Pyrrhic Victories? Evil Wind vs. Vampire Kind!

[Wolfsbane]

This once-lost history thread has been restored for your Reading Pleasure, courtesy of the WOLF WEB LIBRARY.

*Bows low in gratitude to, THE DANI*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yep Wolf Web, as per your requests - here it is......
I apologize if it goes a bit long. This one is quite a story, though.

Note: The all-important details have become a bit fuzzy over the YEARS
now, since this event occurred. If I've missed something, or incorrectly named someone, (*gasp!*) please send me any corrections, as you know it, via PM. I'll edit this story with your sent info, to make sure it's right.
==================================================
==================================================
Sundown.
And the brilliant topaz blue, of once closed eyes snap open.
A short moment of time, and they inevitably darken, and revert to their normal color of sullen, blood red......
And this little, Once-Dire heaves to paws with a vigorous *shake* of fur, and a snapping *crack* of her furled, black wings. A look around, at the darkened landscape surrounding her, and she breathes a deep *sigh* of resignation.

Taarquion..........

An interesting visit to these demonic held lands, has since turned into a state of virtual imprisonment. An uncomfortable state of uncertainty, that has steadily grown more and more intolerable to the youngster. Her name is SLADE. And once, she was barely a pup. Now? She is something much more than a mere Dire Wolf Pup. Though her size and bearing is almost identical to what she was..... she is no mere pup, and is indeed MUCH stronger now than what she once was.

Slade is, after all, a Vampire............

And, as such, she has found herself banded to a group of Vampires that have together, sought out the protection and safety of the Mystic Domain of mighty, Demonic Taarquion. For a vampire to wander beyond those mysterious, protected lands in these unsettled, perilous times would be tantamount to a Death Sentence. For all of her undead kind that have sided with their Queen, CURSED SOUL, have been declared Traitors by the Lawful, rightful ruler of all evil in the Realm Of Wolves - Cerberus, The Black Queen.
And as such, mighty Cerberus has given her unholy blessing, to a War of virtual extermination being waged now throughout this Realm. Fell Orders, bestowed upon one of her most faithful, powerful Evil Champions. Is this an order of Unholy Mark? Indeed it is. And given to the Ancient Dire, Wolfsbane. The Alpha Leader of what is most surely the strongest pack of wolves within the Realm Of Wolves.

EVIL WIND............

Sworn to destroy all of the disloyal/traitorous Vampire Kind that refused to accept Cerberus as their lawful, rightful Queen, Wolfsbane is actually, merely playing his own, evil game of Predator and Prey. This Wind Rider knows all to well, after all, how the newly ascendant Vampires have begun to prey upon and impact the living populations of wolves within the Realm.
Their nocturnal, vampiric predations coming much too close, to the reality of his own Wind Rider cursed existence......... Vampiric competition against Wind Riders, for the living prey of this Realm? A situation that was quickly deemed intolerable!

And it was, on that fateful night, against an ominous backdrop of hunted, evil certainty in this terrible War, that the little Vampire made her decision. She was no longer content to remain inside the borders of Taarquion. The surety of safety had become stifling, as time, and the long siege of these demonic, impassable borders by the irascible Dire Wolves of Evil Wind wore inevitably on. She wanted freedom! To taste the winds and see the Realm she had so long been denied. And so, with furtive glances at first, then skulking strides, followed by an all-out run at the last to avoid being stopped by her protective, undead brethren......... She passes across the Border Lands of mighty, impassable Taarquion.

And enters alone, into the Realm Of Wolves.

And in doing this seemingly simple, innocent act? Had all by herself, started the biggest, most vicious battle in the long-running, Terrible War, of Evil Wind versus Vampire Kind........

[Wolfsbane]

~ WIND SPIRIT'S GAMBIT ~

And so the little vampire, Slade, crosses the impenetrable border lands of Taarquion. A vampire that was turned in her early adolescence, she had been condemned by this unholy event, to live in unchanging, undead eternity as barely larger in size, than a Dire pup. A cruel fate in itself, but she is still quite young in actual age, and these things do not yet bother her.... After all, not many months of time have actually elapsed since her transformation into a vampire. Hackles up, and gazing about in wide-eyed, fearful wonder, she does not quite know what to expect with her hasty departure from Taarquion. Will she be viciously attacked by Evil Wind? Has she risked certain doom, with this rash, possibly very stupid act?
In fact, for long moments nothing does, in fact, happen. And her paws take her in steady progress further and further from the refuge and safety of those Demonic Lands. That is NOT to say that her departure from Taarquion lands has gone unnoticed, however. Oh no..... Quite the contrary!
And a fell creature indeed, is quite closely following this vampires every movement. Stalked not by the fur and fangs of another Lupine being, she is being closely observed by a wily, unpredictable creature of purest Chaos that flows and skulks from the darkness of shadow and into the dark and secret places of this Realm.

