Shewolf

The second Ulfheldinn was small than the first, yet still stood at least seven foot if upright. Its amber eyes were filled with hate, and a lust for blood of which a great amount drooled from its gaping maw. Its black fur bristled, almost electric like. The Ulfheldinn crouched and lunged at Sanguine, she screamed and toppled backwards.
Its massive bulk pirouetted sideways as something hit it side on; it yowled in pain and careened into a tree, which buckled under the impact. A large cry sounded out and the Wild-men reappeared out of carefully concealed hiding places. The first Ulfheldinn raised itself from its gorging of Corva and leapt at the first man, who was wielding a great axe. He let out a battle cry that was cut short as he missed his target in a stroke and was torn in half by the counter attack. The Ulfheldinn’s jaws passing through his soft tissue like a sword through straw. Another Wild-man was behind him. He plunged a long sword into the creature. It whined in pain, sounding like a crippled dog, before casting him aside with a stroke of its immense forearm. Only for him to be replaced my a dozen more. Sanguine grabbed Canina by the arm; she was frozen in fear from the frenzied conflict.
“Run!” she screamed, half shoving her towards the undergrowth. Canina relinquished her gaze on the battle and half ran half stumbled for the undergrowth. The Ulfheldinn and Wild-men ignored their escape, too fixated with destroying the other. They pelted out of the clearing and kept on running, not looking back towards the conflict or caring of their direction of travel. Only focused on escaping the nightmare that had nearly consumed them. Sanguine’s shoulder panged with agony, her tunic was warm with her own blood that seeped from the gaping wound. Pulsing at every muscle contraction. They ran for what seemed like an age. The sounds of the battle growing fainter in the distance, men crying and raging Ulfheldinn howling and growling, the sounds of more joining the battle. All too soon swallowed by the woodland mist. Canina tripped over and landed hard. Sanguine halted and bent over to pick her up.
“You ok?”
“Yeah I think so” she panted, her face stained with blood and sweat. She lent against a tree and slumped against it, closing her eyes.
“I think were safe for now,” Sanguine continued looking about for any hint of where they were. But there was none, the woodland she was in was strange an unfamiliar to her. She winced as she slumped down next to Canina. She didn’t have her knife anymore so she tore a strip off her kilt and wrapped it around her shoulder, trying to stem the blood flow as best she could. Canina began to sob. Sanguine wrapped and arm around her and she lent into the embrace. Tears welled in her eyes. Mourning Corva.
“My sister…we have to…go back…she might…still…be alive” she muttered through the tears that now streaked down her cheeks. Fusing with the blood and sweat that caked her face.
“We cant, we only just got out of there alive ourselves” Sanguine said logically. She remained alert, her ears straining for any sign of men or bests that may have followed them.
“We must, she’s alive I know it” Sanguine grabbed her tightly and stared into her eyes.
“You saw her yourself, she’s gone, there was nothing we could do” she wiped away some of Canina’s tears with her free hand. “The best we can do is pray to Delagoth too watch over her soul for us” Canina nodded, sobbing softly.
“Now come on we have too keep moving” Sanguine said softly, gently pulling her up off the ground. They pushed on deeper into the mist, not knowing their path.

They continued until dark, the forest never relinquishing, they were straying lost with no hope of finding a route out. Once darkness had blanketed the forest it become worse to navigate the thickets, roots and small plants clawed at their feet, making them stumble and trip every step they took. Finally they relinquished and collapsed under a large oak tree that gave them some shelter. Light was scarce but a waning moon shed enough light through the thicketed trees to allow Canina to look at Sanguine’s wound. The deep gash was prominent, dark, dried blood glinted maliciously from the wound, reflecting the moon in its surface, yet no new blood was visible, the wound had stopped bleeding.
“That’s impossible” Canina said from behind Sanguine.
“What is?” Sanguine said back not moving, staring at some black patch of dirt some feet in front of her.
“Your wound, it isn’t bleeding, it’s already sealed itself”
“It can’t have” Sanguine replied adamantly. “It’s probably the light, just tie the cloth up tighter, I don’t want to bleed to death”
“I’m telling you its not bleeding,” she repeated.
