All around.
Dozens of them.
No.
More.
Maybe hundreds.
All of them attacking the things.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “What’s going—?”
I didn’t finish.
This was because, behind the wolves, more of the creatures formed out of nowhere just as a line of wolves ran, scampered or crawled on their bellies through the snow and the now battling-with-wolves bird-men toward Meeta, Loretta and me.
We pressed back to back.
Great.
Bird-men and now wolves.
If certain death already wasn’t bad enough.
I lifted my dagger but didn’t use it.
This was because I was staring in shock as the wolves formed a circle around us, snarling, growling, snapping and biting at the bird-men who were pressing in.
Holy cow.
They were protecting us.
More wolves shot to the circle to keep the bird-men back.
Holy cow!
The wolves were totally protecting us!
How cool!
I reached out and grabbed Loretta’s hand. “You okay?”
“Flesh wound, shoulder,” Meeta answered for her. “It’s deep and bleeding profusely, Miss Maddie. We must get her aid. She pales.”
There was my Spock. Logical, for of course Loretta needed aid.
I just couldn’t get it for her when we were surrounded by bedlam.
“Stick with us, honey,” I said on a squeeze of Loretta’s hand. “You with us?”
“Yes, Miss Maddie,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
At the exhaustion, pain and fear in Loretta’s voice, I decided that next time Spock and I went on an adventure, we were leaving the honor roll cheerleader behind.
Not that I had a choice this time.
“We’ll get you taken care of as soon as this calms down,” I assured her, hoping I wasn’t lying.