Tatum and Henry
9. War

We left in the early hours of the morning after having a big breakfast and picking up our gear. The two new members of my team were wolves, but they weren’t trained with knife-throwing or archery, so I had them take our flanks to ‘protect us,’ as we walked towards battle.

The trek took hours, and we were often passed by warriors in the back of cars and trucks. My team looked at me when they passed, some dickheads calling out at us they did. We weren’t given comms this time either, due to a lack of resources, which angered me, but I guess that’s what our new team members were for.

We had made our way to the edge of the fight, towards our allocated position, which had been changed twice during our walk, with Tank and Dale, my new team members, in their wolf forms. The fight was happening in a large paddock which Tank had told us was being called ‘Clover Fields,’ because of all the clovers there. Tank and Dale scouted ahead while we found positions up in trees surveying the fight ahead of us.

//\\//\\//\\

We spend the night in the trees, watching as our side takes turns sleeping and patrolling. Tank and Dale take turns sending messages to us and sleeping, and by the time dawn breaks, my team have all had a good sleep and are ready for anything that comes.

I watch the fight from my tree. The other side, all wolves, seem to be fighting in their wolf forms, but they don’t seem to be as trained or as in sync as our side. I’m watching a skirmish in front of me, all in wolf form. It’s easy to see who is on each team, the opposing wolves appear scruffy and skinny, unkempt.

I watch through my binoculars as our side takes down two of the wolves attacking them when I see a wolf begin to sneak off. Taking an arrow from my quiver I fire it at the wolf, getting him straight in the eye which makes him buckle down backwards. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Quickly I jump down from my tree and walk towards the downed wolf, pulling out the arrow. I place the arrow back in my quiver and turn to go back to my place in the trees when I hear a scream. I see some wolves about to attack someone on my side and I throw my knives at them, hitting each one in the neck. They collapse and I begin to walk over to the person who stands from their crouching position. The person looks at me and nods, sending my knives floating through the air towards me.

What the fuck is he? I think as I pluck my knives from the sky. I haven’t heard from the rest of my team or Dale, or Tank and I don’t know how they’re faring, I’m feeling worried but turn to go back to my post when an arrow lands at my feet. I look ahead and see the she-wolf who asked about warming up Henry’s rack smiling at me.

She fires another arrow in my direction, but I use my katana swipe it down. Again, she fires another arrow and again I cut it down with my sword.

“What the fuck?” I call out.

“She’s on Andre’s side!” the she-wolf yells, pointing at me, making those around me stop and look. They turn to attack but Captain Carlton yells out to stand-down. I roll my eyes at her when I hear another scream.

Turning I scan the fighting in front of me, and I see a wolf dragging a familiar looking child by her shirt across the field. The sight fills me with dread.

“Zoe!” I yell. The wolf lets go of Zoe to look at me as I run towards it, throwing my knives without thinking, just hoping to get the wolf anywhere.

I get the leg of Zoe’s attacker, but it only makes him snarl and turn to me. I throw two more, one getting the attacker’s eye while the other one skims across his shoulder. I’m panicking. Yes, I’m calm during training and when fighting the enemy, but this is Zoe, my daughter’s best friend.

The attacker shifts into his human skin, and he stands there, trying to pull the knife out of his eye, when I throw my last knife at him, hitting him in the neck. A gurgling noise escapes the attacker’s mouth and he begins to spit blood as he clutches at his neck, before finally collapsing into a heap.

I run over and slide on my knees to Zoe, who grabs my neck, wrapping her little arms and legs round my body. Quickly I stand and scan the area. There is fighting going on and I feel pain on my shoulder but see no one near me to make the pain. Henry, I think.

Meanwhile Zoe is huddled in my neck, apologising and screaming for Vas. I turn just in time to see a wolf leap towards me, and I cut him down with my katana, spraying blood across my face and Zoe’s back.

“Are you okay Zo?” I ask as I continue to slash and hack away at the wolves that try to attack us.

“I’m scared,” she stutters. Fuck, I think. For the first time in this fight, I feel the same way.

“Duck!” I hear a female yell, and I do as a ball of water hits two wolves advancing towards us and bowling them over. I turn to see a woman in navy blue camouflage clothing run up to me.

“I can take her back, trust me,” the woman says, reaching for Zoe. The woman is beautiful and has a comforting aura, and I instantly trust her. I nod and hand Zoe over. The woman bends down with Zoe in her arms as I continue to fight off wolves with my blade.

“Think of a safe place,” I hear the woman say, and then suddenly they’ve disappeared.

I don’t have time to contemplate what has just happened when I feel the air in my lungs being forced out of my body. But it’s not me that’s hurting. I turn and scan the fight, when I see him. He is surrounded by wolves who are attacking him, and he’s going down.

As I run towards Henry, I sheath my katana and pull out an arrow, firing it off as I run in his direction. Hit. I pull out another arrow and fire away. Hit. I’m standing ten metres away and I watch as Henry roars, getting up from his spot and ripping a wolfs head from its body. I watch as a wolf leaps towards Henry but is taken down by a wolf who grabs it by the neck. I grab another arrow from my quiver and fire it away. Hit. Henry turns towards me and goes to nod to thank me when realisation shows on his face as to who I am. I shake my head at him and turn away, my arrows spent, pulling my katana out.

Turning I notice my team run towards me. Jennine has joined Dale and Tank in their wolf forms, and Jude, Clayton and Julie run up with them.

“Where’s Holly?” I ask, not seeing her.

“We haven’t found her,” Jude admits. I scan the battle and still see fights raging. To one side I see tridents being thrown and the other I see a mixture of wolves, humans, witches and fairies fighting off wolves.

