Weary Traveller (Open)

"Marianne! he rushed to her side, Im so sorry, I was a fool to put you in harms way"
He was frantically trying to stop the bleeding. He ripped sheets to bind her wounds and moved her into a bnetter position so that her windpipe would clear of blood
"we will have to move soon, I cant leave you like this and we need a doctor"
he was panicing, this didnt look good.

"There's a witch doctor near the inn...but we need to leave the silver bullets arent going to bother them for long." she saw one of the younger wolves start to stir. It was Anthony. She loved him not in a boyfrriend way...but he was the youngest and most innocent...forced in a dangerous pact. She heard him whimper. She reached out a hand to him and he licked it.
"He knows he has to stay...he cant betray Erik or he'll face consequences."

"You really are kind Marianne, Hey wolf, if you want to come with us I wont stop you, hell i'll even try and protect you when Erik comes after us. You know what your doing is wrong, I know you dont really have a choice but im giving you one now"
He picked Melanie up in one arm and reached the other out to the wounded wolf
"we could use the help, but i can understand if you wont. Just remember that if you stay and we end up fighting one another, I wont hold back"

Anthony whimpered not know what to do. He just stayed in a corner then formed into his human body. His face was bloody. "I cant go... but i refuse to fight you." he said. laying on the ground shaking uncontrollably...his body having seizures then his eyes went lifeless. "Anthony? Anthony!!!" Melannie started screaming, anthony was dead...he was too young and couldnt heal quick enough. She buried her face into Lock's chest. "Why!!!" she screamed shaking violently. The boy had already turned into golden dust. She screamed and cried in Lock's arms as she felt him carry her out of the house.

"Im sorry"
He knew that nothing he could say or do would be able to make up for this, but he promised himself that he would kill Erik, he owed Anthony that much.
"Im so sorry"
He carried her out into the early dusk, towards freedom.

Melanie was angry at her own self. If she didn't go out and get water she would never have met Lock...and then Anthony would be alive. There were very few in the pack that Melanie Loved. One was Anthony and the other two were Johnny and Graham. They were the youngest but the three were tortured non stop. Because they cared for Melanie and she cared for them they were beaten. Anthony and Johnny saw Melanie as a mother figure and Graham saw Melanie differently which Melanie didn't understand. But it caused him to get the worst of the torture.
Like her there memories were erased and were taught to hate her and stay away. Anthony was able to get away from the memory erasing and remembered Melanie. Graham wasn't young he was the second oldest. Which meant if Erik was dead he'd be alpha. But still if Melanie didn't have a son one by one the oldest would die till there was only one left.
Then the clan wouldn't exist anymore. But like a lion pack the alpha was the only one allowed to have the girl. And since Melanie was born she was chosen. But since she was three she was abused by Erik as he never aged she did. Which made her feel even more uncomfortable with Erik since even though he looked so young he was almost 3,000 years old.
There were very few in the pack that even liked Erik as alpha so they went to Graham. Which made Erik jealous. For three years Graham was burned alive in a fire pit. For months he would heal slowly and painfully and once his skin was smooth and he was normal again (which if you were human it would never happen) Erik would drag him out to the pit again and Melanie watched with tears in her eyes him get burned again. Melanie to this day didn't understand why he got that punishment. Truth was she didn't even know the meaning of love so what ever Graham felt for her in Erik's eyes the punishment deserved to be unbearable. After Erik thought it was enough he erased his memories of Melanie. But Graham blocked it still remembering his love for her. Which made Erik even more angry so Erik used a spell to watever he said Graham had to do.
Melanie didnt know if Lock knew that Graham was the one that was at her throat prepared to kill her and while he was there she heard his thoughts. He would kill himself if she was dead. She didnt know what he'd do if he noticed she was gone. Would he think she was dead and kill himself.
"Lock we have to go back...." she whispered.

He was stunned, how could they go back?
"We cant, they'll take you again and..."
He paused, thinking things through
"There are others like Anthony arnt there"
It wasnt so much a question as an acceptance.
He was torn between his need to protect her and his need to obey, his life had revolved around her since he was 18 and he didnt want to lose her again, but neither could he find it within himself to deny her any request now that he knew she was Marianne.
"If it is your wish I will take you back, you can tell me everything on the way"

Gunshots, screams, howling. In these woods none of those sounds were benign. Chernobyl raced towards the source of the noises her path unwavering as the one and a half tonne pony smashed her way through any obstacles , a clear path of destruction in her wake.

