Alpha's Fire

Prue slowly crept through the woods, her arrow in her bow drawn and ready, as she silently moved between the trees and hopped over a fallen tree with expert precision and a silence grace only trained feet could accomplish.  Quietly she crept forward. She could hear the sound of the trickling water as she neared the clearing.  The warm summer breeze gently kissed her skin, and a small droplet of sweat ran down the back of her neck. She drew in a silent breath as she slowly pulled the string of her bow back, eyeing her target. It stood lazily drinking from the fresh water stream - completely unaware of the hunter ready to unleash a killing blow.  The arrow struck home - straight through the beast's eye, it hardly had time to register what had happened before it was already over.  Prue sighed, blowing a piece of her long blonde hair out her eyes. She carefully placed the bow across her back, internally thanking the gods for her luck and made her way forward to collect her kill. She stood eyeing the deer's size, thinking of how she would carry it home and then what she would do with it when she arrived. She quickly decided she would keep a week's worth to eat fresh and then dry the rest. Prue loved venison, especially roasted. It was then she heard the whine in her mind. A familiar voice that had been her only constant company over the last few years spoke.  And what about me? Prue could feel her wolf, Elena, pacing in her mind. Ravenous to dig in.  She snorted to herself. Last time I let you hunt, you ate the whole deer and left me nothing to store. Which is why I had vegetable soup for dinner last night. Elena grumbled but she felt the humour down the bond. I couldn't help it - it was barely bigger than me.  Well catch something bigger for yourself next time. Prue smirked, bending down to remove and clean the arrow in nearby stream.You know the rules, we take it in turns and always leave enough to store in case we aren't so fortunate on our next hunt.  Prue eyed the creature again judging its weight, deciding whether she could carry it home or if she would have to take two trips. The creature was a similar size but probably weighed more than Prue, who stood around five foot five inches. She tossed her long braid behind her shoulder and stretched her arms before reaching down to hoist the animal onto the top of her back deciding to carry it back in one trip. Thankfully Prue was a lot stronger than she looked. The wolf gene made her quicker and stronger than a regular human. Her heightened sense made her ideal hunter - that, along with the years of training.  She sighed and began the trek back to her cottage. The trees stood tall, creating a canopy of leaves, shadowing the forest floor, a welcome relief to the sun. Britain was never that hot but in the height of summer is got stifling for about one week, and as luck would have it - the heatwave had struck the day before yesterday. Prue didn't do heat well. She preferred cold winter days tucked up by the fire with a cup of tea in her hand, watching the snow fall. Her latest catch meant she would have food for the next few weeks and could enjoy the peaceful quiet of her country cottage and English garden.  The trek was about three miles... It felt like more. Sweat beaded down Prue's face, neck and back. By the end of it her feet felt numb and the sun had begun to set so the view of her cottage was a welcome relief. A small thatched building built of stone was surrounded by a weaved fenced that she had spent days making around the property last summer. Her garden was in full bloom, with roses growing up the side of the doorway and sweet peas under the windows. Flowers exploding in colour pushed out of the overflowing beds that lined the gravel pathway and garden boundary. And, there in the centre of the garden was Prue's favourite spot - a table and chair that sat overlooking a small pond where water lilies and bulrushes grew.  It was a welcome relief.  "Home," she said mostly to herself.  As she neared the cottage Prue notice the garden gate was swinging in the breeze.  She wobbled down the last few steps before putting the beast down, looking around at the tree line. She couldn't see any movement but that didn't mean anything. She wiped her sweaty hands on her trousers and squinted at the gate. Prue stalked over, pausing for a second before shutting it.  "I was sure I closed that," she whispered.  There was no sound. No birds singing as they usually did. Even the wind seemed to have paused. Prue cautiously sniffed the air. The hair on the back of her neck rose. It was at that moment she caught the scent. Another wolf. No. Multiple male wolves...  She pulled her bow out and within a flash of second had spun on her heal and was aiming an arrow at a stranger who stood in her doorway. Elena growled, viciously snapping, in her mind.  If they wanted to attack they would have come in wolf form, she told Elena calmly.  If they came as wolves we would have scented them a mile off, they would have known this.   Maybe. I can sense three. Same for you?  I think so. Be careful Prue. This wolf looks strong.   "Who are you and what do you want? And don't think I haven't clocked the two skulking at the bottom of the garden," she told the man in her doorway coldly. The man was attractive in a way. Tall with a muscled body and thick black hair and green eyes. She felt him look her up and down appreciatively, before his eyes met hers. Her body tensed.  He slowly raised his hands up, showing her his palms.  "I come in peace with a message from the Elders." She raised her eyebrows not believing a word. "They know better than to send their lackeys past the sign," her voice was cold, not giving anything away.  Prue had just done a job hunting down a dirtbag rogue who had been going from terrority to terrority attacking and stealing from anyone he came into contact with. The Elders' deal was clear and had remained unchanged for years - she could carrying on living alone, undisturbed as long as she took on at least one contract every six months, lending her expertise to hunt, track, spy, assassinate or bring back the worst of the worst for punishment.  "Oh the one that says: No trespassing, dangerous animal on the loose," his voice was smooth and silky and... Dangerous. "I like it. Very apt. I assume that was just to keep humans away." He was too calm for someone with an arrow aimed at his eye. That either meant he didn't know who she was or that he knew exactly who she was and didn't care. A scuff of a boot sounded to her right. Prue whirled and unleashed an arrow into the shadows of her open garden shed.  A yelp of surprise was quickly followed by an "Ah shit." Prue nocked another arrow and pointed it toward the stranger before he could move. This time he flinched.  "Gillian?" He called.  A younger voice spoke back, "Yeah I'm okay, she just pinned my shirt to the wall." She listened for a moment as the male in the shadows struggled to pull the arrow free from the wood.   The stranger raised his eyebrow, impressed maybe? She wasn't sure.  "You have 30 seconds to tell me who you are or the next two arrows go through lackey number two and three." He smirked. "What about number four?" Her eyebrows crinkled, confused until she realised someone was closer than she realised. Her body tensed and she felt cold. She dared to turn her head to the side to look out the corner of her eye, not taking her gaze away  from the man in front of her. A warm body stepped forward. She could sense the power radiating off him.  Shit. "We don't want to hurt you Prue. We just want to talk. Why don't we go inside?"