Chapter XXVII: Chicken

I raced outside, closely followed by Frito, Wash, and Fudge. Needle and Yukon were fighting the first few wolves to make it through the entrance, and I could hear others fighting outside of the thick bushes.
"Mira and Fudge, stay in here," Frito ordered. "You can fight when more break through the barrier. Wash, come with me, we'll help the wolves outside."
I nodded, pouncing onto the back of a wolf that was fighting Yukon. After Yukon dashed in and raked his claws along his soft underbelly, the wolf shook me off and headed for the trees, tail tucked between his legs.
"Thanks," Yukon panted.
"No problem," I said as my breathing returned to normal.
A growl sounded to my left, causing me to turn and swing my paw forward at the same time, catching the silver she-wolf off guard. She managed to hook her claws in my pelt, and my shoulder began to bleed a little as we wrestled. I raked my claws over her ear and across her chest, but not without payment. She had bitten my tail and clawed my side by the time I chased her off.
Panting, I stood to find that Fudge was locked in battle with another wolf, while Needle and Yukon were tag-teaming with a much larger wolf, who was still fighting back.
I was about to go help them when I heard a rustle and a third wolf burst through the bushes. I raced to them, about to start clawing their face when I noticed it was Wash, pulling along a bloodied Casey.
"Oh my stars!" I exclaimed. "Is he alive?"
"Yes, but he's losing a lot of blood," Wash said calmly. "Take him through the back entrance to the hiding cave, and Ember can clean him up."
"Okay," I said as Wash leaned Casey against my shoulder. Grabbing his scruff, I started hauling him off towards the den as Wash turned to continue fighting.
As I slid through the crack in the wall with Casey behind me, I pulled some vines and ivy over it. Then I found the opening that led to where the she wolves and pups were, and pushed Casey through before squeezing through myself.
"Mama!" Korea said as I touched noses with her.
"Casey," Tanisha whispered. "Mother of the moon, is he going to be okay?"
"I don't know," I panted. "Ember, Wash said you could fix him up."
As Rose comforted Tanisha, Ember trotted over and sniffed at his wounds. When he had dressed the cuts and gouges, I turned and headed for the crack in the wall.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ember asked as he blocked my exit.
"To fight," I deadpanned.
"No," he said, pushing me back. "You're hurt."
"Ember, I'll be fine," I said, wincing a little as his paw pressed against a particularly large cut.
"No, you are not fine," he snapped.
I sighed, sitting down and accepting my defeat. Ember looked through my fur, spreading on poultices and covering them with cobwebs.
Once he was done, I curled up by his side and tried my best to sleep. Had Reed and Korea not kept jumping on me, I would have been long gone from the realm of consciousness.
"Lay down," I finally snapped.
They hurried to obey my orders, tucking themselves in between Ember and I.
"Thank you," I muttered as I drifted off.

A/N:
This chapter isn't as long as the last one, but I've been trying to make chapters longer than I have in the past.
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Anyway, have a nice day, life, whatever you wanna call it.
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BlackpeltIsABoss