Blackstone
A simple writer
Dungeon Master
Inner Sanctum Nobility
♔ Champion ♔
Cole calmed down a bit as he drove and allowed human logic to take a hold rather than the beast making an instinctive reaction. The GPS tracker was for whoever wanted to kidnap Satine to track her and her friends to their campsite. It was not planted for the bad guys to attack them on the road, nor try a broad daylight kidnapping. The group was behind this, Cole did not believe it was human. While he had not been there when the attempt was made to kidnap Satine, he did detect the same foul stench he noticed around the vehicle. The someone who tried before was human, and something told Cole these new players would not make the same mistake.
He doubled checked the phone to make sure no detours or long stops were made. After all it would not be the first time a radiator or tire blew during a road trip, or a long stop at a gas station. He wanted to arrive after they did so he could track Satine on the ground. It was likely the same action of whoever it was hanging about. However he had an advantage as he would be able to scent them almost a mile away. There was uncertainty there, but he was sure they wanted her alive in some way. He would find her, and if necessary, save her.
It took him an near seven hours to get to where they were going, to the Great Smoky Mountains, a subrange the Appalachian Mountain chain which ran between the North Carolina and Tennessee border. They were old mountains, not very high range, the maximum height on the range just above six thousand feet. They did have some gorgeous scenery and the hiking trails among them were said to be first rate. He could well see the appeal to Satine and her friends to come up here.
He found their SUV and circled about the parking lot to be sure they were not about. There was about a good four hours till sunset. It would take them no more than an hour to set up camp. It all depended on how late a meal they wanted and how early a start. In this area of the country, sunrise was reliably near six in the morning. He did not see them starting too much earlier. Sunset was close to eight forty-five in the evening . So around seven in the evening was around when they likely would be setting up camp.
He got a good scent of the engine. The smell of heated oil was still strong so they had not been here more than an hour. Cole laid out the map Satine had given her and ran his fingers along the trail. Figuring about fifteen minutes to a mile he found a likely spot they were shooting for, a camp ground set aside for hikers. If he pushed himself he could be in place right around sunset. He did not know exactly when it would happen, but nighttime was the best bet. He set his anti-theft device on his cycle, and started to jog.
He could tell he was getting close with how much stronger her scent was getting. So far there had been no surprises. He hoped it would continue to be the case. He stopped about half mile out from the camp ground and moved himself into trees. There he stripped down completely. He had a lot of time to think about the approach and his pure wolf form. It was the size of a large timber wolf, rare in this part of the country, but not so much to bring increased scrutiny like his man-wolf form would. He waited till after the sun had set, to where blackness cloaked everything, then made the Change.
It was easy this time, the night of the new moon. His theory behind it was to allow him to hunt, so he would not be debilitated by hunger to send him into a frenzied rage. His issues had been when he was hungry and shifted during the full moon. As always during the new moon the primal instincts were heavy on his mind, almost impossible to ignore. He could smell fresh game. No deer yet, his preferred meal, but enough rabbit warrens to sate him for a night. By sure will he pulled himself from his growing stomach and too the task at hand. He moved upwind of the camp, and put his nose to the air. He was hit by two scents at once. Satine's, and the foul, almost sulfurous scent from before. No!
Cole ran as fast as he could, he could hear cries in the night air, the growl of some creature which made his hackles rise even more. Then something happened to Cole, something he never encountered before. His form shifted and changed before in the time it took him from one bounding leap to the next. At the start of the leap, he was the size of a large timber wolf. The next, he was larger, much larger, the size of a hybrid sedan/SUV bigger. He also moved faster, and covered distance in the blink of an eye.
There was the group, the three men putting themselves between Satine and the creature before them which looked like some large, furless mastiff with baleful glowing eyes. One of the guys, Eric, Cole thought, had up a burning log, and was waving it before them. The fact this thing did not scare off at the sight of fire told Cole enough and there was a malevolent intelligence behind those baleful, burning eyes. Without a second thought, Cole leaped in a blur, snarling at the same time as he barreled into the creature.
To those who were watching it was as if two vicious animals were going at one another, almost faster than the eye could see. Cole howled when the creature sank its claws into his side, scoring all the way down his ribs. It was the first time he had felt pain, real and true physical pain. He returned it by putting his teeth into the creatures back and biting. He almost gagged and recoiled at the taste. He hesitated for a moment, and it was all the creature needed. The thing stood its ground for a moment and the air shimmered in Cole's eyes. This was no normal creature, but it also was not like Cole. It was not a werewolf, at least he thought it was not. Instead it was something twisted, corrupted, and wholly evil by every definition he knew.
It bounded away, bleeding heavily. It eyed Cole who stood between it and the group. It decided a fair fight was not worth it and soon was rushing off into the distance. He wanted to chase, but when he moved pain seared through him again. He was sure there were some ribs bruised, or worse, in addition to the gapping wounds. He whimpered lightly and began to circle about in a tight circle three times before laying down, literally licking his wounds. He could not Change, not on the night of the new moon, not till dawn crested the ridge. He was where he was, in this new large wolf form, till morning.
As Eric tried to approach, Cole growled, baring his teeth, unable to keep the beast in him from reacting to the men who were pressed so close to Satine. It would continue till she herself started to approach him. Only then did he put his head down and look up at her with his piercing eyes, Cole's eyes if she would notice. Again the thought of harm coming to her, of him causing her harm caused pain to lance through his mind to war with the pain on his side. He would allow her to close, and when she did he would nuzzle her, and lick at her hand with his tongue. Pain and sorrow and resignation filled his all too intelligent eyes. His secret was up, she would leave him, and it filled him with such heart wrenching sorrow. He lifted his head and gave out a howl of pure pain and mourning. She was safe at least. He took solace in the fact she was safe.
