“Sorry,” Fox said, half-climbing over the man as he grabbed the sword and swung it back around. He ignored the bright flash of fear in the old man’s eyes as he twisted and plunged the sword into the first wolf’s chest. He pulled it out and swung again, beheading the second wolf before it had a chance to attack. Blood sprayed across his face, warm for only a second before the bitter wind turned it icy on his skin, the head of the wolf rolling across the ground.
Breathing hard, he looked back at Micael long enough to see the man was fine. The man gave him a stiff nod of acknowledgment.
Fox grabbed the small dagger from the man’s belt with a soft thanks. A dagger in one hand and a sword in the other, he ran toward Sofia and Javi. They were a few yards away, fighting off two wolves, three dead on the ground nearby. They were winning, but the two wolves left were still fighting hard, lunging at every opening. Blood wasweeping from a wound on Sofia’s arm. Even as Fox watched, the paler of the wolves dove to the right, drawing Sofia’s and Javi’s attention as the second wolf pounced at Sofia from behind. His teeth were already painted with blood as he opened his jaw.
“Sofia, move!” he shouted as he threw the dagger he’d stolen from Micael. It spun through the air and plunged into the wolf’s thigh. It wasn’t a perfect hit, the knife not well balanced, but it was enough. The wolf stumbled with a snarl, and Fox brought the sword down across its neck. When the wolf dropped, silence fell.
Javi stood over his own kill, looking at Fox with an expression torn between disgust and gratitude. He eyed the blade still in Fox’s hands and looked back at Micael with sudden fear. The old man was sitting up and clearly breathing, and Javi let his shoulders slump in relief.
“You’re welcome,” Fox said, dropping the sword on the ground and turning to find Sofia. She was standing, a hand wrapped around her upper arm where blood dripped between her fingers.
“Let me see it,” he said, trying to be gentle as he clasped her forearm and pulled her fingers away. The slice was clean and not too deep. “It won’t need stitches, but we should wrap it.”
Her skin was hot beneath his palm, and his finger swept back and forth across her inner elbow, the movement automatic. But he was all too aware of the way her breath hitched, her chest rising and falling at the contact. He swallowed, looking up to see her watching him with wide eyes. Her lips were slightly parted, and his eyes studied them for too long, mouth going dry.
“I should…” he started after a beat, struggling to swallow.
He grabbed the hem of his shirt to tear it, but then Javi was there, stopping him with a hand on his arm. Fox stepped back from Sofia quickly, as if guilty of something, letting her arm drop.
“We have bandages,” Javi said, a small smirk on his lips. “You can keep your clothes on.”
Fox, cheeks gone pink, gave a tight smile. He focused on the blood leaking from Sofia’s arm. The cut itself wasn’t deep, but out here in the woods, even Fox knew how fast a small wound could turn dangerous.That was one day he’d listened carefully in training. Treating wounds always seemed like a useful skill in his household.
Thanks to Chalia, most of the group had gotten away with only a few minor wounds. She was also the reason they only had a couple of wolves left to skin and prep. She’d taken the liberty of eating the rest and now lay on the ground, letting out short, contented snorts.
He couldn’t believe he’d been afraid of her the first time he’d seen her. Sure, she’d almost killed him and Sofia both, but it was difficult to reconcile that dragon with the one sunbathing and soothing her stomach in front of him.
Fox had never eaten wolf before. Judging by the sinewy bodies of the creatures, he doubted he’d enjoy it. But any meat was better than none, and they’d been surviving off stale tortillas and nuts for two days already.
“I’ve never seen wolves attack like that before,” Clarita said with a heaving breath as she sliced through the stomach of one of the larger ones.
“They don’t normally,” Jacinta agreed, watching the scene with a grim face.
“Do the wolves answer to the wolfshifters?” Sofia asked, a thoughtful expression on her face.
“Perhaps at one point, but it’s been decades since they worked together,” Jacinta said.
“Between this and the shifter attack back near our base—I’m thinking we might be dealing with the same thing.”
“You think the wolves are answering to the shifters again,” Clarita said, sitting back on her heels.
“I don’t know,” Sofia admitted. “But you said it yourself that wolves don’t just attack travelers.”
Clarita ground her teeth. “They didn’t look starved or mad in the head. They shouldn’t have attacked.”
“Unless someone told them to,” Sofia said. “Unless they were patrolling for the damn wolfshifters.”
“It would explain their behavior, but I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit.”
Sofia looked over at Fox before turning to Micael. “We should fly up to meet the dragons. We can find a cave to hunker down in, and then a few of us can fly up. It’s the safer and smarter plan. If the wolfshifters had anything to do with this, it’s best to get to the dragons as fast as possible. We’re sitting ducks out here if the wolves keep attacking.”
His shoulders were stiff, but he looked around at the group, more ragged than before. His eyes landed on Fox, pausing there.
“Thank you for saving my life,” Micael said.
Fox felt his cheeks flush. He looked away, unable to hold the man’s eyes.
“Fine,” Micael said. “We find a cave today to set up camp. Then Sofia and I can fly up to speak with the dragons.”