me. Red flickered in my vision and my fingertips began to tingle with heat. I neared the tree runes and slowed, starting to stalk with intent. There was definitely something there. I focused all my senses on the one large, dark shape. There was only one creature, at least, but it looked big, and definitely malevolent. It didn’t matter what it was, though. It was going to die.
I came out from under the canopy of the trees and finally saw the whole thing for real in sharp technicolour vision. Whatever it was, it looked to be about twenty five hands high, had horns on top of its furred head and stood on two bowed legs. Steam puffed out heavily from its nostrils. The monster took a step towards the trees - towards me - but the instant its foot touched the ground the earth began to shake again in another tremor. This time, however, I was ready. I kept my feet, barely, and pulled out a throwing dagger from my right arm. Zeroing in on its right eye, I aimed and then let the dagger take flight with unerring accuracy. Or it would have been unerring accuracy if the monster hadn’t flipped its head to the side with unnatural speed so it caught it in the side of its pointed ear instead, barely scratching its skin. With another heavy crunch, it took a step, this time with murderous intent drawn all over its hideous face. The ground rumbled again, shaking me off my feet again and sending me tumbling to the sand.
I leapt up in an instant, reaching for my other dagger. The monster flicked shimmering black eyes onto me and roared deafeningly. The bloodfire was wholly in control, however, and I didn’t flinch. I was about to fling the dagger at the creature with everything I had when a shape flew out of the trees behind me and launched itself at it. It was a were-panther, sleek and gleaming in the moonlight. It slammed into the beast’s body, the force of its collision making it stagger backwards slightly, setting off another surge through the ground. The panther’s jaws snapped and snatched away at a clump of the beast’s flesh but it hung onto its side.
From the left spread of trees, three transformed shifters pounded out and went for its leg. Three others came from the right and attached themselves to its huge tree trunk of an arm. It stamped its feet, roared again and shook them off, sending them into the dunes with a chorus of pained whines. The ground shook again. The panther sprang from the thing’s side to its shoulder, claws digging into it to cling on whilst it roared again and flailed around trying to pull the cat off. I saw my chance and threw again, aiming for its hand. And this time, I didn’t miss, as the sharp pointed embedded itself in the creature’s palm. It howled in agony and clutched at the dagger, trying to pull it out, momentarily ignoring the panther.
Another wave of shifters attacked in concertina. The monster kicked out at one werefox, catching it on its hind legs, almost immediately snapping the bone with a sickening crunch. Tom, in wolf form, attacked the monster back, his fangs latching onto its ankle. I sidestepped, trying to gain a better point with which to aid the panther, which stayed clinging onto the massive shoulders, occasionally swiping a giant paw at the side of its head.
My blood wasn’t happy. Much more of this and the panther would knock it out before I got the chance to do anything. Anton’s bear joined Tom and clawed at the tendons on its back leg. The monster picked up its foot and shook them off in one quick sudden movement. Again, as soon as its padded foot returned to the ground, another earthquake hit, sending shifters flying everywhere. The panther took another chance to claw the beast’s head, but this time it mistimed and was knocked off in the rolling aftershock. I saw my chance as it bent to grab the panther and took a running leap onto its outstretched back.
I ran up to its neck, legs powering up the slope of its inclined posture, momentum carrying me, with my hands pulling on clumps of fur to reach the top. Hanging on to a horn with one hand and reaching into my trusty backpack with my other hand for my spare knife, I knew what to do.
Goddammit, Mackenzie,