She Wolf

While Celestial and the tribal pack head north to meet with Gray, Swift plans for her own defense. Celestial hopes her new abilities will be enough and Swift hopes she has enough abilities left to face a more powerful foe. Can evil be defeated?

Gertrude drummed her fingers on the table. "He's reaching out to us."

"Who?"

"MRKX."

Wanda gasped. "I heard Janet talk about him before she left, but I...I thought we ended him and it was just talk."

"In that form, yes. Now he's back and more powerful. While all the packs are gathering to fight him out west he is sending forces here to us."

"Why us?"

"Because of Celestial and Swift mostly, but Gray also. You are connected with Celestial, and he knows I'm getting old. He probably figures Celestial is already out west, and knows Gray is there for certain. I hope she got to Great Bear in time."

"Do you really think he will strike here?"

"It's a certainty. I feel it coming. There's nothing we can do to stop it, so we must be prepared."

"How can he be in two places at once?"

"Oh, he's not coming here himself. Celestial is too tempting a prize for him to leave behind there. He has assembled a strong force to meet her but he is sending a significant force here also. You can count on that."

Wanda wrung her hands and Clark paced. "What can we possibly do against that? Can you call on pack members that are still in the east?"

Gertrude stilled her fingers and looked at Wanda. "Did you learn nothing when we fought MRKX in New York? Pull yourselves together. You are warriors. Both of you. There is not enough time to bring in others. Anyway, they are a rear guard left to protect New England and the Appalachians against just what is going to happen to us here. Most of our strength has gone west and we are spread thin here in the east. No one knows where he may strike besides here and no territory should be left completely unguarded. We're on our own."

"I don't want to be a warrior. I want to live a farm life."

"Life thrusts things upon us. Things we'd rather not deal with. But we must deal with them."

Clark rested a hand on Wanda's shoulder and she reached a hand up to cover his.

"What do we need to do?" he asked quietly.

"We get as many weapons ready as we can. I don't know what sort of adversary we'll be facing, so we should have as many shotguns as possible, loaded with full buckshot. Wear pistols in case anything gets close. Anything to slow them down. Bullets won't kill them, but if we can injure them they'll have to take time to heal and we may then be able to strike with axes. Close-in shotgun headshots may remove their heads. Sharpen all the axes and machetes. I know after Celestial's team got custom made weapons we have all of what was used in the last fight. We should scatter them about so if we have to change positions there will always be something handy."

Clark sighed "Well then, we'd better get to it."

"There's something you should see. It could be a lifesaver."

Gertrude led them down into the basement to the inconspicuous door in the wall. She opened it and said "Follow me."

Wanda and Clark found themselves in what looked something like a tunnel of sorts. The ceiling was low and the floor and walls were dirt. In a stooped position they made their way until the passage narrowed down and they crawled out from behind a bush.

"This is a way we could escape in to the shelter of the house or out of it if necessary. We should initially take positions in the small tractor barn or the garden shed."

"What is this place we are in?"

Gertrude turned to Wanda. "It was my den."

"You mean like where you had..."

"My pups. Yes. Gray is the only lycan of the three. I lived in this den until the pups could set out on their own. The other two may have been carriers like you, but once they left the den Gray was the only one to stay in contact."

"There is so much I don't know about you, mother."

"Would you have wanted to know?"

"I guess it was better I didn't. I wanted to pretend it wouldn't happen to Janet."

"Come, back through the den. We don't want them to trace our scent to this tunnel. You go ahead and I have something to cover our scent to keep our secret."

Back in the basement they set about sharpening blades and cleaning and loading firearms. Wanda held a shotgun to her shoulder and sighted down the barrel. "I guess it's a good thing I always like to go shooting. Never much liked killing things, but I'm proud of my accuracy shooting at moving clay targets. I don't mind cooking what the men bring in, though."

"Did you have a problem shooting hellhounds or evil cats?"

"I guess not. It was self preservation. And protecting our only child."

"You only child needs your help again. If we can make MRKX think, even for a moment, about what goes on here it could provide just the opening she needs to end him for good."

"For good?"

