My Master was not much further ahead, but I still almost missed her despite my improved eyesight. I almost walked right past her.

            In my head, the teenaged girl's smile softened and she whispered "Behind you."

            They were both wearing their usual black clothing. My Master in a dark blouse and black jeans, her mother in a flowing, midnight gown. Lady Loretta was sitting, but also practically laying against a rain-soaked tree, her small daughter wrapped in her arms. Neither moved—they practically blended in with the darkened world around them.

            Only my Master's bright blue eyes stood out as they watched me through sheets of rain.

            "Master?" I asked, but my voice was lost in the howling of the wind. I moved closer, kneeling before Lady Louise and her daughter. "Rosetta? Are you and your mother okay?"

            My Master's eyes switched to her mother's face, which was hidden away by long strands of her damp hair. She had yet to move.

            "I think she's passed out." My Master looked back at me and tried another smile that looked forced. "I can't really move, either. We've been running all day."

            "Where's August?" I asked as I tried to peer around. Not that I expected to suddenly see him, but I was very aware of the predicament I would soon be put in without an extra pair of hands.

            "That...girl, Maple, tracked us down. While she's been part of the reason we haven't had to worry about those dogs so much, August eventually had to run in a different direction to keep her from reaching us. I don't think she was very happy when he ran off with me."

            "Shit," I said aloud. I tried not to think about how this all was probably my fault. I'd been down that self-pitying route before, and it only led to more problems—not answers.

            "Well, I'm here now. I'll get you and your mother out of this."

I reached out for my Master while trying to go through the different positions in my head that would allow me to carry two nearly full-grown women. I was the strongest I could ever remember being, but I wasn't Stallion. There was no easy way to carry them both and escape at a reasonable pace, especially with one of them no better than a limp doll.

Not that I had a choice. There was no way that—

"No, Foxy." My Master said when my hands were but inches away from her. "Just my mother. Not me."

I shook my head and put my arms up under her armpits. Rosetta flailed, but it was weak. It was the easiest thing in the world to lift her out of her mother's arms—

"Put me down!" she cried, and I dropped her. Her mother moaned a bit in discomfort, but soon settled back into silence.

"What are you doing?!" I shouted over the storm. I went to reach out for her again, but her ice blue eyes froze me in place.

"No." The eyes didn't blink. Didn't budge. "Don't touch me. Protect my mother. Take her away from here."

"Why are you making me do this?" I fought desperately, but my body was no longer my own. It carefully reached down and picked up Lady Louise while letting her daughter unceremoniously roll off and into the mud.

"Please, don't make me do this."

With only one arm, my Master pushed herself off the mud so our eyes could meet. Her renewed smile was less forced, but fresh tears marred it. I never would have thought I would see an expression that was somehow both happy and sad. Like putting Mutt's music to a face. 

            "I already told you what I am. I've had my time, Foxy, and mother has been using up all of hers just to prolong the inevitable. I'm tired of watching her suffer over me."

            My body was still forcing me to walk away with Lady Louise in my arms, but I still had enough control to face my Master as I walked backwards. Enough control to look her in the eyes and tell her just how I felt.

            "You selfish brat. You think being gone is going to make things better?" I bit my tongue to force away the tightness in my throat. If I let my emotions gain control, I wasn't going to think straight. Then it would truly be over. "Don't try and act like you're doing this for her! Even someone useless like me see's how much you mean to her. If you take away the one thing she's fought so hard to keep, where does that leave her?"

            My Master's eyes leered at me as she got further and further away. "Foxy—"

            "SHUT-UP!" I roared. "If you're going to force me away, you better be damn honest about it! I wan't to hear you say you are doing this because you're weak. Because you gave up. Because you stopped caring about the person who gave up everything just to have you in her life—"

            "STOP!" my Master shouted, and I stopped. Both my words and my steps.

            Rosetta pulled herself up on two feet, using the tree for balance. One arm hung uselessly to her side while the other gripped the bark tightly. She was soaked from head to toe. Hair matted to her face, clinging clothes revealing just how thin and frail she was.

             But her eyes remained just as intense as she glared at me. Her brow furrowed without effort. She clenched her jaw like it was nothing.

             My Master is strong, were the only words I could think in that moment. As strong as her mother. Stronger than me. Strong enough to make the tough decisions I was too weak to make.

             "You won't make it out of here with both of us." My Master tried one last smile. One last attempt to convince me without ordering me. "This is the best thing—"

             A great beast materialized in the darkness beside the small girl. It swiped one powerful claw across her face and she was on the ground.

             Her voice was sucked out of my head like a vacuum. There was nothing in its absence, just blank darkness as I ran to her. "Shit, shit, shit" spilling out of my mouth. The girl's mother almost tumbling out of arms that forgot they were holding something. 

             Wolf's voice soon filled the darkness as I fell on my knees before my Master. Saying that he saved me. Asking me if I was okay. Wondering who it was in my arms.

