Waking on the cold floor Anya shivered, the heating long gone.
With a sigh, she stretched her sore muscles and pulled on some more layers of clothing, then grabbing her only belonging being her beloved camera, she left the flat.

Being careful to be a quiet as possible Anya walked down the foggy frosty streets of Bristol. Glancing at her watch she knew that no one in the right mind would be up at 5am on a Saturday, but she knew that it was the perfect time for catching unusual photos.

Jumping the fence at the park she walked deep into the surrounding woods, leaving the track and venturing deep into the wooded area. The chirping of birds welcomed her to their peaceful world.
There was still a few hours until sunrise but the foggy surrounding just oozed with photographic potential and once she found a spot of liking, capturing the sunrise would be perfect.

A cold winter breeze whistled through the trees, as the sound of the remaining autumn leaves added to the orchestra of the peaceful woods. This was a land very few would witness, a land full of opportunities and the wildlife it contained.

Reaching down to her bag she pulled out her camera, it wasn't a highly expensive camera but it did the job perfectly. As her teacher told her in high school, 'It's the person taking the photos not the camera, that produces the final snap', a saying that had stayed with her all these years.

A squirrel ran across a branch in front of Anya as she raised the camera to her face, peeking through the viewfinder, and capturing the squirrel while it scampered from branch to branch, it's grey fur backdropped by the ambers and reds of last autumn leaves, and the fog swirling like smoke.

The call of a robin caught Anya's attention and she turned to find the little red breasted bird perched on low hanging branch, of a nearby tree.
"First robin of winter, meant to be a sign of good luck", Anya thought to herself grabbing a quick snap of the winter migrant before it flew off if fright.

"Shit" The photographer cursed looking at the blurred picture on the camera screen. But why had it flown off?

Anya suddenly realised the silence of the wood. No longer did the birds sing in the trees, no longer did the squirrels run the branches. Dead silence.

Swallowing the lump in her throat Anya turned to leave the woods but could no longer see the exit, the fog causing her to lose her location. How far had she come? Which direction?

Even with the light shine of the approaching sun through the thick fog, Anya was clueless of her position.
She was lost.

Panic rising due to the eery silence of the forest she began to walk, hoping to find a recognisable feature, a rock or a tree maybe.
Trying to relax she began to take photos again, ones of the trees, the moss, the flowers, anything to keep her distracted from her current situation.

Suddenly a noise broke through the silence, the sound of paws on the crisp frosty earth, a dog walker perhaps?

A burst of adrenalin sparked in Anya and she took off toward the sound, hoping to find one of the dog walking paths that ran the city side of the woods.

However as she drew closer the paw steps grew, it was more than one dog, more than two, it sounded that there could be five or six dogs running in the woods.
That was strange... Even the most loving dog owner would have difficult with six dogs and they sounded large.

Continuing to run she eventually reached a small opening in the thick forestry, but it wasn't the park as expected, it was more like a secluded meadow, it's edges ringed with tall oak trees.

Pulling out her camera she brought it to her eye as before and took the photo, however as she looked at the screen, there was more than fog and trees, there was something, something in the midst of the fog, eyes!

Deep golden eyes stared back at her through the fog in the photo, jumping she looked up to the point she took the photo but the golden eyes could not be seen.

Looking back at the photo she studied it, those eyes were defiantly there, and no source of light would have cause an effect like it.
"How strange?" Anya said out loud, her voice carrying in the wind.

Turning to leave the meadow she was stopped by the eery feeling of being watched. Goosebumps formed on her arms and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

Stepping back Anya gasped as the same golden eyes from the photo stared at her from the fog, but this time only a few meters from her position.
And it wasn't the only pair of eyes, five more pairs of eyes looked at her through the fog, their colour ranging from gold to deep brown.

Slowly the eyes drew closer and walked out the cover of the fog. Holding in a scream Anya stared wide eyed at six wolves, their bodies much larger than a German shepherd and their varying coloured fur glistening in early morning dew.
Heart racing Anya turned and bolted but her escape was immediately cut off by one of the wolves, it's teeth bared and dangerous, a viscous growl escaping it's jaws.