"If Great Bear gave Celestial additional tools she can use she has a much better chance to destroy him than when we met him before." After a pause she added "I've fought him before alone and sent him back to his hole. The last time we met in New York he was stronger and surrounded himself with others. Now he will be stronger still. It won't be easy."

As a precaution they laid some weapons around where they would be immediately available. At the kitchen table Wanda observed "Mother, you seem to lack the confidence you had last time."

"I was hoping it didn't show. I don't know what's coming against us. I know we are only three and I am the only lycan. You are more vulnerable than I. We are all older, although you two still have almost your full abilities. I, on the other hand, have lost considerable power. Celestial has it now, and she'll need every bit of it to be successful. Yet, while I have lost power I still have experience. I know their tendencies. I know their weaknesses. I know their strengths. What remains to be seen is what they are throwing at us. It's drawing nearer though, I can tell you that."

"How soon?"

"I would say tomorrow, but they are more likely to attack at night. Darkness is their cover. Well, it's ours, too." She cocked her head and closed her eyes. "Probably not tonight, but definitely tomorrow night."

"Then we'd better rest up."

"Yes. And, if they get here tomorrow during the day they may watch us, so we should give every indication of normal daily activity. They should believe they're taking us by surprise. We should stash our weapons early, before they get here. Let's hang out some wash tomorrow also."

Wanda pursed her lips. "For you to suggest that I assume you have some reason."

"You'll see tomorrow."

Before noon Gertrude positioned the poles to support clothes lines in the back yard, lines were strung between them and a load of sheets was hung. Wanda understood they were further concealing the den entrance. As they pinned the sheets to the lines Gertrude observed "They're almost here. A larger group than I had hoped. I sense a lot of power. While I can't get a read on how many there are I fear that means hellhounds as well as lycans. Of course, I should expect that MRKX would send some crack troops after me. He trusts the hellhounds more than he trusts the cats and wolves."

"I didn't like the hellhounds."

"Nobody likes to face hellhounds, but face them we must."

Inside the house Gertrude gathered them together. "I'm not going to paint a rosy picture here. Given what seems to be coming at us we may very well be overwhelmed. We may not make it out alive, but every minute we hang on gives Celestial another minute. If MRKX knows we're dead he will gain confidence, and his power may grow along with his confidence. We've got to fight with everything we've got."

Clark strapped on a holster. "Then we'd better do everything we can to give him even a sliver of doubt." He paused. "Speaking of everything we've got, I've done turkey hunting during bow season. If I can get a few arrows in them it might slow them down."

"Excellent idea. It would be quiet, so there would be some confusion as to where they came from. They'd hear guns and see gun flashes, but arrows might be a mystery. I don't remember ever using it, but do you think we have any sort of poison?"

"Just like the poison bite of MRKX! I think there may be some sort of rat poison that I found while puttering in the shed one day. And I have another idea. What about fire arrows?"

"Fire can't kill them, but it might get their attention. A flaming arrow sticking in them will certainly slow them down and cause pain. Whatever we're going to do has to be soon. They are very close, trying to sneak up on us."

"It's not lethal but I think I'll set the garden sprinklers to come on when it gets dark, too. That might flush some of them out of hiding."

In the shed Clark tore some cloth to wrap around the arrow shafts just below the points and soaked several in the can of rat poison. He hurried to the tractor shed and put several more in the gas tank of the tractor to soak.

Just at dusk Wanda and Gertrude walked to the shed laughing and talking loudly about gathering some garden supplies for repotting, seemingly carefree. Inside they took up position with a clear field of view of anything creeping up to the house. An apple tree near the tractor shed was shielded by the shed from anyone peering out of the woods where Gertrude thought their adversary would come. Clark couldn't be seen perched in the tree with poison arrows in his quiver.

In the gathering dark it was hard to be certain of the exact number, but Clark watched at least five wolves and three cats creeping through the grass. The more disconcerting sight was the pack of hellhounds circling around the house.

The garden water sprinklers he had set to come on when it got dark made a sudden hissing of water, followed by the 'tic,tic,tic,tic,tic,tic whrrrrrrr...' of the sprinklers.