A Wind Spirit.

Dispatched from Legion, with orders to patrol and guard the perimeter of Taarquion, this Wind Spirit reports this interesting, unexpected new development to a waiting Dark Master. Will an attack be launched at once? The surety of destruction rained down upon this impertinent, little vampire? And, surprisingly enough, the answer is 'NO.......' For now, it must only Watch, Wait, and Report.

This was a curious order, possibly in a war of virtual extermination. Or was it? Events that had transpired thus far in the war, will possibly help to explain this tactical decision. Despite near endless patrols and 'shows of force' by Evil Wind, the Vampires had remained quite elusive. That is not to say that they had not acted, however. In fact, the early, small victories in this war, had all belonged to Vampire Kind. The War Leader of Evil Wind, ALASIA, had been cleverly ambushed, and was even then, imprisoned and facing a very doubtful fate. (She was killed). The Black Queens own emissary, SAREN RAIVENBLADE had turned traitor, and betrayed their cause to the mysterious Blood Spawn, XANTHIS. Vampire Kind had even managed to form a temporary truce with Dire Wolf rivals to mighty Evil Wind in the Realm, by enlisting the aid of these small Dire packs, to carry out a vicious assassination attempt upon yet another hapless Evil Wind member, WIND FLAME. (This gravely wounded, Dire female warrior soon ceases to exist, and is re-born much later, as the mysterious and quite powerful Wind Rider, TRINITY.....)

Despite these setbacks, Evil Wind remained a powerful, coherent force in the Realm. An elite pack of seasoned warriors, they continue to wait only for the opportunity to fight a pitched battle against their Vampire foes. And with this little vampire that had somehow been delivered practically into their slavering jaws? This did appear indeed, to be a quite interesting, newfound opportunity....

Orders are given, Evil Wind begins to mass for attack, and the readiness for battle begins in the pack. And so, with taunts and threats at first, then with ever-increasing, more aggressive progress, the WILD WIND begins to torment the little vampire. Pushing her, in subtle, goading fashion, to an open clearing in this dense forest. To a small, open meadow, almost within view of nearby Taarquion. Sensing the nearness of possible safety, Slade attempts to bolt in terror, but is cruelly struck down by this remorseless Wind Spirit. A cat with a mouse? Possibly...... But in this case, the torture being used in such exquisite fashion upon the little Vampire, has a larger, more important reason. She is quite simply being used - as BAIT.

A terrified, struggling, screaming prize in this Wind Spirit Gambit, to entice and lure unwary Vampire allies out of the safety of inviolable Taarquion?

"Ohhhhh Yesssssssss.............."

[Wolfsbane]

~ EVIL WIND, CALL TO BATTLE ~

With these actions begun, a small army begins to assemble in earnest,

- "The Call To Arms...."
- "Muster On Station....."
- "Stand And Deliver......"

All words and terms that have a significant, war-like context to those ready to receive them. Scrublands..... Outback? This is the borderlands area of the Lost Territory, Taarquion and Timber Falls. The dangerous, no-wolf lands of these powerful wolf packs within the Realm Of Wolves.
A deep, lush and green forest looms in the distance. But on this land, sage and scrubby thorn bushes hold sway, as the only possible life that can survive this close to a virtual, desert wasteland......

First in, is a single large, winged wolf that alights on this craggy, desolate landscape. Closely followed by an even larger, truly massive, wolven beast. Dust kicked up, with the sand and debris of these landings, is sent flying in a swirling, blinding storm around these two furred figures.
The gleaming, feral yellow of one set of eyes, becoming apparent, before the thudding paws of both, trod out of this dusty maelstrom, and stop to gaze at the distant forest. They circle and move, before settling in an uneasy manner. The dark, gun-metal grey, and soul-piercing eyes marking the smaller, winged figure as WOLFSBANE, Alpha male of Evil Wind and the DARK MASTER of all Wind Riders. The second, very large figure, is marked prominently with improbably bright, purple and black stripes, identifying this beast-like wolf as one of the now rare race of Wargs, of this Realm. This purple and black striped Warg is named SKEEZIX, and he is the self-appointed Shield Guardian of the Dire Alpha wolf.. Moments pass, and the warrior elite, of mighty Evil Wind arrive on these border lands.
Next to arrive, is a very small, winged Dire wolf. A female. The white of her fur, reflecting such a high state of sheen, that it gleams with a silvered hue. Bright fur, that is slashed in almost garish fashion with the stark, ebony black of stripes. This dimunitive Dire has been named LIGHTNING FLOW by Wolfsbane, as her true name she wishes to remain secret. Despite her own self-proclaimed title of 'Shock Tart', this is indeed a truly dangerous wolf - the fell, evil power in this one held back, only by the limitations of her own mind.
Close on the winged paws of this once-Alpha, is another Dire Wolf. She is also female, with flowing, white fur throughout.... And an improbable blue color, in the fur of paw tips. The soft, feathery texture of over-arching, black wings in such smooth, elegant harmony to the pure white of her fur. Eyes of glittering and beautiful, brilliant, startling blue...... This female Dire prefers to be called CLOUDLESS STORM. Unstable molecules in her body that allow her to temporarily 'phase' in and out of this dimension, offer this warrior awesome defensive - and attacking - advantages in battle.... There is a twisted, devious mind in this one though, that is such a study in conflict.
Is this vicious fighter, the actual Pup Sitter of Evil Wind? Yes!
But this blood-thirsty Dire is indeed happiest with crimson tinted fangs, and the weight of a Dire Pack around her in the death-dealing, dreaded, pushing, heaving, scrabbling mass of an Evil Wind,

