Awakening the ninth tail

Ruby

Her heart pounded as she tore through the forest, instincts guiding her. Every step brought the beast closer, its snarls echoing in her ears. She didn’t know how long she had been running—didn’t care. All that mattered was surviving, escaping the monstrosity determined to tear her apart.

“Faster! Keep going!” her mother’s voice sliced through the chaos. She didn’t need to see her to feel her presence, a steady push that somehow steadied her legs despite exhaustion.

She found strength in her mother's words as she gained speed, tearing through the forest with lightning speed, flying through trees like the wind. She whimpered as she thought about her mother, whom she had no choice but to leave behind.

“She will be fine; she is a strong Luna. You have to be strong for her sake," a voice whispered to her, carrying a sense of urgency in its tone. "For now, we have to survive; if we don't, then it means her sacrifice was all for naught.”

She had left her clan territory and was now approaching another. But she didn't realize it, and even if she did, she didn't care enough; all the voices in her head were urging her to run, to get away.

Branches whipped at her face, and roots clawed at her ankles, yet she dodged and leaped as if the forest itself were aiding her. Her senses felt sharper than ever every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves, and every subtle shift of air was clear. Faster, sharper, smarter not human.

She glanced at the moon illuminating the forest, lighting her way and clearing a path for her.

Her mind flashed back to noon a few hours ago, sneaking into the pack house while tiptoeing, careful not to make a sound, oblivious to the presence behind her.

“And where have you been?”

The voice made her jump. She closed her eyes, trying to appear innocent while muttering an excuse.

It's just Lizzy, thank the moon goddess. I can't believe my luck.

Ruby turned to the voice, looking at her sister as she sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone with an arm resting on the couch's head, seemingly not interested in the conversation we were about to have.

“I was in the training grounds with Alice,” Ruby said, forcing her brightest smile.

“Uh-huh… funny. You see, Alice came looking for you thirty minutes ago. It's very strange; are you lying to me?” her sister Lizzy mocked, slowly rising from her resting place while tucking her phone into her pocket with a look in her eyes.

Ruby groaned, throwing her hands in the air. “Fine… you caught me. I went to see Mike,” Ruby confessed, closing her eyes bracing herself for the judgment that would be placed on her stubborn head.

Ruby thought Lizzy didn't hear her when she didn't react till she sensed the air thickening, her hair stood up at one end,She felt a chill on her skin immediately she opened her eyes screaming in terror she tried to scramble away.

Alas, she was a tad bit too slow; with a loud boom, the lightning struck her. The force was controlled with such precision to hurt but not to kill.

She screeched as Lizzy grabbed her shirt, rage pouring off her, giving me a death glare that could turn me to dust.

“Mother and father warned you! You can't keep making friends with other supernaturals. If he finds out what we are, it won’t end well, and you know it, Ruby. You aren't a child; stop behaving like one!” she thundered, her silver hair flowing wildly with the wind as she spoke shaking Ruby roughly.

Yep, I have done it again. Guilt weighed heavily on her face, but she quickly masked it. She was more wary of the lightning threatening to rain on her at any point in time.

“I trust him. He won’t harm me,” she said, not looking at her.

“Oh, he will, and when it happens, I won’t beg for you,” Lizzy spat as she finally released her, the clouds above her head cleared out.

"I can take care of myself,"Ruby said, regaining her posture, slightly annoyed she had the audacity to strike her, although she didn't make it known to her, for she would strike her a second time.

"Look how that turned out for you the last time you made a similar mistake," she spat back.

Seeing she had no words to justify myself, Lizzy clicked her tongue. Stealing one last glance at her, she left, heels clicking, leaving her in frustrated silence. At least I am safe, Ruby thought, shrugging.

Midnight came. Thankfully, Lizzy hadn’t snitched. After dinner and some family time, Ruby finally retreated to her room. Collapsing onto her bed, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She felt a sense of doom trailing down her back; something terrible loomed. Shaking off the feeling, she reached out for her phone.

Scrolling through and watching reels, a familiar urge pulled her to the bathroom, but she ignored it, determined to finish the video until she couldn't anymore and ran into the bathroom. While relieving herself, a deafening sound shook the house, leaving her stunned.

BOOM. It sounded again and again.

An explosion rocked the house. Ruby’s heart leapt. She bolted out of her room, pulling her shorts up as she ran.

“What’s happening?” she shouted at a warrior looking disheveled.

“We’re under attack,” came the solemn reply.

Her parents had gone to the front lines to neutralize the threat, and her sister was nowhere to be found.

Feeling disoriented, she decided to find Lizzy first.

Leaping from the window, landing on her feet with a thud, she raised her nose and shifted the air. Catching the scent she was searching for she raced through the battlefield and arriving just in time to see her sister fighting alongside their mother.

Creatures that looked like they shouldn't have existed—some had two heads and three arms, while others had one head and four limbs. A notable feature was that they all looked dog-like. Among them were witches hurling spells at pack members.

