Song Look at Me by Kongos.
Let me know if you have a song suggestion that fits this chapter better.

MAKE SURE YOU READ PART TWO OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER!!!

Damian's POV

I was prepared to die; what I wasn't prepared for, was to live.

After a few seconds of having my eyes closed, the sounds of battle still echoing through the trees, I opened my eyes to find Nick, Keith, James, and two others holding off not only my almost-killer, but four others. Being able to guard each other and having the advantage of numbers, our little group was easily winning.

I slowly rose from the ground, blood glistening on my fur. I tried not to show my injury but pain glanced through my side where the knife had left its mark. I leaned down to look at the wound; my shaggy black fur hiding it from my eyes. Ignoring both the pain and anxiousness at not knowing my fate, I drew myself closer to Nick who had just delivered a long scratch down the jaw of a brunette, the only female enemy I'd seen so far.

She reeled back but James slipped behind her. Toppling backwards she landed on the ground, hard. In a flash Nick lunged forward to bite her throat, her gold eyes widening. Before he could make it, despite being mere feet away, she suddenly lurched back into the forest; being dragged to safety by one of her companions.

I grunted as I stepped over a white haired, paled skinned body; my attacker.

"About time you stopped sleeping on the battle field," Nick's voice echoed in my mind.

I chuckled, "So that's what you call getting stabbed."

There was a pause before he finally spoke, silent fury evident in his voice, "Hold up, he actually stabbed you?" he glanced in my direction as I shrugged. "I should have made his death longer," he muttered while deflecting a heavy stick aimed at James's neck. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it barely got me," I lied, peering into the woods, worry filling my stomach. "Have you seen Crystal?" I almost moaned aloud as I stretched my torn skin.

"No, I haven't."

I fell to the ground as something struck my injured side, quickly proceeded by another horrendous blow.

"DAMIAN!" Nick and Keith yelled simultaneously.

I coughed up blood as I was kicked again, gagging on the metallic taste that engulfed me. I heard a screech and my eyes lolled lazily almost directly above me in the direction it came from. Keith was dragging another one down, one of our warriors slashing at their eyes.

Nick rushed to my side, turning me over to look at my injury. I tried to push him away, I have to find Crystal, but he pinned his paw on my chest.

I could almost hear him swear as his eyes darkened. "You said you were barely injured," he growled. "Stay still." He lunged to avoid another attack aimed at me. "They know you're injured, you're now their target."

I gulped as my mouth ran dry, blood staining my teeth. "How bad is it?"

He was silent for a moment. Shifting back into human form, he felt around on my mid-side, near to where my rib cage ended.

I ground my teeth and groaned as he pushed down especially hard.

"I don't think it hit anything," he sighed in relief. "It looks like the blade slid along your ribs... I think one is broken. Consider yourself one lucky- Oomph" he fell on top of me as a huge branch was thrown at us... Wait, no that's James!

Before they could untangle each other, I was suddenly lurched backward. My head came in contact with a foot as Keith's brown wolf leapt over my body and tried to knock over the offender. A tremor ran through my limp form before I once again dragged myself off the ground.

"Get back down and hold still, you idiot!" Keith chastised as Nick, James, and another pack mate came and formed a circle around me. I glanced around for the other one who had been fighting with us and soon my eyes fell upon a wolf's decapitated body. I quickly averted and closed my eyes.

"I have to find Crystal." I cursed, "why did we play that stupid game!? I shouldn't have left her alone..."

"You're not going to see her again if you bleed out on us," Nick growled.

I glimpsed shadows moving just out of view in the trees as I slowly stood despite my pack mates growls. Every now and then one would jump out as if to attack before dancing away. There was no way to tell how many there were as they scurried like mice.

"We just have to hold them off a little longer, we can find your mate after that," James added.

There was a pause, and I realized there hadn't been an attack in a while. "Let's look for her while they're gon-"

Chaos suddenly broke through, my pack mates replaced by the shadowy creatures. My head whipped to the side and I felt someone on top of me, hands snaking towards my throat. Rolling, I tried to avoid them but I was swarmed by two more. Barely able to move, my heart pulsed uncontrollably.

