Audas shrunk deeper behind his boulder as Kaine sprinted from cover and cover, a blur for any human eyes. A few more bullets buzzed by, but all of them missed the running wolf whilst the remaining rounds filled the rest of the air, locking Audas in place. Unless he wanted to be riddled with holes, he wasn’t going anywhere.

  The bastard’s going to get himself killed! Audas mentally cursed. There was no way of knowing what Kaine would be facing, he could have been running right into a firing squad, and with Audas now stuck, he couldn’t move to support him. A part of him wanted to scoff. After all, Kaine had been a routine asshole, getting shot would probably put his own ego in check.

  And yet, he recalled Everest’s words. Words that suggested that Kaine’s humour and behaviour was a front for something else. And perhaps deep down he was a better person. Audas bristled at the thought, how did that make any sense?

  He let out a heavy sigh, even if he didn’t believe that, Kaine was still another Hubber. He was jumping in to try and save lives. The least Audas could do was to make sure he didn’t get himself killed. And to do that… he was going to have to follow him.

  Audas directed his gaze back towards the Hubber’s lines. “Dray!” he shouted, hoping he would still be alive – that, and he didn’t know the other Nyúlfur’s names at the top of his head.

  Dray leaned back from a tree, “You alright!?” he called back, panting as he looked between the former human and the bandits.

  Good, I’ve still got someone with his head screwed on straight!

  “I’m fine!” Audas shouted, “But the bandits are going for the caravan and Kaine’s buggered off!”

  “Alone!?” Dray barked, eyes widening. “Co-“

  “I nearly got my head blown off trying to stop him!” Audas roared back. “Can you keep them pinned for a second!? I can go and back him up!”

  Dray’s mouth hung open, nearly staggered back for a moment before he sharply nodded. “On my signal! We’ll try and catch up!”

  “On your go!” Audas replied, feeling a weight lift of his shoulders. Dray at least was going to have his back here.

  He had barely turned round when Dray’s voice bellowed through the air. “Suppressive fire!”

  As the Hubber’s rifles thundered into a full roar, Audas sprung from the boulder and ran.

  The trees blurred as he widened his stride, his muscles powered him onwards faster than any human could. He leapt over a log and whacked some foliage aside. He had seconds at best.

  As he skidded past another tree, his rifle tight his grasp, the gunfire ceased.

  Then the bullets were flying again.

  One whizzed by the back of his neck. Death close behind him, Audas drove himself harder and swung behind another tree, forcing his head down, hoping he’d be a smaller target.

  As he leapt through the next tree cluster, he flicked his gaze back in direction of the enemy. His ears twitched on overdrive as the Hubbers returned fire on the bandits. Another round struck one of the trees next to him, just as a female bandit broke out of cover, taking ai-

  Audas’ two shots struck her in the chest, sending her tumbling out of sight as pulled the trigger agai- his rifle clicked hopelessly.

  Hissing for air and in anger, he ignored the jammed gun and kept running.

  In a shower of leaves, he burst out onto the road by the first cart. His legs now burning, he threw himself behind it and into cover, gritting his teeth when his knees scraped the rough ground.

  But that pain quickly vanished when he saw two Nyúlfur propped up against the wheel of the cart.

  One lay slumped against it, his eyes closed and his chest lightly moving – by pure luck, given the stained streak marks that ran along his torso and limbs. The other clutched the first’s side with one hand, where ichor was slowly running through his fingertips. His other hand clutched his bloodied head, and he visibly winced as he rolled it over to look towards Audas. If anything, his bullet wounds looked even more serious, some clearly pulsing around his shoulders. “T-They went that way!” he stuttered, tossing his head towards the other side of another carriage with another wince. “Don’t worry about us, I-I’ve got him!”

  Audas slowed for a moment, gut going cold as he stared down at their bloody injuries and the splattering of ichor around them. But he knew he couldn’t afford to freeze now, not with a battle raging. “H-“ he shook his head, getting the surprise out of his system, “Just hold on! Help’s coming!” he managed to reply, tearing his gaze away as he ran for the next cart. He could help them after the fight.

