Chapter Five
1053 Words
“No. Father—” Kairos tried to stop his father from railing off.
“You will not interrupt me when I'm speaking.” Ice laced Kieran’s features as he rushed to command his son.
“Especially not when you have continuously proven to be incompetent.” Kieran continued.
“Very soon. Just very soon. Our kind will be extinct,” Kieran yelled as he knocked over science experiments some of his pack members had unsuccessfully made prior to their situation.
Crescent Hallows had been on a rampage for years now. What they want? Most werewolves do not even know, but rumor has it that many from the pack had been infected with a deadly disease that threatened to wipe out their pack. This disease had no cure, but the Crescent Hallows Pack seemed not to relent even as their friends and family died every day.
“We might just have to take ‘em all out to find the one. Just sayin’,” Zephyr interjected in the middle of Kieran’s rage.
“Get out.” Kieran said in a low tone as he came down from his rage high. “All of you.” They all left the dense, shadowy area filled with tall trees and thick underbrush, providing plenty of cover. Clearings letting sunlight in while nearby streams ran fresh water. Rocky outcrops and hidden caves served as denning spots, creating a secluded sanctuary for the predators to roam freely and hunt.
As the pack members dispersed, the tension hung thick in the air. Kairos lingered, his heart pounding in his chest. He had seen the desperation in his father’s eyes, the fear that gnawed at him like a relentless predator. The Silver Claws pack was not just a rival; they were a looming threat, and Kieran’s wrath was a reflection of that threat.
“Father,” Kairos finally spoke, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him. “We cannot act out of fear. We need a strategy, not just brute force.”
Kieran turned to his son, his eyes narrowing. “You think I don’t know that? You think I want to see our people suffer? Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces—friends, family—dying before us. And you stand here, preaching caution?”
“Caution is what will keep us alive,” Kairos asserted, a flicker of defiance igniting within him. “We can’t just charge into battle without knowing what we’re up against. The Silver Claws are not just mindless beasts; they’re organized, and they’re desperate. Desperation breeds unpredictability.”
Kieran’s jaw tightened. “You’re too soft, Kairos. That’s your problem. You think you can reason with a wolf that’s been cornered? They’ll tear you apart before you can even utter a word.”
Kairos took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper in check. “And what about the innocent lives at stake? The ones caught in the crossfire? We need to find a way to end this without more bloodshed.”
Kieran’s expression softened momentarily, and Kairos seized the opportunity. “Let me lead a small group to gather intel. We can learn their movements, their weaknesses. If we understand them, we can find a way to stop this without destroying our own.”
Kieran hesitated, the weight of his son’s words hanging heavily in the air. “And what if you fail?”
“I won’t,” Kairos replied, his voice firm. “I promise to return with information that can turn the tide in our favor. But I need your trust.”
Kieran’s eyes searched his son’s face, and for a moment, he saw the boy he once knew—full of hope and determination. “Fine,” he relented, though the tension in his shoulders remained. “But you have to be careful. If you’re caught…”
“I won’t be caught,” Kairos interrupted. “I’ll be in and out like a shadow. The Silver Claws won’t even know I was there.”
As the father and son exchanged a tense nod, Zephyr reappeared, his expression grim. “You two need to see this,” he said, urgency lacing his tone.
“What is it?” Kieran demanded, his mood shifting once again.
Zephyr stepped aside, revealing a trembling pack member, her eyes wide with terror. “I-I saw them. The Silver Claws. They’re gathering at the old ruins. They’re planning something big.”
Kieran’s eyes darkened. “What do you mean ‘something big’?”
“They’re… they’re talking about a ritual. Something to summon greater power,” she stammered. “I overheard them saying they’re tired of hiding. They want to unleash something.”
Kairos felt a chill run down his spine. “Unleash what?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. “But they were chanting about the Blood Moon and the Lost Ones….” before she could continue, a loud thud came from inside one of the built rocks for rest.
“Wait,” Kieran commanded for her to stop but before they could figure shat the thud was about, the dark shadows appeared, accompanied by rough howls. It was closer than they imagined.
The air thickened with tension as the shadows danced around them, their forms shifting and twisting in the dim light. Kieran instinctively stepped closer to Kairos his heart racing as he scanned their surroundings for any sign of danger. “We need to find shelter,” he urged, his voice barely above a whisper. But the howls grew louder, echoing through the night like a haunting melody that sent chills down their spines.
“This is our shelter” Kairos said
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, and the source of the thud revealed itself—a massive creature, its eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It was unlike anything they had ever seen, a grotesque fusion of beast and shadow, its presence radiating malice.
“Run!” Kieran shouted, as they sprinted away from the looming threat. The howls turned into a cacophony of rage, and the creature lunged after them, its claws scraping against the rocky ground. They dashed through the forest, branches whipping against their skin, the moonlight barely breaking through the dense canopy above.
- Writer