My ears fell flat against my head as a shriek sounded in the chilly air, closer than any I've heard all night. It sent a shiver down my spine and temporarily turned my mind to ice, no thoughts of 'whose scream was that?' or 'are they still alive?' drifted through my forlorn mind. Only the deathly cold fingers of fear were acknowledged as my own skin seemed to tighten and fold in upon itself as claustrophobia from the sudden attack set in.

The yowl of pain was cut short with a horrible choking gurgle, and with it my own throat grew taught. The fingers that had groped for it before now able to reach my neck as I lay subdued on the ground, dirt snorting up and sticking to my wet nose as I struggled to breath.

I started struggling more vigorously, I could feel mud clinging to my fur from laying in my own blood. I heard an inhuman hiss as my hind paw kicked a soft body that gave way beneath it. The fingers around my throat turned to hands, and then arms as they pulled tighter and tighter, trying to choke me before it was too late as I slowly took out their defenses.

I heard a crack somewhere nearby before being followed by grunting and more hissing. Struggling with all my might, I managed to shove my nose under the arm clinging to my neck. I bit down with a satisfying crunch singing to my ears. They cried out and instinctively withdrew their hand. They realized their mistake when it was already too late.

Twisting, I knocked them right in the jaw with my forepaw, scratch marks accenting their black eyes, screeching filled the air as he backed away and fled. The two others, a male and female, cursed his name even though he was already gone.

All in the matter of a moment, the fight continued on, however it never really stopped. They tried to hold me down but it became apparent that it could not be done. Crystal had returned to my mind and I was getting my mate back, now.

They broke away and I leapt to my paws, roaring in fury. They watched me from four yards away, gauging my next move. I didn't make them wait long.

Lunging to the right, I skidded to the left and kicked where I'd previously been. As I expected, they had already converged on the spot. My kick connected and was followed by a thump. I turned to carry out my next attack but my back instantly became weighted. I reeled onto my hind legs to slam them against a tree. Before they even came into contact, a blur raced up to me, only slowing to deliver a series of rough punches that threw me to the ground.

The woman on my back rolled off but tripped over my hind paw. I allowed myself to fall on her as she let out a squeak of surprise. Twisting, I slammed my paws tightly against either side of her neck but firmly on the ground so she couldn't escape.

Hissing, she struggled against my hold.

It seemed like we had been fighting for days, adrenaline playing tricks on my mind. I was about to finish her off as the sun's first beautiful ray shown over the tree tops and I was once again reminded of the short time we'd been here. Her eyes widened in horror as her friends fled in the blink of an eye from the at first small patch that shown on a nearby rock. It quickly crept down and towards us as her sickly pale skin started to heat up, sweat forming on her forehead as she struggled against me.

I fought with not only Tanner, but also myself as whether or not to let her go, the sun slowly creeping closer. I overcame the thoughts that tempted me and lifted my paw. Before I could even get it over her head, she was gone.

I took a moment to breath before stumbling towards Crystal, her smell now hard to distinguish over the stench of blood.

I followed the trail, gold to my senses. It increased with every step until it was like wading into a beautiful lake, red with blood. I entered a clearing where the dirt was trampled and stained, scarred from a fight. My heart fell, She was right here.

I raced farther ahead but her scent died. Retreating back, I found Nick and Keith waiting in the clearing. They watched as I raced around, sad expressions on their filth streaked faces.

"Where is she?! She should be right here!" I howled through the mind link to no one in particular.

After a few minutes, I stood in the center of the clearing, my breath ragged as I closed my eyes. I felt a human hand on my shoulder and opened my eyes to see Nick had shifted.

"Damian, she's gone."

My eyes stung as I reared up to my hind legs, shifting in the process. I shrugged off his hand and stormed towards a tree, punching it as hard as I could, my knuckles coming back bloody. I roared with fury and pain as I balled my fists and leaned my head in-between them against the trunk.

"Bro, we'll find her," Keith said confidently, but with a hint of force.

How could I let this happen?

Tanner didn't say a word but I could feel his rage burning inside and feeding into mine.

"This is my fault," I muttered, barely loud enough for them to hear.

One of them tried to say something but I whipped around and yelled, "They better run, because I'm going to find them. When I do, I'm gonna kill them, I'm going to kill every shade I find!"