Wolves

The bandits advanced slowly in the misty woods, their footfalls soft and purposeful. Their band of fourteen was nearing the cave that was tonight's objective and began to fan out to cover any escape that may be attempted.

This raid had been two weeks in the making, ever since whispers that the cave in question had become something of a trader's stash and caravan's reprieve began spreading, how could the bandits resist such an easy score?

When the cave came into view a hand rose into the air and the company came to a halt.

Vayne, the leader of the band of cutthroats, assessed all he could see, or, rather, couldn't. There was no glow of a camp fire flickering in the recess of the rock wall, nor the smell of smoke on the air from a recent one.

This, along with the lack of a caravan cart in sight made for a less than optimal situation for the bandits, no men carrying weapons, armor, or clothing that could be of use, no women or children to sell, and no fresh horses, alas if the rumors of a traders stash turned out to be true then tonight’s trip would be well worth the time and effort. Not to mention the cave would be the perfect place to lie in wait for the next group of travelers or traders to eventually happen along.

Vayne turned to give his second in command the signal to advance and realized the fog had become much denser, nearly erasing all the world beyond thirty yards. And then he noticed something else, his right hand man had taken up a defensive stance, knees bent, hand on the hilt of the sword at his side and eyes fixed on the mist in the direction from which they had come.

"Jasher!" In a hushed call, Vayne tried to capture his attention, but his comrade’s eyes would not leave the mist. "Dammit Jasher lookit' me!" but his efforts were for naught.

Giving up, Vayne swore and made his way quickly and quietly to Jashers' side. "What the hell is on with you!?" he growled at his friend before glancing about to check on his men that were still visible spread throughout the trees awaiting orders. "We've got business to attend t-"

"We're not alone here, Vayne" Jasher interrupted, eyes scanning the white wall that seemed to grow more solid by the minute.

"What makes you say such?" Vayne was becoming impatient as his men began fidgeting at their spots, clearly becoming agitated by the delay. "I sar it s'what makes me say such, and s'not the who what's got me concerned, it be the what. And that what, is big. And quiet... and fast"

At that moment Jasher whipped his head to the left to track a blur of motion twenty yards away blink into the mist, leaving an empty fog where moments before one of their men had been standing.

Swearing, Vayne threw up his hand "On me men! we've got compa-" a howl pierced the air cutting him off, its intensity forcing him to cover his ears as the outcry was taken up by another, and then another, and yet another still, until they were so consumed by the sound that it seemed that the fog itself must be made of it.

Freeing his sword from it's sheath, Vayne cast his eyes about, searching for his warriors to see that only four of his men were running toward him, less then half of his original number; and to think he had never even noticed something was amiss.

At that moment a massive blur of fur and claws came bounding from behind Vayne and Jasher, catching the latter in the middle of the back with such force that the impact itself resulted in a resounding snap made by Jasher's own spine as he was bolted off with into the white oblivion that was the surrounding fog.

As similar shapes simultaneously snatched, tackled, and smashed into his men who had been scrambling to reach him, Vayne could do naught but stand and watch, frozen in terror, as his world was torn, running and screaming, down around him.

As the cries of his men died out one by one, Vayne was approached from the direction his most devout was carried in by a beast the likes of which he had never encountered before; Until it had grown close enough to emerge fully from the mist he had assumed it was a bear, too massive and hairy to be anything else, but as it grew closer it rose off its forelegs and continued toward him with long inhuman strides and the terror that rooted Vayne in place only grew stronger as the beast’s features became clearer.

It's massive stature made it to tower over the bandit leader with ease, its fur did nothing to hide its rippling, efficient muscle; The long, powerful arms Vayne had initially taken for forelegs ended in impossibly large hands tipped with blackened, ferocious looking talons that may as well have been daggers and below its elongated snout were rows of vicious teeth, now dripping with the lifeblood of his fallen right hand, but it was the eyes, the eyes that glowed like yellow embers, that held him in place now.

In them he found the brightness of intelligence and brutality unmatched by any man or beast he had ever encountered, they were not the eyes of a dull creature killing out of hunger, but rather those of a seasoned warrior, butchering the last of a group of inferior enemies...

...And enjoying it.

No, this was nothing so unimposing as a bear, so trivial as a natural beast, this was a creature he had heard of in frightening tales as a child, and had seen only in his nightmares, he knew now, in his despair, that he was in the presence of Werewolves.

Once the wolf was close enough to reach out with its long arm and tear his face off the beast stopped to consider him, it drew great loud sniffs through its nostrils, seeming to relish in the reek of blood and the stink of fear that saturated the air as thickly as had the surrounding mist.

After this, it crouched down to face level whilst throwing its arms back and released a bellowing roar that finally broke the spell of fear that held Vayne in place.

