Another howl answered, closer this time.
Fear began to creep in and around me like the forest's shadows. With the weight of the stories I had previously discounted bearing down on me, I quickened my pace.
The growl was barely audible at first, but it got louder with each stride. As two black wolves with strangely bright eyes sprang out of the darkness, my breath caught in my throat.
Their fur blended in with the darkness, and they were big. Their growls chilled me to the bone. My head whirling, I froze.
“Stay back,” I whispered, knowing they wouldn’t understand.
One of them lunged. I stumbled back, tripping over a root and landing hard on the ground. My chest heaved as they closed in, their teeth bared.
Suddenly, a thunderous growl echoed through the forest.
The strong figure of a golden-brown wolf was a whirl of action as it sprang into the conflict. It slammed into the black wolves and drove them furiously away. With its deliberate and accurate movements, the golden wolf's presence was overwhelming.
“W-What's happening?”
The black wolves snarled, but they were hesitant to confront it more. Their brilliant eyes vanished into the darkness as they withdrew into the shadows with a last roar.