Cynetic Wolf
THE POUNCE

We made good progress considering how cold, dark, and snowy it was, covering four kilometers an hour as we hurried through my old stomping ground. I led the way, a mini lamp on my pack to guide the others.

Memories came flooding back.

The pond where I’d kissed Saley Smith two summers earlier, before the GDR tripled their rent, evicting her family and breaking my heart. Our Star Wars logship Vynce, Toras, and I had ridden in search of better, more equal worlds.

So many reminders, so much had passed; they were gone.

As we got closer, we all stiffened. We’d heard the horror stories of Resistance rendezvous. Young, trigger-happy soldiers meeting other terrified rebels was a recipe for disaster. Add guns and the possibility of betrayal or being intercepted by the DNS, and it was no wonder there were accidental shootings.

I pinged Commander Nim.

He replied seconds later, Affirmative soldier.

Good. We should be—movement in the trees to our right. What was that?

Whoosh.

I dove and rolled for cover. Zedda and Ashlo hit the deck as well, leveling their blasters. Lars just stood there, laughing.

“It’s an owl, kids. Be careful, it might hoot you to death.” He chuckled.

Talk about jitters. I rose, dusting snow from my pants, blushing. We were all on edge.

Zedda strode toward the treeline as Ashlo covered her.

“It’s all clear!” She turned, lowering her weapon. “It was just—”

The words died as something pounced, flattening pines, and knocking her to the side. A massive paw flashed and sent her careening through the air.

The beast charged.

It was huge, some sick cross between a bear and tiger, a vicious pointed snout, murderous eyes. and jaws to crush a truck.

Ashlo got off a shot but missed, misjudging its speed. I aimed, firing twice, catching the behemoth in the side. It didn’t flinch.

Shit. My team couldn’t see what was happening. Their goggles weren’t on and only I had night vision and infrared.

It leapt at Lars, whose blaster was out but didn’t see it coming.

My third shot hit the rippling foreleg but it didn’t react. I rushed it, desperate to reach it before it mauled Lars.

Lars fired again, but it was too close and he missed, blowing a hole clean through a pine tree to the side.

“What is that thing?” Ashlo yelled, securing goggles to his head alongside Zedda, who was lying there, unconscious, maybe dying... My sensors said her heart was beating, but barely. Hurry. Was she okay? I couldn’t lose her.

My SmartCore analyzed the monster in a split second. Five hundred kilos, three meters in length. How could something so big move so fast?

Scans showed a weak underbelly and jugular area. Judging from the blasts earlier, the skin and fur must be tougher than they appeared. A gun wouldn’t cut it, but I had to save Lars.

Not another friend, not after Fitz.

We collided midair before it hit Lars, my shoulder crashing into it, fist connecting with its right eye. The force knocked the brute to the side, missing Lars by a hair’s breadth.

A sickening roar as paw whirled toward my unprotected head. I blocked it, muscles straining. Shit, I had to finish this fast, or we were all dead.

“I don’t have a clean shot!” Ashlo screamed.

“Don’t worry about me, check Zedda!” I yelled as another blow flung me through the air. “Cover me, Lars.”

Rolling, I sprang onto the creature’s back, locking my legs around its huge neck and yanked, leveraging all my strength to choke it.

The thing roared, flailing and pounding me into the icy ground. My body spasmed, absorbing the blow through my spine as it rammed me over and over. I held on for dear life, focusing on everything our people had suffered. The violence, the hatred, the abuse—even Elly and Fitz… channeling all of it. It wouldn’t be enough.

Burning rushed through my veins and muscles. I was losing consciousness but I held on. I had to.

A ROAR, a gasp. Crash. The creature convulsed and toppled off me, rolling enough to let me scoot away.

Exhausted, I collapsed, not moving, not speaking, not even daring to hope. I was done, completely, utterly done.

Lars appeared in slow motion.

“Rrraaeeeekkkk,” he garbled. “Aaaarrreee yyoou ookay?”

“Six claws,” I whispered, giddy. “It had six claws.”

“What? Are you okay, kid?” He looked worried as the world came into focus. For the life of me, couldn’t figure out why.

“That was it.” Uncontrollable laughter, head spinning. “The beast, the six-clawed beast,” Tears of laughter and sadness danced down my face. Wait, Zedda! “Where is she? Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, big guy,” Ashlo replied. “She’s waking up, took a hit to the head.”

Phew. “I think I like her. I feel funny.”

“You killed a freaking bear. With your hands!” Ashlo shook his head in disbelief. “Most badass thing I’ve ever seen.”

Lars smiled. “Let’s get a few pictures and a video of this thing. It will make great marketing material.”

I groaned, both in pain and at the prospect of pictures. “Do whatever you want. I’m going to check on Zedda.” I stood, unsteady, and made my way to where she sat.

“You okay?” I knelt next to her.

“Me? I’m fine,” she said. “Just a scratch.”

I touched her cheek. “This looks like more than a scratch.” My finger traced the massive cut on her face.

“I’ll be fine.” She looked away. “How are you? You okay?”

“I’ve been better,” I said. “I’ll survive. Ready to try and get up?”

She nodded, and I helped her to her feet. “I’m good, really,” she protested. “We need to get going.”

She was right. We couldn’t afford to be late. “We’re leaving.”

We set off, walking hard to make up lost time.