Embattlement: The Undergrounders Series Book Two (A Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Novel) by Norma Hinkens Page B

jaws can crush a moose femur.”
    Behind us, Rummy curses loudly. “Give me my gun, you punks.” I turn around, and he waves his bound hands at me. “I ain’t sitting’ here like a trussed up turkey waitin’ to be eaten alive by them mad dogs.”
    Sven reaches Rummy in two easy strides and closes his fist around his throat. “Shut your filthy trap, or I’ll toss you out there as an appetizer.” He shoves Rummy deeper into the brush and rejoins me. I listen to the powerful thump of his heart beside me as I line up the sight on my gun. The wolves are still too far away to take a shot, but we need to be ready if they make an attempt to close in. They would be on us in seconds, with their ground-eating stride.
    “Look!” Trout points to an outcropping higher up on the hillside to the left of the main cluster of wolves. A massive, dark shape trots out from behind it, bushy tail raised at half-mast.
    My chest tightens.
    “There’s your alpha male,” Trout mutters.
    “Don’t let him out of your sight,” I say. “If we can take him out, there’s a chance the rest of the pack will scatter.”
    Tucker growls, a steady whirring at the back of his throat. He sticks his head out farther to observe the movement on the ridge. I grab a hold of his scruff, more to reassure myself than to make him stay. I know he won’t make a move without my command. I nudge Trout in the shoulder. “Stay close to Izzy. I’m going to move up to that bank over there and try and get a more accurate count.”
    Trout nods, eyes firmly fixed on the wooded hillside.
    “I’ll come with you,” Sven whispers, his warm breath tracing my cheek. I get to my feet, ignoring the familiar tingling feeling coming over me.
    “No,” I say. “I need you to stay here and make sure Rummy doesn’t pull a fast one. Trout has his hands full already and I can’t rely on anyone else yet.”
    I turn and make my way steadily over to the embankment, Tucker close to my heel. Visibility is not much better from this angle. Some of the wolves have slipped back between the pines and reappeared in other positions, and I can’t be sure which ones I’ve already counted. I wipe the sweat off my forehead and begin over. Ten … twelve?
    Tucker growls again, the sound vibrating at the back of his throat like a generator running rough. He strains to get away from me. A moment later a bloodcurdling shriek cuts through the air.

7
    A rod of fear shoots up my spine. I swivel and watch in horror as Panju is slammed to the ground and pinned beneath a snarling wolf. Tucker wrenches free of my grip and bolts toward them.
    I take aim, praying I don’t miss, but before I can pull the trigger a single shot rings out. The wolf’s body convulses and flatlines. Startled, I break into a panicked run, my mind churning with confusion. Who took that shot? It didn’t come from one of our positions; it came from the far side of the trail. Blade flashes briefly to mind, but I dismiss the disturbing thought and focus on reaching Panju.
    “Mark the wolves on the slope,” I yell back to Trout. “And Izzy!”
    I leap over a gnarled tree root in my path, but before I can cover the last few feet to where Panju lies motionless beneath the wolf’s carcass, a figure sprints out from behind a spruce tree and dashes in front of me.
    I slow to a halt and stare in disbelief. “Jakob!” I gasp.
    His eyes skim over me before he drops to his knees at Panju's side.
    I heave in a hot breath, my brain turning to mush. What is Jakob doing here?
    He puts his shoulder to the grisly carcass and rolls it off Panju. Another bone-chilling scream kicks me back into gear, and I lurch forward to help him. Tucker paces back and forth, as if to eliminate the possibility of any other threat approaching.
    Panju writhes around in agony, clutching her right arm, half-cleaved through from the wolf’s jaws.
    “Keep her still,” Jakob snaps.
    I throw myself to the ground and grab her shoulders. “It’s okay,