Magic flared around them — just like Mike’s. Her eyes widened; it couldn't be. I trusted him; he wouldn't have betrayed me like this.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Ruby shook her head, the full weight of guilt swallowing her. This is my fault, she said to herself, gritting her teeth.

No time to dwell; he better pray I don't find him, she threatened in her mind. She needed to help her pack that all that matters for now. She joined her sister on the battlefield, venting her frustrations on the nearest intruder, claws out tearing through flesh as she danced, dodging spells and teeth with precision, slippery like a snake.

After what felt like forever, a howl ripped through the forest.

A howl that sent shivers through her body. She looked towards the source, her body shaking with a sense of loss. The entire pack knew what that meant.

Mother screamed. Her mate… my father… was dead. Mother fell to her knees, clutching her chest, eyes wide in shock. Reeling from the ache she felt, the mate bond snapped. She rushed to her falling on her knees, her hands reaching out to her mother, seeing her mother disoriented, for the first time Ruby felt fear.

The remaining clan members stood over her, preparing to fight anyone and everything the desire to protect their Luna strong and desperate. The entire pack had no chance to mourn their fallen leader.

Ruby looked over at my mother, worry written on my face, praying for her to be strong while tears streamed down my face. She turned to look at Lizzy, whose attention was elsewhere, but she could see it in her eyes: despair.

Catching Ruby's gaze, her mother looked up at her. Ruby stepped back lowering her gaze in submission, something sinister in my mother's eyes sending shivers down her spine. Rising to her feet her body shaking as she tried to steady herself, she turned to Lizzy.

“Take your sister and run. Don’t look back. Survive,” the Luna commanded. Howling, she transformed. Bones cracking and shifting, her beast appeared with silver fur that matched her hair. She immediately turned, grabbed a witch, and tore the head off with the spine attached.

“All warriors, heed my call: kill every last one of them, and the leader? Give me his head.” She growled with rage. Hearing this, the warriors transformed and howled, the air thickening with the stench of dread and death.

Creatures of the forest scurried to hide from the impending doom. Lizzy yanked Ruby’s arm, and the two sisters sprinted into the dark forest, the monsters hot on their heels.

Sprinting through the forest, Lizzy suddenly slipped to a stop, turning around to face the threat.

“Go; I will catch up with you,” she said to me, not taking her eyes off the approaching threats. Resisting the urge to protest, Ruby turned around, tears stinging. She steeled her resolve and ran, picking up the pace.

She will come for me; she is one of the strongest people I know, Ruby said to herself.

“Be safe,” she said. While speeding along the forest, Ruby turned just at the right moment to see her sister smile at her with a look of relief on her face as the creatures pounced on her. Ruby felt her sister’s magic in the distance, shielding her retreat, with roars and thunder sounding at her back.

But one beast had slipped past. She sensed it, claws digging toward her, relentless, promising a world of pain. The chase wasn’t over. Not by far.

Are you going to keep running forever? “A voice in my head said mockingly.

"If you don't want to help, I suggest you keep quiet,” Ruby replied with annoyance. "You are afraid and you are running out of time."

Ruby’s breaths came in ragged gasps. Panic surged, but something inside her clicked. I could do this. She had to.

Teeth grinding together, she forced herself to stop and face the threat. No more running.

“Let me out, let me help you," the voice pleaded.

The creature came into view as she crouched down, looking dead into its eyes. The creature roared at her. She covered her ears, gritting her teeth and standing her ground she took a big breath and let out a roar of her own.

With a surge of heat running through my body, her eyes flared red as she threw her head back, a sinister grin forming on her face, pupils sharpening into slits. Her hands twisted into clawed paws. A shimmering tail unfurled behind her.

Heartbeat synced with the rhythm of the forest. She could feel the trees, the roots, and the soil, responding to her call.

The beast lunged. Instinctively, she dug her nails into the ground, summoning the earth itself. Vines shot up, wrapping around its legs, holding it fast. The creature roared, thrashing violently, but the forest refused to let go, resilient to the creature's violent movements.

Growling, she lifted her voice, words dripping with venom: “ In your next life you see my face you run.”

The ground trembled. The beast struggled, claws scrabbling, then the earth beneath it opened like a mouth, swallowing it whole. Silence fell.

Collapsing onto her knees, sweat and dirt streaking her face. Heart racing, legs trembling. The forest around her seemed to hum with quiet approval.

Suddenly, a shadow moved just beyond the trees. Two eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight, watching her. A presence looked at her with curiosity and caution.

Ruby swallowed hard, rising to her feet.

The chase wasn't over, but for some reason, she felt a sense of calm in the presence of this creature.

In that frozen moment, she saw it, bathed in pale moonlight. Its black and white fur glowed softly in the darkness as it stepped out. The forest fell silent around it, as if holding its breath. Something about that wolf… something felt different, and before she could understand it, everything turned black.