  He swung himself past that second cart to find Kaine’s staff blurring in the air, striking at a sword with a clang. He and his bandit opponent – a golden furred opponent with grey pauldrons on his shoulders - danced round each other, following up blow after blow with incredible speed – far more than Audas had seen or experienced before.

  But then he saw the second bandit, she stood with her back to Audas… and was aiming a submachine gun straight at Kaine.

  He yanked at the bolt of the M14, but the bullet refused to eject.

  She stiffened, finger hovering over the trigger. Adrenaline surged through Audas as he gasped. Damn it! No time to clear it!

  So with that, Audas hurled the rifle at her.

  It struck the SMG just as it fired, throwing it aside and sending its rounds into the trees behind the duellers. Her cry barely registered as Audas charged the few metres to her and threw his shoulder into her back. His arm spasmed with a jolt of pain, but as he hit the ground, something clattered away. He tried to spin his head round to find her – and saw her fist. He rolled aside with a bark, finding some space and with that, he shoved himself back to his feet.

  Just in time, as she dove at him with two vicious axes.

  Instinct took over.

  Steel flashed as his sword flew out of the scabbard at his hip, wildly waving it across her path. Eyes wide, she backpedalled out of range. But Audas barely had a second to get into a defensive ward before she came at him again. His heart racing, Audas whacked away one of the axes with the sword, sending a dreadful ring down his ears.

  “Out of my way!” the bandit screamed as she shoved him back. Audas swung the sword low as the other axe came flying round, gritting his teeth as metal hit metal and sent a second painful ping through his eardrums.

  This wasn’t some sparring session.

  If I screw up now, I’m dead!

  He parried another blow from both axes, and sidestepped to avoid a wild flurry of strikes which whistled past his arm by an inch. What did Dray say about their fighting style!? He leapt back, sucking his gut in as another swing came low. Every defence leads to an attack, of course!

  Audas pulled back, shifting into another ward, sword tip levelled directly at her. She tried to lunge again, only for him poke her back with the point. The axes had one flaw. Reach. He had a lot more of that. She would either have to force her way past the blade, or slip round his flanks.

  She feinted, then charged forward with a swing of an axe. He swung the longsword against it, but her momentum pressed her forward and sent the second axe flying wide at him, but he was ready.

  He pulled back, just enough for the axe head to skim past his chest.

  Gotcha!

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Baring his fangs, he leapt back forward, grasping the blade of his sword – still holding back the first and swung the hilt of the sword towards her. The cross guard battered against the second axe, twisting her wrists as he pushed back both her weapons with the sword across her front. See how you can unhook yourself from that!

  The snarl across her face vanished as she retreated, and he followed, swinging the blade tip back downwards at her and twisting her wrists further. The bandit tried to spin away, the second axe weakly clattering against the sword as the first flicked free. Audas spun with her, and sent his shin slamming into her lower legs. She roared as she fell, and taking his chance, Audas shoved the second axe free from his sword – now pointing behind him - and slammed the sword pummel down hard into her face. Then again.

  The bandit’s bloody head hit the dirt. He couldn’t spare a second thought though, as he twisted back round to find Kaine holding his staff above him, blocking the bandit’s sword – only for a knee to fly right into the Hubber’s gut. Teeth clenched, Audas sprinted forward just the bandit whipped his sword’s pummel across Kaine’s face and knocked him clean of his feet.

  Audas widened his stride, Come on!

  Kaine tried to push himself back up, reaching for the bladestaff only for the Nyúlfur’s foot to stamp down on his arm. He cried out, eyes burning as the bandit’s sword rose up…

  Almost! -

  The sword came flying down.

  A deafening ring echoed through the air, sending a pulse through his arms and forcing Audas’ eyes shut.

  When they snapped open, he found his blade hovering over Kaine’s body, the enemy’s sword held back by it.

  The bandit’s lips peeled back into a massive snarl. Kaine was on his back with his jaw hanging wide open.

  Teeth bared, Audas forced the swords up and over before shoving his new opponent back. Kaine was a fool, but he wasn’t going to let another life get taken! Not again!

  He sprung forward with a thrust, forcing the Nyúlfur bandit back. He stabbed at him again, but the longsword was whacked aside as his foe counterattacked. Audas scurried out of range, parrying slashes and leaping away from thrusts. On the fourth strike, he deflected a high blow and sent his own blade down across the surface of one of the pauldrons with a sharp scratch.

