The Unraveling - It Burns

There was an awful lot happening around the young girl. Her head was jerking in many directions as fast as they could. The need to understand what she couldn't. The need to protect those she could not contain.

Where was the order?

No one was taking the lead. Where was the calm? The logic?

She was moving quite fast now, her fur swinging as she ran after the pups. In her attempts to corral them, a few were defiant, disobeying and challenging her commands to come with her and back up into safety. Because they wished to watch. It all happened so fast. Intense heat radiating everywhere, smoke, screams, and an acrid scent of burning blood.


"Please, dear pups! Listen to me, plea-" her voice was cut off as another plume of fire shot towards her, and her words were cut short. There was a searing pain and she couldn't speak. Lyra began to choke her eyes burning from the heat. She couldn't breathe and she couldn't slow down. Next to her, she saw Kaira also get burned. The little girl's reaction pulled on Lyra's heartstrings.

She needed to save her family.

Her heart thumping.

She felt so powerless. Where were her mothers? Now, more than ever she realized she was just a pup.

There was a sharp and agonizing scream that made Lyra's hackles raise. She turned just in time to see a wolf she did not know covered in a liquid she could not recognize. It was glowing, and the man was screaming a horrid noise she had never heard before. The smell of singed fur began to rise, and she nearly cried. Her lip trembling and she couldn't tell if she was crying or her eyes were burning. Everything felt hot.

Gasping for air, but also trying not to take too deep of breath in order to avoid the burning sensation in her throat. Oh where was her mama? Her tail tucked deeply between her legs but she forced herself to move through the fear. She needed to protect her family. Help them.

Her brothers were here and a sense of mild relief washed over her.

"T-t-t-ide", she rasped. where was Davey? Was he fighting it?

There was only so much she could do. So many places she could be at once.

"K-kaira..", she cooed as she finally reached the girl. Still struggling to breath she would over her a nuzzle and attempt to push her as far away from the worm as she could.