Chapter Ten - Logan

Madison felt the cool night breeze against her cheek, heard the small animals as they scurried through the woods as she walked the quiet trail of Dark Moon Mountain Park. She had a campsite off to the west, wanting to get away from the big city and noise for a few days. Nature had always been the perfect balm to a hectic life for her, and she couldn't get away to enjoy it often enough.

The halfmoon lit the trail enough to reveal her way, but did not chase the shadows completely away. She was used to the darkness, the noises that filled the night, having made this walk several times. At least, she thought she was used to all the noises of the forest. Then, she heard the woman scream as men's laughter mocked the night.

Madison paused, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end as she stared at the trail ahead of her. She eased forward as the woman's screams grew louder, unable to force herself to turn around and flee, the anguished sounds drawing her onward. Men's laughter, sinister and mocking, reached her ears as well as someone thrashing around in a campsite. Was it a family squabble gotten out of hand? No. There was too much wailing for that. The screams weren't in anger, but more like agonizing pain.

She saw the path leading off the side trail to the campsite, tilting her head slightly in order to make out anything that would explain the screaming. The campsite was too far down the path. Her fight-or-flight instinct warred within her, but eventually she surrendered to the pull to investigate. What if someone was hurt? She needed to see if she could help whoever was in pain. She had to help.

However, as soon as she saw the chaos inside the campsite, she knew there was nothing she could do to help anyone. Four rogues stood, scattered about the site. Two of them each had a male camper in their grips, stabbing them with long blades while they laughed at their grunts and blood, the men's necks appearing as if the rogues had already gashed them open. The other two had a female between them, ripping her clothes as they punched her. Madison was about to scream out, hoping the fact that someone else was there would startle them enough to make the butchers flee off in to the woods, but just as she opened her mouth, a hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around.

"Looks like we got another toy to play with," the man sneered as he raked her with his feral gaze. "We have a way of dealing with busybodies." The man had short dark hair and a scar over his left eye. His sneer twisted his thin lips as his slaughterhouse breath smacked Madison in the face.

Fear gripped Madison, freezing her, in place as the other woman screamed again behind her. Madison tried to move, to back away and run, but her legs ignored her mind. Her lips, parted slightly, begged to scream, but nothing came out. This was it, the moment she died.

The man leered again as he reached out and grabbed her shirt, ready to rip it open, a sick cackle coming from his lips. The threat was enough to spur Madison into motion. She thrust her arms out, hitting the man in the chest and shoved him with every ounce of panic that welled up within her.

The rogue, caught off guard, tumbled backward, tripping over a branch on the ground and hitting the earth hard, the air whooshing from his lungs with a grunt. The noise attracted the attention of the others, and one of the rogues stabbing one of the men, shoved his blade into the man's gut one more time, shoving him to the ground as he turned to help the man who attacked Madison. The others remained too busy to leave their victims, but two rogues were enough to spur Madison to dart off back down the trail, running for her life.

"Get that bitch!" the rogue on the ground screamed. She heard him moving, getting to his feet, and then a couple of seconds later heard the howling of a wolf—his wolf more than likely.

Fear clutched at Madison's chest as she pumped her legs even faster to get away. She didn't look back. She didn't need to know how close her death was. She focused on escape, even though she knew it was futile.

"You can't outrun us, bitch," she heard the other man yell. "We can track you wherever you go. We WILL track you wherever you go."

The wolf howled even louder. Closer. They would have her soon. There was no way she could outrun a wolf. They were stronger, faster than even normal wolves. They would have her. Running only prolonged the inevitable.

She wasn't sure when the other screams of the woman died away, nor did she know if it was because they finished her off or if Madison was just that far away. However, soon, her breathing and the wolf's barking were all that filled the air of the park. She needed to get to the rangers' station, needed to get to help. She had thought of finding other campers, but she couldn't bring the rogues to anyone else. She already knew what they would do. No. The park rangers were the only ones equipped to help her.

Save her.

But where the hell was it? She had ran off, not keeping track of where she went, just desperate to flee. Lost. Alone.

She heard the snarl behind her; the sound seeming to come from her neck, and risked a quick glance over her shoulder.

The wolf was in the air, front legs extended, claws ready to rip. She spun, her arms going up in front of her to take the brunt of the attack. Then, she did the only thing left to do. She screamed.