One hellhound by the house was immediately doused and the wolves were startled by the distraction. The cats retreated from the water, one stopping directly under the tree Clark occupied, shaking water off.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty." Clark called softly. The cat whirled around, finally looking up. He gathered to leap up but Clark buried a poison arrow in its chest, and the creature screamed, writhing on the ground.

The others saw a cat with an arrow in it and dashed around to find where it had come from. Another arrow pierced the side of a wolf. Clark used the last three of his poison arrows on a hellhound, but the creature barely noticed, except to seek where they came from.

A wolf crept around the shed to attack the tree from another direction, and was met with a shotgun blast from the shed window that blew its head off.

The tree was forgotten for the moment as the attackers went for the shed. A hellhound threw itself against the shed and the force of the blow rocked it on its foundation. Clark took the opportunity to drop out of the tree and dash to the tractor shed.

The poison had apparently worked on the cat and wolf, as they lay motionless in the grass, out of commission, if not permanently at least for the time being.

A hellhound caught sight of Clark moving and leaped after him. He rolled into the shed and grabbed the shotgun. As the hellhound reached the open door Clark let both barrels blast at the head. The hound staggered back and dropped to the ground, severely injured but not completely out of action.

At the garden shed Wanda shot as fast as she could reload and Gertrude looked for what appeared to be leaders to shoot at, firing when one came close. She dashed out the door with an axe in one hand and holding her shotgun in the other, as Wanda had crippled a few of the attackers. Gertrude was able to get several heads off before a hellhound leaped towards her. She dropped the axe and held her shotgun at the ready. As the beast was in the air she blasted it just before it struck her. The full blast went into the open mouth and blew the head off. The headless body crashed into her and splattered her with black hellhound blood that burned flesh. "You go right back to hell where you belong," she muttered, and dashed back to the shed while Wanda gave covering fire.

The attackers retreated into the woods to regroup. They had been taken by surprise and suffered some losses.

The three defenders gasped for breath and took stock. Clark had his guns and three fire arrows. Wanda and Gertrude had used a lot of ammunition and realized the shed was vulnerable to hellhound attack. They leaned against a shelf and reloaded, setting several shotguns where they could be picked up and fired immediately after they used another one.

"It won't be so easy from now on. They know where we are. They've already demonstrated that hellhounds can destroy this shed. Clark is isolated over there. I have an idea. We have to spread them out. I'll make a dash for the house."

"They'll see you go."

"Me, yes. But maybe not Swift. I'll give it everything I've got. The laundry is close and I'll use that for cover. I hope they wait long enough for me to heal from the hellhound blood burns."

"Where are you going?"

"To the den tunnel. They can only come at me one at a time there. I hope that draws them away from you. After all it's me they're really after. And Wanda, that will leave you all the shotguns in here loaded and ready to go as fast as you can shoot. I'll try to give them something to think about from over there."

Gertrude shifted to Swift and Wanda opened the door as silently as she could. Swift put all she had for speed, but a sharp-eyed wolf saw movement and alerted the others.

Knowing where their quarry was, there was no need for stealth. One hellhound headed for the tractor shed, one for the garden shed and the rest for the house. The remaining wolves and cats divided up and circled the sheds.

Clark retrieved the arrows from the gas tank and spread out all his other weapons within reach. He lit a small pile of straw he had gathered on the floor of the shed and used it to ignite the fire arrows. Wanda had four loaded shotguns in easy reach. Gertrude had guns and an axe stashed in the den. The ruffling of the sheets hanging on the clothesline was her early warning system.

The three groups struck all at once. A hellhound rushed at Clark while a wolf came in the open door on the side of the shed. Clark lit an arrow and sent it into the hellhound. "You like fire? Eat some!"

The arrow barely slowed the hound as it charged on, snarling. He sent another flaming arrow into its open mouth and the third into a fiery red eye. The beast stopped and rolled on the ground to rid itself of the arrows and Clark turned his attention to the wolf. When the wolf leaped at him he swung his shotgun toward it and his shot went wide. He barely had time to grab his last weapons, the axe and pistol. A wounded hound blindly crashed through the door behind him and scattered the burning straw.