“We have to join,” I say. My team nod and we turn towards the fray. Their side is thinning and less wolves come to attack us as we walk towards the centre of the fight. I’ve run out of knives and arrows and all I have left is my katana, which I barely need to use as Dale and Tank take down the wolves that come for us. Clayton is speaking spells, firing balls of air at oncoming wolves and I see the ground move unbalancing our opponents.

“Stop!” a voice bellows across the field. My team and I stop and stand, watching from the perimeter of a circle which has formed surrounding ten wolves and one man, who kneel submissively before us. A few men step out from the crowd, I recognise Alpha Quade, Alpha Thornton, and the woman who took Zoe from me. There are a few who have also walked out that I don’t recognise.

“Hatred and fear have no place in this realm,” a tall male in a light brown uniform speaks loudly, addressing the crowd.

“Andre Aubert, you were stripped of your alpha-ship for crimes against your family, but you escaped and hurt not only your fellow wolves but the other supernatural’s of this world. I, King Conri Artemis Venator of Lupi, denounce you, Andre Aubert,” the tall male states.

“I, King Preston Mediocis of the Fairy Kingdom denounce you, Andre Aubert,” the man standing next to King Conri Artemis states.

“I, Princeps Nerissa Oceani de aqua Fae denounce you, Andre Aubert,” the woman who helped me with Zoe then says.

“I, Queen Aradia Bastian of Terra denounce you, Andre Aubert,” the other woman standing states.

At each statement Andre Aubert cries out in pain, looking less and less of a man.

“Your punishment is death,” King Conri Artemis says. This is repeated three more times when Henry walks out from a line of people standing at the perimeter.

“For my family, and every family you affected,” Henry growls. I watch as his hand shifts and he swipes his paw across Andre’s neck, tearing it from his body.

Around me people roar with pride at Henry’s action, but I watch on as the rest of the wolves are cuffed and taken away.

“What now?” Clayton asks.

“I want to go home,” I sigh.

~***~

I scan the crowd for any superiors I recognise and finding one I walk over to him after asking my team to stay put.

“Major,” I hear someone say to him. They both look tired and it’s now late at night. For some of us, we’ve been on our feet for hours.

“Captains,” the major says, looking at us, “We’re close to Waning Moon, Blue Moon, Tullian Hills and Fairlight pack. They each have been told to set up tents for us. Choose one and sign your team in with their alpha, goddess bless,” he says. I nod and turn back towards my team.

“Well?” Jude asks as I return.

“We’ve been told to go to one of four nearby packs. Clayton, how far do you think it will take to walk to Waning Moon from here?” I ask. Clayton takes a map out from his jacket.

“About three hours,” he says. I nod.

“Let’s go home,” I say.

~***~

I loosen the brick where I’ve placed the spare key and open the door to my house. I haven’t been home for almost three months and the house smells stale and dusty.

“Bathrooms that way, there’s an ensuite in the master and I’ll get pillows and blankets. Jed has a spare bed in his room and so does Rhiannon, feel free to take it,” I say, watching my team walk in as I hold the door open for them.

Jennine helps me grab spare pillows and blankets and we make up little spots in the living room for people to sleep in. I go to get glasses and water for us, but Dale tells me to shower.

I look in the bathroom mirror and see what they see. My face and arms are covered in blood, as is my hair. My clothes are brown and red from dried blood, and I look a mess.

I strip my uniform off my skin and drop them in a pile on the floor, for burning later. I untie the bun in my hair and watch as strings of hair fall down in fat waves. Stepping into the shower I watch as the blood rinses off my body and down the drain. I wash my body and hair before stepping out of the shower, clean; and wrapping a towel around my body. I throw on some baggy track pants and a tank top and check on my team. Tank smiles and takes his turn in the shower while we all find something in the cupboards to eat while we wait.

After we’ve all showered and are clean, my team find places to sleep and we close our eyes to the midday sun.

- - -

We must have slept all day and all night, because the next thing I know it’s six-thirty and still dark outside. I get out of bed and quickly change into jeans and a t-shirt before finding my friends in my kitchen drinking coffee.

“Morning,” I smile as Clayton hands me a cup.

“Do you have kids?” Julie asks. I smile.

“Kid. Yeah. I have an almost three-year-old and a brother who’s ten,” I say.

“Where are they now?” Dale asks.

“With family,” I smile, thinking about how I can’t wait to see my baby-girl again.

After a coffee we walk up to the pack house. Like most of the returning soldiers, we are late in signing in, and I meet Beta Connor near the entrance.

“Tatum! You made it!” he smiles, giving me a hug. I hug him back, but he whimpers a bit.

“Sorry, I’m not healing so well, they got me good,” he continues.

“Oh, sorry!” I say, stepping back, watching as he clutches his shoulder.

“No worries, come and I’ll sign you all in,” he smiles. We follow him into a room with tables set up and deltas sitting at each table. Connor takes us all to a table.

“Delta Jake here will take your details,” Connor says, watching us.

“Name?” Delta Jake asks me. I give it.

“Team name?”

“Sully,” I reply.

“Team position?”

“Captain.”

“Race?”

“Human.”

Delta Jake asks these questions from all my team.

“Have you heard from a Holly Rogers? She’s a witch,” I ask.

“That information hasn’t been collated yet,” the delta tells us. I nod. Delta Jake then hands me seven clipboards.

“Fill these out and return them to me, we want an account of your actions,” he says. Just then Julie’s stomach grumbles loudly.

“I think you can all eat first, though,” Beta Connor smiles.

~~

Conri – (Irish Gaelic) meaning ‘wolf king.’

Artemis – God of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, childbirth and the moon.

Venator – (latin) meaning hunt.

Mediocris – (latin) meaning fairy

Lupi – (latin) meaning wolves

Princeps Oceani de aqua Fae – Princess Ocean of the water fairies.

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