The set up for this scene is Nathaniel just died to save Rosemary.
Orion turned abruptly towards Rosemary, his sorrow changing to anger just as suddenly. Every visible muscle in his body tensed. He clenched his jaw and fists in an attempt to keep from snapping. Whether or not he was being successful was unclear, even to himself. His eyes burned with hate, and they were fixed on Rosemary. She wanted to run and hide. She wanted to shut her eyes and make him go away. But she was frozen wide-eyed with fear, so much so she couldn't even breathe. He didn't dare approach her, not trusting himself in this moment. "You had better be worth this," he growled deeply.
She wished she could answer him. (Say something! Say anything!) she screamed to herself. But the only thought that kept running through her mind was Please don't eat me! Please don't eat me!
Orion leaned back and let loose one last long howl. It was a warning to all that he was coming. Every creature within hearing distance scurried away to whatever safety could be found. Rosemary also reacted, reflexively covering her ears and curling into a trembling ball. Orion took (dire wolf) form and charged into the woods to hunt down and kill the first thing he found.
Two from the other pack growled in the direction the enemy had retreated, then followed Orion. Led and Melinda reverently picked up Nathaniel and headed towards their lands. Katrin and the rest slowly pulled themselves to their feet as their wounds healed enough for them to walk on their own.
"What about her?" YYY asked Katrin, nodding towards Rosemary.
Katrin didn't look over. "Leave her," she replied quietly.
YYY was shocked. "After all that's happened here? You're just going to-"
Katrin's entire face darkened. She whipped around with enough for to cause YYY to take up a defensive stance. The two stared at each other for several tense moments. "It's safer for everyone if she not around any of us right now," Katrin finally explained in a low voice. She stepped back from the confrontation, the most she would do to concede to him. "We'll keep a patrol in the area to make sure she's safe." YYY nodded in agreement to both the end of the standoff and the idea. "And since you are so concerned," she tossed over her shoulder as she walked away, "you can take the first shift."
---
Eventually Rosemary calmed down enough to start thinking rationally again. She slowly looked around before daring to move. She found it didn't matter anymore, she was alone, they had all left her. Not only that, the only sound she could hear besides her own heart was that of the wind in the branches. Which meant there were no animals were in the area either. Quickly she realized how completely alone she was. Not only in this time and place, but in her own life. She was no longer Wolf-blooded so she didn't belong with those she had grown up knowing. She was no longer human so she didn't belong in the world of the blissfully ignorant. Her family was gone, her friends were kept away from her, and her allies hated her. Rosemary curled back up and cried herself to sleep.
Labels: Story, The Lost Song