  Cursing, the bandit peeled away. Audas hacked away, driving him back with each swing and shove. His opponent was tripping over his feet, struggling to stay upright.

  Audas pounced. Steel flashed as he sliced across his foe’s chest and left a thin, bloody line behind. Howling, the bandit came back at him, sword flying down right at his head.

  Audas sidestepped, a flick of his blade sending the enemy weapon into the dirt. He booted the Nyúlfur back, barely registering the clatter of the enemy weapon as he cocked his longsword back and, letting rip a hateful roar, swung it over his head and straight down.

  A sickening crunch rang out as the pauldron buckled under the blow. The Nyúlfur screamed, hands clawing at the blade as he tried to lift it out. Audas winced, yanking it away with the splurt of blood. The scream faded into an agonised whimper as the bandit fell to his knees, crimson fluid pulsing out of a bloody gash in his shoulder.

  “Don’t move!” he hissed, flicking the sword tip under the bandit’s chin. He glanced back towards Kaine, still on his back and groaning. Dazed. The bandit Audas had first battled was still lying on her back and up in the trees, he could see fuzzy shapes fading deeper into the foliage as the battle continued. Audas was alone, exposed and vulnerable.

  “What are you waiting for?”

  Frowning, Audas looked back down on the kneeling bandit. He wasn’t that much older than he was, his fur was a mass of golds, browns and blacks, topped off with thick obsidian hair. He spat at Audas’ feet and twisted his head away from the sword. “Kill me…” he muttered, looking up at him with a pained scrawl on his face. “…or are you some kind of coward?!”

  He narrowed his eyes, “That’s the easy way out.” Audas said with a slither of force, moving the point of the sword back into place. “And someone’s going to want to question you.”

  The Nyúlfur’s head snapped back, laughter starting to thunder only for it to falter into a wheeze as his hand tightened around his wounded shoulder. “You Hubbers don’t have enough spine after all.”

  “We’ve beat you off.” He growled, flicking his head back up towards the forest. “Spine enough for me.”

  “And for what?!” the bandit barked, eyes burning. “So you can chuck us in a cell somewhere!? You care more about the fucking humans than our own people!”

  Audas froze, as if he was smacked in the gut with a massive hammer. Humans?

  “W-What?” he uttered, still stunned.

  “What?” the bandit questioned, “You think you are so noble! Pretending the whole world needs saving and what did it get! A few more apes walking round only just to come back to kill us later whilst you just sit up there in your little high castle!”

  Instinct forced a low growl up to the surface as the memory of Travis’ twisted smile and the attackers of the train resurfaced. “I’d shut your mouth…”

  “Or what?” the Nyúlfur snapped back with a near insane chuckle, “You’ll give me to your human girlfriend t-“

  Audas’ fist clamped down onto his throat. The bandit’s eyes widened in shock as he tried to gasp for air. Audas’ glare burnt through the bandit as he hefted his sword, it’s tip now barely touching his captive’s throat. Finally… this is more like it! Monsters, the lot of you! Good for nothing but killing! You and your stinking kind destroyed my life!

  The gunfire from the running battle faded out of earshot. The memories of Dray, Alika and Kaine amongst everyone else… all of it was cast aside, his mind fixated on one thing…

  Putting this beast down.

  As the bandit squirmed in his grasp, eyes ready to pop out, clawing at the former human’s hand and mouth silently moving, Audas raised his sword… and swung it do-

  “P-Plea-se!”

  The longsword froze, hovering just short of the bandit’s neck. Audas blinked, twitched, and looked back over his shoulder to find that the first bandit had got herself back up to her knees, one hand pressed against a bleeding temple. She started to rise, only to slump back down, barely catching herself with her free hand. “P-Please, we’ll come freely! Just don’t kill him! O-Or-“

  “Or what?” Audas growled, eyes narrowing and voice still dripping with rage.

  Her hand fell away from her temple, shivering as she focused her gaze onto him. “Or… you’re going to have to kill me too…”

  ‘…give us a chance…’

  He blinked at the resurfacing memory. Alika…

  ‘I think you might be surprised about what we’re like.’