Pile........

And then there is ARWEN....... Arrival of this massive, female Warg and the smaller Dire wolves give way in grudging, resentful fashion to her size and the stinging, eye slitting, wind borne effect of her arrival – upon these dusty, dry lands. A truly massive creature, this female Warg is a true Warrior Borne, and is given a wide, respectful birth by the Dire who have preceded her. All save the Ancient Dire, Wolfsbane, who greets her with the enthusiasm and cheerfulness of their shared heritage.

- Another BATTLE? Bring It!!! -

And yet another wolf, of certain size himself, is truly glad to see this improbably sized, intimidating Warg female, and quietly moves to press the purple and black fur of his muzzle, softly against the brilliant hues of her own. That is, the other Warg of this gathering Skeezix. He knows, as a healer, the spark of growing life now within this mighty Warrioress. And, anxiously awaits the final end to this war, and the pending arrival of Warg pups.
Skeezix is, after all, the father of those unborn pups....

And then there is SHINNY..... A Dire Wolf who is indeed, much changed since her original beginnings. This is a 'WIND RIDER', after all. Marked by her own, feral glint shown in gleaming, soul-piercing eyes, and the swirling, whispering menace of 'ENJIROU,' that is noted as a Wind Spirit's mist coiling restlessly at her paws. This member of Evil Wind, stands apart from the rest, in haughty, powerful splendor. A solemn 'nod' to the Dark Master, that is returned in kind, and she awaits further orders.

Moments pass, and two more Dire Wolves quietly enter this gathering
tableau. They are HEX and VICIOUS.... Twins? Perhaps. They are the
mysterious 'Stealth' woves of this Realm. Unseen by all save Wind
Riders, they have appeared in readiness to answer this CALL To Battle......

And lastly, two more winged figures wheel in to this gathering from a dark and ominously clouded, moonless, night sky. The larger wolf is female. Her fur has gone a dull white, with now grey patches throughout, and has a muzzle that is gone over completely to the grizzled, grey dullness of extreme age. Once this curiously made Dire, Demon and Angelic wolf 'hybrid', shone in a display of silvery, sleek brilliance. More than living up to her self-proclaimed title of SILVER THUNDER. Now, it seems the effects of her breeding have caught up to her with a definite vengeance. The high cost in payment for her powers, reflected in an accelerated aging process upon her body. Golden eyes glitter with excitement however, as this old warrior is once again, more than ready to answer this call to battle. At her happiest when the dangerous questions of her own existence are put at bay, if only temporarily, and she is free to stand and fight alongside her pack mates, against yet another foe, foolish enough to challenge Evil Wind in battle.......
Not so steadfast, is the smaller, very dark male that has seemingly melted into the shadow of the larger female. His name is TAI DEMON, and he has accompanied his mother on this outing. A bit fearful of being declared underage by the cold, calculating glare of the hulking Alpha, he hangs back a bit, not wanting to attract undue attention to himself. He needn't have worried, Wolfsbane has indeed noted the arrival of this little warrior, and has silently detemined his suitability to go into battle with Evil Wind. That's NOT to say he won't let the little fellow 'stew a bit' in his 'own juices', before finally reassuring him of his rightful place with the pack!

The pieces are set, and the time for battle looms close. With a low, and thudding,
'groooooowllllllll..........'
the Ancient Dire shakes himself with a wiry briskness, then pads forward to address his troops.......

