Wolfwind
Story by tobias2287 on SoFurry
And here's something else I've had half-finished for who knows how long. Thank Simple Plan for helping me finish this one. I'll think of a better description with the next part of it.
Spin, slash, parry to thrust. The motions were second nature to me now, twenty years later. Twenty years. Despite the weight of the thoughts in the fore of my mind my body continued uninterrupted; after so long such motions were no longer conscious choices but reflexive movements. I remembered the first time I picked up my blade; the day the war found me. I’d just been ‘turned’ as it was called then - turned into the half human, half canine warrior I was today. Gray fur, amber eyes, same height and build so lean and an inch on the short side; that was me. I was raw, scared, untested; they were skeptical of me even surviving a battle until I showed a flexibility and adaptiveness they lacked. Nobody could doubt my skills now though... Not after so many battles against what remained of humanity.
I never told them about the battles with my humanity. The struggle between who I was and who the war had forced me to become. The wolf in me was winning that battle, a bit more of my humanity lost forever with every human I kill. “Wolfric, we’ve got company!”
I snapped into combat mode, my body going loose and flexible as I saw about a dozen humans rushing towards us. I don’t know why, but I keyed in hard on a woman about my height and build with raven hair and fierce green eyes. I snarled at her and intercepted her low slash with the flat of my blade, twisting and sliding my blade to sweep hers away before my counterstrike sought her abdomen. She anticipated my strike though; she twisted away and brought her blade around in a looping upward slash I only just avoided. I growled and bared my teeth in a threatening, yet excited grin. I’d found a worthy opponent at last!
We dueled for the better part of an hour; long past when her companions had been captured or killed. We dueled until I let my elation and enjoyment get the better of me and I let my guard down, leading to her sweeping her blade crosswise into the flat of mine to open my guard and then ever so gracefully bring its razor tip to my throat.
My eyes widened, then a split-second later I realized she wasn’t going to kill me. I moved her blade aside with my left hand and laughed as I sheathed my own. “Fantastic, simply fantastic! Where did you learn swordplay on that level?”
She sheathed her blade and smiled. “From my father. He was part of an order of knights, trained the old way. I took it further though; I added martial arts training to my sword techniques.”
“Which would account for your unusually flexible fighting style. What’s your name?” My tail was swishing back and forth, something that prompted sniggers from my companions.
“Katrina. Hope I see you around, furball. Next time, I won’t go easy on you.” She started walking away before I could give her my name.
“You gonna wait for my name?”
She looked back and flashed me a feral grin, much like one from one of us. “Tell me when you win, furball.” She ran off before I could say anything in response, but I knew I’d see her again.
“Heh, looks like Kota found himself a girlfriend.” I saw several of my packmates laughing and drinking, congratulating themselves on another battle won. I, however, was consumed by thoughts of Katrina. I’d read old news reports and such, just out of curiosity, and she very much reminded me of the hurricane by the same name. I walked over to one of the prisoners the others had taken and lifted him to his feet.
“How long have you known Katrina?”
“Why, so you can hunt her down and kill her? Fat chance mutt.” The venom in his words was obvious, if not from his tone then his aggressive posture. Well, as aggressive as he could be with his hands tied.
“Relax. I have no interest in killing the only worthy opponent I’ve found in a decade; quite the opposite really.” I kept my body calm and relaxed, not letting his jibe bother me.
He gave me a confused look, reminiscent of a feral dog’s expression. “You were serious when you told her that?”
I laughed, a proper laugh that felt simply wonderful. “Yes, yes I was. I wouldn’t have dueled her for most of an hour otherwise; I’d have bested her and gone back to practicing.”
“Huh. Well then, to answer your question I’ve known her for about two months. She was a wanderer that we happened across and she kept close. Why?”
I gave him a feral grin with my ears tall and tail swishing. “Rematch. Any place you can think she’d go?”
He shook his head. “No, sorry. Can’t you track her scent?”
“Possibly. But I get the feeling it won’t be that easy.” That’s when I heard the thump. I ducked instinctively, dragging the human with me as an arrow thudded into the ground between our feet.
“What the hell?!” Then I saw the message tied to the shaft. I untied it and opened the message, finding a note from Katrina inside. When my pack gathered around I read it aloud.
“Hey pup, it’s Katrina. I know you’re looking for me, so I’ll give you a clue. I’m set up in the wolfiest place around. Drop in anytime, but just you. You have a swordswoman’s word, no tricks or traps. Until round two, Katie.”
I got a punch on the shoulder by my alpha, Salem. “Well Wolfie, looks like your girlfriend likes ya back. Any ideas where she’d be?”
I thought hard, but nothing came to me. There was nothing remotely close that related to wolves in any way. “Nah, not a clue.” Then it hit me - there was a museum of european cultures nearby, and my name had a Norse origin.
“Actually, I think I know exactly where she is.”