The scents blood, burnt meat and cordite were in the air, she was close. Following her nose she soon reached the spot that where the altercation had occurred. It was a bedroom, emphasis on was. Now it looked like a griffin slaughterhouse, the walls were stained with blood from the bodies lying motionless on the ground. At least a half dozen wolves and a human had received a large calibre round to the face at point blank range, most likely from an auto loading pistol if the spent brass was anything to go by. the last human's cause of death was obvious, the sudden removal of a large portion of his head. That was defiantly done with a rifle, there was a full round sitting in a pool of coagulating blood. Chernobyl tucked it away in one of her vest pockets to look at later and continued to survey the scene. Somepony had been flung against an interior wall hard enough to crack both the wall and the struts behind it. If they had impacted just an inch further left the would of been in danger of collapsing, as it was the wall struts had been compromised and would need to be replaced.

The hinge on the front door protested loudly to its movement. With a soft ssh-clak Chernobyl's E-tool was extended and locked in place. She burst into hallway ready to confront the intruder, but the hallway in front of her was empty. A growl erupted from behind her along with the sound of claws hitting a hardwood floor.

Chernobyl reacted on instinct for there was no time to think. Putting her weight on her front hooves and bucked. Solid hooves driven by muscles built from a childhood spent hauling boulders around her uncle's rook farm and toned be her time in the forces connected with the leaping wolf's face. The wolf's skull shattered under the blow, the limp body sent flying down the hallway where it rolled to a stop. to make sure it was out for a good long while Chernobyl kicked the wall next to her as she trotted out the door. A long crack began at the spot she had hit and started to snake its way up the wall and across the ceiling. It stopped directly above the supine wolf and the ceiling sprouted an intricate spider web of cracks for the split-second before the roof collapsed inwards on that spot, burying the wolf.

Melanie was about to answer when a sizeable crash from the house interupted her, Lock instictivly knelt low to the ground, placing Melanie against a tree, putting himself between the building and her. He rised his rife and gazed down its sights as a pony easily four feet high trotted out the front door with a military gait, he paused before shouting out
"Make no sudden moves, I have a direct line of sight on you and I dont intend on missing, now identify yourself"
His finger tightened around the trigger in preperation, he wasnt taking any more chances today, especially not with a solid looking, military trained horse.

Chernobyl came to a halt mid-stride when a voice from her left barked
"Make no sudden moves, I have a direct line of sight on you and I dont intend on missing, now identify yourself"

She grumbled to herself under her breath and around the handle of her E-tool as she looked towards the speaker. He was a human male with shoulder length white hair and a knee length black duster over a red shirt. In his hand was a bolt-action hunting rifle mounting what looked like a powerful telescopic sight. He was knelling to both lower his profile and steady his aim, obviously not an amateur which gave Chernobyl some hope of ending this with both of them still breathing, for if he had wanted her dead he would have shot her already.

Slowly, she turned towards him, folded her E-tool and out the shovel back in its pouch.
Her Stalliongrad heritage was clear in her voice as she spoke
"2nd Lieutenant Chernobyl of the Equestrian Army."
Not entirely true, she'd only been a reservist and had been drummed out of force years ago, but she hopped that he didn't no that and would be hesitant to fire upon an officer of the armed forces.
"Respond!"

Melanie ignored both of the idiots and dragged herself to the wreckage. "Graham! Johnny!" She dug under the rubble afraid that Erik would grab her. He knew most of them should be awake by now.
"Melanie!"
She whipped her head around to see Johnny, he was half way under the rubble. His little wolf head popped out through the rubble at her. "Johnny!" She went to help him out but an arm grabbed her and pushed her back.
She looked up to see a wild-eyed boy in front of her. His shirt was ripped and there was scars all up and down his chest. His black hair covered his eyes and he looked like he was just under the rubble. "Don't go near him. What do you have death wish for him!?"
"I...I...was only trying to help...."
"Awwweee Graham stop being such a meany!!!" Johnny whined as he got himself out of the rubble.
With a swift movement Graham had back-handed the wolf. Melanie gasped. "If your leaving then I have orders to kill you!" Graham snapped at Melanie.
Melanie knew this wasn't him talking it was Erik's spell. "G, this isn't you..." Melanie said using his nick name.
Melanie felt a sting on her cheek. G had just hit her. She closed her eyes and read his mind.
Oh my gawd, Melanie run....I can't control this....
"I'm not leaving!"
Johnny had curled up beside Melanie and started licking his wounds he was still in wolf form.
"Good then, that's a good girl," G said grabbing Melanie.
Are you insane leave!!!!!
Melanie heard him arguing with her mentally.
She screamed when she saw Lock pointing a gun at Graham.

When Lock saw Melanie dragging herself towards the house he lowered his aim
"Im not interested in starting an incident with the military" He stood and ran after Melanie "Sorry if I caused you any discomfort Lieutenant, but I wasnt about to take chances with a dangerous looking idividual such as yourself, my name is Mister Lock"
All pleasentries ceased when he saw Melanie being hit. He moved quick and raised his rife to the boy called Graham's temple "Dont you dare lay another hand on her"
The expression on his face was one of pure cold hatred.
"If you hurt her again, I will kill you. And this time I'll make sure you dont have a body to heal"

Graham burst out laughing.. "Oh really... I'd like to see that happen."
[i Holy shit Melanie I can't control myself! Run![/i]
"No," she whispered. She looked up at Lock "Please dont hurt him... he's under a spell...this isnt him..."
"This sure is me you stupid bitch!" He tightened his grip on her arm.
"Lock don't shoot him please dont do it! It's not him I swear..."
"Shut-up!" Graham roared at her. Graham tryed to control himself but couldnt he didnt know how to warn this boy that he was possesed.

