22 The calm before the storm.

"Wake up Quintin, were here" The pilot called as they approached the rural airfield far east of the SANDF hotzone. Quintin took his backpack and hopped out, waving at the pilot, who lifted off and headed west.

"Not so much as a goodbye... sheesh" Quintin stood watching him disappear in the distance, he took the gps out and started it up, went to history and reset it to fillow Naledi's coordinates "Thirty kilometers!?" He yelled looking in the direction the pilot went "You could have chosen a closer spot asshole!" Without noticing he had gotten angry at such a trifle matter, he was starting to become a stranger to himself, slowly he blew out and scanned his surroundings, there was no one and nothing there, only a dirt runway, not even a shack to serve as an airport terminal.

Reluctantly he started walking, thinking of getting transport, but there was nothing out here, so instead he started jogging. It took him hours through the bush, he stopped frequently for a drink of water and a bite to eat, and eventually just past noon, he saw movement. His eyesight was twice as better as it was before, his hearing, smell, nothing got by him now, he saw the brown face peeking quickly then hid again.

"Nina!?" he called, but got no response, Quintin knew he saw her, or, atleast a brown hyena, but maybe it wasn't her. He shrugged and continued walking, he heard another rustle of grass, then the face of the hyena again, it was like a ghost, first to his left, now almost behind him to his right, or, unless they were surrounding him "Listen Nyathi, i come in peace, im looking for Nina, Naledi sent me!" This got a response.

"Did tou say Naledi?" a voice asked out of the grass, it was a toned whisper.

"Yes, she told me to find Nina, im here to help against the Anubis tonight"

Slowly she came out of the grass, approaching him cautiously.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Quintin, and im... well im a saber"

"A saber? more like a monster, i sense evil in you"

"Im sorry for that, i myself don't know what i really am, please allow me to explain?" Quintin twitched when he suddenly realised he was indeed surrounded.

"I can't trust you, you're more evil than Cleopatra"

Quintin could slap his face, now what does he do?

"But, your Aura is indeed powerful, an ally like you could tip the war in our favour, explain how you know Naledi?"

"I was there the day her pack got wiped out, im partially responsible, but thanks to that, i became what i am now"

"Heathen!" Her loud whisper sent a chill up his spine, she retracted her lips, exposing her fangs.

"Im sorry please, just show me where the clash between your clans will be tonight, and then tell the other werewolves to stay back, let me fight first"

Quintin, even though he had this tickle of rage in him, a new found courage, felt alittle scared at the hyenas surrounding him, even Nina, small as she was, and her fangs exposed, gave him shivers.

"Very well, ill show you" She said and walked north.

The whole way Quintin was escorted by Ninas pack, untill just before sundown they reached a clearing.

"This is it" She said stopping "I do not see you as an ally Heathen, but if you can help us stop Cleopatra's pack, we are together only because of a common cause, Farewell" she harshly said and left.

"Remember to hide first!" he yelled feeling pissed at her lack of manners, she stopped and turned to him "What?"

"I said, remember to hide, don't come here whilst im on the battlefield, hide and watch from a distance, what ever im going to unleash here, will have red in its eyes, and won't choose a side, or atleast i think, so for safety reasons, hide wilst i test my strength, i dont want to kill innocence"

Nina gave a light grunt "Fine by me, maybe if you can take down a few then be killed, you'd be hitting two birds with one stone... Heathen" she flashed her fangs again and left.

'Fucking bitch' he hissed at her in his mind. Quintin walked out into the clearing, at what looked to him to be the dead middle, took out his last rashins of food and water then sat down eating.

He got the feeling he wont be disturbed by any lions or hyenas here, he could smell the blood in the grass, he could even smell the silyva, the sweat, this was a battleground, death was a regular visitor here, and It had Quintin psyched for some reason. The darkness started overpowering the light as the sun was retreating to the west, in the east, only stars for now. Quintin stood up, his heart pounding, he could feel danger approaching, the hairs on the back of his head stood up, it was like a sixth sense, agitation made him sit down on the termite mound again, silyva started building in his mouth.

"Who are you?" She spoke behind him, Quintin would recognise Naomi's voice anywere, but he knew why she won't recognise him, he decided not to answer, and remain seated, his gut told him not to look at her, either he might fall soft again, or attack... and right now, being an Amarok, Naomi could shift without a moon, and kill him quick.

"Hey! devil! im talking to you!?" She yelled, he heard uncertainty.