Backing up from the growling wolf Anya tripped and fell to the frosty ground with a thud.
Instantly the largest of the six wolves pounced on her chest, preventing her from getting away. It's strong muscles keeping her in place.

There was no escape, no where to run!
As if laughing, the largest wolf sunk it's ivory canines into her shoulder, ripping through tissue and muscle.
Anya thrashed in desperation, the pain excruciating, but she was defenceless against the wolf.
Her consciousness diminishing she could hear a distant howl and the thundering of more paws, then blackness.

-~-

Growls, barks, howls!
Anya's eyes fluttered open, the pain still burning from the fresh wound in her shoulder.
No longer was she being pinned to the ground by the wolf, she was now free to move but the pain stopped her.
Managing to roll her head in the direction of the noise, her blurred vision slowly focused on the wide area of the meadow.

Unlike the peaceful sight she witnessed when she first entered, it was now very very different.
The six wolves were now joined by six more, but these wolves seemed different, even though they fought with determination, they were less aggressive and brightly coloured woven bands wrapped around their lower legs, almost like a bracelet.

The colours of the bands were highly visible in the fog as the wolves continued to brawl. Focusing Anya identified the six different colours;
Royal Blue, Dark Green, Orange, Yellow, Red and finally Sky blue.
Did they mean something to the wolves? An form of identification?

Her breathing labouring with fright, Anya couldn't watch the wolves fight as blood began to be shed, their canines dripping with fresh blood.

Pain intensifying in her shoulder Anya screamed, gaining the attention of the wolves.
Two of the wolves closest to her position turned their heads, one was the wolf that had bitten her and the other was a large brown coloured wolf with ginger fur on it's chest, a green band on it's leg.

The two wolves looked back at each other then ran in Anya's direction. Luckily Anya pass out, her body fighting some inner battle.

-~-

A triumphant howl announced the end of the fight. The non-colour coded wolves ran off with their tails between their legs. However the wolf that attacked Anya looked back over his shoulder as they fled, a glint in his eye, he would surly see her again.

The winning wolves panted and licked their wounds, the intruding wolves had been chased from the pack territory so it was a win, but the scars were evident.
Running off into the shadows of trees the wolves were replaced by six 'regular' human being, five males and one female.
T-shirts and trousers from hiding spots in the woods had been thrown on in a rush as one of the males ran towards the limp female, lying in a pool of her own blood.

The man was tall with a muscular build, brown hair contrasted his closely cut ginger beard and her blue eyes looked down at the girl. Around his right wrist he wore a green woven band.

"What's up Smith?" Another of the men asked, this one being tall with dark hair and blue eyes, a navy band around his wrist.
"Looks like those bastards decided to take a bite while in our territory" Smith replied lifting up the injured woman.

"Shit!" swore a smaller man with brown hair and brown eyes, his coloured band being orange as he rushed to help Smith.
"She's not in the best of shape Trott" Smith said looking at the woman.

The other two males looked at each other and shook their heads, one was a lanky man with brown hair to go with his brown moustache, blue eyes contrasting his bright red band, and the other was a larger man with blond hair and blue eyes, matching the light blue of his band.

Finally stepping forward the only female of the group took charge, her blond hair draped over her shoulders, the yellow band on her wrist adding colour to the bleak backdrop, "Sjin, Duncan run back to the office, explain to Lewis what has happened and tell him that, well, we're bringing someone back with us, and preferably give all editors and non wolves the weekend off, I don't feel like explaining why we have a injured girl in the office".
Nodding the two took off leaving the first three men and the female, "Hannah she's can't possibly make it through the change! No female has survived it, that's why we only have three girls in the pack," Ross said shaking his head.
"We have to give her the benefit of the doubt, now let's get back to the office" Hannah said with a sigh before turning back to Bristol.

<><Authors Note><>
So much description.... But it needed to be done....
Yogpack!!
What you think?
~Leigh xxxx