The hellhound attacking the shed stayed away from the window and concentrated on knocking the shed down by throwing his weight at the windowless side. When a wolf came into view Wanda shot at it, but the shed shivered with each blow from the hellhound. In a panic she tried to brace the wall with whatever implements she had on hand. At last the structure gave a groan as it slowly leaned and collapsed, trapping Wanda underneath a fallen wall. The hellhound grabbed her foot to pull her out and she emptied her pistol into the glowing eye she could barely see from under the debris.

Gertrude heard the shots and screams but had to steel herself from rushing out. The laundry ruffled as a wolf walked between the sheets searching for her and she blasted it with the shotgun. The wounded wolf withdrew to heal before attacking again.

A crash told her something had leaped through a window into the house and clattered around inside. Soon she heard skritching at the door from the basement and was horrified to see the glowing eyes of a hound advancing at her from inside the house. Another one had followed the shotgun blast past the laundry to the outside entrance and charged at that entrance. She had one shotgun, a pistol and an axe that was totally useless in the close confines of the tunnel. Her choice made, she shoved the shotgun into the mouth of the beast coming from the house and blasted.

***

Celestial took Eagle Claw aside.

"When we left we saw Great Bear attacked by four wolves. He seemed to know they were coming. I wanted to help him, to use my arrow, but realized he would think that an unwise use of it. We saw his hogan burn, but none of the wolves escaped."

Tears welled in her eyes as she told him.

Eagle Claw said "He said it was his time to go. If he had to go I'm glad he didn't go without a fight."

"He wanted to give me his gifts before he died. I think he felt that was his last purpose and that his time on earth was over."

She looked at him with steel in her eye. "When I saw what happened to him I made a promise to finish this and avenge him."

"The promise is good, but vengeance clouds the sight. You must keep a clear head and use your gifts wisely. He gave you what you will need, and he gave me what I will need. We will fight together."

Celestial, Gray, Fang and Eagle Claw held a war council. Even cloaked the enemy was known to be gathered over the next ridge and down the valley. Their numbers were unknown, but suspected to be large.

"What have we got, Gray?"

"The contingent from Fang's pack arrived this morning and we're glad to see the tribal pack also. I think all told we number about two hundred. Every available wolf in the west has joined us, as well as some from Canada and many from the east."

"They definitely know we're out here, so there won't be a surprise like we had in New York. Given the size of the cloaked area I would guess they have at least an equal number. But an equal number of what? It's got to be more than wolves and cats. I suspect hellhounds maybe a lot of them. The big unknown factor is MRKX. How big is he this time? How powerful? He was bigger than us last time and we saw what he could do then, but how powerful is he this time? He's drawing us in. I hope it isn't a trap."

Fang said "We tried a tactic to clean up a few leftovers from the New York situation. An evil group apparently never made it to the New York fight in time and had been skulking around in the mountains ever since. There were six of them hiding in a remote valley in the Appalachians. Celestial and I chased them down the valley while Healer and Jumper blocked their escape with axes. That got me thinking: what if we surrounded them and advanced on them with a line of axe wielders following behind us. Any we injure can be readily dispatched before they heal while our main group continues to close in on them from all sides. Attackers won't have to take time to finish off those they injure."

"Maybe the axes should be concentrated in the valley. I don't think many would attempt to escape by running up the side of a mountain against the tide of oncoming attackers. They are more likely to go down the valley or up - toward us."

"It's Celestial he's after. Many will come this way to attack me. He's got some surprises he intends to spring on us, I'm sure. There are really only two ways he can move his forces - either up the valley or down. Maybe he intends to overwhelm us at this end of the valley."

Eagle Claw offered a way his pack could add a bit of confusion to the enemy and perhaps draw some of them away from attacking Celestial, and everyone agreed. Fang told the others that they had used a similar distraction in New York, with success.

"How long will it take to get us all into position?"

Gray looked up at the sun. "If we move out now and deploy quickly we should all be in place by nightfall."