Lunansholt: The tale of the beginning of the wolves

CH 16 Protector

The biggest of the wolves jumps forward and Skuggi in one leap meets him halfway. He dives forward as Skuggi side steps him biting down on the back of his throat as he falls beside him. Skuggi bites down crushing his windpipe and slicing his jugular then tosses his limp body across the field hitting a tree by the other four wolves and the tree snaps in half. The other four wolves watch as the wolf’s limp body bleeds out crushed by the tree limb now and they turn to Skuggi growling as they all charge at him. Skuggi waits impatiently as they run towards him until they’re finally close enough. Once they are he jumps to the one on the far right, the fastest one, striking his claws out in a swift motion that the wolf hadn’t seen coming against his chest slicing him open and blood spurts out of the wound blanketing the Earth below him. Skuggi saw his beating heart through one of the scratches and noticed his heart was sliced open as well. The wolf drops to the ground whining as his life force began to slip away and Skuggi steps on his head crushing it.

Skuggi stepped to the right just as another wolf shoots passed him, and he flicked off the blood, bone, and brain matter from his paw in disgust. He slid to his left taking off toward that wolf and when he was 10 feet from him the other two wolves come running at him on his left and right flank. He smiles shifting back into Leif who immediately drops to his knee and they crash into each other. Once he saw the impact he shifted back into Skuggi who throws his paws up into their chests cutting out their hearts. They both instantly drop to the ground on either side of him. Skuggi, covered in their blood now, looks at the last wolf as their blood drips down his body.

Skuggi can see the fear creep into his eyes and the wolf quickly turns around to try to run. As soon as he turns he is surrounded by a ring of fire. He looks everywhere trying to find a way out, his eyes bounce in every direction as desperation showed clearly on his face. Skuggi smelled his fear and smiled as he leisurely walked towards him. The wolf tried to walk towards the wall of fire, but the heat of the flame burned him before he could even get close. Suddenly a part of the fire wall comes down, and the wolf tries to run through but comes to a halt as Skuggi walked through. Just as Skuggi steps through the ring of fire he shifts back into Leif still fully clothed and completely covered in blood.

"Running from death" Leifs tsks at him " I have no respect for a man that runs from death. As a warrior you should welcome death in battle. There is no better death than one earned on the battlefield." The wolf looks at him then shifts back into a naked light skinned, dirty man of medium height and build.

He looks at Leif with interest, "I never wanted to be a warrior. I care nothing of the Gods nor their Valhalla. I only wanted to live. I will go wherever I need to if it means I survive another day. My master," he says master in a mocking tone "Means nothing to me other than being aligned with him meant I could live a life of comfort." Leif looks at the man with pure disgust in his eyes. "Bring me the silver chains." Leif orders and holds out his hand although he ordered no one in particular he knew someone would give him what he requested. A few seconds later someone places a cloth and then the chains into his outstretched hand. Leif nods in thanks and grabs the chains with his other hand dropping the cloth onto the ground. The man’s eyes shoot up in disbelief, "How are you holding those chains?"

"Oh these? I can touch silver and it doesn't hurt me. Seems to be another gift from my father."

The man watches then strains to listen but hears no sizzling from the silver on his skin and no indication of pain in Leif's eyes. "Who is your father?"

Leif looks at him and laughs "I owe you nothing. A coward like you is only still alive so that we can interrogate you." Leif walks towards him quickly clasping an iron collar lined with silver spikes around his neck then wraps iron shackles of the same design on both his arms and legs. These chains are designed to only cause the silver chains to touch you if you try to break free from the restraints. Leif stops and hears the sizzle of his skin where the silver touches him. The warrior hisses and Leif smiles savagely. "Weak" He said shaking his head in disgust then drops the fire around them. "Take him to the dungeons."

Leif turns to the remaining seven wolves still on the ground, it seems the tree that fell crushed a few of the weaker wolves too. He completely dropped his aura long ago, having been held back by only their fear. He looks around then commands those wolves to walk themselves to the dungeons as well. He watches them try to fight the command then impatient looks at his men telling them to kill half of them and bring the rest to the dungeons.

Once he locks the last man into his cell Leif turns and heads straight to his father's room. He knocks and is called to enter. He steps inside quickly and informs him of what has happened and that eight men are now chained in the dungeons.

"We will send our most ruthless interrogators to them tonight and find out everything there is to know." Sigurd says, “If anything comes up I will mindlink you. For now, get some rest. I was informed of how your battle went by the warriors I sent to help you.” He chuckled nodding in approval, “Hell of a fight I heard.”

Leif smiles then nods as he stands "It wasn’t much of a fight honestly, but it felt good that’s for sure. Though, I do have a feeling we're missing something. Those men didn't fight for the glory of reaching Valhalla like a warrior should. When I fought them all I could smell was fear." Sigurd nods and three men come into his room. He looks at the men giving them their orders to interrogate the prisoners and get everything they can out of them and report by morning." They nod and quickly leave and Sigurd signals to Leif that he is free to leave as well.

Leif bows to his father again then turns from his room and straight from the longhouse. He walks back home thinking on everything that happened trying to piece together what the point of kidnapping the crone would be and how they would know anything about her. Just as he reaches his hut Aslaug runs outside to greet him. She grabs his arms looking him over for any injuries noticing him still covered in blood. Once she realized the blood wasn’t his she finds a clean area of skin and kisses him informing him of the guest waiting for him inside. He grabs her hand, squeezing it then moves them both inside to greet the guest.