[Wolfsbane]

~ SETTING THE TRAP ~

A short distance away, in secure Taarquion, events are occurring there of a very different nature. The initial surprise and consternation of Slade’s disappearance, has been all too quickly replaced by an uncertain dread, then a growing anger, as the sounds of her torturous fate begins to reach sensitive, vampiric ears. Slade, in all her newly made youthfulness, and very small size, was the closest thing any of these undead creatures had in their own ranks, approximating the ‘real wolf-pack’ conditions of having and raising pups.

And, with a wistfulness that only the Living Dead could truly understand..... Indeed, they so adored the normalcy and conditions of a once mortal existence, now denied them. Treasured memories, that weren’t so far away perhaps, when looking fondly upon their own pup-sized, once-Dire.....

In a panic now, the lead female, DUSK is set to charge out immediately to rescue the shrieking, terrified Slade. She is held back only by the stronger, more rational influence of DARK PAWS, the very strong and robust, male Alpha leader of this newly formed Vampire Pack, DARKNESS FALLS. Arrival of yet another of their number, SANGUIS to the Taarquion border, and he orders this female back, to retrieve everyone in the pack.

Decision made, both Dark Paws and Dusk next head out at a dead run to rescue little Slade. They are shortly joined after passing through the Taarquion border, by the male vampire, CROSS. The trio streaking out overland as fast as their paws can take them, to the rolling hills and dark, dense tree line looming in the distance. Curiously enough, all of these wolves were winged, yet hugged the ground very close in their running progress. Not long ago in this war, in sharp losses to their own kind, they had painfully been taught the folly of using the air for flight, if a Wind Spirit was suspected of being in the vicinity.....

Running was slower, but offered a much greater amount of safety for Vampire Kind when traveling. An uncertain risk minimized, when they each, secretly suspected that this was going to be a very unpleasant - fateful - evening indeed, for all of them?

[i][color=blue]â€

[Wolfsbane]

~ BLACK QUEEN's ARRIVAL ~

Powerful strides forward, and Wolfsbane plants himself firmly in the middle of gathered Evil Wind. A smile plays around his lips. So, with a mischievous glint in his eye, and after a broad, theatrical ‘wink’ at little Tai Demon he begins,

“Welcome All – to ‘Pup Rollie’ practice! Unfortunately, it seems the designated practice pup, is a little too big to do any ‘Pup Rollie’ practice with. So...... Since we’re here anyway?â€

[Wolfsbane]

~ INTO THE TRAP ~

Meanwhile........

Many things were happening in simultaneous fashion with Vampirekind. The fact that Slade had since, shortly stopped screaming only pushed Dusk, Dark Paws and Cross to even faster speeds. Breaking at last, through dense forest, to the forest clearing, they are met ominously by the sight of Slade, motionless, on her side. Not noticed, is the fact that now, not one, but seemingly HUNDREDS of dark, winding Wind Spirits coil and weave in restless fashion around her very still form......
Throwing caution ‘to the winds’, and with hackles up and overlong fangs bared, they all charge in, intent on simply grabbing the little female vampire, and dashing away to safety. They are ready for anything! And certainly ready to destroy any Dire who would dare to try and stop them!
Unknown to them, there are NO Dire waiting for them. Only a trap! And with the rescuing trio’s hurried approach to Slade, these waiting Wind Spirits move to flicker and billow around each running vampire in close fashion.
Spirits dangerous essence, that allows itself to be inhaled, by these now breathing hard vampires. The cloying, narcotic effects of the inhaled essence, rendering them senseless almost immediately – so that they too add their own fallen, very still forms to little Slade’s in that forest clearing.......
In Taarquion, Sanguis had indeed been busy, and successful in rousing all of Vampirekind to respond. First to dash across the border, in hot pursuit of the leading Alpha and his two followers are the vampires BLOOD ROSE, LETHAL FANG, and three others, whose names have unfortunately since been lost to antiquity. In a blinding blur of speed, they all five dash headlong across the borderlands, in a powerful warrior mass to the awaiting forest.
Where a multitude of now THOUSANDS of Wind Spirits had descended in gathering, waiting power. Their own excited, whispering chants building up in an ominous, tumultuous, crescendo:

’Closer little ones…. Almost there! Oh yessssss, here it comes! Here it comes!!
HERE IT COMES!!!!
HERE IT COMES!!!!!!!!!!!!'
===============================================

'The final death at last, for ALL of you - now awaits........'

[Wolfsbane]

~ The Bane Of Wolves I ~

Evil Wind Gathering......