“Ok I believe you” Sanguine said feeling exhausted.
“No you don’t I can tell” Canina said defensively. “Does this hurt?”
Sanguine waited a few seconds.
“No, why?”
“Because I’m poking your wound, you’ve healed faster than I’ve ever seen”
“Maybe I’m tougher than I thought” Sanguine giggled slightly. Canina pushed harder into the wound.
“Feel anything now”
“I can feel something irritating poking me”
“Oh you are a cheery one” Canina retorted yanking on the piece of cloth to tighten it.
“Well, we’ve just been kidnapped, used as bait for creatures which don’t exist anymore and nearly killed!” Sanguine snapped.
“My sister did just get killed!” Canina spat back releasing the makeshift bandage around Sanguine’s shoulder.
“Better her than me” Canina slapped her in the face. Sanguine recoiled and made to hit her back but a sudden noise in the bush nearby stopped her. Canina heard it too.
A low growl accompanied more rustling. The bush parted. A large black shape stepped out, undecernable until it stepped out into a shaft of moonlight. Its long fangs and yellow eyes were distinctive even in the pale light. Canina screamed and they bolted from the Ulfheldinn. The creature howled and followed. Another large shape dropped out of a nearby tree and onto Canina, she screamed as its massive bulk took her down to the ground. Sanguine turned to see what it was and clipped a root, she hurled over, loosing her balance and tumbled to the floor, within a split second the Ulfheldinn was onto of her, its bulk pinning her down. She looked upwards at its grotesque face, barely visible in the little light there was.
“STAY YOU CLAWS!” someone yelled in a northern accent. The Ulfheldinn above Sanguine backed off, but made sure it’s paws held her firmly still. Sanguine could hear Canina whimpering somewhere off to her left.
“Really Leo I told you to capture them, not scare them and make them bolt” the voice said again. The Ulfheldinn that Sanguine assumed was pinning down Canina growled disdainfully. “Well, well, well would you know it, it’s the bait the Wild-men used” the voice continued letting a little bit of surprise inject into his tone. “Hush little girl, we are not going to hurt you” the voice said. Canina stopped whimpering. There was the sound off foot steps and the owner of the voice came into view, his face and features were shrouded in shadow, but he was humanoid she could tell that much. He bent down and came closer to Sanguine’s face. His features becoming a little more prominent but still shadowed. His eyes were yellow like the Ulfheldinn and he had a light beard, but that was all she could make out.
“We are going to release you, do not try and run, it is pointless, I assume you know what we are” Sanguine nodded, her throat dry.
“They’ll run” another voice said, accompanied by footsteps and the sound of something moving through some bushes. “I say we bound them and take them back to the Den.” The voice was rough and of a more southern dialect.
“And since when were you in charge?” the first voice said darkly. The reply was a low submissive growl. “I thought not,” the first voice said again. “Leo, Thiess” he snapped. The Ulfheldinn stepped back releasing Sanguine. She got up off the floor and brushed herself off as best she could. Canina was also standing up and she skittered towards Sanguine like an obedient puppy. There were five figures in all; two were the Ulfheldinn that had jumped Canina and herself, the other two belonged to the two voices, the second voice belonging too a heavily built man that was partially hid in shadow but had a dark skin tone and was grubby in look. The third was to another figure that stood a little way off; it was humanoid but looked like a female judging by the shape.
“You are wounded?” the first voice said. Sanguine was surprised that he had spotted her wound in such dim light.
“I’m fine,” she said bluntly, not taking her eyes of his face. Which she could now see was pale in complexion that was partially obscured by his long hair.
“I doubt that it looks deep, Victrix” the fifth figure started to move forward.
“I’m fine” Sanguine said more forcefully this time. The apparently leader started at her for a few more seconds.
“Well if you’re sure” he relented. One of the Ulfheldinn shifted slightly and sniffed the air for a few seconds then growled dangerously.
“So they just wont quit,” the pale leader said his tone had darkened to a dangerous level, matching the Ulfheldinn that was still sniffing the air.
“Leo you can carry Mortix, Victrix watch the rear, and cover our tracks. You my young ladies should stick with us, this woodland isn’t safe tonight”