He doubled checked the phone to make sure no detours or long stops were made. After all it would not be the first time a radiator or tire blew during a road trip, or a long stop at a gas station. He wanted to arrive after they did so he could track Satine on the ground. It was likely the same action of whoever it was hanging about. However he had an advantage as he would be able to scent them almost a mile away. There was uncertainty there, but he was sure they wanted her alive in some way. He would find her, and if necessary, save her.
It took him an near seven hours to get to where they were going, to the Great Smoky Mountains, a subrange the Appalachian Mountain chain which ran between the North Carolina and Tennessee border. They were old mountains, not very high range, the maximum height on the range just above six thousand feet. They did have some gorgeous scenery and the hiking trails among them were said to be first rate. He could well see the appeal to Satine and her friends to come up here.
He found their SUV and circled about the parking lot to be sure they were not about. There was about a good four hours till sunset. It would take them no more than an hour to set up camp. It all depended on how late a meal they wanted and how early a start. In this area of the country, sunrise was reliably near six in the morning. He did not see them starting too much earlier. Sunset was close to eight forty-five in the evening . So around seven in the evening was around when they likely would be setting up camp.
He got a good scent of the engine. The smell of heated oil was still strong so they had not been here more than an hour. Cole laid out the map Satine had given her and ran his fingers along the trail. Figuring about fifteen minutes to a mile he found a likely spot they were shooting for, a camp ground set aside for hikers. If he pushed himself he could be in place right around sunset. He did not know exactly when it would happen, but nighttime was the best bet. He set his anti-theft device on his cycle, and started to jog.
He could tell he was getting close with how much stronger her scent was getting. So far there had been no surprises. He hoped it would continue to be the case. He stopped about half mile out from the camp ground and moved himself into trees. There he stripped down completely. He had a lot of time to think about the approach and his pure wolf form. It was the size of a large timber wolf, rare in this part of the country, but not so much to bring increased scrutiny like his man-wolf form would. He waited till after the sun had set, to where blackness cloaked everything, then made the Change.
It was easy this time, the night of the new moon. His theory behind it was to allow him to hunt, so he would not be debilitated by hunger to send him into a frenzied rage. His issues had been when he was hungry and shifted during the full moon. As always during the new moon the primal instincts were heavy on his mind, almost impossible to ignore. He could smell fresh game. No deer yet, his preferred meal, but enough rabbit warrens to sate him for a night. By sure will he pulled himself from his growing stomach and too the task at hand. He moved upwind of the camp, and put his nose to the air. He was hit by two scents at once. Satine's, and the foul, almost sulfurous scent from before. No!
Cole ran as fast as he could, he could hear cries in the night air, the growl of some creature which made his hackles rise even more. Then something happened to Cole, something he never encountered before. His form shifted and changed before in the time it took him from one bounding leap to the next. At the start of the leap, he was the size of a large timber wolf. The next, he was larger, much larger, the size of a hybrid sedan/SUV bigger. He also moved faster, and covered distance in the blink of an eye.
There was the group, the three men putting themselves between Satine and the creature before them which looked like some large, furless mastiff with baleful glowing eyes. One of the guys, Eric, Cole thought, had up a burning log, and was waving it before them. The fact this thing did not scare off at the sight of fire told Cole enough and there was a malevolent intelligence behind those baleful, burning eyes. Without a second thought, Cole leaped in a blur, snarling at the same time as he barreled into the creature.
To those who were watching it was as if two vicious animals were going at one another, almost faster than the eye could see. Cole howled when the creature sank its claws into his side, scoring all the way down his ribs. It was the first time he had felt pain, real and true physical pain. He returned it by putting his teeth into the creatures back and biting. He almost gagged and recoiled at the taste. He hesitated for a moment, and it was all the creature needed. The thing stood its ground for a moment and the air shimmered in Cole's eyes. This was no normal creature, but it also was not like Cole. It was not a werewolf, at least he thought it was not. Instead it was something twisted, corrupted, and wholly evil by every definition he knew.
It bounded away, bleeding heavily. It eyed Cole who stood between it and the group. It decided a fair fight was not worth it and soon was rushing off into the distance. He wanted to chase, but when he moved pain seared through him again. He was sure there were some ribs bruised, or worse, in addition to the gapping wounds. He whimpered lightly and began to circle about in a tight circle three times before laying down, literally licking his wounds. He could not Change, not on the night of the new moon, not till dawn crested the ridge. He was where he was, in this new large wolf form, till morning.
As Eric tried to approach, Cole growled, baring his teeth, unable to keep the beast in him from reacting to the men who were pressed so close to Satine. It would continue till she herself started to approach him. Only then did he put his head down and look up at her with his piercing eyes, Cole's eyes if she would notice. Again the thought of harm coming to her, of him causing her harm caused pain to lance through his mind to war with the pain on his side. He would allow her to close, and when she did he would nuzzle her, and lick at her hand with his tongue. Pain and sorrow and resignation filled his all too intelligent eyes. His secret was up, she would leave him, and it filled him with such heart wrenching sorrow. He lifted his head and gave out a howl of pure pain and mourning. She was safe at least. He took solace in the fact she was safe.
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