He KNEW, what was now transpiring in that forest clearing.
Was, even then counting the numbers of Vampire Kind that had left Taarquion in their little ‘rescue’ of Slade.
And knew - there was one that was NOT there for this event. Another Queen? Yes.... That had NOT arrived!
This was, after all – HER show, he had planned.....
And, as with all things? Timing, coordination and ultimately – the WILL to win? Will prevail.
And so, with a deep *sigh* of resignation.....
One met ultimately by puzzled looks in Evil Wind, he snaps next orders:

"Shinny! You will brace up the far side of that forest. Hex and Vicious – accompany Shinny. You are up for this, and I will accept nothing less than the DEATH of all you face this evening!
Let NOTHING leave Taarquion, and allow NOTHING to leave the back side of that forest........ Alive."

Another moment to receive their voiced acceptance of these orders, and he watches, as this dangerous trio bounds and flies off into the night sky. A moment met with the flickering ‘crack!!’ of lightning across this ominous, black sky, followed by the resounding crash of thunder, and his ears flatten for a moment. Then, turning back to Cerberus, he speaks these next words:

“My Queen....... Events are upon us now, and Battle has come at last in this war!â€

[Wolfsbane]

~ The Bane Of Wolves II ~

And the Winds gathered……..

In they come. The shrieking, whispering, tumult that was an assembled, gathered, LEGION.
CALLED, in undeniable fashion by a Dark Master…. they are summoned to his bidding in countless numbers.

The howling, thunderous, fur flattening approach of this….. Assembled CHAOS, a stark counterpoint to last spoken words for his Black Queen.
Never had the gathered wolves of Evil Wind seen this sort of power before in their Alpha. And, if there was to be any questions? Answers sought to explain this of their old leader? They were NOT going to be forthcoming now…… The thundering force of these winds was implacable. There was no respite, no let up! Just the howling, awful menace of this wind-borne power upon all present.

And with an answering, roaring howl of an awful ‘SHRRIIIIEEEEEKKK!!!!!!!’ of his own, to these assembled winds, long, overarching black wings unfurl from his back with a snapping ‘Crack!!’ and he is carried aloft on this power. Rising into a black, night sky, now rent with the ominous lightning and thunder of an impending storm.

ALL OR NOTHING?

[i][color=blue]â€

[Wolfsbane]

~HELL ON EARTH~

There was no time......... no last moments to plan, consider or plot. All gone. Like the dwindling grains found tumbling within the hourglass - time had simply run out.
The battle had come........
All announced by the tremendously sharp ‘Crack!’ of a fiery explosive detonation in that forest. And the next events of painful tableau.......

SANGUIS........ There were NO more Vampires to call from Taarquion. Her last desperate sweep had failed to find SLAIN....... So, she launches to the sky to catch Lethal Fang and Blood Rose, in their running pursuit with three others of the pack to find Slade. Head cocking inquisitively, she puzzles over and notes the sudden eruption of an unexpected Crimson Sky, and superheated winds slam into her before she has barely passed the borderlands of Taarquion. Flung violently back, in burning, meteoric fashion back to Taarquion – this Vampire never fully recovers from awful, burning wounds received that fateful night. Horribly disfigured, and scarred beyond belief, she takes her own life in later years, rather than face the agonizing pain of what those never healing, terrible injuries have left her......
- For now? She lives..... -

BLOOD ROSE AND LETHAL FANG........ Caught in the forest. Those two and three others are surrounded by what amounts to an intense, High Order Detonation. The supersonic, driven shrapnel of blasted trees – superheated winds – and the explosive velocity of this detonation, leave little. What emerges from this exploded forest in crawling, maimed fashion is dispatched in ease by Shinny, Hex and Vicious.
- It is an Act of Pity, by these Dire. Final Mercy given to fellow warriors, on a field of battle? -
SLADE, DUSK, DARK PAWS and CROSS......... Unconscious, with their tormenting Wind Spirits narcotic departure, they awake to a nightmare of burning, hellish reality. Surrounding them is a forest ablaze, in a virtual, impenetrable RING of fiery DEATH. Unknowing, they have NO idea why their once-sensitive ears can no longer hear sounds. A detonation, so close – has ruptured those delicate, tympanic membranes needed to process air vibrations into recognizable sound waves. They have all been spared? But, indeed, do not know it.........
The sky above is rent with the crazed, criss-cross of heat lightning – and the flitting shapes of many........ MANY.....
black, and very ominous wings.
-
DEATH is coming for you, Vampires.

’Oh Yesssssssss................’