             All I saw was her. Nose hanging by a thread. Cheek and throat and chest split open. No blood, just exposed meat and muscle and veins. Just a young girl riddled with my mistakes. Just an innocent child who just wanted to help me. Who was killed by me.

             "Hey, kid, you hearing me? Drop that witch and let's get out of here!"

             No, not by me. Not this time.

             I smiled. I laughed. Even as tears fell down my face. Even as the tightening in my chest threatened to stop my heart.

             "What the hell is this, Wolf?" I looked up at the looming beast when he didn't answer me. I shouted so he would hear me over the storm. "I said not her! You said I could trust you! And you killed her. You betrayed me and killed her."

               Wolf remained silent for a moment more before shaking his mangy head from side to side. "You got it all wrong, kid." He stepped closer, blood soaked claws outstretched, and I jumped back. A deep growl resounded from him when I pulled Lady Louise closer to me. "I told that witch's pet I'd listen to you as long as it was what you wanted. But that wasn't you when you told me to spare your Master and the other witch filth. How could that be? I know you, Foxy! We are two of a kind. We both know witches aren't meant for this world. Without them, none of us would be here! With them gone, we can live free!"

              "She was just a little girl!" I shouted and took a few steps back. Wolf matched them with great bounds of his twisted legs. "She never hurt anyone. She only ever tried to help me!"

               "That's just the witches making you think that way!" the great beast insisted. It extended one clawed finger to the women I held. "Let me free you from the fear they instilled in you and you'll see. Once they are gone, you'll see like I do. You don't need them to rule over you any longer!"

                With a great and terrible howl, Wolf bounded towards me. I turned and tried to run, but didn't get more than a few feet before his claws wracked into my back. I was rolling in the ground a second later, desperately holding the fragile woman against me as all the muscles in my back spasmed. The momentum stopped me on my side, hugging Lady Louise to my chest while watching the twisted wolf come to stop just a few meters ahead.

              "Shit! Sorry, kid!" Wolf took a few steps towards me and outstretched his claw, but stopped when I flinched. "I didn't mean to do that. Really. I was just trying—"

                "Stay away from us!" I groaned and pushed through the pain as I forced myself to sit up. I hunched over Lady Louise, using as much of my body as I could to protect her. "If you get any closer, I swear I'll kill you."

                 "That witch you have your Master, too?" Wolf's voice lost any hint of guilt as he moved closer, his huge form nothing but a looming shadow in the darkness and rain. "You never told me familiars could have more than one Master. Maybe they told you not to tell me...Maybe I can't trust anything you've told me." He reached out one of his elongated arms, letting some of the fresh blood be washed away by the storm. Letting me see how it was nearly as big as my entire body. "I can't wait to find out what you really have to say once they are all dead."

                   A rapid padding of feet joined the endless rapping of rain. Before I could say a word or move a muscle, a German Shepherd leapt into the air and latched its jaws on Wolf's extended forearm. With a howl of pain, the twisted beast swung his arm, looking to shake off his assailant, but was stopped by a young, teenaged boy charging in and throwing his entire weight into Wolf's chest, knocking him off balance. The boy followed up by wrapping his arms around the thick neck of the beast as Shepherd released his hold.

                  "Hold on tight, Mutt," Shepherd's faraway voice commanded. "Master will soon—"

                  "Change!" a new voice boomed like a crack of thunder. My body tensed reflexively, but did not change. I stayed human. I still held Lady Louise who continued to lay unconscious in my grip.

            What changed was Wolf's attackers. There was now a man with wild, long hair circling and kicking his legs while a dog with only three legs and long, floppy ears bit down on his neck.

            "It's too thick!" Mutt's voice shouted in my head. But it was distant, like Shepherd's. Like a voice calling out at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

Wolf released a roar of fury that knocked the limber man off his feet before reaching to grab at the dog still attached to his neck.

"Change!" shouted the voice from before, and Mutt, now a boy again, fell away from Wolf's neck and out of his reach as the German Shepherd sunk his teeth into one of Wolf's heels.

Mutt rolled once he hit the ground, barely avoiding Wolf's reaching claws. He launched himself as soon as he was back on one foot, throwing a few vicious punches into Wolf's chest and stomach before leaping away again when the great beast attempted to bring his jaws down on the boy's head. Wolf looked to follow after the slower child, but was stopped short by Shepherd's grip on his heel.

"You damned pets won't stop me!" Wolf swore. He lifted up his leg, dragging a still fighting Shepherd with it. When Mutt tried to leap at him again, a casual swipe of his massive arm sent the boy flying backwards and tumbling through mud and water. With just as little effort, he kicked out with his leg, forcing the dog to release his grip and go tumbling after Mutt.

Wolf's eyes flashed to me, reminding me that I was still here. That I had not moved. That I could not move with the cold burning in my back and Lady Louise weighing me down.

"I will save you, Foxy." Wolf appeared to suck in a breath before he threw his head back. "And I won't let anyone stand in our way!"