He turned on the spot, the sword in hand forgotten, and sprinted toward the cave for no other reason than to distance himself from the murderous creature.

As soon as the roar died out he heard his terror made flesh give chase, bounding toward him with speed unmatched by the swiftest of horses.

Vayne continued to pump his legs even as he closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate. The bounding grew, each loping bound shuddering through the ground and into his legs until he knew the beast was upon him, he all but felt its hot breath on his back, could practically feel the beast leaping to make its kill as he took his last breath.

"Klane!"

A voice thundered out from the blackness of the cave before the fleeing man and with the sound of a tree crashing to the floor the enormous wolf skidded to a halt on the earth immediately behind the fleeing man, violently throwing Vayne to the ground with it's impact.

A growl like two boulders scraping together rumbled from the caves mouth and Vayne's would-be murderer stepped over him and advanced to sit next to the cave's yawning mouth, it's eyes never leaving the bandit's.

Vayne scrambled up onto his knees and was preparing to bolt again before a roar to his left stopped him in his tracks.

Another of the hulking wolves was staring pointedly at him, seeming to strongly suggest he stay as he was. Glancing about, Vayne found himself surrounded by by the monstrosities, each of thier claws and teeth dripping ichorous rubies harvested from his men. A gasping sob escaped the defeated man as he hung his head.

"I was beginning to wonder..." the voice that had staved of Vayne's death floated to him from the darkness and he looked up to see a man stepping into view, "... Just how long it would take for Vile Vayne and his band of cutthroats to come looking for this little hole.” Of medium build and a handsome complexion, the dark haired newcomer was clearly more than he seemed, that was made plain by the eyes; though not glowing per say, the intelligence and fierceness alight behind them betrayed the wolf within.

“ I was starting to think that the rumors weren't reaching you." the man stopped his advance next to the wolf that had torn his second in command apart.

"W-what are you talking about? Who are you?" Vayne managed to stammer.

"Who am I?" the man paused to consider the question as though he hadn't been expecting it, "Well I suppose it's only fair that you know my name, as I know yours,”

“ I, am called Typhen, Alpha of the Shadow Wolves" he said while extending his arms, referencing the circle of glowering beasts.

"I believe you've already met my Beta, Klane," he inclined his head to the wolf at his side. "As for the rest of my brothers, I really don't think it's of any consequence to you, as you'll be departing shortly...

Now stand, your too pitiful to look at as you are."

Scrambling to his feet Vayne stuttered out "y-you- your all monsters!"

"Monsters!?" Typhens' face contorted in rage as he spat the word out in disgust.

Klane growled and started forward before Typhen reached out and caught his shoulder, staying his advance.

Composure returned, the man went on, "Monsters you say?" he chuckled to the bandit, as though he had told a joke.

"Humans are always so quick to judge, so hasty to persecute and fear what they do not understand. It is in their nature. What is not white must be black and therefore be feared. “

“They are not aware of the gray in between, they are not aware of us, the shadows, watching, and if need be, acting, intervening as it were.” He paused at this, before hardening his gaze upon Vayne, lip curling in obvious disgust,

“ But you, you are not human, you who would steal, kill, and destroy for personal gain, devastating the lives of countless others if need be so long as you get ahead.” The sneer deepened, "You and the worthless scum you command... Well, commanded, at any rate" he laughed out.

Finally, At he belittling of his fallen men Vaynes' grip on his sword tightened and he charged forward with a cry he knew to be his last,

"Surprisingly bold" Typhen said nonchalantly as he caught the mans swinging wrist and wrenched it back as easily as he would a child's, resulting in the sword falling to the ground.

At this, Vayne loosed a kick at his captors side in an attempt to escape and with incredible speed, Typhen released the bandit's wrist, caught, and then clamped the leg to his side with his arm, resting his opposite hand on his attackers calf he paused a moment, assuring he held the bandit’s eyes with his own before digging his fingers into the man’s flesh, first breaking the skin as though it were wet paper, then tearing the muscle and tendon away from the bone entirely and tossing the meat aside like a lump of trash before shoving the man down to the ground, screaming in agony.

After a moment of uninterrupted outcry Typhen knelt down and covered the mans mouth, muffling the shrieks andlooking into the fallen cutthroat’s eyes before he spoke.

"We do not kill fathers, brothers, and sons for their purses or belongings, we do not enslave and sell mothers, wives, daughters and children to a life of torment as you so relish in doing...”

“No, you are not human. Here, we are the ones killing monsters."

With that he stood and turned his back on the bawling man, "Klane," he said on his way back into the cave

"...I don't want to hear his voice anymore."

Then he began to whistle, the notes echoing eerily from the cave mouth and mingling in the air with the sounds of first howling and screaming, then gurgling, the tearing flesh and finally... silence

-III