[Wolfsbane]

~ THE DEATH OF VAMPIRE KIND ~

And that night, the pack of Vampires that had come forth out of Taarquion, were quite simply.... destroyed. In truth, they never stood a chance.
They fought bravely, but in piecemeal fashion. And, with no organized tactics and strategy, the disciplined, Warrior-Dire veterans of Evil Wind just simply cut them to pieces.
First to die was Dusk, slammed down by Skeezix and then immediately ripped apart by Tai Demon and Silver Thunder. Almost simultaneously, Dark Paws faces a similar fate, as Cloudless Storm, Arwen and Wolfsbane tear her to pieces.
Cross hangs in a bit longer, and for a moment confuses all of these vengeful warriors, with a dazzling display of speed and slashing attacks. The ring of raging, crackling fire, in the surrounding forest limits his mobility however, and even he, is eventually cut down.....
But, a curious thing happens as these vampires are destroyed by Evil Wind. They launch at Wolfsbane alone with a savage, reckless ferocity, that is as brave as it is ultimately foolish. But, the Ancient Dire has always lead his troops from the front. Never shirking, or skulking from any foe that Evil Wind had ever faced.
A choice that has cost him painfully in the past quite dearly, and now sees him paying horribly with his own flesh, blood and even bone this night of battle. Dusk scores the first real damage. Buried under the weight of a growing, Evil Wind Pile, the hind claws of this desperate vampire hook-in, then tear the flesh from the flank of the Dire Wind Rider, in a long, slicing gash. The rib bones on the Alpha, were actually laid bare and exposed with that attack.......
Next, Wolfsbane is subjected to a mangled front paw, as Dark Paws clamps down hard onto that paw with her fangs. Pulled from the Alpha by Arwen, the female vampire hangs on in determined, gritty fashion. She refused to defend herself, when a piece of the hated Wind Rider was in her jaws. As Darkened Paws dies, bones snap, and flesh parts from that tortured paw, leaving the Dire with a bleeding piece of dangling, useless meat for a forepaw......
Last is Cross. Cutting and slashing his way through the ranks of Evil Wind, this vampire’s attacks are initially superficial, annoying things….. Until an opening is seen by this desperate vampire to attack the Alpha, that is. Launching in, with a bold, frontal attack at the very throat of the massive Dire, he misses his intended throat target, but rips fangs in a long, slicing gash from the side of the Wind Rider’s face and up, past his ear. The result is a ghastly wound, that cuts and tears furred flesh back from his fanged jowels. Exposing even more bone in gleaming fashion on the hapless, wounded wolf, and leaving an ear dangling from remaining flesh.
For unlike the ‘Living’ beings of this Realm, the Undead Vampires promise no sustenance or healing power to a killing, victorious Wind Rider. Soulless things, that prey on the life of others themselves, they are powerful beings in their own right – but have almost no soul for a Wind Rider to feed – or more importantly – HEAL, from.
Sacrificing himself to score this one, terrible wound on the Alpha, Cross is vulnerable for a moment, then yanked off of Wolfsbane by his ‘Shield Guardian’, Skeezix, and is soon lost under the crushing, awful weight of an Evil Wind Pile.
Sparing not a backward glance at the last of his dying tormentors, the Ancient Dire then turns toward the little Vampire, who had precipitated the entire battle. Swiveling those burning, terrible eyes on the huddled, terrified figure, that crouches as low and inconspicuous as possible, off to the side.

......... SLADE............

Limping painfully forward, the mind of this Dire Wolf is a burning misery of riotous pain. But with supreme effort, he whispers in quiet, urgent, but hopefully calming fashion to the little vampire, through gritted teeth.

“Shhhhhhhhhhh...... Little One. It’s going to be okay now. I’m going to help you, but you must stop! Easy there, my brave little girl. Everything is going to be just fine, Slade.â€

[Wolfsbane]

~ DEATH AND TERROR ~

At first, everything had gone so well for Slade. She had not been caught in her escape from Taarquion! And had finally breathed easier with a bit of hope, that she might be free at last.
Then had come the Wind Spirit. An awful thing, it hadn’t let her run free! Had even denied her the chance to run back to Taarquion and face the punishment from the others of her pack, that was sure to come for being so naughty.....
And in terror and confusion, she had cried for any of her kind to help her, to save her from this hateful, awful spirit thing that would not let her be.....
But then, in merciful fashion, everything had faded away for a bit. And without knowing it, she had lain unconscious while events unfurled around her.
First stricken, and breathing more of the toxic, Wind Spirit vapor than the others, she had been the last to awaken, as well.
And had at last emerged into a living, terrible reality of scorching flames, the anguished cries of her dying brethren and lastly......
The hulking shape of purest Terror and Nightmare, that looms and approaches.

Ears back against her skull, and with blue eyes open in impossibly wide fashion, she sees a ghastly, bloody, Engine of DEATH that is at last coming, now.......

FOR HER!!!!!