  Mental floodgates opened in his head, and his bloodlust drained away in an instant as he looked on. The bandit’s sudden desperation… that comradeship.

  But… they’r-

  ‘Just because one person acts in a specific way, or a group for that matter often doesn’t mean the wider situation is what you think it is.’

  Everest…

  ‘You can either add fuel to the flames, or put it out.’

  Emerging from behind the first cart came Dray and a trio of Hubber Nyúlfur. They drifted to a halt, and Dray’s eyes jumped between Audas, Kaine and the injured bandits. His body had automatically stiffened and a blank look of shock was written across his face.

  Audas felt frozen, his limbs barely working. Dray wasn’t just running on adrenaline, he was nervous. Tense, the former human turned back towards his squirming prisoner, panting down air. He’d managed to slip his fingers through Audas’ grip.

  It was tempting. To strike the bandit down without a care in the world. This was the kind of Nyúlfur he had grown to despise. The kind that humans in the cities would have posted warning posters about. Warning of the dangers of these monsters as a threat as big as – if not worse – than the Ferals themselves. Ending his life would spare possibly countless human lives.

  But even as a cold part of his body insisted he land the killing blow… his body refused to budge.

  What’s the point? Audas questioned, What would it achieve? A little bit more death?

  He looked away, even before Birmingham, he had killed, but he had always had to consider the wider consequences, even if it was in self-defence. That old truth was now settling into him with Everest’s terrible meaning. One death could drive nearly everyone away, inspire many to acts of violence and drag more people to the grave. And for what? Some lust for revenge? Payback?

  Even the most horrifying and cruel Nyúlfur still cared about others… these bandits had just proved it.

  Just like humans.

  His heart went still. Oh god… what am I doing?

  Taking a breath, Audas turned back towards the bandit and lowered the sword. “I’ve seen enough death.” He uttered, trying to force through some venom… but he just couldn’t bring it forward. And so, he released his grip on the throat.

  As the bandit collapsed, choking on the influx of fresh air, Audas turned back towards the Hubbers. Together, the pair accompanying Dray stepped forward, pulling out bindings from their combat pouches as they approached the two injured bandits.

  Kaine tried to prop himself back up to his feet. Dray moved towards him from behind, only to halt as his head twisted round towards the former human.

  I suppose… this is the part I’m going to have to try something different, aren’t I?

  Audas strolled towards Kaine, longsword still in hand. The grey furred Nyúlfur managed to sit up, and found himself staring at Audas as his shadow drifted over him. Kaine’s eyes narrowed, but not burning with rage. If anything, he looked plainly defeated.

  He returned the slitted gaze, “What did you say?” he asked, “I don’t care?”

  Kaine glanced away, a twitch running along his lips. Again, more hurt than frustrated.

  Alright Everest… I hope you’re right about this…

  Audas pulled a thin, amused smirk. “To hell with it, up and at them.”

  Jabbing the sword into the ground, Audas leaned forward… and extended a hand.

  Kaine’s eyes were almost comically wide, fixed on the hand as if it were some alien tendril.

  “Kaine.” Audas quietly said, motioning with the hand and letting the smirk fade away. “We got off on the wrong foot, so how about we just turn over a new leaf and stop hating each other for a day or two?”

  He tilted his head and dipped his ears slightly. “Besides, you owe me a drink for saving your skin.”

  A bark snapped out of Kaine’s mouth, a flutter of laughter as he looked away with a shake of his head. “Err… I guess you kinda did.”

  He turned back, a smile steadily working its way into life. Not one of amusement or wickedness, but one that was more relaxed… just a friendly smile. “Okay then. A new page it is then no…”

  His voice fell away, wincing at the half-finished word. In the corner of his vision, Audas could see Dray towering over Kaine from behind with a massive grin that had spread across his face. “I suppose Audas could drop the drink in exchange for never calling him that again.” He stated.

  Acutely aware of the slither of his own smile forming, Audas shrugged. “I can live with that.”

  Kaine’s smile returned, “Then you’ve got a deal… Audas.”

  Reaching up, he firmly took hold of Audas’ arm, and the former human pulled him to his feet.