"Marianne, he wont hesitate to kill you, whether or not thats a spell controling him dosnt really have much influence on the situation"
Lock lossened his grip on the trigger slightly and ground his teeth, this situation called for decisive action, but he couldnt disobey her. It was simply against his being to disobey her.
"As you wish" his indecision was evident in the way he spoke

Graham smiled evilly. "That's good...."
"No Graham!" Melanie spun around to see Johnny he was growling and ready to pounce on Graham.
Graham started to growl and turned into his wolf form and attacked Johnny.
Melanie coughed up some blood and wiped her mouth. "They'll be at for hours... I need to save them both... help me please... I don't care what you do to Graham just don't kill him Lock..." Melanie held his hand looking up at lock pleadingly. "But we need to stop them both..."

He knelt by her side, using a small cloth that he withdrew from his pocket to wipe away the remianing blood from her chin.
"Can I assume we will be taking them with us? If we are I have an idea, but it might not be pleasnt for them"
He reached again into one of his many pockets and brought out two high strength seditive darts, these things would down an elephant for a week, so it should work for a few hours on lycans.
"I'll just have to knock them out for a while, but we need to make a decision now, the others will be waking up soon"

"You don't need to knock out Johnny... he'll come on his own will... Trust me on that.. but maybe the Witch doctor can lift the spell off of Graham but the only way ti get him there is to probably knock him out..."

"your wish is my command"
he allowed himself a slight smile as he sent the dart hurtling towards Graham, it hit its mark with a solid thump
"what the...?" Graham only got so far with his sentence as the mixture entered his blood stream, rendering him unconcious in seconds. He slumped to the ground leaving Johnny untterly perplexed.
"Now we just need some way of carrying him"
He glanced towards chernobyl who ahd been observing the events in silence.

"Ok I can get it!" Johnny said grabbing Graham and trotted away with him...
Melanie looked at Cherynbol "can you watch here and make sure Erik doenst find us..." she didnt even wait for a reply she held onto Lock she was weak and almost fell. "Please get me outta here.."

"Of course"
He gently lifted her up into his arms and jogged to catch up with Johnny who was already exiting the clearing.
"Hey, Johnny, do you even know where we're going?" he said once he had caught up with him "Dont move so fast, it means I have to catch up and Marianne is hurt, bumping about could open her wounds more"
"Who's Marianne?" Johnny said, but he did slow down.

Johnny laughs " Oh melanie is marrianne!!! And no i dont know where we are going?"
Melanie moans in pain... "Johnny you can pick on Lock later please, I'm not...." Melanie couldnt finish she fell into complete darkness.
Johnny screamed. "What do we do! What do we do! Dont panic!! Argh!!!" Johnny dropped Graham and started running in circles.

Lock neatly triped Johnny so that he stumbled
"Take your own advice itll be ok"
He lowered Melanie to the ground and rested her on her side
"I need you to run down the road, apparently there is a which doctor that can help both Marianne and Graham... no the other way Johnny, and put Graham down"
He could have smiled at Johnny's enthusiasm, but the situation they were in was dire, he remembered just in time to tell Johnny to change into human form. His concentraition was slipping, he needed rest. Today had been exhausting with the quick heal he had used when Erik had thrown him into the wall.
His vision blurred and he nearly topped over, damn, quick recoveries always paid him out. He needed to stay concious and watch over Marianne, at least till they were somewhere safe.

"Yea know we could just do this," Johnny said stomping the ground and infront of them appeared the witch doctor. He had teleported them to the place. Beside the witch doctor there was the inn that Melanie had to Lock about.
"Sorry I didnt tell you before but it takes a lot of effort doing tht."

"It's fine, thank you Johnny"
He walked over to a very surprised old lady carrying a basket of apothicary materials
"Im sorry to bother you but are you the witch doctor?"
she nodded, composing herself quickly
"Indeed I am, by the look of your two friends id say you need a bit of help"
"It would be greatly appriciated" He picked Melanie up and carried her into the small house that was obviously owned by the doctor, the aromas coming from it were enough information to go by. Johnny was right behind them with Graham.
Lock breifly told the doctor what had happened, leaving out names and details incase Melanie didnt want people to know.

Johnny layed Graham down on one of the beds. Graham started to moan in pain. With a wave of the Doctor's hand she zapped Graham putting back to sleep.
"Ohhh possesed or not... when he wakes up he's goona be uber pissed," Johnny said grinning.