As they entered the small clearing, the wolves' attention shifted quickly, eyes finding the Demon splattered with pungent fish blood.

  While not wounded, this one was easier to spot, clearly viable in the moonlight shifting through the treetops.

  Foaming drool dripped from open maws and ravenous eyes locked on their new prey.

  Corabelle gripped the blade Sterling had given her tightly in one hand as she raised the other.

  Dewsilver in her blood, any ranged spell she could hurl at them would be fragmented, unpredictable. There was a strong chance it would do nothing of consiquence, but an equal chance it may misfire.

  She couldn’t risk hitting River in the attempt.

  Which left her Runebinds.

  The ones she possessed were short ranged or bound directly to her body, which meant she’d have to let the wolves get close, very close. Close enough to attack.

  She didn’t have the strength to keep her protection Bind active. She’d maybe have the power to activate it for a moment, but it would cover her whole body and that used so much energy. If she did that it would use up the last of her strength, leaving herself unable to heal from the next attack and River and Ev completely vulnerable.

  She held the knife tighter.

  Under normal circumstances, a single wolf would be no threat at all. But her power was so thin and this wasn’t one wolf.

  She could heal from their attacks but for how long? How long could her dwindling reserves last against three sets of insatiable jaws?

  They stalked ever closer, staring their new prey down with hungry eyes.

  She raised the knife slowly, positioning it in front of her chest. It was only a matter of time until one of them was bold enough to make the first move.

  That’s when she spotted it, a hint of movement from the woods, just behind the tree where River was bleeding.

  An ambling form came just barely into view at the edge pf the treeline. Ev, dragging her own limp and bloodlied leg behind her as she moved from tree to tree for support.

  The remains of her crossbow hung from her other hand, one limb snapped, hanging uselessly by the string.

  As Ev’s eyes found Corabelle and the wolves, she froze, just outside the border of the clearing.

  Corabelle kept her voice low and calm, hoping Ev would be able to hear her over the growling of the wolves, “River,” She nodded her head to the base of the tree Ev was supporting herself on.

  She heard; her eyes following the gesture down to the invisible source pooling blood on the grass. Though she didn’t move, her focus returned quickly to the wolves, to her own crossbow, to the near hopeless situation before her.

  “Take her,” Corabelle said calmly as the wolf's bodies lowered, almost imperceptibly, reading their attack.

  Though she didn’t have time to see if her instructions were obeyed as her time ran out.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  ---

  The first wolf flew in a single bounding leap toward the Faedemon, its maw aimed right for Cora’s throat.

  Though she was faster. The mysterious blade she’d acquired found purchase between the wolf’s ribs with a deafening howl of pain.

  The other two didn’t hesitate, becoming quick opportunists in the wake of the first attack. Enraged by their compatriot's demise, they moved for the Demon’s sides.

  Everyn imagined this was a similar formation to how they caught Ryala and herself, but she hadn’t even seen them as teeth sunk into her thigh just above the back of her knee, her faithful bow taking the brunt of the fall into a boulder. Though her head found stone a fraction of a moment after

  By the time she managed to sit up, dazed, a wolf was dead and Ryala was gone, leaving only a trail of blood behind.

  As the first wolf’s body fell, the small knife was ripped from the demon’s hand, providing a perfect window for the second wolf's attack.

  It leapt from just outside her peripheral vision, it's wide jaw sinking deep into the side of Cora's neck and throat and pulling her to the ground.

  In a flash of white hot light the wolf released with a pained yowl, swiping at the missing fur and bubbling skin of it's face, as its head shook in the pain of brief but violent solar heat before fleeing into the trees behind her.

  Blood poured from the Faedemon's wound like wine as it was slow to heal, Cora’s hand gripped tightly over it, gargling coughs pushing the accumulating blood from her lungs.

  The third wolf was smart enough not to aim for a point near where its comrade's face had been seared nearly away, but not smart enough to follow its peer into the relative safety of the woods. It instead opted to aim lower, just below her ribs in the softest part of her abdomen.

  Teeth tore through flesh with a sickening squelch, though Cora couldn’t even scream properly as blood still flowed from her lips.

  Why not burn it like the other? The thought drifted through Everyn’s muddled brain.

  As the beast ripped the skin free from muscle it didn’t notice the Demon's hand raising. She lifted it toward the wolf in a gesture that almost looked as though she might stroke its head like a pet dog.

  At the same moment her hand dropped, gripping onto the back of the creature’s skull, it let out what was barely a squeak.

  The grip it had on her lifted as its heavy body fell next to her and her hand slipped away, leaving boreholes dripping with blood where her fingertips had been.

  Eyes closed, the Demon rolled onto her side as she coughed the accumulated blood from her lungs.

  She pushed herself onto her hands and knee and finally onto her feet, even before the bleeding of her mutilated side had stopped.

  With the wolves gone, Ryala shimmered back into visibility.

  Blood poured from her shoulder, her hand pressed firmly over the wound in an attempt to slow it.

  A surge of panic struck through Everyn like lightning.

  Anyone else and this would be easily remedied, but not her.

  Everyn carried bandages and minor healing potions, but that wasn’t the problem. Infection could set in so easily.

  What diseases did those monsters carry?

  “Call the others,” The Faedemon’s voice was rough as sand, but it was enough to call her wandering mind back to the present. “I can’t do anything here. I’m not strong enough.”

  Everyn’s shaking hand raised her comm stone to her lips, “Sterling,” Her own voice was nearly as rough as Cora’s.

  “What’s wrong?” Sterling’s voice came through as taught as a wire.

  “We were ambushed by wolves, Ryala and I… and Cora. We were injured.”

  “Where are you? Can you make it back to the rendezvous point?” He demanded as she heard Valan’s voice panicked in the background, though he he didn't seem to think to intercept their discussion.

  Cora stood slowly, biting her bottom lip against pain as the healing on her side had all but ceased, leaving blood seeping somewhat slowly from an angry blotch of mangled flesh, “I can help you both back.”

  Ryala too raised to her feet, “I can walk,” her voice was dark with the secret only Everyn knew. “Help Ev.”

  Everyn clenched her teeth as the Faedemon extended a hand to help her up.

  She hated the idea of accepting help from one of them, but she knew they couldn’t afford to be slowed by her own wound. Every moment they waited gave the infection more time to set in.

  “We’ll be back soon,” She told Sterling bitterly as she took Cora’s hand.