deer
Steps to water without fear
Whence I shed my bitter tears
Perhaps I shalt be living
When the morning draweth near
Is hope the song I hear?

Love hold me
Enfold me
In my body, new life mould me.

Vincentlistened intently, body relaxed as he felt himself fall into lightdoze. His hearbeat slowed, breathing became even, as the worries andevents of the day disappeared from his mind as he was with his sweetFae.
After her song, listening to her heavenly voice that he wishedhe could hear every moment of the rest of his days, he was convinced heloved her. He loved Fae and he would do anything to be one with her.
Fae kissed the top of his head, rubbing his belly.
Vincent smiled and wagged his tail, looking up at her, his perfect angel.
A thought occurred to him as Fae stood and readied to regrettably take her leave.
Fae walked the path from whence she came, and Vincent followed in pursuit close on her heels.
Sheoften glanced back at him and told him to return to the forest, but bythe time they reached the village she gave up coaxing him to stay withher and talking excitedly of what they'll do together, of what shecould show him.
Vincent constantly brushed against her legs hiding beneath her white dress. He loved the idea.
Eachlittle hut they passed and Vincent wondered which one was hers untilthey left the sleepful village and were encroaching on a large stonecastle. Vincent looked up in awe, it has been three years since he hadseen a castle up close.
"Come on, Wolf, let's get inside and sleep," Fae said scratching behind his ear.
Vincent was dumbfounded. Fae, the woman he loved and decided to live with, was a princess.

((TO BE CONTINUED..))