December 16, 2013

Chanyeol's maw shut with a quiet click as he watched the sun fall behind the bronze clouds. His whiskers twitched as the brown-patched wolf curled his long tail around his paws and e ear to the camp. He could just make out the sound of the rest of the nocturne pack stirring, their fur brushing the leaves and claws scrabbling against smooth riverside stone.

In the forest beside the countryside town, there was peace. The birds quietened as the darkened until all that could be heard was the hooting of owls as the moon reached its peak. Across a great distance stood mountains that looked like the silhouettes of anthills and in the other direction came the bitter, horrid scent of industry. Between those two points was an expanse of open moorland and forest.

Chanyeol could feel the strength seep down his body and out through his white paws, but he still rushed into the darkness with his nose as his guide. Behind him, streaking over wind currents and water like earth, were Kris, Sehun and Suho. Baekhyun was closer, nipping at his heels, his wide eyes glowing like twin torches. Chanyeol used the beacons to avoid trampling scattered thorns, leaving a trail of fiery pawprints in his wake.

“Not far now,” whispered the wind – Sehun, scouting from up high. “Look! Is that – ?”

A black wolf with sleep-ruffled black fur frozen in an instant turned his head towards them. Chanyeol only glimpsed him before he was gone, leaving him to wonder if his imagination was playing tricks on him.

“That was him,” Chanyeol barked to his pack. “It's not far now.”

When they crested the ridge, they saw the clearing unfold before their eyes at the bottom of the slope. Luhan wrestled with a great black beast, his fur matted and bloodied as he threw his opponent into the ground. Lay skirted around an earthen golem that growled as it moved, commanded by Kyungsoo, who concealed himself within the armour. The pale wolf pounced on Luhan and dug his claws into his packmate, throwing a desperate howl to the moon.

Chanyeol couldn't see Kai at first until he saw a glint up above. The dark russet canine announced himself in a burst of light like the spark of two rocks striking, and somersaulted with his opponent in his fangs, releasing him into a throw that sent him crashing into the earth with a bang and a sickening crunch.

Lightning sparked, wild and vicious, splitting the ground it touched as it raced up to electrocute the foes. Chen snarled, his tail glowing and fur standing on end, his eyes golden and body crackling.

The beasts they fought were few; two smaller, almost like henchmen to the great black bear that slashed its sharp claws at the rock. Kyungsoo's armour snarled and cracked where the thorn-sharp talons raked across it. It forced him back a step, but he held steady.

The black wolf appeared beside them again, gazing down at the battlefield. Kris landed and Suho joined them from his run over the river, landing neatly. A feeling of pure power fizzled in their ears, and the time-frozen fur flattened slightly against Tao's shoulders. His eyes smouldered; the battle froze, both bears and wolves suspended like leaves.

Suho lifted his head. “Come back!” he shouted, sweeping his tail low. “Kris, find Xiumin. Sehun, Chanyeol, you're with me.”

Three shadows swarmed the clearing. The others raced past them towards the top. Tao's eyes smouldered, and the bears them.

Chanyeol attacked first, his eyes burning with an arcane fury. Tail wreathed in flame, he lunged towards their opponents and spun, slapping one a smaller bear across the face as he spat a fireball at the larger one.

An explosion gave Suho cover; he formed an icy bubble around Chanyeol and lifted him high, pointing his muzzle to direct it.

Sehun was quicker than they could keep up with, racing around the battlefield delivering short, swift blows with his claws before darting away again. Avoiding the strikes of the largest opponent while dealing damage to the others seemed difficult, but Sehun pulled it off easily.

Until – “Look out!”

Sehun looked up. Time seemed to slow down as the claw came down on his back, the claws curving around his spine with such finality that Chanyeol and Suho were screaming at him to get away even though they knew he couldn't. Even with his speed, the claws were already grazing his fur.

A blinding light and the force of the impact made them both recoil violently. When they looked back the bear was being thrown across the clearing; Sehun was half-crouching, his eyes wide with terror. Tao and Kai landed slowly in front of him before two disappeared, leaving Tao alone where Sehun had been.

“Switched!” he called.

Suho nodded in confirmation. The pack leader snarled, baring his sharp white teeth, ears flattening and hackles rising. The bear roared in pain as it was hoisted high into the air. The watery crimson blood flowing through its veins was scalding, racing faster.

“Tao, switch with Baekhyun. Chanyeol, switch with –”

“I'm here!”

“Xiumin! Where were you?”

“I got caught up. There were some more towards the mountains.”

Chanyeol bounded past the blue-eyed wolf, setting himself at the edge of the battlefield.

In a spectacular combination of water, ice and dazzling light, the three took the last of their opponents down and gathered at the base of the slope. Lay weaved around them, checking for injuries, wielding a few of his own like proud badges upon his shoulder.

“My paw hurts,” Kai complained.

“Aww. Paw you.”

A collective groan rippled through their ranks.

“I know, I know,” said Baekhyun smugly. “I'm hilarious. You're just jealous you didn't think of it yourself.”

“Kyungsoo, bury him.”

“Shocking behaviour from you, Baekhyun. How dare you make light of this situation?”

“Chen, go get hit by a ing thunderstorm.”

“I can drop them from high up.”

“Just like yo momma dropped you? … No, wait! You know I didn't mean it!”

“Suho, boil their blood. Please.”

“I'm staying out of this one.”

“Come on, guys-”

“I'll burn him if you'd like.”

“How does frostbite sound?”