Oh no...... The Wolfsbane.
How this awful wolf could even be still ALIVE, after being hacked and cut with all those terrible, bleeding wounds was beyond her understanding.
But, as he whispers those words out of that bloody gashed, and leering, skull-like face, she hesitates for just a moment. Her paws stopping backward progress, as his words wash across her in unexpected fashion.
Calm? Soothing...... the words a father would possibly speak to one of his pups, perhaps?
And for just a second, she stops.
Considers what he says........
And then, in awful damning fashion, Cross is killed terribly before her eyes. As behind the looming Wolfsbane in this moment, under a growing, Evil Wind PILE of Death, Cross is quite literally blasted into pieces with the terrific thunder blast, of an electrical detonation!
This was all WAY too much for the little vampire. And, with a screamed, “NOOOO!!! You're a liar - you're killing everyone! I hate you, stay away from me!!!â€

[Wolfsbane]

~ EVENTS SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL ~

It had been so easy..... Yet another Victory, for mighty, invincible Evil Wind? A classic battle maneuver, executed with military precision:
- Fire Power
- Followed up by Assault
- Concentration of Forces
- Envelopment with Elimination of the Enemy

Everything had gone Right. Yet, like the turning of a wind, or the smile of fickle Fate - things began to go so very WRONG.......


The clawing, scrabbling tearing and awful Reality of a killing, Evil Wind Pile. Buried now under those churning paws, and the roiling mass of Dire Wolves, was the last vampire, Cross. Had he already, ‘expired’? Breathed his last, under the clawing, biting scrabbling mass of those vengeful wolves? Perhaps...... But, such details were of no real matter, in this case. Because for Evil Wind, The Pile was never truly over, until the foe, (victim, actually) had been completely ripped apart.
And so it was, that Cloudless Storm, Skeezix, Silver Thunder and even little Tai Demon now tore, clawed and pulled at the bloody hunk of furred meat, that was once Cross. Seeing this, the little Dire Femme, Lightning Flow, at last decides to enter the fray. And so with little fanfare, and an elegant flutter of gossamer, black wings, she settles right down onto the very top of this Pile of Death. A moment of shifting balance, and her own excitement and fury mounts by the second, as she hooks foreclaws into bloodied fur, and buries lancing fangs, deep into the tortured flesh beneath her. A curious thing happens in this moment, though. Both Skeezix and Cloudless Storm note the first warning crackles of visible, static, electrical charge beginning to build up in the dimunitive little Dire. Cloudless Storm instantly ‘phases’ the unstable molecules of her body in this moment, as Skeezix scoops up Tai Demon, who had been grimly hanging onto the tail of Cross, and launches the little wolf to safety in a sailing arc away from the Pile. There is no time for any other actions though, as Lightning Flow discharges built up electrical current into Cross at that moment, with the sizzling, blistering ‘CRRRAAAAACCCKKK!!!!’ of electrical detonation!
A terrible sight, as the wolves once comprising the Pile, and actual bloody pieces and fiery chunks of ‘Once-Cross’, are blown every which way with this detonation.
Cross is no more....... And as the flung Dire wolves slowly rise up to their paws, all of them in this moment, look in bewildered fashion at one another.
All save one..........
As Skeezix, his fur still smoking and smoldering from the effects of that electrical blast, notes that Silver Thunder still hadn’t moved, and now lays very quiet. Very still....... Padding shakily over, and carefully nudging her with his muzzle, he discovers her heart has gone quiet, and beats no more, in the grizzled old femme.
Evil Wind has lost it’s first wolf in this battle,
-
- 'FRIENDLY FIRE......' ISN'T. -
-
As for Wolfsbane? He sees only the flames which have begun to burn and smolder through the fur of little Slade, that had backed away from him in terror at this moment. She was doomed! And, will be consumed by those flames if he doesn’t act FAST to save her! Too much was at stake..... Her loss would be intolerable, as she had become far too valuable to his carefully crafted plans, to simply watch her die! Leaping forward, the scorching flames now licking in eager hungry fashion now at his OWN flesh and fur, he scoops Slade up with his good paw, snaps wings out and down, and launches into the night sky with a bounding leap.
A wrenching heave with his forepaw, and he simply throws the now burning Slade up and over, and in a tumbling settle to his broad back. Gritting teeth, and pulling furiously at air with straining, now burning wings in a desperate bid for altitude...... and speed.

[Wolfsbane]

~ FIRE AND CLAWS ~

Backing away from the ghastly nightmare that loomed before her, Slade has completely panicked and lost track of where she is. And, most importantly, just how close she had strayed to the crackling, burning flames of wildfire that raged in the dying forest around this meadow.
At first, she barely notes the fire which touched upon her fur, and began heating her backside. Then the flesh of her tail and back began to heat up. The skin beneath that fur, becoming exposed directly to those flames, as the fur was burnt away.
And with a ‘Yipped!’ cry of shocked pain, she whirls around to try and bite at the thing which had attacked her back and tail so viciously. And thrusts her muzzle full into the flames which were spreading all around her now......
Now that? HURT!!!!!!!!!!