"Im here, to end this" Quintin finally spoke, Naomi couldn't recognise his voice through her anger.

"End it? you speak rubbish, you alone have no chance against me, let alone my entire pack"

"I know" Quintin stood up and turned to her "Thats why i ask... please stop Naomi"

***

"So thats the Heathen you spoke of Nina? " Michael asked as they all hid and watched.

"Yes, hes, like something from Hell itself, i can't explain it, you need to go right up to him and sense for yourself, from here he looks like a normal human... its like his aura is being clouded by distance, and you'll only realise what he is when youre too close, but then its too late"

Michael shivered "What the hell did Naledi send us?"

***

"Quintin?" Her voice trembled, she wanted to run over to him and embrace him, but he stands against her, his aura as a monsters, is this what humans feel when they see her?

"What? are you?"

"I don't know, and im afraid to find out, that's why i ask you to turn around and walk away, i know about Cleopatra's plan... she has fooled me all along! she wanted to use me as a weapon! But now that i know the truth, im not standing with you Naomi, and i don't want to stand against you, thats why i ask, turn around"

"Don't listen to him Naomi!" the large man came out of the bush to join her, Quintin could figure, this must be Devonte.

"He's talking bullshit, if he was the one who helped you rank up, then i suggest you end him now, and get over him. A whole kingdom awaits you after this, if he, and the other wolves are dead, nothing can stop us from creating our empire"

Naomi looked at him with fury in her eyes "Dont ever lecture me again Devonte! or ill end you instead!" She snapped and he backed off.

"Yes Alpha"

Naomi turned back to Quintin "Do you still love me?"

"Yes" Quintin said, it was half a lie, he didn't know anymore... the sex with her was great- he shook his head, that was the animal talking, instincts only.

"Then why not join me, and you could be a king in our new empire"

"At what cost Naomi? the whole world turned upside down? so many innocent people will die"

"Die for a greater cause, think about it Quintin! Terrorism, murder, ****, theft robbery, child trafficking, corruption, all those horrid crimes, gone! delt with in a swift blow, all who commit these crimes will have nowere to hide, not from werewolves, and death will be the punishment. A world ruled by us, ruled by a merciful Queen, only the good will ever have a place there, the bad will never see the inside of a jail again, only be ended as they should be delt with"

Her words had sense to it, it had Quintin thinking.

"No more, war, no more fighting, the only blood spilled, will be that of those who disobey laws those who fail to uphold the peace" Naomi almost whispered.

"Dont listen to her!" Nina came running out "Shes trying to brainwash you heathen!"

"Didnt i tell you to stay the fuck away hyena!?" He yelled back at her, but something had his skin shift on his muscles, an approaching danger, it was asif the world slowed down, an Anubis member was waiting for Nina to show herself, and now came running towards her with a knife, still at speed passing him Quintin had the running man by his head, and snapped his neck with both hands, the lifeless body tumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust. Quintin moved so fast everyone watching could only blink.

"Naomi! tell your pack to leave the hyena alone, you first have to get through me before you can face anyone else!" He roared, his blood now boiling, that one reaction he had against an enemy, and already he felt his mind slipping into the lust for blood.

Naomi held her hand open to the side to halt her members, her face in total disgust "You interfere here again Quintin, and the sease fire goes out the door" She hissed at him.

"Interfere!? Im here thanks to Cleopatra remember!? She wanted me to come!"

"But i want you to either join me, or step aside" She coldly said again.

Her tone had Quintin beyond the limits of his control, Naledi spoke the truth, theres no getting her away from her loyalty to Cleopatra.

"Then so be it" He said feeling the tingle on his scin, the white light of the rising moon, it was truly something a werewolf could feel, will he change by just basking in it, or will he also have to look at it first? The answer was nearing, the moon almost out, Naomi's pack already moving in behind her, shifting, grunting and snarling, but he remained unchanged, he glanced at the source, but it had him like a trap. He couldnt get his gaze off it, it was probably the most beautiful thing he as ever seen, captivating his mind, but sending the waves down his body, changing him without notice. That red rage filled his mind and he wanted blood. Quintin fully shifted into the beast without him knowing what's happening, his human mind dulled by the moon, allowing the sabertooth to surface, its fangs long, its claws curved like talons, he stood well above the largest Anubis, his pitch black fur contrasted against his silver glowing eyes. Both parties stood ready to move, when all hell broke loose.