He let loose a howl loud enough to wash away all other sound. The rain near the lone beast appeared to be beaten back by it's sorrowful baying. But not just near him. I could no longer feel the storm weighing me down. As Wolf's howl reached up into the skies, the clouds themselves parted. The winds ceased to howl. The rain departed like it was never there.

Maple had caught August.

In it's place was a clear, blue sky, bright sun, and what sounded like hundreds of wolves joining in their leader's howling. Some of the mangy animals were close enough to be seen through the trees. There had to be at least a dozen of them circling the small clearing we all stood in. Enough to surround Lady Louise and I, Mutt and Shepherd, and a plump woman with curly blonde hair and make-up running down her face.

This woman looked around, wild-eyed as she backed away from the edge of the clearing, one of the wolves appearing right behind her.  I tried to say something, but found my voice sore and ragged from all the shouting. I tried to stand, but groans and pains were all that answered my urging and I could only cling to Lady Louise tighter.

"Shepherd," the blonde woman said just under her breath. Only loud enough for me to hear it, I thought.

"Stay away from her!" Shepherd roared. His body barked viciously, and suddenly the wolves around us were in an uproar of pained whines and snarls. The ones who had surrounded us were they themselves surrounded by Shepherd's flock, and were now all in a fight for their lives. Dog against wolf. Pet against beast.

Madame Terrebonne fell away from the wolf who had looked to jump her as a dog nearly double her size—one of her Terrors—fell upon and tore the unsuspecting creature limb from limb in seconds, splaying the witch with blood.

"There you are," Wolf's voice hissed like venom in my ear. I turned back in time to see the black creature in his full, imposing might. No longer hidden by rain and clouds, I could see all of him. The long, gangly body covered in black fur, the claws forever stained with blood. And a face of a true monster. A wide open smile riddled with sharp teeth, eager to tear into the tender flesh of the witch as he threw himself at her.

This inhumane thing was stopped by a boy who fell on its back and wrapped his arm's tightly around the creature's neck, and by a dog that bit sharply down on it's wrist before it could reach out and pull the boy off of him.

            The Terrror at Terrebonne's back flew out from behind her, racing to pounce on Wolf and put an end to him. The latter was forced to utilize his last arm to throw the pointed tips of his claws into the massive dog's face, digging them into the creature until his entire hand was almost lost inside the pulpy flesh.

            "I will not be put down by weak things like you." Wolf shoved a clawed foot into the dead Terror's shoulder, pushing the beast out of his hand as it reverted back to its original size. "Not by monsters ruled by fear!"

            I caught Mutt's eyes widen as Wolf used his now free hand to reach back for him.

            "Master!" Shepherd called.

            "Change!" Madame Terrebonne answered.

            Mutt fell away again, and before Wolf could respond, Shepherd used his newfound hands to grip the creature's wrist again. With tense muscles and a shout somewhere between pain and anger, the ragged man pulled and threw the beast into the woods where it crashed and broke through several trees before falling limp to the ground.

            Several wolves had apparently broken free from their attackers and moved to ravage the ragged man while he was still recovering. One was stopped by a floppy dog crashing into it and tearing into its neck a second later. The other underestimated the strength of the man and was caught in his arms, struggling for a moment before Shepherd snapped its neck with one, quick twist.

            "Shepherd, Mutt, sweeties, please. We need to go," Madame Terrebonne said. She stepped closer, until she was right beside me, but she never looked my way once. "We can't stay here, my darlings. Come away with me."

            The floppy dog looked up at his Master—his face coated in fresh blood—but Shepherd only had eyes for Wolf. The beast was already getting back up, his mangled arms and shoulders seemingly popping back into place on their own.

            "No, Master." Shepherd's voice was raw and ragged, but he still said the words out-loud. He had to feel them in his throat. He had to know they were real. "If we run, he will kill us. If we stay, we might kill him first."

            "This is too much!" Madame Terrebonne hollered before rubbing an arm across her face and smearing the black and blue make-up even worse. "I can't do this. I can't protect you both and me at the same time!"

            "How about it, Foxy?" Shepherd turned his head a fraction so I could catch his eye. "Think you're up for it?"

            I felt Madame Terrebonne's bright blues fall on me, but I ignored them in favor for Mutt. He was just a dog now, but he was seeing me again. His eyes were still the same. They searched my face like before, trying to find the answer before I could give it.

            I smiled so he could better find it, and almost laughed when I saw his tail wag.

            When I turned to look back at his Master, I lost my smile so she could see how serious I was. Despite the pure hatred seeped into every wrinkle and muscle in her face, I did not break away.

            "For my friend, I'll do it." I broke eye contact with the woman so I could carefully set Lady Louise on the ground. Feeling ten times lighter, I stood up and was able to better ignore the terrible sensations in my back. I was better able to show my enemy just how much I meant it.

            "I'll protect you."

...

*Author's Note*

Everything is coming to a head for Foxy. Enemies and allies intermixed and fighting among one another. What will come from this chaos? Who will come out ahead? Whatever your thoughts, dear reader, I would love to hear them.

Only one chapter left to find out.