Next moment, she is ripped loose from the burning flames and thrown down hard onto a marginally cooler surface. A look over and the ground is rushing away from below her at a frightening pace, and she instinctively grips down reflexively into the matted surface below her to desperately hang on.
The fire which seemed to have abated somewhat, begins once again to flicker up and around her in eager hungry fashion, as actual wings on either side of her begin to alight as well. In horror now of burning alive, and fearful of falling off into the burning conflagration below, she lances claws down even further, with a desperate clinch of vampire fueled strength. Cutting flesh, muscle and even tendon with those unopposed claws, along both sides of the spine of the badly wounded ‘savior’ struggling terribly below her..........

[Wolfsbane]

~ HITTING THE FALLS ~

Long, black wings beat the darkness of night air in furious fashion, as the Ancient Dire climbs desperately for altitude. The first droplets of actual rain hitting his face, are dismissed as much too little, and arriving much too late to help in this desperate situation.
He knew, that the blood of vampires was unstable, and quite incendiary in nature. Once lit completely by fire, the flames would be almost impossible to extinguish, and little Slade would face her doom, in a flare of scorching, incandescent brilliance.
He needed water to cool her overheated blood down. Lots of it. And he needed it NOW.
And this close to Timber Falls, Wolfsbane knew exactly where he would have to go, in getting that water.
But then, once again..... Ever Fickle Fate, does not reward his efforts. The little vampire pup, perched on his back went into a hysterical fury of pain, fear and madness, as those flames began to actually consume her flesh.
And with that, she begins to hurt this Dire Alpha in the absolute worst, possible way. Those tiny lancing, now frenzied claws of hers, burrowing deeper and ever deeper into the musculature of his back. Parting the flesh, straining muscle underneath, and even severing taut, hard pulling tendons. All of it involved in the inner, delicate workings connected to the actual bone of those struggling, now burning wings!
And like over-taut piano wire, the delicate 'strings' needed to orchestrate this symphony of flight for this straining Dire Wolf, are severed one by one. First impairing progress, by initially slowing their climb for precious altitude away from the fires, raging below. Then next, making the very act of flight an impossibility, as the muscle needed to pull and work those straining wings is lost.
Forced to attempt some sort of glide, he grittily hangs on, locking wings out as best he can, to try and reach Timber Falls.
The faint glimmer of the promised water is seen, as evident in the winding progress of the Pawnee River, then the white and silver cascade of the Falls themselves. Also noted, in bleery fashion before his eyes, is the dense grove of a tree line surrounding this water that comes up faster, and ever more faster below them.
Till, at the last second, the burning, barely gliding Dire Wolf, with his now fully on-fire vampire passenger, slam hard into a tree top, bordering the Falls! Fortunately, the tree snaps and gives way before this hurtling onslaught, sending both wolves into a fiery, out-of-control tumble, straight to the icy pool below the Falls.

- IMPACT!!!!!!!!!!! -

Realized in the slamming, 40 foot geyser of water raised by this massive creature, upon hitting that water!
Waves crash onto the gravel lined banks of the waterfall pool. Immediately followed by now-burning chunks of splintered tree limbs, cones and pine needles, that rain down in a trail of sparks and flame, to make a splashing patter onto the waters surface.
-
-
Then, an eery, relative peace. The tumbling waterfall, with the droplets of falling rain that now fall in a heavy, tapping sheet of drops to the water's surface, the only sounds heard.............

[Wolfsbane]

~ DEATH? IS A VAMPIRE QUEEN ~

The first living movement in those black, roiling waters is the little head of Slade, that emerges with a deep *gasp!!!* of indrawn breath, then a determined paddle to the shoreline. Reaching the rocky bank, she hauls herself out of the water, then pads shakily over to dense, beckoning grass. The rain was really beginning to fall now, and she ‘shakes’ her black coat vigorously, gritting her teeth as the pain of burnt flesh is realized in this movement.
Then her muzzle wrinkles in acknowledgment of a strong, familiar smell. The wafting odor of death and decay, that carries the fell, promised certainty for the end of all life, has reached that sensitive, little nose. Unmistakable.
The smell of Vampire Kind........
Crouched perfectly still, and barely daring to breathe, her eyes widen at the sight of an impossibly large, winged wolf that had seemed to materialize out of the air itself.
The outline is blurred in heavy rainfall, but there is NO mistaking this dreaded figure that pads in completely silent, hunting fashion to the edge of that waterfalls pool, then slowly wades in.

......CURSED SOUL.........

The Queen of The Damned, had arrived at last..........